Boston Celtics Rajon Rondo To Play In Kendrick Perkins Celebrity Game

On Friday, former Ozen boys basketball player Kendrick Perkins will host a celebrity basketball game featuring five fellow professional basketball players. The game will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Ozen High School. Perkins, a 6-foot-10 center for the Oklahoma City Thunder, is expected to be joined by Oklahoma City teammates Kevin Durant, James Harden and Eric Maynor along with Milwaukee Bucks guard Stephen Jackson and Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo.
The game will conclude Perkins’ second annual basketball camp which will be held this Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at Ozen for kids ages 10 to 18.

Courtesy Of the Beaumont Enterprise

Rajon Rondo once again will get to share the court with his old friend Kendrick Perkins. This time in the celebrity game that will conclude Perk’s basketball camp. This is solid news for Celtics fans. Granted Rondo will not be going on all out fro this game, but the fact that he is playing means his rehab is coming along nicely. The injured elbow must be well enough to get on the floor or the Celtics would not allow him to participate in the game. I am sure the game will be entertaining with these talented players on the floor. I am sure Rondo will find his old friend for some of those traditional easy scores. I am just hoping Perk goes up strong instead of dribbling to the floor. Unfortunately, I bet some things never change. Remember Go Green Or Go Home!!!!!!

Carlos Boozer could play overseas

Add Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer to the list of NBA players looking to play overseas in light of the current NBA lockout.Boozer told ESPN The Magazine on Wednesday that he will pursue signing with a foreign team if the season doesn't start on time.

"I think as players we have to look at this lockout as an unfortunate challenge, but one that can create other unique and positive opportunities," he said. "When I was part of Team USA that won Olympic Gold in Beijing, that experience changed my life in incredible ways.

"If the NBA season gets delayed or postponed, I plan on using those months to experience something similar to what I did in the summer of 2008. That's why, if the lockout continues, I definitely plan on playing overseas."

Boozer declined to say whether he already had a deal in place or a specific country he was targeting, but a source indicated that the reference to Beijing reflects an inclination to play in China.

Rajon Rondo Admits Kendrick Perkins Trade Affected Celtics 'More Than It Should Have'

From Feb. 24 until Game 5 against the Heat, you couldn't talk about the Celtics without talking about Kendrick Perkins.

He was no longer on the team, of course, but his absence was too obvious to ignore from the moment he was traded away by Danny Ainge in the final minutes before the NBA's trade deadline. There were statistical charts that probably said the Celtics were better without the offensively limited Perkins, but if you watch basketball with your eyes and not through a spreadsheet, you saw that the Celtics were never the same.

Rajon Rondo, the team's point guard and Perkins' closest friend in green, admitted as much this week.

Rondo told Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears that the Perkins trade affected the Celtics "more than it should have."

"It wasn’t like the man passed away or something," Rondo told Yahoo. "I think we put too much emphasis on it. It's a business. He got traded. He's very happy where he's at. We still talk and I'm always going to have his back. It shouldn’t have affected us the way it affected us."

The Celtics won 76 percent of their games (41-14) before trading Perkins, though the center was only active for 12 of those games, during which the Celtics went 8-4 while Perkins averaged 7.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game. After the trade, the Celtics went 15-12 the rest of the way in the regular season before a 5-4 showing in the postseason, ending with a five-game series loss to the eventual conference-champion Heat.

Kobe To turkey!

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Lakers All-Star guard Kobe Bryant’s representatives will meet with officials of Turkish club Besiktas next week to discuss the possibility of him playing in Turkey during the NBA lockout.

Seref Yalcin, head of basketball operations for Besiktas, told reporters in Turkey he was hopeful of landing the five-time NBA champion and Olympic gold medallist.

“At the moment there’s a 50 per cent chance that Kobe may come to Turkey,” Yalcin was quoted as saying. “Everything will be clearer after the meeting on the (July) 30th.”

Besiktas already has signed New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams to play during the lockout and last year signed former NBA MVP Allen Iverson.

Bryant has not confirmed his plans but has said he would be interested in playing in either Turkey or China if the NBA season was delayed because of the lockout. He already has an endorsement deal with Turkish Airlines.

The 13-time All-Star, 32, has three years remaining on his Lakers’ contract and Yalcin said Besiktas, which begins play in October, had asked the international basketball federation for its approval of any Bryant deal.

“Kobe wants some time to think about it,” Yalcin said. “We believe that his response is going to be positive. Money will not be a problem.”

Other NBA players also have expressed interest in playing overseas during the lockout and the players’ union has encouraged athletes to make the trip while there is no basketball in the NBA.

NBA owners locked out the players on July 1 after the talks failed on a new collective bargaining agreement. Both sides are far apart and no new negotiations have been scheduled, leading to possibility all or part of the 2011-12 season could be cancelled.

Kevin Love to compete in Manhattan Beach Open

NEW YORK -- Locked out of NBA arenas, Kevin Love is headed to the beach.

Beach volleyball, that is.

The NBA's leading rebounder plans to play in next month's Manhattan Beach Open on the pro volleyball tour, finding himself a paycheck while he's not earning one on the basketball court.

"I thought it was a great idea, a way for me to be out in the sun, be active and have fun during the lockout," Love said Tuesday after practicing with pros for the first time. "It's sport, it's active, it's a way to stay in shape, so I just thought it was a home run."

The Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star doesn't have a partner yet and hadn't played much lately before working out Tuesday on a court set up in Times Square, but says he hopes to survive the first day of the three-day, $200,000 event to be held from Aug. 26-28.

"More than anything, I'm just going to be having fun with it, playing as much as I can up to that point and just working on my craft," Love said.

Love has deep ties to the sand. His uncle Mike was a member of the Beach Boys, and Love was born in Santa Monica, Calif. and has spent his offseasons there since playing for UCLA. His father, who used to play volleyball against Wilt Chamberlain, asked him a couple of years ago if he was ever going to get into beach volleyball.

The opportunity came when Love was approached by representatives of Jose Cuervo, the tour sponsor that has four events scheduled this year.

The versatile Love averaged 15.2 rebounds last season and is a reliable 3-point shooter who had the NBA's first 30-point, 30-rebound game in 28 years. The adjustment to the sand will be difficult, but he said he was pleased after hitting the ball around and even diving for some shots Tuesday.

"I'm not necessarily expecting to win, but I'm expecting to go out there and compete," Love said.

Love said he has respect for the pros he'll compete against and acknowledged they may target him as a weak link, but said he's "hoping to surprise them."

His preference would be to return to the basketball floor, coming off his breakthrough season and hoping a good follow-up could land him on the U.S. Olympic team next summer. And he's not worried about the risk of injury in the meantime.

"That's the elephant in the room right now, but at the same time it's like with basketball. If you go out there and play hard most of the time, you're not going to get hurt," Love said. "If you're loafing and not going 100 percent, then you're more likely to suffer." 

Former Portland GM explains Oden/Durant decision

Kevin Pritchard was the man in charge of the Portland Trailblazers when the team took Greg Oden with the #1 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft instead of Kevin Durant. Pritchard joined 95.5 the Game with John Canzanoand discussed a wide range of topics, including that decision.

“I have never studied a person or players like I did Durant/Oden. It was every single minute of every single second of their entire careers. We were going back into AAU and the one thing that kept hitting us really hard was Greg Oden lost three games until he got to Ohio State, then he got hurt again and only lost a couple there and that was over hundreds and hundreds of games. The overwhelming thing that we got from everybody we talked to was the cat doesn’t care if he scores or does anything, but he’s about winning. We had been really trying to change our culture for guys who really put the team first, not care about stats, and really be about winning. We thought he was the pick at the time. We did the same thing with Durant. They said he’s gonna be the best scorer in the league, he’s going to be an amazing player, and he’s gonna win. We just felt like Greg was going to be that guy that just doesn’t lose basketball games. Right before he got hurt we were talking as a management group and we were like man doesn’t it feel like this is becoming a little bit like Greg’s team because in the locker room after a loss he would get really, really upset and he demands out of his teammates probably more than any other player I’ve been around other than Larry Bird. When he lost, he let his teammates knows what they have to do the next game. We were feeling so comfortable going into the rest of the second half of the season that we were going to be good because Greg was coming along.”

At the time, it was not easy to see that Durant was going to have the better career because it was impossible to know that Oden was going to have so much bad luck with injuries. Durant was definitely the better offensive player, but franchise centers don’t come around very often, and Oden was a major force on the defensive end (not unlike Dwight Howard). He also was capable on the offensive end, and already had a couple of post moves when he came out of Ohio State.

He may not be able to stay healthy, but the guy can play. His 36-minute splits over his first two seasons are impressive: 15.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.4 blocks, 6.4 fouls…wait, ignore that last one. But seriously, lots of big men have trouble adjusting to NBA officiating.

Even if Oden can stay healthy, he’ll never overtake Durant in terms of overall value, but he can close the gap a bit…if he can just stay upright.

Ian Mahinmi: The Most Interesting Man in the World

The Dallas Maverick’s backup to the backup center, Ian Mahinmi, says Kobe Bryant is more arrogant than Lebron James.

First, this will be the only time in his career that Mahinmi’s name will lead a story featuring the likes of Kobe and Lebron. Secondly, he’s right. Thirdly, these are the kinds of stories the sports world that American’s care about (sorry soccer) is left with in the absence of a labor agreement in two of the three major professional sports.

Let’s tackle Mahinmi’s point before we get to the greater topic. Kobe is as arrogant as they come, and has been so throughout his 15 seasons in the NBA. It’s why most people, fans of the game or not, don’t like him.

(Well, that and the whole Colorado thing.)

Its’ not a bad thing to be arrogant as a professional athlete, so it’s not really an insult to say that one is more arrogant than another. Lebron James calls himself “King”, but at least there is some cultural relevance to his self-imposed nickname; King James is credited with one of the more popular misinetrpretations translations of the Christian bible.

Kobe started calling himself the “Black Mamba” three years after Kill Bill 2 was already on DVD.

Lame.

So that’s just one example of how Mahinmi, an NBA nobody, is right about the arrogance of Kobe and Lebron, but there are countless others: Kobe’s rap video, his first all-star game against Michael Jordan, wearing the different throwback jerseys before each game of the 2002 NBA Finals, ball-hogging during the 2004 Finals, talking to strangers about trading a teammate on video, calling local radio shows demanding a trade, reneging on the trade demands within 24 hours, the damn jaw-scowl he unveiled in the 2009 Finals, etc…

Lebron’s not self-aware enough to be as arrogant as Kobe is.

Would Kobe ever do an elaborate dance/picture-taking routine with a Boobie Gibson, and Delonte West on the court before a game? No.

click the picture for an example

Would Kobe ever allow his childhood friends to manage his finances? No. Hell, Kobe doesn’t even have childhood friends.

It’s bad enough for Lebron that he comes up extremely short to Kobe, as a winner (not going to bring Michael Jordan into this discussion for the same reason I don’t bring Tupac into arguments over the greatest present-day rapper). But even Lebron as a villain pales in comparison to Kobe as a villain.

The people that I care the most about are women. I like em brown, yellow, Puerto Rican, and Haitian. Some women first turned on Kobe back in high school when he dumped his then girlfriend in order to take R&B starlet Brandy (Ray J’s sister who was once more famous before he started keeping up with a certain Kardashian). Then more black women turned on him when he married Vanessa against his parent’s wishes. By the time the incident in Colorado happened, you were hard-pressed to find a female fan of Kobe who didn’t have a lifelong allegiance to the Los Angeles Lakers.

By contrast, Lebron has done more to endear himself to the female NBA audience than any player since A.C. Green announced that he had successfully kept his jheri curl away from the female gender well into his 30′s.

Lebron smiles. He is engaged to his high school girlfriend who is also the mother of his two kids. In 2011, that’s considered being extremely chivalrous. In eight years as a pro, he’s never been linked to a high profile celebrity woman, which gives unpopular women the illusion that he’s faithful, and also leaves them without an imaginary cat-fight nemesis (every woman’s favorite pastime). That’s something even Dwyane Wade couldn’t do.

(Lebron’s fiance’ is black by the way, and if you think doesn’t play a role in this then you don’t watch the right combination of BET, Fox News, and ‘Tosh.0″ ).

If one player is supposed to be the NBA’s bad guy, but the other player has 99 percent of an entire gender detesting them, then the other player is the greater bad guy.

So let’s lay off Mahinmi, the 24 year-old Frenchman whose lone claim to fame before the interview with BasketUSA was hitting a buzzer beating fade-away at the end of the third quarter of Game 6 in this year’s NBA Finals. 

FORMER BOXING LEGEND MIKE TYSON ASKED TO SLEEP WITH LA TOYA JACKSON FOR $100K

Strange, and crazy, but a La Toya Jackon, (sister of Micheal Jackson) went on the CBS talk show "The Talk", as she was promoting her new autobiography "Starting Over". Inside the book, she talks about how her EX husband/manager Jack Gordon "tried" to TRICK her out to former boxing star Mike Tyson for $100,000, (this during the time Mike Tyson was riding high on wins in the boxing arena).

Tyson must of had a kind heart, because he went back, and told Katherine Jackson, (La Toya's mother) and a few friends that Gordon tried to pimp out La Toya to him. Maybe Tyson is just into models.

Would Rajon Rondo be available at the right price?

When Boston Celtics point-guard Rajon Rondo signed a multi-year extension in the Fall of 2009 with the Boston Celtics, the first thing I did was buy a Rajon Rondo jersey. If you know my personally, you know I take the research into my jersey purchases very seriously. I take a look at contracts, general feeling within the organization and local popularity when buying a jersey. The goal is to buy a player that will be in that teams jersey for a long time or if he was to leave and retire would be remembered for wearing that jersey. There were Rondo trade rumors in the summer of 2009, but the Celtics showed their faith in the up and coming star by locking him up for the foreseeable future.

Boston Celtics GM is always looking to improve the Boston Celtics, and this past year has certainly shown that he is willing to break up the family in order to make the team “better” (excuse me while I pour one out for Kendrick Perkins).

The general thought is that if Danny were to make any kind of deal, he would trade one of the Big Three (most likely forward Kevin Garnett) in order to acquire a piece to pair with Rajon Rondo for years to come. It is not entirely out of the question that Rajon Rondo could be the man getting dealt for, as Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix puts it “the right (big) deal”.

Rajon Rondo is a point-guard you can build a team around. He’s a stat sheet stuffer at points, assists and rebounds and makes everyone better while he is on the floor. He also has an inate ability to get to the basket against almost any defense. His issues have been well documented. He doesn’t have a jump shot at this stage in his career and even when he gets an open look from mid-range he lacks the confidence to shoot it. You can build a team around Rondo simply because he makes everyone better, but you need to pair him with a scorer to find success.

Which is why I could see Rondo getting moved, but only for a legitimate star. There are two stars on the trading block this summer, New Orleans’ Chris Paul and Orlando’s Dwight Howard. I think the only way Rondo gets moved if one of these two are involved. Howard solidifies the center position for the Celtics for a long time to come. Chris Paul is also a point-guard, just like Rondo, but Chris Paul is a more talented player than Rondo and would be an upgrade at the “young point guard the Celtics can build around” spot.

The chances that any of these type of deals happens is small, but given Ainge’s recent track record with trades, it’s certainly something to keep an eye on as the summer progresses.

Source: Iguodala and Ellis Deal is Done

As the NBA Draft nears, the trade-winds are beginning to blow.

Its reported that the Andre Iguodala for Monta Ellis deal is imminent, pending a final decision from Philadelphia 76ers President Rod Thorn.

The Sixers are sitting in an unfamiliar position with Iguodala, who's contract has long made the thought of trading him improbable. With a renewed commitment to defense and a more evident propensity to be a role player, Iguodala has suddenly become very attractive.

The Sixers would benefit from Ellis' scoring ability while the Warrior's would strengthen their defensive backbone and add a versatile supporter for Stephen Curry.

"At the very least, Ellis is available for the right price, as the Sixers have a deal on the table for Ellis if they want him. The Warriors are looking for ways to improve their team defense and Iguodala would definitely do that. [Via Hoopsworld]"

The Sixers have also had interest in Los Angeles Clippers Center Chris Kaman.

Kaman, a solid NBA veteran and a much needed post presence does not offer the same excitement as an Ellis, but may ultimately be a better option.

Josh Smith open to joining the Boston Celtics

Apparently, the Atlanta Hawks are getting sick of Josh Smith.

Smith, the high-flying power forward who has been a mainstay with Atlanta since entering the league and has been a major contributor to the franchise's turnaround and return to relevance, is likely to be traded during whatever offseason the NBA has this year. According to Yahoo! Sports, the Boston Celtics are on Smith's list of preferable trade destinations.

The Atlanta Hawks have started to gauge trade interest on forward Josh Smith, and Smith isn’t averse to ending his seven-year stay with his hometown team, league sources told Yahoo! Sports on Monday.

Smith hasn’t requested a trade, but has privately told league friends that the Boston Celtics, New Jersey Nets, Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic are his preferred destinations should the Hawks decide to move him.

“The relationship has run its course,” said a league source with knowledge of the dynamic.

There’s been growing acrimony between Smith and the organization, sources said, largely because of the feeling that Smith has been too convenient of a scapegoat. Smith had one of his most complete seasons for the Hawks, averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

Hawks GM Rick Sund has long coveted Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen – two aging Celtics entering the final years of contracts – but Celtics GM Danny Ainge has yet to show an inclination to break up his core for next season.

Would I love to see Josh Smith in a Celtics uniform? Absolutely. He's young, athletic and has moments and stretches where he looks like he could be one of the best players that the NBA has to offer. He's a player that Rajon Rondo would salivate over having on his team as the number of lobs being thrown during the duration of a game could be record-breaking. Smith can grab a ton of rebounds just on his leaping ability alone and has the ability to be a great help defender.

Would I love to see Josh Smith in a Celtics uniform at the expense of Kevin Garnett or Ray Allen? I don't know about that. KG and Allen, regardless of their age, have defined roles in Doc Rivers' system and they continue to be successful at those roles. Garnett is still the unquestioned leader of the defense while Ray has to constantly be accounted for on the perimeter by the opponent. Smith, while a good help defender, has questioned ability about always being where he needs to be on that end of the floor. Also, while teamed up with Rondo, the Celtics could have two guys that the opponent doesn't truly need to defend outside of 15 feet. Smith can also be a coiled spring and team chemistry has to be factored in to any move that Danny Ainge is thinking about making (see Kendrick Perkins).

As in any other trade, there is a risk/reward aspect to this. The Celtics would get their youth, but lose a ton of leadership and possibly damage team chemistry.

There's a reason why I don't want Danny's job.

Boston Celtics Rajon Rondo And Doc Rivers Are A Possible Lure For Dwight Howard?

HoopsHype: You worked with Hakeem Olajuwon last summer. You’re going to do that again?

 Dwight Howard: I will work with Michael Jordan (laughs). I will continue working with Hakeem on my offensive game but also a shooting specialist to improve my free throw percentage. I will also work with Hedo Turkoglu, Doc Rivers and Rajon Rondo because I want to become a better passer. I also want to work with LeBron. (laughs)

Dwight Howard Courtesy Of HoopsHype.com

What seems like a minor comment could mean a whole lot more. The bottom line is Mr. Howard is going to be a free agent after this 2012 season. Talks with Orlando have broken down on an extension and Howard has made it clear that he intends to test the free agent waters. This comment is a window into the mind of one Dwight Howard and his feelings on Boston.

                The obvious news here is he mentions Boston Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers and Rajon Rondo in this comment. He mentions Jordan, Olajuwon, LeBron, and Turkoglu. These names make sense. Olajuwon is one of the greatest of all time as far as post moves and Howard is already one of his students. Jordan is the greatest scorer of all time and the guy Howard probably tried to emulate as a kid. Hedo is his teammate. LeBron is a friend and considered one of the top three forces on a basketball court (except when it matters most). Why Doc and Rondo? Guys like Steve Nash and Chris Paul are considered top passers and have a higher assists per game average than Rondo. Rondo may be one of the best passers, but he is the first guy one thinks of when a person thinks pass? Doc Rivers is a great coach and was a great passer in his day, but is Doc the authority on ball movement to the point that he is the first guy an NBA player thinks of? The answer to these questions is no, unless your name is Dwight Howard.

                This comments shows that Howard has Boston on the brain. Howard could have easily mentioned his own point guard in Jameer Nelson and his own coach in Stan Van Gundy. He could have thrown Kobe’s name out there. He could have name dropped Rick Carlisle, but he chose Doc. The man has battled the Celtics and knows how great a coach Doc is due to the frustration that he caused him. Howard mentioned Rondo because he knows how dominant he can be. He watched Rondo pick apart his team in the 2010 playoffs. Howard has battled these men andthese comments show the amount of respect Howard has for the Celtics. I am not saying that Howard is a lock to come to Boston. However comments like this show that it is a much more real possibility than people realize. I believe Ainge knows this and that s why Kendrick Perkins was not offered a realistic contract extension.

Danny  Ainge wants Howard. Howard’s comments show he might be open to traveling north. If the man can pull off the KG and Allen trades, do not count Ainge out on landing the dominant big man. This story’s final chapter has not been written. Remember Go Green Or Go Home!!!!!!!!!!!

Lakers Looking To Trade Pau Gasol For Kevin Love, #2 Pick?

If you believe the rumors, the Minnesota Timberwolves have been shopping the second overall pick in this year’s draft to any number of teams in the league. And according to Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld.com, the Los Angeles Lakers might be the next team in line to make an offer.

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak recently mentioned the team’s desire to have a top-five pick in the draft. Meanwhile, T-Wolves GM David Kahn reportedly is interested in Gasol, who has a good relationship with point guard Ricky Rubio, who on Friday announced his intentions to play in the NBA.

But in order for Minnesota to acquire Gasol, they would have to shed quite a bit of salary. And the Lakers would likely want a quality big man in exchange for giving up one of the best post players in the league. That is where Love could get involved. However his $3.6 million salary isn’t enough to match up with Gasol’s $17.8 value, meaning other players would need to come to Los Angeles to even things out.

Right now, any deal between the two sides would be a long shot – especially with the Lakers saying how much they’d like to keep their core group together. But as we get closer to Draft Day, most anything can happen.

Lebron believes Destiny is to blame

Miami Heat star King Lebron James is trying his best to handle his team's defeat to the Dallas Mavericks in 6 games gracefully in the public. Telling media after the game that "the ball doesn't go in every time" and "personal failures" resulted in the loss of the series. Most of the media will tear in his long quote about the negative fan reaction ("haters") that he gave at the post-game presser:

"At the end of the day, all the people that were rooting for me to fail ... at the end of the day, tomorrow they have to wake up and have the same life that [they had] before they woke up today. They got the same personal problems they had today. And I'm going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things I want to do."

That comment does deserve some analysis, but that quote seems very bland and generic to me. The quote, actually the tweet, that sticks out to me is the one he delivers via Twitter @KingJames:

"The Greater Man upstairs know when it's my time. Right now isn't the time." 

Although it is not a Stevie Johnson (Bills WR) type of "God" tweet, when he blamed God for making him fail to catch a game-winning pass, it still is not a smart route to blame destiny as well as yourself for shortcomings in life. This is the same guy who proclaimed a very bright destiny for the Miami Heat when he told them, "not 1, not 2, not 3" and so on titles in the near future for the Miami franchise after his arrival with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Tomorrow will just be the same life for all NBA fans and myself. Lebron just hopes tomorrow's destiny is not the same as his current, ringless.

Someone Heading Out Of The Miami Heat, Dwight Howard Coming In?

2 EXCLUSIVE RUMORS

There's two BIG rumors to report on. Remember the post I wrote a few weeks ago which talked about the Miami Heat NOT BEING ABLE to keep the Big Three (James, Wade, Bosh)? Well ALREADY rumors are flying around that the Heat are already looking into trading someone. The word is that they might REALLY break the Big Three apart, and trade away Chris Bosh.

AGAIN IT'S A RUMOR, but if true, then it could explain the next rumor. There's word that if Bosh is traded from Miami, then that'll give the Heat a chance to put together a package deal to get Dwight Howard down to South Florida. It's something that possibly could happen if Miami can put something good together. Remember when Lebron James was trying to decide on where to go back in the summer of 2010? Dwight spoke with Vibe Magazine during that time about why he wouldn't be joining Lebron in Miami. He said the following:

I was cool with it until I saw all the interviews and the concert. What they were saying at the press conference kind of pissed me off. It’s like, okay now y’all forgetting about the teams y’all gotta play against. It pissed a lot of people off. Everybody’s gonna be gunning for them after those interviews. I’m the type of person that feels humility is always the best route. I’ma be juiced up for the season, but I’ma definitely be ready to go.

Rumor: Bulls exploring offers for Boozer

After a disappointing post-season performance, Chicago Bulls first year power forward Carlos Boozer may be traded this offseason. The Chicago Bulls are expected to explore deals for Carlos Boozer, if any team is interested. Especially since Carlos Boozer just signed a new pricey contract, during the famous 2010 free agent class, with Chicago for 5 years/$75 million total. For a player who showed this post-season that he prevalently has defensive lapses throughout a game, many championship contending teams will presumably lose interest due to his price-tag. 
   Some other NBA speculation is that the Chicago Bulls are looking to trade up in this month's draft with their 28th and 30th overall picks. With those two first round draft choices in their pocket, the Bulls could set up a nice package to trade up in this years draft and part ways with Carlos Boozer. The emergence of Taj Gibson this post-season definitely will play a part in Carlos Boozer's future with the Bulls this offseason. Additionally the dire need of a shooting guard for the last two to three years will too.

Will The Philadelphia 76ers Shop Andre Iguodala This Off-Season?

By: David Kay

Philadelphia 76ers (41-41 last season)

’10-’11 Season in Review: 
A year after finishing with their worst record in more than a decade, the Philadelphia 76ers returned to respectability behind first year head coach Doug Collins, only to bow out to the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs.

Balance was both a strength and weakness for the Sixers this past season.  No player averaged more than 15 points per game but eight players scored at least seven per contest.  It is nice to have that shared output on the offensive end but also left the team without a true go-to player when they needed a basket.

Elton Brand remained healthy for a second straight season but is still a shell of the player he was pre-injury with the Clippers and one of the most overpaid players in the league with more than $35 million owed his way for the next two seasons.  Andre Iguodala saw his scoring numbers dip but still contributed in all areas of the game finishing second on the team in points, rebounds, and assists, and leading the team in steals.

The drafting of Evan Turner with the second overall pick was questioned by some since it was uncertain as to how he would compliment Iggy on the wing.  Those worries came to light in Turner’s rookie year as his offensive production was incredibly sporadic due to struggles shooting the rock.  Philly still faces the issue of figuring out how to best use Iguodala and Turner since they both are not threats from beyond the arc.

The two biggest positives of the season came from second year players Jrue Holiday and Jodie Meeks.  Holiday solidified his status as the point guard of the future which is especially encouraging since he is only 21 years old.  Meeks ended up starting 64 games and ended up being Philly’s three-point threat. Thaddeus Young and Lou Williams were also bright spots, proving to be valuable assets off the bench.

Spencer Hawes was brought in to strengthen the inside play but actually regressed from his lackluster days in Sacramento.  His disappointing season often times forced Collins to go with a smaller line-up that put Brand at center and Young at power forward, or even play the undersized Marresse Speights in the middle.

With no cap flexibility this off-season, the 76ers do not have a ton of room for improvement unless they are willing to deal Iguodala which will almost certainly be an on-going rumor all summer.  It is something Philly will have to at least consider because the ceiling for their current roster is not high enough to become real players in the improving Eastern Conference and there is no sign of cap relief until the summer of 2013.

Warrior Star Monta Ellis Heading To The Chicago Bulls

Current Warrior star Monta Ellis might be traded out of the Bay Area. (San Jose Mercury News) is reporting that new man in town Jerry West could put Ellis in a  trade situation. Even though Ellis is a high value player, the trade would give the Warriors flexibility within their own roster. West could try to set up a trade which could send Ellis to the Chicago Bulls, or the Memphis Grizzlies, but most believe the Chicago Bulls is the landing spot for the star. It's also a possibility that the Warriors after dealing with Ellis could pick up Rudy Gay from Memphis. The endless possibility. 

CSKA Moscow trying to woo Nenad Krstic from the C's

Our European expert Bohemian sent me this link earlier today. If you recall, Krstic left the US already once to go back overseas to play ball. Here's the relevant quote:

CSKA Moscow are reportedly interested in signing Boston Celtics’ Serbian centre Nenad Krstic (27 years old, 213 cm). According to Serbian website Sportske.net, the Russian club has offered the player a long-term contract.
Meanwhile, commenting on this information CSKA president Andrey Vatutin has refrained from giving a direct confirmation or denial.

How would you feel if Nenad took his talents back overseas? Remember there's a good chance the lockout will force many players to head elsewhere to earn some money, so being proactive might be a smart move for a player like Nenad.

The reason Boston traded Semih Erden

On multiple occasions, I wrote about the most indefensible trade Danny Ainge made this year: no, not that one—Luke Harangody and Semih Erden for a second-round draft pick. Trading away a seven-footer with potential (and Harangody) just to open a roster spot for Sasha Pavlovic (and Carlos Arroyo) made as much sense as reading with a blindfold on.

But there was a reason for the trade after all: the Celtics feared Erden would return to Turkey after this season because of a bout with homesickness. (Boston Globe)

Apparently, the Celtics traded Semih Erden to Cleveland because they felt he would return to Europe anyway out of homesickness. The Cavaliers have yet to see what they have in Erden because of shoulder and groin surgeries and a lack of conditioning. The Celtics relayed to Cleveland that Erden needed shoulder surgery, but the groin issue is new. Erden played in just four games after being acquired from the Celtics Feb. 24.

With the Celtics big man situation currently “Kevin Garnett and whoever A) decides not to retire or B) re-signs for a smallish contract,” the Celtics could have used Erden next season. But if he’s going to return to Turkey anyway,  trading him for a basket of potato chips makes more sense in retrospect.

Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls Trade?

After watching the Chicago Bulls fall apart against the Miami Heat it is apparent the Warriors have something the Bulls need. The Bulls desperately need another scorer to go along side Derek Rose. Anytime Rose struggled to score the Bulls struggled to score. How sexy would Monta Ellis look sitting next to Derek Rose? That back court would have any team shaking in their boots.

On the other side of the coin the Warriors need something the Bulls have, defense. This team needs more of a defensive mind set and a guy like Taj Gibson would give them just that for a long long time. He would be a very nice starter at PF for this team.

To make a trade like this actually happen Luol Deng would probably have to accompany Gibson to the Bay. I am not a huge Deng fan but I would gladly take his contract if it means getting Gibson. I feel Monta would compliment Rose nicely. He isn’t much of a defender but I think he would probably improve his defensive skills in a system like that. He is bringing so much scoring to the table that his defense would only need to be average.

I see both teams improving in this trade but I am not sure it would really ever happen. How excited the Bulls would be to get an undersized guard that needs the ball in his hand quite a bit I am not sure of. I could see them being excited about a guy like Ellis and not excited all at the same time. However the Warriors I am sure would be super excited about this move.

It probably won’t happen but it is a call the Warriors front office should make.