Free Agent Update #2

This really is Christmas in July.

Baron Davis signs with the LA. Clippers and teams with Elton Brand to create one of the best 1-2 punches in the league. But wait! What’s this? The Golden State Warriors are seeking revenge from Davis’ unexpected departure? They have offered Brand, who recently opted out of his contract to create financial flexibility for the Clippers (is that what they call it these days?) a bigger deal than what the Clippers have on the table? And what’s that? Brand flew to Washington to meet with agent David Falk to speak face-to-face about the deal that could make him $20 million richer? Odds are Brand and Davis will be sharing the same huddle next season, but just imagine if Brand signed with the Warriors. Would Donald Sterling’s head roll, but like, seriously? For a Clippers fan it’d be like having your team make it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, get picked to win the Eastern Conference the following season, and then have a season comparable to Alex Rodriguez’s decision to hang out with Madonna late at night – just God-awful. Oh wait, that kind of happened to me. Yeah, that would suck.

And what’s that you say? Josh Smith may soon be calling Philadelphia home? How about a starting five of Andrew Miller, Willie Green, Andrew Igoudala, Josh Smith and Samuel Dalembert with Louis Williams, Rodney Carney and Thaddeus Young off the bench. This team ought to run a decathlon they’d be so darn athletic.

Wait, what’d you say? Corey Maggette what? He’s going to sign where? San Antonio? No way! So instead of starting Michael Finley and having Manu Ginobili off the bench, the Spurs have Maggette to take Finley’s spot? Say it with me: dy-nas-ty.

Are you serious? Stop that. Really? Chris Andersen? The same guy who needed 13 tries to throw down two dunks in the 2005 Slam Dunk Contest and who later served a two-year ban for violating the league’s substance abuse policy? He’s going to sign with who? The Boston Celtics!?! He had dinner with Danny Ainge last night? How I wish I could have sat down with that happy couple.

And you just got to love Ron Artest. After deciding to not op-out of the final year of his contract with the Sacramento Kings, the often-troubled defensive machine said, “I think I made the biggest mistake by staying in my contract and I have to live with it. I don’t see myself with [the] Kinds beyond 2008-09.” Mazel Tov! Another great decision!

And how about one of the top high school recruits for the class of 2008, Brandon Jennings, publicly playing with the idea of not attending Arizona and playing in Europe for one year before declaring for the 2009 NBA Draft. And so it begins.

But maybe the best news came when NBA Commissioner David Stern hired a United States Army general to be senior vice president for referee operations to supervise all aspects of officiating. Somewhere Tim Donaghy is smiling.

I seriously love Christmas.

Stay on the tractor Brett, please!

If you didn't hear, Brett Favre has gotten the "itch" to come back and play football for the upcoming season. Green Bay Packers General Manager Ted Thompson has already laughed it off apparently.

Either way, Brett Favre, what is wrong with you? Really? Really? Really? Almost three months ago, you said that you were, "just tired mentally." Did you get amped up on a ridiculous amount of Red Bull? Did you find the local Starbucks that was about to close and clean them out? Did Madden plead you to come back so you could help continue the curse for the video game? Were you playing backyard football with your kids and got hit a little too hard by the dog? Or do I even dare ask, did you fall off your darn tractor? What was it this time Brett?

I usually side with the athletes, letting them do what they want and end how they please. What the fans want usually means nothing to me. This though has gone on wayyyy too long. Every off-season it's been Favre this, Favre that, what's he gonna do next, where's he going, what's he saying now. The Green Bay Packers began their post-Favre plans several years back by drafting Aaron Rodgers out of California, a quarterback who has looked decent in the little playing time he has received (players have already raved about him in mini-camps). The team's main priority this off-season has been getting Rodgers ready to be a STARTER, not hold the clipboard for Favre again.

Hey Brett, you won't find many Bears fans that will openly admit to being a HUGE fan of yours throughout the years. I loved watching you play, whether it be on TV or in person. I rooted for you to succeed in any moment not related to the Bears and I rooted for you to cement your legacy as one of the all-time greats, which you undoubtedly have. I even had a poster of you for a little while on my wall (no, I will not turn in my Bears fan card for that one, nice try though!).

This is a complete joke. Lots of tidbits have leaked out recently about Favre not being a helping hand to Rodgers the last several years, which is fine for me but not cool for the "image," which I do believe Favre cares about. There is talk that the Packers might even say, "Hey Brett, we don't want/need you anymore." That'd be uglyyy in the truest definition. Where would he go then? Some team would definitely want his services (and please Bears fans, hold your breath on this one). Just take a quick look at teams’ depth charts for the quarterback position. Yuck.

They said in April that Favre was the one to convince head coach Mike McCarthy that retiring was the best decision. Oh how time flips things. Packer fans, I am very curious to hear how this news settles with you. It’s been Favre through thick and thin but I feel enough is enough. This team needs to move on and is still right in the pack to compete for the ultimate prize. Are you ready for this distraction?

Free Agent Update #1

It's only July 2nd and the excitement is already upon us!

The first move is courtesy of the Washington Wizards. Kudos to them for retaining two of their three best players. Team captain Antawn Jamison resigned for $50 million over four years, which was like killing two birds with one stone. The Wizards bring back one of the most versatile players in the East and all but guarantee the return of the one, the only, Agent Zero. Gilbert Arenas has said since day one of talk regarding his availability this summer that if Jamison returned, so would he. Well good job Washington because according to the Washington Post, Arenas has been offered a six-year contract worth upwards of $127 million by the Washington Wizards. This is the maximum contract a team can offer a player due to the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Wizards starting lineup looks to be Arenas, Jamison, Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson. After a successful draft where Washington took true-center JaVale McGee to add physicality and muscle up front, the Wizards, if healthy, will remain one of the top teams in the East.

And then there’s the Los Angeles Clippers. It’s too early to honestly praise owner Donald Sterling since the Clippers are normally the laughing stock of the NBA, but he certainly has this team going in the right direction. I personally witnessed the Clippers’ franchise point guard Shaun Livingston have his leg bend at a 90 degree angle two years ago, and knew that backup Sam Cassell wasn’t the long-term answer. But the Clippers look to have found it in former Golden State point guard Baron Davis. Reports have Davis signing with the Clippers and like the Wizards, this is taking care of more than one need, as this may keep all-star power forward Elton Brand with the team. If Brand re-signs with L.A, the Clippers will have Davis, Brand, Chris Kaman, Cuttino Mobley and Al Thornton making up their starting five. Rookie Eric Gordon will either start of be the sixth man and have an immediate impact. Davis is your prototypical do-everything point guard, but Davis’ biggest impact will be bringing attention back to the Clippers. This move puts L.A. back in the hunt of something they haven’t done since 2006, and few times before, and that is making the playoffs.

The Davis signing is bittersweet. I love the way Davis plays, but this lowers the chances of Brand coming back to Chicago. Sure the Bulls just added a once-in-a-lifetime point guard in Derrick Rose, but Davis is experienced and ready to win now. There are question marks all over Chicago since they still haven’t re-signed or decided what to do with Ben Gordon and Luol Deng, and first-year head coach Vinny Del Negro definitely doesn’t scream confidence. The Bulls must make a run at Brand to fill the enormous void left by Eddy Curry’s XXXL shorts and turn this team into a title contender.

Check back soon for more free agent news.

Say it With Me: Vinny…Del…Negro

Signs your favorite team has made an awful decision:

1) When my first memory upon hearing Vinny Del Negro is him running off the court with Mr. Mickey Mouse voice Avery Johnson in the 1996 movie, Eddie, starring Whoopi Goldberg.
2) When the coach you just hired has yet to hold the title of: Head coach, assistant coach, advanced scout or even video dude.
3) When your new coach spent just one year as the Phoenix Suns director of player personnel in 2006 and one more glorious year as the assistant general manager the next season.
4) When you would rather think about who The Mole is than your new coach.
5) When your organization announces the hiring of your new coach and its Vinny Del Negro.

Is this for real? Did the Chicago Bulls really just hire Vinny Del Negro???

I can hear it now, the Bulls P.A. announcer on opening night saying, “And the Bulls are coached by…who? This guy? Vinny Del Negro? Bring back Skiles!”

The Bulls gave Del Negro a 2-year deal worth $2 million annually. If that doesn’t scream confidence, I don’t know what does.

Remember the scene in “The Office” when Dwight is trying describe a marijuana user? He lists the qualities of a user and mentions “slow moving” and “shows a lack of motivation?” Well, he might as well been describing this organization.

They were too lazy and too slow to sign Mike D’Antoni, even though they wanted him to take the team to the next level, but then they don’t make an offer, assuming he’ll just wait it out and not be wowed by a lucrative offer from say, oh, the New York Knicks. Then reports leaked that General Manager John Paxson was very interested in hiring former Bulls coach and current TNT analyst Doug Collins. That led to this: “His feeling was, ‘I could never fire you. I care about you too much,’ Collins said about Bulls Owner Jerry Reinsdorf. And I said, ‘Well, Jerry, then we can't get into a job where that is even a thought.’”

So let me get this straight — Reinsdorf didn’t want to have to fire Collins in the future because the two enjoy long walks on the beach, but it was A-OK to can Skiles last Christmas Eve?

Pardon my tears.

The Bulls could have waited one more week and tried to hire respected Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau who is in his 19th year of coaching in the NBA. Now Chicago must surround Del Negro with good assistant coaches, and word is former Orlando Magic coach Brian Hill will be in the running. With or without experienced assistant coaches, the fact remains that Del Negro has never drawn up a play, called a timeout or even worn a suit to a game.

Despite the recent success of first-year head coaches with no coaching experience (Larry Bird and Doc Rivers), if someone told me a week ago that Vinny Del Negro would be coaching an NBA team this year I would have laughed in that person’s face. Funny how things work.

If I can take any piece of positive energy from this debacle it’s this: Steve Kerr, Del Negro’s former boss said, “"The only reason I didn't consider him is he didn't have coaching experience and I felt that was important for a veteran team. We don't have a young team like the Bulls. He was really impressive in the interview process.” Unfortunately, when the only positive thing I can come up with is that he was a good interviewer, this can’t be good.

Prior to this summer I trusted Paxson. His great mind for the game and dedication to winning were obvious from the get-go. But this is getting ridiculous. Why don’t we just tell Jerry Krause to come back and tear apart another team? Or, just bring back Dalibor Bagaric, for old times sake. That’s pretty much what Paxson is doing — sending this team in the wrong direction.

If the drawn-out and laughable coaching search is any sign of what is to come on draft night, don’t get too attached to Rose or Beasley.

-Pros

Beasley or Rose? Let the debate begin!

With the Bulls set to introduce (hopefully, for the third time!) their new head coach, current Phoenix Suns assistant general manager Vinny Del Negro, the talk in Chicago will quickly and smoothly transition to the focus of the off-season, the NBA Draft. Both of us take a moment to look at the likely top two picks in this year’s draft, Kansas State forward Michael Beasley and Memphis point guard Derrick Rose and who we each feel would fit better with this current Bulls team. Please feel free to share your thoughts!


Pros on Beasley:

Last year hurt.

Never in recent memory has an NBA team been so promising and come up so short. Experts had Chicago in the Eastern Conference Finals and they failed to play a game in the postseason. The Bulls finished 33-49, their worst season since 2003-04. They finished fourth in the Central Division, behind the Indiana Pacers. Blah.

On Christmas Eve, General Manager John Paxson and the Bulls got with the holiday spirit and fired head coach Scott Skiles, ultimately ending the season before the new year. Interim head coach Jim Boylan had no chance, let’s be honest.

Going into the off-season, there were countless questions surrounding next year’s team. Who’s the new coach? What do you do with Ben Gordon and Luol Deng, both of whom turned down five-year contract extensions worth $50 million last fall.

But never in general manager John Paxson’s wildest dreams did he think he’d have to answer this question: Rose or Beasley?

For as great of a situation Paxson is in, he better pull the string on the right guy or Chicago fans may stop showing up to the United Center, especially after the organization’s failure to land former Phoenix Suns head coach Mike D’Antoni and TNT analyst and former Bulls head coach Doug Collins.

So who do the Bulls pick? When the Bulls landed the number one selection this question began to fuel much debate. People were genuinely considering both players, but most of the media and most Chicagoans are rooting for Rose. Why? He’s the hometown kid, he’s faster than any point guard in the league, he’s a leader and he could be a franchise player for the next 12 years. Rose’s excitement and ability to entertain fans has blocked out the common sense that comes with drafting former Kansas State standout Michael Beasley.

Since the departure of, dare I say, the formidable Eddy Curry after the 2005 season, Chicago has lacked any type of low-post presence on the offensive end. The one-dimensional product is one of the main reasons the Bulls floundered this past year because when your guys stop hitting jump shots in an offense based around hitting jump shots, you’re in big trouble. This has been the Bulls biggest problem and drafting Derrick Rose doesn’t solve it.

Beasley is everything the Bulls need — a proven scorer that can put the ball in the basket against double or triple teams. He’s a beast on the boards and someone who can change the game from the paint. Beasley averaged 26.2 points per game and 12.4 rebounds per game during his freshmen year. Both sets of numbers beat Kevin Durant’s output at Texas.
And Beasley showed up when it mattered, too. Against Kansas on March 1 he scored 39 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. His most impressive statistic, however, was his four-for-seven showing from behind the arc. On the year, Beasley shot 38 percent from behind the arc, not to mention 77 percent from the charity stripe and 53 percent from the field.

He’s listed as 6’10” on ESPN.com but was measured at 6’8” with shoes at Orlando’s pre-draft camp, which brought concern to some experts. At 6’8”, he can still play power forward. Elton Brand is 6’8” — enough said.

I hate to bring this up, but when looking at Beasley’s negatives, which are few and far between, everyone seems to point to his “character issues.” People feel he’s immature, mainly because when you watch him play he plays with such ease. That easiness translates to laziness, which translates to not caring which translates to character issues. Until he punches someone or says something stupid in the media, this issue should be negated.

When it’s all said and done, Chicago will draft Rose. But whether that’s the right decision won’t be known for a couple years.


Goop on Rose:

Forgot for a moment that Memphis point guard Derrick Rose is from Chicago. Forget all the talk that is about the sexy “hometown kid” and the “feel-good story” it would be if the Chicago Bulls drafted Rose with the first overall pick.

If you can somehow bag up all that commotion and throw it in the Chicago River, you have without a doubt the player the Bulls should draft and make the face of its franchise for years to come in Derrick Rose. Mr. John Paxson, you cannot, I repeat, CANNOT mess this up!

I’ve always been a believer in taking “the best player on the board” over “taking a player to fit a need.” This holds true more so for teams with a high pick and are able to land superstar talent before the inevitable drop-off in every draft occurs. Any player can fit in with a team no matter the current roster, but it’s up to management and the coaching staff to find that fit and make it a winning formula. With that said, I do believe Rose is the better overall talent and has that greatness factor tied closely with him.

Rose has shown throughout his brief basketball career that he is all about winning, no mater his personal glory. If basketball fans don’t believe in the kid’s raw athletic talent and his scoring ability, take a look at some of his highlights before he began playing at Memphis. Rose got to campus and realized that with the abundance of talent surrounding him, it made more sense for him to serve as the primary set-up guy than to score 25 points a game, something coach John Calipari insists Rose could have done easily. Rose started the season off slowly as he immediately became a starter on a team loaded with veterans. However, he quickly showed down the stretch of the regular season and in the NCAA Tournament that he can take over games himself if need be.

The point guard position is slowly redefining the NBA, like it or not. What used to be a big man league has evolved into a league favoring guard play and dribble-drive penetration. Not every player in the league is Kobe Bryant, able to score whenever and wherever he wants. What teams do need are players that can create shots for others in the most opportunistic ways possible. We’ve seen this with Kobe, which has elevated him to MVP status. We’ve seen this with Steve Nash, a two time MVP winner for the Phoenix Suns. And most recently, we’ve seen it with the two young, star point guards in Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz and Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets.

Some people argue that Beasley can have the same effect on his teammates in the NBA as Rose. What exactly points to that? We don’t know how Beasley will respond to NBA double-teams which most likely will include players significantly bigger AND stronger than him. His passing ability is something rarely talked about and something he rarely showcased as a Wildcat. Big men don’t automatically have that effect on a team. A special point guard? A different story.
Rose is the leader the Bulls need and have lacked. One just needs to look at this past season, loaded with off-the-court problems and countless immature acts to understand what this team truly needs. Kirk Hinrich has used up his time as a Chicago Bull and is better fit for another team. By adding Rose to this team, the production of Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Tyrus Thomas, Drew Gooden, and maybe even Ben Gordon automatically improves.

The moment the Bulls lucked into the first pick, I wanted Rose. Nothing has changed since and nothing will change between now and the draft. Some people say the Bulls have won regardless but I don’t buy that. Franchises are built around number one picks so one cannot take this lightly. Set yourself up for years of greatness or a retreat back to the cellar. Which will it be Paxson?

Welcome!

Another summer of fun is on tap for everyone. We're back for more action, dabbling into more topics than ever before. Dare we broaden our horizons? Don't doubt us, enjoy!

-Goop n' Pros

No underdogs traveling to The Alamo

What we learned from this past weekend:

Goliath’s make history: They said it could never be done because “March Madness” wouldn’t allow for it. I laughed every year when CBS analyst Clark Kellogg picked all the number one seeds to advance to the Final Four, citing “it just has to happen soon enough.” Well Clark, ya finally got us. So did you Dick Vitale. And I can’t forget Jay Bilas! The powerhouse programs of North Carolina, Kansas, UCLA, and Memphis have all taken care of business and advanced to the Final Four in San Antonio, Texas. It’s the first time in the history of the event that all four number one seeds have advanced. If you’re curious, the tournament has been going for almost 70 years but seedings were implemented in 1979!

This is a new era for college basketball and fans better accept it. With the NBA age requirement forcing kids to go to school for one year, the top programs are getting the best talent because of exposure and coaching, both of which can improve a kid’s stock tremendously. Two of the Final Four teams in UCLA and Memphis have key players that are freshmen including forward Kevin Love and guard Derrick Rose. Both players have been tabbed as locks for lottery picks in the upcoming NBA draft. Kansas and North Carolina on the other hand have a plethora of talent that they reload every year (not to say the other two schools don’t). Their depth and experience has soared above the competition, whether it be in their conferences or in the national tournament itself. We saw this last year somewhat too, with all number one and two seeds getting to the Final Four.

Like it or not, I truly believe we are in a powerhouse era. Yes, Davidson was a nice story. Who didn’t like the fact that even LeBron James got a ride to Detroit to watch the baller that is Stephen Curry light up Ford Field. Kansas might have beat them by only two but the final minutes clearly showed who the superior team was in every facet of the game. While everyone always seems to root for the Cinderella’s this time of the year, I’ll take the other path and root for the great programs to get to the Final Four and ultimately face-off in matches for the ages. Three of the four regional final games this past weekend were decided by double digits. I can assure you that won’t be the case in San Antonio.

Memphis deserves “elite program” status: Honestly, I don’t know why it took me this long. I always tried to find something about this team that I just didn’t like. I tried pointing to the lack of an inside presence, remembering Joey Dorsey getting eating alive by my boy Greg Oden and The Ohio State Buckeyes last year. Whatever, forget it all. Let’s just say it plain and simple, repeat after me: Memphis is REALLY good. With their win over Texas Sunday, Memphis reached the 37 win plateau, becoming only the fifth team in college basketball history to do so: They have over 100 wins in the past three seasons and their recruiting classes are easily becoming the second coming of the And-1 Mixtape Tour. All that said, Memphis is doing everything right and has gotten over the hump, reaching their first Final Four since 1985.

Credit John Calipari for sticking up for his players in front of the media time and time again, just like a good coach should. People bashed them for the free throw shooting, hasn’t mattered. People bashed them for playing “street-ball”, hasn’t mattered. People bashed them for coming from Conference-USA, the equivalent of YMCA weekend basketball, hasn’t mattered. So what does matter? Can an 18 point victory over another “elite” program in Texas validate what you have done? Some might say yes. Most would say consistent post-season success defines elite status in college basketball. Obviously, a ring would silence all the critics and the Tigers will be gunning for that this weekend in San Antonio. All they have to do is topple the definition of an elite program in UCLA, a program that hoists 11 championship banners. Yikes.

Hansbrough deserves all the credit he is getting, and some more, plus some more on-top of that: Yes, I know us college basketball fans have been crammed down the throat the fact that North Carolina junior forward Tyler Hansbrough, also known as “Psycho T”, is the hardest working player ever to walk the hardwood and wear the Carolina blue. However, watching the East regional final Saturday night clearly illustrated why Hansbrough is the clear cut favorite to win the Naismith Trophy, awarded to the top college basketball player in the country annually. Too many people are projecting what Hansbrough’s skill-set will translate into for the NBA and are forgetting what a tremendous COLLEGE player he is (and yes, I do think the kid will be an impact player in the NBA, a debate for another day).

During a crucial stretch in the second half against the Louisville Cardinals, both Wayne Ellington and Danny Green of UNC could not find their shooting touch and the Tar Heels were struggling for some offense. Enter Tyler Hansbrough. The kid from Missouri took all of Tar Heel nation on his back for the ride to San Antonio. Whether it was getting offensive rebounds, blocked shots (which has been added to his repertoire this past season), or impressive put-backs like the nasty slam following a Green miss (plus the kid can do a 360 degree dunk), Hansbrough wasn’t going to lose the game, not a chance in the world. After losing to George Mason two years ago and Georgetown last year, the Tar Heels are showing off one of their deepest and most talented teams in recent memory. These kids are on a mission and although I’m rockin’ and chalkin’ with the Kansas Jayhawks, UNC has to be the clear-cut favorite to cut down the final nets in San Antonio.

Thanks to Philly Levin for the top photo.