NBA FanHouse

Knicks Reportedly Pass on Allen Iverson

Matt Watson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:20:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Heat, Knicks, NBA Rumors

A four-time scoring champ leading Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo offense? It looked like a match made in heaven on paper, but the Knicks have apparently decided the intangibles surrounding Allen Iverson -- including ugly exits with two teams in the span of seven months -- outweighed the potential gains.

According to Howard Beck of the New York Times, the Knicks went back and forth on the issue, with a team source suggesting Thursday afternoon there was a 90 percent chance the team would offer a contract. Ultimately, however, the team's brain trust decided that "Iverson posed too great a risk" -- a damning indictment if there ever was one, considering the 2-7 Knicks are currently on pace for a 15-win season.

If not with the Knicks, where will Iverson land? Not the Heat, according to Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald, who reports that the team has denied reports out of New York suggesting they were in pursuit of A.I.

What about the Bobcats? Despite Larry Brown's affection for his former player, that doesn't seem likely either, especially after Charlotte filled their need for a scoring playmaker with the recent acquisition of Stephen Jackson. Brown has admitted to placing calls around the league on behalf of Iverson but nevertheless sounds reluctant to bring him aboard his own team given the focus on developing his young backcourt.

"Here's what happened -- when he thought about coming with me, he said, 'Coach, I don't care if I start, you just give me an opportunity to start,' " Brown said in a recent radio interview. "And I said that's fair. I hope I do that with all my players. But I told him that if he came with me, I have two guards sitting there and they would be unhappy, and I didn't think that was fair."

So what's next? Barring the unexpected, Iverson will likely be forced to spend at least the next several weeks waiting in limbo, either waiting for injuries to create a starting opportunity or a contender to make a compelling enough offer for Iverson to swallow his pride and come off the bench.

Knicks Reportedly Pass on Allen Iverson originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tracy McGrady Reportedly Puts on Uniform, Demands Answers

Tom Ziller — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:25:00 EST

Filed under: Rockets, NBA Injuries, NBA Rumors, NBA Coaches

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! has a half-harrowing, half-hilarious tale out of Minneapolis, where sources say Tracy McGrady put on his uniform Wednesday to confront coach Rick Adelman about the team's timetable for the fallen star's return. Woj reports that McGrady -- who may or may not have told Yahoo! last week that he'd planned on returning Wednesday against the Wolves, a plan the Rockets quickly squelched -- is angry the team is holding him off the court, and wanted answers from Adelman.

What resulted (with McGrady in full uniform after warming up with teammates before the game) was a heated closed-door argument, Woj reports. The writer's sources claim Mac demanded to know why team management wouldn't let him get back on the court sooner than next week's scheduled MRI.

As someone who followed an Adelman-coached team closely for eight years, this is certainly rare -- R.A. feuded with very few players in Sacramento, with only Tony Massenburg standing out in memory. (Adelman and Chris Webber had their moments, but I'd argue no other coach in the league would have survived the troubling end to the 2003-04 season, in which Webber ruined the sparkling Kings by returning from surgery too early, and then blamed Peja Stojakovic for the second round exit. Somehow, Adelman came out of it looking like a white hat.)

But perhaps that's part of the problem -- Adelman is reserved, and has no time for drama. McGrady's situation is fairly dramatic. Adelman's silent insouciance (also seen in the fourth quarter of big games, unfortunately) probably makes McGrady feel underappreciated, or brushed aside.

McGrady's the league's highest-paid player, a former MVP candidate watching his career twinkle out due to chronic back problems and last year's microfracture surgery. This has to be a rough transition for McGrady, especially if what McGrady's people tell Woj is true: that the Rockets are stalling to collect insurance money, some $226,000 for every game the star misses from here on out. If McGrady truly believes that theory, he deserves answers, and Adelman probably owes his player his ear.

I'd be inclined to believe that said claim -- which comes from McGrady's people, mind you -- is not true, and that it's more an issue of Adelman and team management (led by Daryl Morey) knowing that the McGrady era is basically over, and that the New Rockets need to learn to win, lose and play without the epic possession/attention soaker. For all the criticism of what his game has become, McGrady has been surprisingly gracious on the court the last few years, but by his extant standards that's not enough for the newly egalitarian Rockets.

It's too bad, because McGrady's clearly gone from Houston by June 30 (when his contract expires), if not sooner. That would mean that McGrady has left three NBA teams, all of them in less than happy circumstances. I suppose the same could be said of most lightning-rod stars (Shaquille O'Neal certainly included), but that really doesn't make it any less unfortunate. Only McGrady and the Rockets know the truth here -- whether McGrady is being a prat, or whether Houston is doing him wrong -- but no matter what, based on history and preconceived notions, it will reflect poorly on McGrady. It's probably something in between, if in-between even exists in matters of pride. If reports like this persist, though, it's plausible we'll never know, because it's plausible McGrady may have worn that Rockets uniform -- in a visitor's locker room office, mind you -- for the last time.

Tracy McGrady Reportedly Puts on Uniform, Demands Answers originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Knicks to Pursue Iverson

Tom Ziller — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Knicks, NBA Rumors

Just a few days after the Grizzlies announced they'd cut loose disgruntled legend Allen Iverson, Howard Beck of the New York Times reports the Knicks do plan to pursue the guard. Beck has sources who indicate coach Mike D'Antoni is sold on the addition of the legendarily difficult scorer, and the Knicks plan to offer A.I. at least a minimum contract worth $1.3 million.

The Knicks have been dreadful this season, and it's getting worse all the time. (The Knicks visit currently winless New Jersey on Saturday in what could be the return of Devin Harris and Courtney Lee. Giving an 0-13 [pending tonight's Nets-Bucks result] New Jersey team its first win? Rock. Bottom.) Iverson is still useful as a scorer, and despite the N.Y. talking points about developing the kids, the Knicks as an organization have little to lose by letting The Answer run loose for a few months. Win, win, win. (That third one is for Spike Lee.)

Report: Knicks to Pursue Iverson originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monta Ellis Next Up on 'I'm a Warrior, Get Me Out of Here!'

Tom Ziller — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:10:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, NBA Rumors

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News reports that the agent for Monta Ellis will meet with Warriors management Thursday, with the entree allegedly an Ellis desire to be traded away. Just like Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson. In fact, with this latest news, I'm beginning to think something wacky is going on in Oakland!

It's all become a little more ridiculous every single day for Golden State. Kawakami reports that when Ellis attempted to do a leadership schpiel to the team following an embarrassing 28-point home loss to the Clippers, coach Don Nelson (the apparent source of Monta's consternation) told the guard to "be quiet." The pair had an altercation in front of the media a week later. Fun times.

Adding salt to all this, Raja Bell, acquired in Monday's Jackson trade, has decided to go ahead with wrist surgery he had been delaying as a Bobcat. He would essentially prefer months in a cast to suiting up for this tragic franchise. How perfectly illustrative.

Monta Ellis Next Up on 'I'm a Warrior, Get Me Out of Here!' originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iverson Wants to Play Again, With Knicks as Possibility

Tom Ziller — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:20:00 EST

Filed under: Grizzlies, Knicks, NBA Rumors

Yahoo!'s Marc Spears caught up with the personal manager of one Allen Iverson, the surefire Hall-of-Fame guard who earlier Monday agreed to part ways with the Grizzlies after three dramatic regular season appearances. The implication of Monday's event implies that Iverson is done in the NBA -- he didn't exactly have many suitors in the offseason, after all, which required a bit role on the bad Grizzlies in the first place.

You should be unsurprised to learn, however, that Iverson doesn't see it that way. A.I.'s manager told Spears that the guard intends to play again in the NBA ... hopefully this season. How's that gonna happen? Take it away, New York Knicks president Donnie Walsh!

Walsh told Frank Isola of the New York Daily News his struggling club would consider adding Iverson.

"We'll look into it," Walsh told the Daily News. "Right now, I'd say probably not but we'll see."

The Knicks could hardly lose anything by adding Iverson. The team has only three or four youngsters who legitimately need playing time. Danilo Gallinari can play small forward in Mike D'Antoni's system, and while you'd like to see guard Toney Douglas get as many minutes as possible, the Knicks are truly dreadful, and minutes on a 15-win team is more scarring damage than learning experience. If Iverson can help (and he played well enough in his three appearances to make that an honest assessment rather than pie-in-the-sky nostalgia), the Knicks would do well to fit him in.

But of course, Iverson must be willing to compromise, too. And that doesn't sound entirely likely, with Iverson's manager telling Spears that The Answer would come off the bench ... for a championship-contending team. If A.I. really wants to latch on with a team this season, he needs to drop the conditions and be just a touch humbled by his fall from grace. I mean, if Stephon Marbury can get a late-season call (as he did with the Celtics last season), Iverson can. It's just a matter of posturing for public relations' sake.

Iverson Wants to Play Again, With Knicks as Possibility originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Hornets Offering Emeka Okafor For Expiring Contract

Tom Ziller — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:09:00 EST

Filed under: Hornets, Kings, NBA Rumors

Yeoman beat man Sam Amick of the Sacramento Bee reports the Kings are mulling a trade offer from the Hornets that would send high-priced center Emeka Okafor to Sacramento in exchange for roleplaying, aging forward Kenny Thomas. K-9 has looked spry in early action for the Kings, but his best attribute is his $8.7 million expiring contract. Okafor is on the books through the 2013-14 season.

New Orleans acquired Okafor this summer, committing a grip of cash long-term in the process. The Hornets sent Tyson Chandler -- an expensive center himself, but on a much shorter contract -- to Charlotte in the deal, which came several months after the Hornets tried to unload Chandler for a package of expiring contracts amid the throes of a playoff chase. Chandler, however, failed his physical with the Thunder, reversing the trade.

In other words, this trade would effectively finish the job of losing Chandler's contract, and would set the tone for continued salary cuts from New Orleans. Boo to all that.

When the team announced the dismissal of coach Byron Scott this week, executives insisted the team would not slip into rebuilding mode. But moving Okafor -- the team's only legit starting center -- for a player so limited in a move so obviously inspired by finances is concession. The franchise would be conceding that the team will not contend this year. I'm sure Chris Paul and David West will be thrilled with that.

The initial Chandler-Thunder move was fairly depressing on this front. However, that move had Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith heading to New Orleans for the stretch run. It was what one could call a "quasi-salary dump," because Smith and Wilcox could definitely have helped the Hornets heading into the playoffs, and because Chandler wasn't himself last year. But Okafor is now healthy, and Thomas is not an inspiring acquisition. He rebounds and defends, but he shouldn't play more than spot duty, and he's a huge minus on offense. I have no qualms in suggesting he would blow a full 50 percent of the potential assists Paul would toss his way.

Trading Okafor after firing Scott after trying to trade Chandler for expiring contracts is a real nice way to tick off Paul, the team's top asset by a wide, wide, wide, wide margin. As such, it's a pretty bad move.

Report: Hornets Offering Emeka Okafor For Expiring Contract originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Byron Scott Unlikely to Have Good Options, Unless Phil Jackson Retires

Tom Ziller — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: Hornets, Lakers, NBA Rumors, NBA Coaches

Had Byron Scott been fired last May instead of today, he'd certainly be in a better financial position, as Scott would have been highly sought-after by at least a few teams, Sacramento and Minnesota among them. As it stands, Scott has no contract for the 2010-11 season ... and few leads for decent gigs.

Not that either Sacramento or Minnesota are glamorous jobs, but they were rebuilding teams with low expectations, much like the Hornets were when Scott first came to New Orleans. This summer? I imagine the Nets job will be available, but that bridge has been ashes for ages. The Pacers and Grizzlies will be the other most likely openings, barring a surprise retirement from Jerry Sloan, Don Nelson or Larry Brown.

But there's one job Scott has always been tied to that could also become available and happens to be pretty plush: the one currently filled by Phil Jackson.

That Lakers job now enters the picture as Scott's best prospect by far. A year ago, Scott told the Los Angeles Times he holds the Lakers organization in the utmost regard, and thinks about coaching the team "often." While Jackson seemed to simultaneously groom in-house assistants Kurt Rambis and Brian Shaw, Scott would certainly be a top-tier candidate from the outside if Phil were to retire.

And now, one hurdle has fallen: Scott has no other great option, nor a paying job. Jackson is in Sloan mode, judging whether he can handle another grinding season on the fly. He's paid $12 million this season, and has talked about wrapping up his career. Having won his 10th title -- and passing Red Auerbach on the championship coaching list -- would seem to provide some sort of shove off to the ranch.

Of course, Rambis thought enough of either Jackson's continued passion for coaching or the organization's love of Shaw (or some combination of the two) to take his chances in Minneapolis. I suppose over the next nine months we'll see how Scott fits into that equation, and whether Shaw should take the next head coaching job he's offered.

Byron Scott Unlikely to Have Good Options, Unless Phil Jackson Retires originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LeBron: No More Free Agency Questions

Tim Povtak — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:15:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Heat, NBA Rumors

ORLANDO -- If the thought of playing in Miami alongside Dwyane Wade next season had any appeal to LeBron James, it was hard to tell from his comments Wednesday night before his Cavaliers played the Orlando Magic.

Wade started the conversation, but James had no intention of finishing it Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Wade had addressed the issue with reporters in Miami, touching off another frenzy of speculation concerning next summer's free agent market, which will include both Wade and James.

The two have been friends for years and the Heat will have enough salary cap space to re-sign Wade, along with offering a maximum contact to James, who is expected to be pursued by the New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets and Chicago Bulls.

"Me and Dwyane have been friends for 7-8 years, and we've talked about a lot of things,'' James said Wednesday. "And we've both said the one thing is to stay focused on leading our own guys in the right direction. It (playing together) doesn't come up often.''

"I'm going to stop answering free agent questions until the offseason. I owe it my teammates, myself, my organization to focus on this season."
- LeBron James James was asked if playing next season in a warm weather city was appealing, and he just shook his head.

"I just want to win,'' he said.

James and the Cavs are coming off a trip to New York, where he was peppered by similar questions about his free agent status and playing in Madison Square Garden.

"Those questions don't bother me, to be honest,'' he said. "I go in with one goal and that's to win the next game.''

James spent five minutes talking with reporters about a variety of other topics, about playing with Shaquille O'Neal, about the status of Delonte West, about losing to the Magic last spring in the conference final.

But when talk returned to his free agent status and whether he would like to play alongside Wade in Miami, he ended the conversation.

"This free agent talk is getting old, it's getting older. I'm going to stop answering free agent questions until the offseason,'' he said. "I owe it my teammates, myself, my organization to focus on this season. This is the last time this season I'm going to answer free agent questions until the end of the season.''

Wade earlier talked at length about the topic. This was the best part, coming from the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel.

"I mean it's a longshot, no question about it, it's a longshot. I mean, I'm in Miami; he's in Cleveland. He's been put in a position in Cleveland where he has the opportunity to compete for a championship now. And I'm in Miami, where I've won a championship and this is where I love to be. So it's not like we're both looking over our shoulders, saying, 'I want to get out of here.' It's a longshot, but, at the end of the day, it is a shot."

LeBron: No More Free Agency Questions originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Reveals He Has Rare Form of Leukemia

Will Brinson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:20:00 EST

Filed under: Lakers, NBA Media Watch, NBA Rumors

During an interview with the Associated Press on Monday, NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar revealed that he is being treated for a rare form of leukemia.

Kareem apparently learned of the diagnosis nearly a year ago, but held off on making the news public until now.

"The word 'leukemia' is a very frightening word," he said in a phone interview from New York. "In many instances, it's a killer and it's something that you have to deal with in a very serious and determined way if you're going to beat it."

However, as terrifying as that statement sounds -- and Abdul-Jabbar acknowledged that he has been frightened while dealing with the diagnosis -- the Laker legend has a long-term prognosis that is considered positive, and has apparently responded well to treatment.

Additionally, Jabbar pointed out that he was going public with the diagnosis in order to affect the treatment of the blood cancer, citing the manner in which Magic Johnson assisted public awareness.

"I've never been a person to share my private life. But I can help save lives," he said at a midtown Manhattan conference room. "It's incumbent on someone like me to talk about this."

Jabbar, who is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, learned of the disease when he began having hot flashes last year and was told to have blood work done after expressing concern to his doctor. Jabbar also pointed to his excellent health -- he was one of the first pro athletes to pick up yoga -- as a reason for not only finding the disease but having a shot at beating it.

And that may be the biggest public service he provides throughout this entire health issue -- Jabbar can not only help everyday people (and athletes) learn leukemia awareness, but also how to best deal with leukemia and raise awareness about the disease.

Also on FanHouse: Lakers Top NBA Power Rankings | Where Will S-Jax Land?

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Reveals He Has Rare Form of Leukemia originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Allen Iverson Mulling Retirement

Brett Pollakoff — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:37:00 EST

Filed under: Grizzlies, NBA Rumors

After Allen Iverson received permission from the Grizzlies to take a personal leave of absence on Saturday, it was only natural to wonder if that was the last we would see of him in Memphis. Iverson was clearly unhappy coming off the bench, and his coach, Lionel Hollins, was clearly unhappy with the distraction the situation was creating for his team.

Most thought that if Iverson didn't return to the Grizzlies, then he would surely end up somewhere else. But according to a report in The Commercial Appeal, retirement is something that instead may be on the iconic superstar's mind.

SI.com: Iverson's Return in Question

Allen Iverson is contemplating retirement if he doesn't rejoin the Grizzlies, according to a source with knowledge of the veteran guard's situation.

The stress associated with a family issue plus Iverson's frustration over playing a reserve role might spell the end of his 14-year NBA career, according to the source.

There's no question that Iverson still has some game left, and he could definitely contribute to a team in a reduced role. But obviously, that remains the sticking point.

Would Iverson, at this point in his career, ever be OK with coming off the bench? Or, looking at the bigger picture, could Iverson come to grips with the concept that the team he plays for would now no longer rely solely on him for its success?

Those are questions that only Iverson himself can answer. But based on the way he's reacted to working in a supporting role both in Detroit last year and in his current situation in Memphis, it doesn't seem like a scenario that he's ever going to be willing to embrace.

Report: Allen Iverson Mulling Retirement originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Allen Iverson Leaves Grizzlies Leaving Many Questions, Few Answers

Rob Peterson — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:39:00 EST

Filed under: Grizzlies, NBA Rumors

When Allen Iverson signed a contract with the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason, you just had a feeling it wouldn't end well.

If most reports from Saturday night are true, you were right.

On Saturday, the Memphis Grizzlies granted the one-time league MVP his leave from the team for personal reasons. Yahoo's Marc Spears and ESPN.com's Chad Ford have both reported that Iverson's leave is indefinite and no timetable has been set for his return.

"Allen Iverson has left the Memphis Grizzlies and is not expected to return anytime soon," Spears wrote, "if at all, a source close to the situation told Yahoo! Sports on Saturday."

Mr. Ford?

"Head coach Lionel Hollins said Saturday night that Iverson's departure was "indefinite," Ford wrote on True Hoop. "Owner Michael Heisley said Iverson's absence has nothing to do with his displeasure about his role on the team. "

If it is, as Heisley notes, a personal matter that Iverson needs to take care of, then you have the hope that everything will be OK and that Iverson can get it settled in order to return to the Grizzlies as soon as possible.

But as Spears and Ford are reporting, it seems to be more of a personnel matter than a personal matter. And as anyone who knows anything about Iverson during his career is that he's a spotlight guy. Riding the pine isn't in Iverson's DNA.

Last season, he had problems coming off the bench for the Detroit Pistons, a team that had been to six consecutive Eastern Conference finals. Can you imagine the indignity he must have felt coming off the bench for the Grizzlies, a team that has never won a playoff game?

You don't even need to imagine, really. You can read for yourself. FanHouse's Matt Steinmetz caught up with A.I., who had played his first game after injuring his hamstring, on the recent Grizzlies road trip.

"I had no problems (with the hamstring)," Iverson said afterward. "I had a problem with my butt from sitting on that bench so long. That's the only thing I got a problem with."

Understood. You have two NBA All-Star Game MVPs and more points (24,020) than any active players not named Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. Please, continue.

"Yeah, I'll be disappointed (if he's a sub this season)," Iverson said. "I'm not a reserve basketball player. I've never been a reserve all my life and I'm not going to start looking at myself as a reserve. ... To answer the question, 'No, I'm not a bench player. I'm not a sixth man. Go look at my resume and that will show you I'm not a sixth man."

Did you expect anything less from Iverson, who has been a, quote-unquote: warrior, for his entire career? He may not like to practice, but he liked to play. He wanted a ring -- validation for all he had given to the game: heart, soul and body -- and was going to be dragged kicking and screaming into retirement. If anything signaled desire to play, at any cost (and in this case a discount at $3M per), it was signing with the Grizzlies in the first place.

But as of Saturday night, it seems as if Iverson was not going to leave it all on the court. Instead of going down fighting, his career has started to echo those far sadder words said by Gen. Douglas MacArthur soon after Harry S Truman fired him for insubordination: "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away."

Allen Iverson Leaves Grizzlies Leaving Many Questions, Few Answers originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Investigates Alleged Homophobic Heckler Response by Maverick

Tom Ziller — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:44:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Mavericks, NBA Fans, NBA Rumors

OutSports.com reported Tuesday that Drew Gooden made homophobic remarks to two hecklin' Clippers fans after the Mavericks' Saturday game in Los Angeles. One of the Clippers fans happened to be actor Chris Wylde (pictured, far right), who has -- no joke -- appearances on a show named Heckle U to his credit. (The plot of Heckle U, according to IMDB? Two dudes change the course of basketball games by heckling the opposing teams into submission.)

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban reportedly emailed Wylde, saying the team would deal with Gooden. Meanwhile, the Dallas Morning News reports that the NBA is currently investigating the matter, while ESPN's Tim MacMahon has an anonymous source who claims it wasn't Gooden who made the remark. (No word on whether that anonymous source is Gooden.)

NBA Investigates Alleged Homophobic Heckler Response by Maverick originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One NBA GM and Bill Simmons Want to Give Hope to the Hopeless

Rob Peterson — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Draft, NBA Rumors

Bill Simmons is everywhere.

As an provocateur, he's burrowed under the skin of old-media types such as Mike Francesa, who don't get him.

But most new-media types -- especially handsome and talented interns -- do get him. He's the 700-pound sportswriting gorilla touting a 700-page tome, The Book of Basketball, and tweeting the tour.

Yet, more than refusing to get off the virtual lawn of curmudgeons or fomenting a fervent fan base or getting this, the third post to feature him today at the 'House, Simmons has often expressed his desire to be an NBA GM. (OK, so not every new-media type finds this endearing.)

Then, it must thrill Simmons that one NBA GM has submitted a plan that would radically alter the NBA postseason in order to prevent teams from tanking. A plan that is very similar to one Simmons proposed in an ESPN the Magazine column in 2007.

As reported today by the always spot-on Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated, Denver GM Mark Warkentien -- the reigning NBA Executive of the Year -- has sent a letter to the other 29 teams and the league office to hold a mini-tournament to earn the No. 8 seed in each conference.

"Under the proposal, nothing would change for the playoff teams that earn the top seven playoff spots. The No. 8 spot, however, would be up for grabs. No. 8 would play a home game against No. 15, No. 9 would play at home against No. 14 and so on.

The loser of each game would be eliminated, while each winner would advance to the next round. At the conclusion of the mini-tournament, the playoffs would revert to the traditional format, with the winner of the No. 8 seed opposing the team with the best record in the conference."

That sounds quite good; and quite familiar. In addition to contraction and changing the Lottery back to a one-team, one-chance at No. 1, Simmons floated the idea of the League's Lottery-bound losers fighting in a mini-tourney. Instead of battling for one seed in a single elimination tourney, Simmons would have teams in a double-elimination tourney fighting for the final two spots in each conference.

"Shorten the regular season by four games, guarantee the top six seeds in each conference, then have a double-elimination tourney for the seventh and eighth seeds between the remaining 15 teams. I suggest this for five reasons. First, it would be entertaining as hell. In fact, that's what we'll call it: the Entertaining-as-Hell Tournament. Second, I'm pretty sure we could get it sponsored. Third, the top 12 teams get a reward: two weeks of rest while the tournament plays out. Fourth, a Cinderella squad could pull off some upsets, grab an eighth seed and win fans along the way. And fifth, with the Entertaining-as-Hell Tournament giving everyone a chance, no team could tank down the stretch without insulting paying customers beyond repair."

Hmmm, intriguing both, though one could be persuaded to go with the Warkentien proposal considering it would have the excitement of an April Madness (April Anxiousness!) single-elimination tourney.

There's a flip side to this, of course. Do you want to chance rewarding a 19-63 team with a spot in the Playoffs? Doesn't that render the whole regular season meaningless as opposed to just the last few weeks?

Regardless, both proposals (save the contraction -- What cruel bastard would like to see a city lose its team? Besides Clay Bennett, I mean.) have merits. Then again, after the institution of the re-weighted Lottery system in 1994, tanking never made sense anyway. Sure the worst team gets a 25 percent chance of winning the Lottery, but it also means they have a 75 percent chance of not winning it either. Only twice since the new system was instituted has the worst team won the Lottery: Cleveland in 2003 (they tabbed LeBron James) and Orlando in 2004 (they nabbed Dwight Howard).

Still, all of this must make Simmons smile. It's now on the record that one NBA GM thinks a lot like him.

One NBA GM and Bill Simmons Want to Give Hope to the Hopeless originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cavaliers Reportedly Interested in Stephen Jackson

Brett Pollakoff — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:35:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Warriors, NBA Rumors

Before he was named head coach of the Cavaliers in 2005, Mike Brown twice had the honor of coaching Stephen Jackson: once as an assistant with the Pacers, and before that, as an assistant with the Spurs.

Jackson's time in Indiana wasn't exactly that of a model citizen, but he was fine in San Antonio, and even got himself a ring as a contributor to the Spurs' championship in 2003.

Maybe Brown, based on this past experience, sees something in Jackson that at this point, most of the rest of us do not. That has to be the reason that Cleveland is interested in trading for Jackson, and freeing him from the unpleasant situation that he's created for himself in Golden State.

Tom Ziller: "Jackson is certainly rare, but not for the reasons he thinks. He's the rare top dog who is basically completely ineffective. By my count there are at least six Warriors more valuable than Jackson." -- Read More The rumors started over a week ago, with the name of Zydrunas Ilgauskus being floated as someone the Warriors would be interested in getting back in the deal.

There was no truth to that one, as the last thing Cleveland would be looking to do is get smaller. But according to The Plain Dealer, that doesn't mean that the Cavs are done trying to work something out.

You have not heard the last of the Stephen Jackson trade rumors involving the Cavs.

According to sources, the Cavs do have an interest in Jackson and have had some internal discussions about trading for him.

No deal is imminent, because the Warriors are in need of a big man, and again, the Cavs aren't going to give one up.

But if somehow Jackson does get traded, and Golden State gets a productive big man in return, it would be fairly ironic. Because the fact that the team supposedly promised Jackson that they'd get a quality big in the offseason -- and didn't -- is what started him down this insubordinate path in the first place.

Cavaliers Reportedly Interested in Stephen Jackson originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stephon Marbury Promises to Return, Just Not This Year

Matt Watson — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:20:00 EST

Filed under: Celtics, NBA Rumors

In an interview with the New York Post, Stephon Marbury admitted that he has no plans to pursue an NBA job this season but vowed to return in the future. "I'm resting, doing what Michael Jordan did, enjoy life, do things I haven't done in 16 years, keep building my empire," Marbury told the Post. "I wasn't going to Boston for that money. It was a prudent business decision to take off this year."

It was a prudent business to take a year off, but let's be honest -- it wasn't a decision Marbury made, but rather one forced upon him by 30 NBA general managers.

During a peculiar offseason in which productive players without excess baggage struggled to find contracts, the odds of Marbury finding work were extremely slim, especially after his mis-adventures in social media that included, among dozens of wacky examples, eating Vaseline and getting into a car accident while streaming live on the internet.

Will he find more teams willing to roll the dice a year from now? It doesn't seem likely. Assuming he doesn't play this year, Marbury will have combined for 47 regular-season games in three years, having last played a complete season in 2006-07. He's not necessarily too old to make a comeback, but he's not getting any younger, and turns 33 years old this coming February.

And even if a team decides he still has the skills to compete, it also needs to weigh his on-court production to his potential to disrupt the locker room. (By all accounts Marbury was on his best behavior while with the Celtics, but his recent Twitter rants against Paul Pierce make you wonder if there weren't problems behind the scenes.)

That said, Marbury has a message for those who doubt him. "People can say what they want and act like God," Marbury said. "A year from now, you don't know what I'm going to be like. I got to 197 pounds last camp. I'm from the gutter. I can go anywhere."

For more on Marbury (and his disparaging comments about the Knicks and why he feels New York has no shot at LeBron James), check out the Post article.

Stephon Marbury Promises to Return, Just Not This Year originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stern Dampens Expectations on NBA Expansion in Europe

Tom Ziller — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Euroleague, NBA Rumors

Every preseason when a handful of NBA teams jump the pond to play ball in the Old Word's great cities, NBA commissioner David Stern discusses his dream of bringing a real life NBA franchise to Europe. Globalizing the game has been one of Stern's most impressive victories, and introducing the "London Gobsmackers" or some such would be some serious icing.

But Stern is now dampening expectations for when this all might happen. The commish told Bill Wilson of BBC News that while the league would like to schedule a regular season game at London's (reportedly spectacular) O2 Arena before the 2012 Olympics, placing a franchise in Europe will take at least another decade. The logistics, Stern admits, are nightmarish. I'd also note that so long as there are domestic arenas in want of NBA tenants (such as Kansas City's Sprint Center), American expansion might be a more pragmatic move in the near term.

Stern Dampens Expectations on NBA Expansion in Europe originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nets Management Is Toast

Tom Ziller — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Nets, NBA Rumors, NBA Coaches

There are myriad sightlines to Mikhail Prokhorov's purchase of the New Jersey Nets. Locally, the injection of capital saves the team's move to Brooklyn. Thanks to Prokhorov's immense wealth -- only Portland's Paul Allen has fatter assets -- the Nets will surely become major spenders in coming years. And nationwide, the entrance of a Russian capitalist into such a high-profile American industry will surely draw massive attention, both good and bad.

But Dave D'Allesandro of the Newark Star-Ledger has his mind on the Nets basketball management structure. Rod Thorn, the team's basketball ops boss, is entering the final year of his contract. Same for coach Lawrence Frank. D'Alessandro notes that in his Tuesday LiveJournal entry detailing his interest in the Nets, Prokhorov cited the promotion of Russian coaches and managers as a driving force behind his potential entry to the NBA.

What that means for our comrades in East Rutherford ... well, it is not good. Like Dave D., I have a hunch Thorn, Frank, Kiki Vandeweghe and the rest of the staff will be saying "dasvidania" at season's end.

New owners habitually jettison management when taking over a team -- it's an accepted practice going back to the 1970s. And Prokhorov's a special case: he has money, he has nationalistic pride, he has a desire to further the careers of his countrymen and friends, he has an aching need to win (as seen with his CSKA Moscow club) and he has completely carte blanche. If Thorn's contract extended into 2010-11, perhaps you could see Prokhorov holding off on the upheaval. But the new owner has literally no incentive to stay with the status quo.

Maybe there's even an anti-incentive to staying with Thorn beyond April. I mean, the Nets have oodles of cap space this summer, and every superstar alive will be a free agent. July 1, 2010 is the opportunity for the Nets. Prokhorov is going to want his people in place for that.

Frank is good coach and will find a job quickly. Thorn, who has been around forever, might end up back at the league office (he's close with commissioner David Stern). But wherever they go, I am fairly convinced it won't be Brooklyn.

Nets Management Is Toast originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raymond Felton to Take $5.5 Million Qualifying Offer From Charlotte

Tom Ziller — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:14:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, NBA Rumors, NBA Transactions

Sean Deveney of The Baseline reports that Charlotte point guard Raymond Felton plans to accept the $5.5 million qualifying offer presented by the Bobcats at the start of free agency. The qualifying offer allowed Charlotte to match any offer sheet from another team signed by Felton. But Felton never found a team willing to pay what he desired. Felton will be an unrestricted free agent next July.

While this result is hardly surprising, there remains a herd of elephants in the room. There's D.J. Augustin, the lottery pick successor to Felton entering his second season. There's Larry Brown, the notoriously trigger-happy boss of the team. And there's Felton himself, who has proved if nothing else over his four seasons that he is just not very good.

Any way you slice it, Felton has been a disappointment. You don't take point guards with the fifth pick in the draft with hopes they will someday become reliably inefficient 14-point scorers who drop seven dimes and three turnovers a night while playing spirited but seriously flawed defense. Just because Felton is reliable does not mean Felton is good. And while there are worse starting point guards in the NBA (Beno Udrih, Luke Ridnour and Chris Duhon spring to mind), that doesn't excuse Felton's failure to improve. (Not that it's necessarily Felton's fault, of course. But no franchise could justify paying out a fat contract to a player who isn't good and isn't improving, and I doubt that will change next summer.)

Given the inside-out tendencies of incumbent stars Gerald Wallace and Boris Diaw and newcomer Tyson Chandler, the Bobcats need reliable deep threats on the perimeter. Augustin hit 44% of his threes last season. Felton hit 28.5%. And Augustin (though smaller) gives the team almost everything else Felton can: scoring, decent playmaking. Augustin did get 12 starts under Brown last season, but that was in a tandem role alongside Felton. (Felton played all 82 games, and started 81 of them.)

Perhaps that will work again for Brown, who got the franchise closer to the playoffs than its ever been. Or, just as likely, Brown could plant Augustin in Felton's eternal starting position. That'd mean doom to Felton's already gloomy long-term NBA prospects, but it might be what is best for Charlotte.

Raymond Felton to Take $5.5 Million Qualifying Offer From Charlotte originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jerry Stackhouse Impressing in Atlanta

Tom Ziller — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:15:00 EST

Filed under: Hawks, NBA Rumors

As I try to mention every once in a while, Sekou Smith of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is one of the best beat writers in the biz. I haven't been within 3,000 miles of Georgia in a while, yet reading Smith always leaves me feeling like I've been in the Hawks practice facility. Like the great sportswriters, he puts you there, in the games, in the practices.

Right now he's writing about pre-camp practices, and the showstopper is ... Jerry Stackhouse, a free agent cut loose in the Hedo Turkoglu-Shawn Marion swap. Stack turns 35 during the first week of the season, and he effectively sat out last season in Dallas (not by choice). He's just working out with the Hawks -- there have been no rumors of his addition to the roster.

Smith and the Hawks players he's talked to hope that stance changes, because they think Stackhouse can help Atlanta this season.

The last season in which Stackhouse played major minutes -- 2007-08 -- he had fallen off quite a bit, shooting 44% on two-pointers and 32% on threes. Since Stack is a scorer primarily, his efficiency needs to be decent to justify minutes. And in Dallas, his efficiency was no longer decent. Unless that's changed, Stackhouse probably doesn't merit NBA minutes.

But there is certainly something to be said for a replacement level veteran at the end of the bench for playoff teams. (NOT REBUILDING TEAMS, HOWEVER.) The Injury Bug is relentless, and while Atlanta has improved its guard depth with the addition of Jamal Crawford (replacing the forgettable Acie Law) and Jeff Teague (who could be a top-5 rookie, seriously) you can't have enough depth. The question is whether Stackhouse would be an upgrade over, say, a D-League level guard, or another (perhaps younger) free agent.

That's a choice each team (including the Hawks) must make on its own. But it's good to hear the discouraging way Stackhouse's Mavericks career ended hasn't prevented the ol' Tar Heel from getting his name back into the conversation.

Jerry Stackhouse Impressing in Atlanta originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Questions Surround Yi Jianlian's Status for Nets Season Opener

Tom Ziller — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:39:00 EST

Filed under: Nets, NBA Rumors

Opening night still seems so far away (too far away), but there are already questions as to whether Yi Jianlian will be available for New Jersey. Reports surfaced this week placing Yi in China playing for his native Guangdong in the National Games at the end of October. The Nets kick off the season October 28 ... which also happens to be the final day of the China Games.

But Nets boss Rod Thorn told the Newark Star-Ledger's Dave D'Alessandro that Yi will not be missing any Nets games. Which implies that Yi will not be participating in the China Games. Which is not going to make the Chinese Basketball Association very happy.

Tensions between the CBA and the NBA have been around the entire decade, since Wang Zhizhi refused to report to his Chinese team Bayi at the conclusion of his second season with the Mavericks. Wang was essentially treated as a defector, and it took several years to get Wang back into the nation's basketball system's good graces. The CBA also clashed with NBA interests in 2001, when a top official from Shanghai's CBA club prevented Yao Ming from entering the NBA draft. The club had pushed for a massive share of Yao's NBA earnings in exchange for his release from an unwritten lifetime contract. (In an odd turn of events, Yao now owns the Shanghai Sharks.)

Guangdong famously figured in Yi's initial NBA drama, when the club insisted it may not allow the forward to join the Bucks (who drafted Yi in 2007) because Milwaukee was not one of its approved destinations. Yi eventually made his way to Wisconsin, though the Bucks traded him to New Jersey after one mediocre season.

Yi figures to be the starting power forward for NJ on opening night ... provided he's not in China wearing a Guangdong jersey. The CBA could fix this issue in the future, of course, by moving its National Games up. Or by not requesting the few NBA players from China to come back and play for their regions, considering the NBA players are already asked to represent China in FIBA play.

Questions Surround Yi Jianlian's Status for Nets Season Opener originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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