NBA

[Guest plusone]

i also think they should've kept the milicic/howard tandem. they're both still young, and can develop together for years to come. if both of them meet the potentials that they were drafted for, it would definitely have been something to watch. the Magic should've used their money to improve their backcourt where they really needed help.

I don't think their backcourt is THAT bad

they have a trio of young promising PGs in Jameer Nelson, Carlos Arroyo, and Keyon Dooling

they could use some help at the 2, esp since Hill went bye bye for phoenix, but i guess they could slide Hedo Turkoglu over to the SG spot if these Hedo-to-Sacramento rumours don't come to fruition. Then again, there weren't any SGs they could've grabbed. They didn't like Vince and I don't think anyone can argue that the cap space distributed amongst players like Kapono, DeShawn Stevenson, or Ruben Patterson would've been a better move than signing Rashard Lewis. And after grabbing Lewis, they probably don't have any more salary cap to make any moves except sign people to the minimum or resign Darko.

I'm excited about D-Fish about to end up in LA... finally some leadership and toughness!

[Guest gary]

well, JJ Redick has been doing great in the summer league, maybe he can usurp the position. hah!

it's basically an open tryout for the 2 in orlando.

[Guest thelivinlegend21]

I don't think their backcourt is THAT bad

they have a trio of young promising PGs in Jameer Nelson, Carlos Arroyo, and Keyon Dooling

they could use some help at the 2, esp since Hill went bye bye for phoenix, but i guess they could slide Hedo Turkoglu over to the SG spot if these Hedo-to-Sacramento rumours don't come to fruition. Then again, there weren't any SGs they could've grabbed. They didn't like Vince and I don't think anyone can argue that the cap space distributed amongst players like Kapono, DeShawn Stevenson, or Ruben Patterson would've been a better move than signing Rashard Lewis. And after grabbing Lewis, they probably don't have any more salary cap to make any moves except sign people to the minimum or resign Darko.

I'm excited about D-Fish about to end up in LA... finally some leadership and toughness!

you're right, it's not THAT bad, but it's not really a backcourt that can carry the load if Howard: 1. doesn't live up to expectations/2. has a bad game.

Redick is not the solution. even Van Gundy said, even if Redick averages what..30 points a game, if the defense isn't there, it's not going to change his views on Redick.

from more rumors, it said that the Magic are working on a sign-and-trade with the Sonics. one, they can get rid of the expiring contracts of Arroyo and Dooling, two, they can retain the rights to Milicic. it depends on the willingness of the Magic to possibly give up future draft picks.

[Guest plusone]

you're right, it's not THAT bad, but it's not really a backcourt that can carry the load if Howard: 1. doesn't live up to expectations/2. has a bad game.

Redick is not the solution. even Van Gundy said, even if Redick averages what..30 points a game, if the defense isn't there, it's not going to change his views on Redick.

from more rumors, it said that the Magic are working on a sign-and-trade with the Sonics. one, they can get rid of the expiring contracts of Arroyo and Dooling, two, they can retain the rights to Milicic. it depends on the willingness of the Magic to possibly give up future draft picks.

hmm thats what i don't understand. can't they resign milicic without wheeling and dealing?

anyway i agree with you on Reddick. He's not a solution. He strikes me as a Jason Kapono-type player who probably will max out with a season similar to Kapono's last season. I was pretty high on Reddick when he came out, but his deficiencies are a lot more glaring at the NBA-level... and thats not counting his defensive liabilities.

[Guest DOVAHKIIN]

Reddick is one dimensional, and doesn't even meet Kapono or Tim Thomas' level of one dimensional with perimeter shooting.

I find it amusing we're actually showing Darko some love.

[Guest GO!zilla]

darko signs with grizzlies to become a nobody.

[Guest plusone]

Reddick is one dimensional, and doesn't even meet Kapono or Tim Thomas' level of one dimensional with perimeter shooting.

I find it amusing we're actually showing Darko some love.

Well Darko is getting plenty of love from Memphis. Amazing how much money being 7 feet tall and having 'potential' can net you...

And talking about Kapono and Reddick reminds me... anyone seen Coby Karl play? He's got some very nice boxscores, and apparently he's a very good rotation defender and a lights-out shooter and might actually end up getting a camp invite from the Lakers. A definite feel-good story, being a cancer survivor and all that. I would like to have seen him myself, but I don't get NBATV so I can't see these summer games.

Speaking of which, if Darko goes to Memphis... i wonder what direction the former-Boston-VP-and-now-current-Memphis-GM is taking. Think he'll try to clear out Pau and Mike Miler's contracts to try and build around Darko/Gay/Conley Jr? Or do you think they'll try to compete with a lineup of Darko/Gasol/Gay/Miller/Stoudamire with Conley Jr coming off the bench??? To be honest, that lineup looks pretty intimidating defensively.

[Guest DOVAHKIIN]

Stoudamire's too old, the Grizzlies need someone new and fresh...

Mo' Williams

[Guest thelivinlegend21]

darko signs with grizzlies to become a nobody.

actually, Darko was a nobody to begin with. as soon as Detroit drafted him, he become that nobody. at least in Memphis, he can try to become a somebody.

[Guest plusone]

Stoudamire's too old, the Grizzlies need someone new and fresh...

Mo' Williams

No cap, and they have Conley Jr. that they're trying to bring up anyway. Makes no sense to sign Mo if Conley's their guy after 2-3 years. At least they don't have Chucky "Chuck-it-up" Atkins anymore...

[Guest Chioster]

The Franchise is considering returning to Houston. Imagine the lines if houston unloads a few of their guards for a greater PF.

Starting Line up will be

Yao

PF

Battier

T-mac

Franchise

[Guest EYJAYJAY]

ehh, personally, i dont think franchise will help houston much.

[Guest Chioster]

Well, you never know. Though the Franchise is a type of player that seems more selfish. Including Mike James as a backup PG who is also a selfish PG. We will see a lower production from Yao and T-mac seeing if this is true.

[Guest thelivinlegend21]

it's not like T-Mac can do much right now, considering his back is on the verge of breaking, so having a 3rd scoring option in Mike James or Stevie Franchise-Killer might actually not be too bad. lower production during the regular season means less wear-and-tear on the body and being able to play at a constantly high level when it's really necessary in the Playoffs.

[Guest DOVAHKIIN]

Well, you never know. Though the Franchise is a type of player that seems more selfish. Including Mike James as a backup PG who is also a selfish PG. We will see a lower production from Yao and T-mac seeing if this is true.

James nor Francis are real point guards but Francis is a better ball distributor.. but then that shouldn't matter because it's either T-Mac or Alston (is he a free agent or what?) as the distributors for Houston.

I personally don't see it as a good lineup. If Francis is in the mix, then either him, Yao or T-Mac will drop in scoring. Unless he becomes a broader ball-distributor. They already had tried the Mike James-T-Mac-Yao combo before James was traded to Toronto 2 years ago, guess it wasn't that big of a hit. Whatever, I'm more interested to see who they'll grab as a PF.

[Guest EYJAYJAY]

plus, they already signed mike james. it will be a total waste of money to get francis. they need a PF to take pressure off of yao down low

[Guest Chioster]

Well they can always load up on guards and then trade some of them for a PF. They are loaded, Lucas, Alston, James, Sura, Head.

[Guest DOVAHKIIN]

Sura's retiring very likely, so he doesn't count. And if he did stay, he hasn't played for two years after that injury, so who's gonna want him?

I wouldn't give up a young productive sixth man like Luther Head unless I get a promising PF in return. And there's not exactly a huge demand on the market like Rafer. Sure he can distribute the ball decently and handle it with skill, but he's got that hideous career average 38 percent for field goal shooting. And trading away John Lucas wouldn't get you a good PF, the guy averages 3.3/0.7/0.8 in his career. Not exactly appealing trade bait.

I say don't bother trying to get Francis, trade Luther Head perhaps for a promising PF like Troy Murphy, David Lee or Charlie Villaneuva.

[Guest plusone]

I say don't bother trying to get Francis, trade Luther Head perhaps for a promising PF like Troy Murphy, David Lee or Charlie Villaneuva.

If Houston wanted to get Troy Murphy, they'd have to give up the expiring contracts of Bobby Sura and Kirk Snyder, and Bonzi Wells. I'd say Indiana jumps on it either way for cap relief. I'd say Houston loves it because Bonzi Wells was a bust and Sura is probably retiring. Isaiah Thomas won't trade David Lee... and Milwaukee probably won't look to trade Charlie V.

A more intriguing thought would be if Milwaukee traded their rights to another forward... Yi Jianlian . Maybe it's feasible since apparently they aren't too impressed by Yi's Summer League performance and the Chinese government is causing all sorts of headaches... I'm not sure what the price would be though... Milwaukee has $8M in cap space so that is no problem. If they lose Mo Williams, they might be more inclined to take on Rafer Alston, Luther Head, John Lucas III, Aaron Brooks, Mike James, etc.

Speaking of Houston, what do you think the Spurs are gonna do with Spanoulis? I don't get the move at all. They lose a servicable back-up center in Jackie Butler (although they DO have Matt Bonner and Francisco Elson), and lose the rights to a very promising Luis Scola. Now they end up with an unhappy Spanoulis who doesn't want to come back to the NBA, period.

[Guest GO!zilla]

Lakers, Fisher agree to 3-year, $14 million deal

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?i...e=ESPNHeadlines