NBA Round Up 10-31-08

Detroit Pistons - Finally!!! Jason Maxiell and the Pistons agree to a 4 year $20M deal to keep the young stud in Detroit. Had to happen, period.

Los Angeles Lakers - This is what height is worth. Andrew Bynum and the Lakers agree to a 4 year $58M deal. This is for a guy that took the majority of last season off (yeah it was an injury, but I'm saying). For all of you single people out there, if you're tall, get with a tall woman and make a baby, you can get paid some day. All joking aside, Bynum will be the reason the Lakers win the title this year, mark my words.

New York Knicks - What are they going to do with Starbury? Everyone knows the Knicks want to get rid of him, but at what cost? Marbury would only be bought out for what he's owed this year from the Knicks (and do the Knicks want to do another buyout), and the trade market is looking terrible right now since the Knicks are trying to unload Eddy Curry, Malik Rose, Starbury, James Dolan's mother, and anyone else on the roster so that they can try to lure LBJ to NYC. This isn't looking good right now for Marbury, but he and Jamal Tinsley are the two big name point guards on the market right, although the biggest difference is the money they make.

NBA Round Up 10-29-08

Golden State Warriors - It's official, Al Harrington wants to be traded. He is tired of Nellie and wants a new address. Supposedly his agent is already trying to find a new place for him to land. In my mind, the Warriors can't get rid of this guy unless they get some production back. Al is 6'9", a big body, and he can score. The Warriors are without a lot of those qualities, mostly size, if they get rid of him. It's hard to fathom a trade this early in the season, but we'll have to watch this one.

Atlanta Hawks - Mike Bibby is in the last year of his contract and if things go as they normally go in the ATL, he'll be traded by the deadline if the Hawks aren't winning. Bibby feels that he'll be in the ATL this year and going forward, but I doubt he's still around after the All Star break. The Hawks aren't talking new contract with Bibby yet either.

Denver Nuggets - Linas Kleiza is hoping that his new contract will be completed soon. The Nuggets, in my mind, have to pay this guy because who else do they have? Look for a multi year deal coming at a little more than the mid level. The Nuggets are also considering picking up the option on newly acquired Renaldo Balkman.

Detroit Pistons - Jason Maxiell has declined a 4 year deal for $20M from the Pistons. He'll be an unrestricted free agent at the years end. I've said it before, Detroit can't let this guy go. Joe Dumars, up that offer to about $7M a year (at least $6.5M) and you'll get him.

Los Angeles Lakers - $85M is the number. That's what the Bynum camp is expecting for the Lakers center, Andrew Bynum, to resign with them. I guess that's the going rate for a young, agile, decent, 7 footer in the NBA. Someone from the Lakers will have to go if they pay Bynum that money. Plus the question is, is he worth it?

Golden State Warriors - Monta Ellis is filing a grievance with his present employer. The Warriors have suspended Ellis for 30 games, but they have also told him that if he doesn't come back as the Monta Ellis of old, they still hold the option of terminating his contract. Well, that's not exactly right. The team has the option of either suspending him (which they have done) OR terminating his contract, but not both. This is not the type of relationship you want to have with your franchise player.

San Antonio Spurs - New digs. The Spurs are no longer flying Champion Air and have now (the NBA) signed a 10 year deal with Northwest Airlines as their airline of choice (there are 15 other teams who have done the same). What happened to the NBA and Southwest Airlines?

NBA Round Up 9-9-08

New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies - You heard it here first,...well maybe you did and maybe you didn't but I talked about it. The trade to send Zach Randolph to the Grizzlies for Darko Milicic and Marko Jaric is on hold due to one minor detail, a first round draft pick to the Grizzlies. The Knicks aren't sure if they want to do that and the Grizzlies are just waiting for the opportunity to make this happen. If this is Walsh's best chance to get LeBron in 2010, then I think that you go for it. Hey, at least you can't do any worse than Isiah Thomas did. Come on Walsh, let's make this deal. At least you'll still have Curry who won't run up and down the floor, but hey, we'll deal with that later.
Los Angeles Lakers - Another one from the annals. I guess with his knee finally 100% healthy, Andrew Bynum wants to get paid!! The Lakers need that physical presence in the paint and it'll allow Pau Gasol to do what he does best, be soft, I mean play a little bit further away from the paint. Nevertheless, it seems as though Bynum wants something close to $80M over 5 years. They say you can't teach height, but I guess if you could, we'd all be rich.

Golden State Warriors - Still investigating just how Monta Ellis hurt his ankle, now the Warriors are turning to players who are healthy, well for the most part, just a little round. Marcus Williams is hitting the treadmill and the court to get ready for the season and the uptempo pace that the Warriors will be running. He says he's in the best shape of his career. From one pudgy guy (me) to another (Marcus Williams),...round is a shape. Good luck with the basketball thing.

Detroit Pistons - Joe Dumars upped the ante earlier this off season saying that he is going to provide a big shake up for his team. Joe has normally been a man of his word but we haven't seen anything yet. Detroit will be opening the season with only 14 players under contract, meaning Joe D might still have a card up his sleeve.

Miami Heat - The Heat have solved their point guard issues for the year and have an offer on the table for Chris Quinn. Please hold all laughter. They have two separate deals on the table for Quinn, a one year qualifying offer and a two year offer. Quinn is weighing his options and looking for other teams for more money (which the Heat have the opportunity to match). Maybe it's me, but shouldn't Chris Quinn be in Miami signing this deal if it's in fact true? I'm not sure too many other teams are out there waiting to give him a big pay day. But hey, I guess there's always an overseas team.