With all signs pointing towards the NBA kicking off it's 2011-12 season after all, the hot stove is beginning to heat up with rumors circulating regarding two blockbuster trades in particular. And with the window of opportunity closing in bean town as Boston's big three continue to grow older, Celtics GM Danny Ainge is hoping to find the one piece missing to the puzzle that would help put the team over the top for one final run at another NBA title. According to sources that final piece is Hornets All-Star point guard Chris Paul which would mean Boston's Rajon Rondo heading to New Orleans. Better known as CP3, Paul is expected to hit the free agent market next off-season and would only be part of the Celtics plans if they were able to sign him to a long-term deal, something CP3 says he isn't interested in.
All of that could change however, say if the Hornets are off out of playoff contention once the trade deadline approaches and Paul wants to play for a team with a chance to win. If not then we could very well see Chris Paul in New York playing alongside Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire next year. But whether or not the deal goes down, the Celtics almost have to move Rondo somewhere given he's been the subject of trade talk for the past several years now which can only toy with ones mind. Despite still being on the team, if I'm Rondo I'm feeling unwanted in Boston and I'm strongly considering demanding a trade if not signing elsewhere as soon as possible.
In other trade news: As the New Jersey Nets prepare to relocate to Brooklyn in time for the 2012-13 season where they hope to start a new chapter, the franchise is hoping they can bring with them a marquee player that can convince their All-Star point guard in Deron Williams to stay and sign to a long-term deal as well as get the Nets back to their winning ways. And while a number of teams have shown interest in next year's biggest free agent Dwight Howard, no team has been more aggressive to land the 3-time Defensive Player of the Year thus far than the Nets. Rumor has it New Jersey is on the verge of offering their own standout center Brooke Lopez and two first round draft picks to Orlando as well as take on the dead-weight contract of Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu in exchange for Howard.
As much as the Magic front-office and fans would like to be optimistic about bringing Howard back once his contract expires, the chances of that happening are slim as the 5-time All-Star has expressed in the past how he wants to play for a contender, a description the Magic don't necessarily fit. For a franchise likely to lose their star player to free agency, the team might be better off getting something in return now rather than letting Howard sign elsewhere and getting nothing. With that said, if I'm Orlando's general manager Otis Smith I'm definitely keeping my ears open to offers. If the Magic do decide to hang on to Howard for the entire season however, don't be surprised if he's playing in L.A. next year donning the purple and gold.
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Despite the NBA being only two months into the offseason plagued by a lockout, those familiar with the work stoppage have already noted that they don't see an agreement being made any time soon. But with their counterparts in the NFL finally reaching a mutual agreement to their CBA some four and a half months later, you would have to think there's the slightest bit of optimism in the air, right? Those closest to the source, however, would tell otherwise and believe the lockout could last until the start of the regular season in November or worse, last beyond Christmas like it did in '98, if not threaten the entire 2011-2012 season which is very much likely.
How much worse is the NBA's lockout than that of the NFL's? Due to the demands of the players and owners being so far apart from one another, players have already began seeking an alternative for work. While most players have considered playing ball overseas in China and Turkey among other places, former Celtics point guard Delonte West is among those who aren't as fortunate. After being busted by police in September of 2009 for riding his 3-wheeled motorcycle around with a guitar case which had three firearms inside including a 9mm pistol, a court ruling by the judge will prevent West from leaving the country to join those who plan on flocking to play ball elsewhere until the lockout ends.
With basketball no longer an option, the D.C. native has instead resorted to filling out job applications like many other struggling Americans during this tough recession. His place of choice? The Home Depot as he mentioned via his Twitter account. Though it doesn't quite remind us of the situation Malik Rose was in during the NBA lockout of 1998-1999 when he was forced to move back in with his parents, it does show shades of former bad boy and current Lakers forward Ron Artest who filled out an application for a part-time job at Circuit City in order to get an employee discount during his time with the Bulls. Not only am I curious to see if Delonte knows a thing or two about wallpaper, but I'd also like to know which of his teammates he put down on his reference list.
West isn't the only one seeking work stateside this offseason as Lakers small forward Luke Walton plans to take an alternative route from the home improvement department by joining the University of Memphis' coaching staff as an assistant if the lockout continues.
As most teams in the NBA were anxiously waiting to find out where this year's most coveted free-agents were headed, one team in particular who wasn't in the sweepstakes for this offseason's marquee names were the Los Angeles Lakers. Instead of hoping to land a big name player, the repeating champions of the basketball world were hoping to re-land their future Hall of Fame coach of 12 years -- Phil Jackson. Jackson was reported as possibly retiring once he heard rumors that returning to the team for a 13th year would cost him a large portion of his paycheck. Jackson would have to settle for a seven million dollar pay-cut from $12 Million to $5 Million if he indeed decided to return to coach in Hollywood. However, it seems the relationship between Phil and Lakers owner Jerry Buss' daughter Jeanie Buss has once again prevailed, won over and encouraged him to return to the sidelines. Then again it could be the desire for a 12th ring and a third three-peat.A key cog in the Lakers chances of three-peating next season hung on a thread when uncertainty was in the air of whether or not the Zen Master would continue to coach the team he's helped win 5-NBA Championships in 11-years. The one season without Jackson in '04-'05, the Lakers finished with a dismal record of 34-wins and 48-losses and failed to make it to the Playoffs. When first hearing about the pay-cut the Lakers organization wanted Phil to take, I thought the chances of him returning were slim to none unless he decided to coach home games only which was a possibility once upon a time due to his health. But after giving it tremendous thought and consulting his doctor, Phil made it public that he would return for what he called his, "Last Hurrah." With Jackson set to return, another question to be asked amongst Laker fans is, 'Famar or Fisher?'
The veteran Fisher who is a free agent this offseason has been in the NBA for 14 years, playing 11 of them in L.A.. Alongside Bryant, Fisher is the only remaining Laker player to stick around since the team won back-to-back-to-back championships in the early 2000's despite a brief hiatus from the Lakeshow where he split stints from 2004-2007 playing with both the Golden State Warriors ('04-'06) and the Utah Jazz ('06-'07). With his veteran leadership, Fisher played a significant role in the Lakers back-to-back role this year. But similar to Phil Jackson's case, Fisher would also have to take a pay-cut if he plans to take part in the Lakers shot at third straight NBA tittle. Hometown kid and UCLA alum Jordan Farmar on the other hand has shown talent at times, but it's unknown if the 23 year old point-guard is ready to take control of an All-Star cast. Why can't the Lakers keep both of them you ask? Earlier this week it was learned that the Lakers signed PG Steve Blake to a 4-year, $16 Million dollar contract. Whether or not that rules out any interest on Fisher's part is not yet known.
Dr. Feelgood - Another head coaching job that was recently secured was that of the Boston Celtics. Prior to surprising the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic in the NBA Playoffs, Doc Rivers made public that the 2009-2010 season would be his last as the coach in Boston due to the desire of spending more time with his family and watching his kids finish high school. But after coaching the C's to their second NBA Finals appearance in three years and consulting his family, his kids told him to return to doing the one thing he loves doing best -- coaching. With Rivers scheduled to honor the last year of his contract with the Celtics, has his return to the team encouraged Paul Peirce to stay put in Boston? And speaking of the Celtics, the team has reported that they've come to terms with Power forward/Center Jermain O'Neal, signing him to a 2-year deal.
Sweet Sweet Revenge - After losing to the arch rival Boston Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals, it seemed as if Kobe Bryant was never going to get over the hump of winning a tittle without former teammate Shaquille O'Neal. But just one year later, the 2008 MVP would have another chance to rise from the shadows of his 7-foot companion as the Lakers went on to defeat the Orlando Magic in 5-games. The tittle would be Kobe's 4th overall and Lakers head coach Phil Jackson's 10th, surpassing Boston's Red Auerbach who donned nine rings. However, both Bryant and Jackson would prove to be unsatisfied with their resumes as they eyed yet another tittle. After making it to the NBA Finals for the third straight season by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns, only one team stood in their way -- The Boston Celtics.With both teams set to add another chapter to the long history of the greatest rivalry in NBA history, the Lakers had one thing on their mind -- revenge. This time around opposed to the 6-game series Boston would eventually win in '08, the Lakers were the ones with home court advantage. But after splitting the first two games at the Staples Center thanks to a record setting performance by Ray Allen who set an All-Time mark for the most three-pointers made in an NBA Finals game with 8 surpassing the previous mark (7) shared by Kenny 'The Jet' Smith and Scottie Pippen, 2010 was beginning to look a lot like 2008 with three straight games set to be played at the TD Garden. But a big contribution from veteran point-guard Derek Fisher in game 3 would help L.A. steal back home-court advantage and give the Lakers a 2-1 lead.The results of games 4 and 5 would end similar to one another as Boston came out on top by 7-points in game 4 and 6-points in game 5, despite a 38-point clinic put on by Bryant. With a trip back to L.A., the Lakers were in a do or die situation and were in need of a win to survive and force a game 7. With their backs against the wall, L.A. played their best defense of the series by allowing only 67-points in a blowout 22-point victory. Prior to game 7, it was learned that Boston would be without their starting center - Kendrick Perkins who left game 6 due to a torn PCL & MCL after leaping for a rebound and landing awkwardly. With Perkins sidelined, Celtics coach Doc Rivers had to fill the void and decided to go with veteran Rasheed Wallace due to his more lengthy playoff experience.Out the gates, the Lakers found themselves trailing early and were down by as many as 13 after halftime. Kobe shot poorly from the field throughout most of the game which didn't seem to help much, and the rest of the Lakers couldn't hit free-throws to save their life. But Pao Gasol and Ron Artest who knocked down the biggest 3-pointer of his life, would steal the show and come up big when needed most. With some crucial free-throws coming late from Bryant and Sasha Vujacic, the Lakers overcame the deficit and held off the Celtics by a final score of 83-79. Bryant was named Finals MVP for the second consecutive season and hoisted his fifth NBA tittle, as did teammate Derek Fisher. For the Lakers franchise, the NBA Championship was the team's 16th overall and 5th in 11 seasons.Although the 7 game series couldn't have made for a better story book ending for us Laker fans, it couldn't have worked out any better for ABC either as T.V. ratings sky rocketed through the roof. With the help of our international friends, this year's NBA Finals generated more viewers than ever before. The series was broadcast around the world in 215 countries and territories and translated in 41 different languages. But with the celebration of the victory came more rioting amongst the troublemakers in L.A. Then again, what more can you expect from the Laker faithful? Even though I'm a die hard Lakers fan, one thing I can never do is compare myself to the rest of the pack, as most Laker fans are known for being ignorant and extremely biased. As for the parade that took place a few days after the ruckus that filled the streets of Southern California, I was in attendance and took a few photos of my own that I will post later on along with my trip to Cali.
The Ultimate Showdown - The table is set for another round of good 'ol Lakers-Celtics basketball as both teams look to once again renew their rivalry and add another chapter to the archive of never ending L.A.-Boston NBA Finals faceoffs. Something else both teams hope to add is another Championship to their trophy case. As the Celtics remain atop the list with 17-world tittles, the Lakers are in the rear-view mirror close behind with a total of 15-world tittles. But what's a good 'ol rivalry without adding a little spice to the mix? Adding fuel to the fire is something no man can do better than the Zen Master himself.After commenting on the NBA officials and the superstar treatment they were giving Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, Lakers head coach Phil Jackson was fined $35,000 by the angel of NBA commissioner David Stern as PTI's Tony Kornheiser likes to say. Next on the list was Phoenix Suns veteran point-guard Steve Nash who was accused by Jackson for carrying the ball. After completing a four-game sweep of the San Antonio Spurs, Nash fired back by saying, "The best coach in the league Gregg Popovich didn't seem to complain about it." And when Phil's Lakers punched their ticket to the NBA Finals for the third consecutive year, it wasn't long before Jackson was back at his usual mind games. This time aiming at the Lakers archrival Boston Celtics and their star center Kevin Garnett, hoping to ploy the same problems that both Durant and Nash faced in rounds past. After labeling the Celtics as a team with a smack down mentality, mainly referring to Garnett and his karate chopping of Dwight Howard's arm in game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Jackson made some comments that could influence the refs. "That's not our team, we don't go out there and smack people around." But unlike Phil's past victims, Garnett didn't fall into the trap of the almighty Zen Master. Instead, he called Jackson's bluff and said it was all part of Jackson's little game. But whether or not Garnett and the rest of the Boston three-party alongside Rajon Rondo decide to fall for any of Jackson's tricks that may be up his sleeve, they're going to have to look out for one thing and one thing only -- Charges.The Lakers plan to attack the big bodied Celtics by taking and committing charges. And for every successful charge, a Laker will earn an extra $50 to their pay check. All Laker players seemed to get the memo, except for the trouble Ron Artest of coarse. Artest, the hero in game 5 of the Western Conference Finals told ESPN, "If you take a charge on the playground [in New York] and call it, someones getting stabbed." I'm not sure if Artest was the one threatening to do the stabbing, but I wouldn't doubt it. After all, this is the same guy that ran into the stands in Detroit and caused what would go down as the biggest brawl in NBA history -- the Malice at the Palace...
Game 1 of the NBA Finals starts tomorrow at 6 pm on ABC, Go Lakers!
File this one under a case of ridiculousness. Despite being a mediocre ballplayer at best, Boston Celtics' guard Marquis Daniels' new bling would have you thinking otherwise. Although the undrafted Daniels had a respected basketball career at the University of Auburn, his presence at the NBA level is yet to be seen. The 6-foot 6-inch guard who served two separate 3-year tenures with both the Dallas Mavericks and the Indiana Pacers, recently had a chain customized in a way that only he can. That's unless you want a chain of someone else around your neck and can afford it of coarse. Similar to hip-hop mogul Rick Ross, Daniels had a replica of his own face made into a necklace. The 2.9 pound neck piece is made of 1,300 grams of 14-karat gold and is smothered in white and cognac diamonds. All ingredients to a recipe that has to have cost the 7-year veteran a fortune. And with skills like his, I'm wondering how Daniels was able to afford all of this. Then again, when he's not out at his day job, trying to earn playing time on the hardwood, Daniels is putting in work in the rap industry with such artists as Gucci Mane and Lil' Boosie. Now it all makes sense!
