"After consulting with Lakers team internist Dr. John Moe, I feel confident that I can gainfully pursue an NBA season with another long playoff postseason. All things point to go!," said Jackson through a team release.

The announcement comes less than 24 hours after free agent forward Ron Artest reached a verbal agreement to join the Lakers next season, which makes one wonder whether team doctors checked Jackson's blood pressure before or after the signing. 

C: From Deep. Michael Grange: "The latest word is that the three-year, $21-million deal that has been speculated as the Raptors' offer for Shawn Marion might be a bit light ... Think four years and north of $32-million." (Update: According to reports, Portland and Hedo have reached an agreement in principle.)
PF: Sactown Royalty. Leon Powe vs. Ike Diogu vs. Tom Ziller.
SF: Marginal Revolution, via ShareBro Graydon. A simple economic model of today's NBA.
SG: FirstCuts. This summer, Jordan Brand is taking inspiration from each of MJ's 60+ point games. I like.
PG: Bullets Forever. Six reasons why Nick Young's probably a goner in Washington.
6th: With Leather. This young gentleman really, really, really likes LeBron James.
7th: Truth About It. "Dinner Bell" Mel Turpin, a member of the cursed Bullets/Wiz draft history ... sorta.
8th: CA. Allen Iverson has through representatives told the Grizzlies he would like to play in Memphis.
9th: TrueHoop. Kevin Arnovitz on what Ben Gordon's departure means for Derrick Rose.
10th: SLAM Online. "They say reliving an event can be better than experiencing the event itself." Enjoy this sick video, Lakers fans.

Got a tip/link for Ball Don't Lie? Hit me up at jeskeets@yahoo.ca or follow me on Twitter.

Happy Fourth of July, America. Keep your face away from those fireworks.

True story.

Jimmy Shapiro of Sports Radio Interviews shares his recent 3 a.m. casino encounter with the Boston Celtics forward:

So I'm heading back to my room and I see Paul Pierce playing craps. Obviously, he wasn't part of the contingency romancing Rasheed Wallace to the Celtics on Thursday or most likely on Friday. I'm in a semi-Red Bull and Vodka daze, but not enough that I don't have my bearings [...]

I watch him play craps for a few minutes and when a lull in the action occurs, I say, 'I thought you were supposed to be wooing 'Sheed.' The Truth didn't take too kindly to my statement. He then says, 'Oh man, can't I get any privacy! Shouldn’t you be looking for girls.' I then tell him I'm married and Pierce then says to me, 'Then why are you in Vegas?' My response is I'm here on business working with Doyle Brunson for the WSOP Main Event. He loses his roll of the dice and slams his hand down on the craps table as hard as he can. I'm not sure if I should feel guilty, not give a crap, or run as fast as I can.

I decide to stay for another minute. He mutters some more stuff under his breath and then offers to buy shots for me since I'm not chasing women. I politely decline and head back up to my room ...

"CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESE!"

Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Shaquille O'Neal all have four NBA championship rings. With each player securely placed on a championship contender, heading into 2009-10, which star do we see getting his fifth ring first?

Each owns sound arguments in their favor.

Bryant, arguably, is on the best team. He has the best supporting unit in the game. He's a month removed from picking up that fourth ring, and despite his 30 (soon to be 31) years of age, he's hardly on the downside of his career. In fact, he's peaking, and he's got a Pau Gasol on his side. To say nothing of a Phil Jackson, and a competitive spirit that few in NBA history can match.

His former teammate, the loquacious Mr. O'Neal, is on the downside of his career. And though his new team in Cleveland can't boast the sort of depth Kobe can rely on from teammates 1-through-15, O'Neal does get to play second fiddle to the best player in the game. And Shaq, as is his custom, won't let that fact go unmentioned. Over, and over, again.

Tim Duncan, as has always been the case, takes a quieter tone. His supporting cast resembles the game he's most comfortable with. Reserved. Talented. Fundamentally-driven. Efficient. Dangerous. Title-worthy. The guy is so good, his team is so great, that we can barely get in one word before the sentence ends itself.

So who gets to five first? Remember, this isn't an argument bred to determine who would be the best player amongst the three. Though it isn't a huge advantage, Kobe probably takes the honor, at this point.

It's a team game, and we're trying to guess at which crew seems the most fit for pulling in a title. It doesn't even have to be in 2010, and while we're at it, Shaq (a free agent one year from now) doesn't even have to be a Cleveland Cavalier while grabbing that fifth Lawrence O'Brien Trophy.

If pressed, I'd have to put my money on Bryant. His team is so good, even if Lamar Odom is "forced" to head elsewhere. He has the right system, motivation should not be a problem, and Gasol's presence just seems to vault him over the top, to me.

O'Neal could get it together, though. He could reprise his role as second banana, something he did quite well for a Miami Heat team that won the 2006 championship, clearing spaces and dunking in faces as LeBron James earns his first Finals win.

Duncan has no issues working as the second or even third banana. He's two years removed from a 2007 win that saw him clear the lane for a driving Tony Parker, and he's never had any issues letting Manu Ginobili work his magic while TD mans the boards and defends like mad.

There are arguments, individually-based, for why all three could fall short. Bryant could let his scoring instincts get the best of him, and shoot his Lakers out of any sort of offensive rhythm. O'Neal could show up to camp out of shape, or act as a defensive sieve on a team that badly needs him to patrol the paint. Duncan's wheels, as he enters next year's playoffs at age 34, could fall off.

And the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic, two teams that have as good a title shot as any, could render this entire discussion worthless.

But before that happens, let's hear your thoughts. Kobe, TD, and Diesel all have four. Who gets to five, first? 

Bosh seems to have been an instant success, and they are raving about him in the Spanish media (and believe me, they are normally not as kind as the US media).

The headline calls Chris Bosh an 'anti-diva,' and they are amazed that he makes as much money as Ronaldo (Real Madrid’s newest signing) yet still has a very different, to put it mildly, attitude towards himself and others.

They go on to talk about how he did everything with a smile, no matter how long the autograph signing sessions took. He joked around with the children and even said a few words in Spanish and so on. This may seem like normal behavior, but European sports fans are not used to it.

You know, that "NBA Cares" movement can feel ridiculous and staged at times (Jimmy Jackson, NBA legend), but you have to hand it to Commissioner Stern — the PR effect of having players come out in this fashion, especially when compared to the antics of some soccer stars and their egos, cannot be overstated.

Sam Amico, PBN: "How well will Ron Artest fit in with the Los Angeles Lakers? 'Perfect,' former NBA coach and PBN contributor Eric Musselman told me. 'It's a perfect fit both for the player and the organization.' Musselman coached Artest for one season in Sacramento (2006-07), and has attended Lakers training camp as an invited observer. So he knows both player and organization well. '(Lakers coach) Phil Jackson loves guys who play multiple positions, and Artest is that kind of guy,' Musselman said. 'He can defend the other team's shooting guard, small forward or power forward. Offensively, Jackson loves multi-dimensional guys who can pass, shoot and dribble and do all three well.'"

Richard Justice, Houston Chronicle: "Trevor Ariza makes the Rockets younger, faster and better. He fits with the way Rick Adelman wants to play. Sometime next season, we're going to see Tracy McGrady, Carl Landry, Aaron Brooks and Ariza leading a fast break that will take your breath away. Finally, we're going to have an Adelman team that plays like an Adelman team. I'm so giddy about Ariza that I'm willing to forgive and forget with T-Mac. OK, so we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's take a deep breath and go one step at a time. Ariza is a first-rate defensive player, threw in almost 50 percent of his 3-pointers in the playoffs, and is still only 24. Yes, there's still that hole at center. Give Daryl Morey a couple more days to take care of that issue."

NBA FanHouse: "... Pau Gasol might be the most endangered Laker in all of this. Kobe ain't giving up shots to Ron-Ron ... but someone will have to, unless you think Artest — who has in the past placed himself in the same league as Kobe and LeBron James — will shave half his offense to become Trevor Ariza II. I sincerely doubt our protagonist will be so generous. So the Laker attacker who requires the ball to be fed — Pau — figures to suffer. Even this past postseason, when the Lakers looked so dominant (save a tough series against Artest's Rockets), the chorus called for more Pau touches. It's the coda of the big man, the call for the ball, especially for a forward as selfless as Gasol. But teams get only so many possessions, and every touch for Pau this year (more or less) meant one less touch for Kobe, the reigning MVP. I would imagine most Lakers fans wished at some point last season Pau would get the ball more frequently, even if in the end the arrangement worked out famously."

Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times: "Less than three weeks after the parade, the NBA champion Lakers have already met the biggest threat to their throne. Themselves. What are they thinking? What are they doing? They just won a title that would not have been possible without the strong defense and stunning shooting of a 24-year-old kid with a limitless ceiling. Yet they send the kid packing for an aging nut whose greatest hits have occurred on the heads of fans. They just won a title with a locker room bathed in the soothing light of unselfishness, teamwork and a quiet temerity. Yet they cut the power and added the darkest of moods, a guy who has made a career out of hoarding the ball, the attention, and the anger. Tell me again, why did they get rid of Trevor Ariza for Ron Artest?"

Silver Screen and Roll: "You know the old saying, right? The one that goes 'If it ain’t broke, don’t trade for a guy who got suspended for a year because he attacked a fan in the stands.' The Lakers just did exactly the opposite. Considering Ariza just signed a contract for a similar amount of money, couldn’t the Lakers have just re-signed Ariza and had the same team that just won a championship? A team should be allowed to defend its championship, Ariza played an important role on that team, and he was a chemistry guy. Artest is a ball hog who ruins offenses, gets lots of technicals, and is on a shorter leash with the refs than Rasheed Wallace."

Empty The Bench: "If you’re Ariza, you feel disrespected. It’s hard not to take this personally when you just played a critical role in helping anybody win a NBA championship for anybody, let alone a storied franchise like the Lakers. This is the team synonymous with your city, the place where you grew up, where you played college ball. This is the team you dreamed of playing for as a pro ... and the team that, in the end, declined offering you the security of the long-term contract that you’ve damned well earned. Any other competitive team would be thrilled to have you, and you’d likely be the crucial missing piece for any one of them. You are that good. (Maybe.) And when you win that second ring with somebody else, you’ll be in store for an even bigger payday than this one. And then the Lakers will be sorry ..."

Dan Shanoff: "Is Ron-Ron a fit in the Triangle offense? Who cares? Will he freak out in the glare of L.A.? All the better! Artest is the best kind of acquisition: Talented AND interesting. Jordan kept Rodman in check and the '96 Bulls were one of the best teams ever. It is not an inappropriate analogue to think the same thing about Kobe and Ron-Ron, who are friends. Imagine that: Artest with a ring — and the last laugh."

The Baseline: "Shall we hand the Lakers the trophy now? OK, it is premature. The issue of Lamar Odom still needs to be addressed, and that could be a lengthy process. But, in signing Artest, the Lakers have responded strongly to new acquisitions made by the likes of San Antonio (Richard Jefferson), Cleveland (Shaquille O’Neal) and Orlando (Vince Carter), and have girded themselves against anything that teams like Denver, Boston, Portland or Detroit might do. The signing of Artest means that the Lakers have reasserted themselves as championship favorites. The 2009 championship trophy probably put an end to all those questions the Lakers had to answer about toughness over the course of last year’s season and playoffs. With Artest in the fold, we can (hopefully) give those questions a final and hearty farewell. Artest gives the Lakers the kind of unquestioned bruiser they’ve lacked in the post-Shaq era. He is a dogged defender, and though a loose cannon, he is the kind of player who intimidates opponents even before a game begins. It’s been a while since the Lakers had a presence like that who wasn’t named Kobe."

Barkley's Mouth: "For all the craziness and unpredictability that Artest’s reputation holds, you can’t deny him this — he wants to win. Artest quickly came to an agreement with the Lakers, not even considering the promise of other offers shelling out more money and, don’t get it twisted, those more lucrative offers were going to be there. Artest is a bulldog on defense and a legit threat on offense. Any team would want that on their team, but Artest didn’t want to be on any team. Artest wanted a team that could win a title now and because of that, he’s a winner despite making less money than Ariza who has to be considered the loser here ..."

The Dream Shake: "... I'm not so sure that letting Artest go was a bad thing. If Yao Ming were to miss much of next season (which is a distinct possibility), it would be the Ron-Ron Show, starring Ball-Hoginess, Bad Shot Selection, and Angry Postgame Tweets. I wouldn't be a fan. Why put up with Artest for another year when the chances of winning a championship would be slim to none? Why pay him when we can save the money for later? That's how devastating Yao's injury is. It not only cost us our best remaining wing player; it made the loss of Ron Artest somewhat necessary."

OhMeOhMy, Jello'sJigglin': "In regards to Trevor Ariza, Laker fans can only lament his sad fate and thank him for his hustle, hard work, and overall admirable services in helping the team gets it 15th Championship. However, as is so often the case in these sort of dealings, the business side of things had to come in and ruin the fun. Enter Agent David Lee, who after hard-balling Buss and Kupchak for the past 24 hours and attempting to squeeze as much payday from them as he could, now finds himself having to tell his client (who grew up in LA, loves LA, and supposedly 'bleeds purple and gold') that he will have to settle for the midlevel offer and continue playing with a Chinese teammate ... except this new offer was not from the Lakers, and not with the Rising Sun Yue, but from the Houston Rockets and the Fallen Tower Yao Ming."

Kevin Pelton, Unfiltered: "Last year, Ariza used 16.7 percent of the Lakers’ possessions while on the floor. Artest used 24.7 percent of Houston’s possessions, and has been over 23 percent every year since 2002-03. If Artest plays to his tendencies, it’s hard to see where those possessions would come from, especially when he is on the floor alongside the high-possession Bryant. I’m of the belief that possession usage is in many ways as much a skill as anything else, not something that can be largely dictated by coaches. Using a ton of possessions is in Artest’s DNA just as much as physical defense or crazy quotes."

Forum Blue & Gold: "Does anyone else have the feeling part of the Lakers looking at Artest was not wanting to deal with the public negotiations of Ariza agent David Lee? They put up with him in the Bynum case because there were no other options — young guys with Bynum’s potential are rare. But quality swingmen who want to be on a contender are more common. Lee tried to get the most for his client, but he negotiates in a very public way and the Lakers are a very private team (in terms of front office dealings)."

Frank Dell'Apa/Marc J. Spears, The Boston Globe: "Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce joined president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and managing partner Wyc Grousbeck for a three-hour meeting with Wallace in Detroit yesterday, the Celtics offering a contract using their midlevel exception. But Wallace is apparently in no hurry to respond, preferring to weigh approaches from Charlotte, Cleveland, Orlando, and San Antonio, according to an NBA source. Bill Strickland, Wallace’s agent, said in a text message that it was a 'very good meeting; some contractual terms discussed, nothing agreed to.' Strickland added Wallace will be'meeting with a few more teams next week.'"

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "To a degree, an Allen Iverson-Heat marriage makes sense. For years, Pat Riley has run a last-chance saloon. But it's not going to happen the first week of free-agent negotiations. It's not going to happen at the July 8 start of the free-agent signing period. And it's not going to happen until after the July 12 window opens for Dwyane Wade to be eligible to sign an extension. Iverson makes sense because Iverson may not have many other options. But until the Knicks spend their mid-level exception, until Larry Brown gets an official rejection from Bobcats management, and until the remaining precious little cap space around the league is spent, Iverson doesn't have to move to Plan B. With the Heat already into the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax, anything paid to Iverson will be doubled on the books next season. So even with a $2 million contract, is he worth $4 million at this stage?"

Ken Berger, CBSSports.com: "Ben Gordon to the Pistons is a done deal. The method by which he will get there is still under discussion. CBSSports.com has learned that the Bulls and Pistons may yet revisit Detroit's agreement with Ben Gordon and instead investigate a sign-and-trade that would send Allen Iverson to Chicago. Discussions have not yet reached the highest levels of both organizations, but the revised look at how Gordon goes from Chicago to Detroit would benefit Gordon and the Bulls. Gordon would get an extra year, and thus more money, by signing with the Bulls and getting traded. The Bulls, who currently are getting nothing for losing him, would get Iverson — a fading future Hall of Famer who would get to finish his career in a major market as long as he's willing to accept a secondary role. It's a farfetched scenario, and not everyone involved would be on board — particularly the Pistons. The major sticking point would be how to sweeten the deal for Detroit, which would only consider such an option if it would provide significant cap savings."

Sekou Smith, AJC: "From Athens to Milwaukee and back to Atlanta, the name Josh Childress is being tossed around in every direction these days. Childress [was] in Milwaukee [Thursday] visiting the Bucks with his agent, Jim Tanner. What that means for the Hawks is that they might get a do-over with Childress, a restricted free agent again this summer as he was last summer. Last summer they lost him as an asset when he chose to sign with Greek power Olympiakos (for $20 million post taxes). What the Hawks didn’t lose was the right of first refusal on Childress if he decided to return to the NBA this summer. And two of my spies have made it clear that were Childress to receive any sort of 'reasonable' NBA offer (the $5.6 million mid-level exception or below), the Hawks would match it before Childress finished signing his name on the offer sheet (the aim, however, is to work out a sign-and-trade deal to appease both sides since Childress has made clear his desire to play elsewhere, per a source)."

Spears, The Boston Globe: "Celtics free agent guard Stephon Marbury said to The Globe early Friday morning that he doesn't expect to be returning to Boston after receiving a disappointing one-year contract paying $1.3 million using the veteran's minimum. Marbury said his representative, National Basketball Players Association deputy counsel Hal Biagas, called to tell him about the Celtics offer on Thursday night. The 32-year-old said three other teams, which he would not disclose, are currently interested. The two-time All-Star signed with the Celtics on Feb. 27 for the rest of the season after working out a buyout of his contract with the Knicks that paid $21.8 million after dealing with a soap opera-like situation that kept him sidelined over a year. Marbury averaged 3.8 points and 3.3 assists in 18 minutes per game during 23 contests last season with Boston."

Tim Buckley, The Deseret News: "Some days, he feels he might be able to play one final season. Others, he suspects his NBA career could already have come to a close. Matt Harpring isn't sure what will happen. But he does plan to let the Jazz know by late August if he'll be good to go for training camp in October — or if his seven-year Utah run is done, cut short by a rash of injuries that have ravaged his body. 'Sometimes,' Harpring said Thursday from his offseason home in the Atlanta area, where he played in high school and starred at Georgia Tech, 'I have thoughts of playing. And then I have thoughts of not playing. Right now I haven't made a decision ... so I'm going to do whatever I can and see where I am the end of the summer,' he said. 'It's really too early to tell what's going to happen.'"

Rick Bonnell, Charlotte Observer: "Looking to address the Charlotte Bobcats' need for a backup power forward, general manager Rod Higgins has contacted agents for Antonio McDyess and Brandon Bass. McDyess, who played for the Detroit Pistons, and Bass, a Dallas Maverick, are both unrestricted free agents. Higgins said both discussions were preliminary, but he made it clear either one could fill a hole on the depth chart. 'You look at our roster, and he makes a lot of sense,' Higgins said of 6-foot-8 Bass, who played a total of four NBA seasons with the Hornets and Mavericks. 'But he's going to have options, too.'"

John Reid, The Times-Picayune: "Whether they sign Bass or not, New Orleans is seeking a capable backup power forward to allow starter David West a little more rest. West averaged a team-high 39.2 minutes per game last season. The Hornets are also interested in veteran power forward/center Joe Smith, but his Los Angeles-based agent, Dan Fegan, could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon. In addition, the Hornets have inquired about free agent frontcourt players Mikki Moore, Maceo Baston and Jake Voskuhl, all are unrestricted free agents."

Kevin Tatum, Philadelphia Inquirer: "According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the 76ers reached out this week to the agent for Atlanta Hawks guard Mike Bibby, only to find that the 10-year veteran is intent on staying with the team he played for the last two seasons. With the uncertainty of the Sixers' relationship with guard Andre Miller — he also is a free agent, and there are no signs that he plans to return — the team may be in need of a veteran point guard for first-year coach Eddie Jordan. There is not much separating Miller, 33, and Bibby, 31, either in performance or contract requests."

Darnell Mayberry, The Oklahoman: "Gerald Green spent last season in Dallas after signing a one-year contract. He played in 38 games and averaged 5.2 points in 9.9 minutes. Now, he's looking for his next chance. But Green knows his reputation for having great character is superseded in coaching and GM circles by the tag of him not being a hard worker. It's a label Green desperately wants to shed — so much so that he's taken up boxing this summer as a form of conditioning to supplement the time he spends in the weight room and on the practice court. 'I always hear about how I'm a bust or I'm this or I'm that,' Green said. 'I just want to prove everybody wrong. I've just really been trying to control my own part by being in the gym and becoming a better player. The more work you put in the better you get because of it.' And Green insists he's learned much throughout his NBA odyssey, taking something from players and coaches each step of the way."

Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune: "One thing I thought I'd never see out of the Jazz is this: They could wind up with the highest — or near the highest — payroll in the NBA. Even though the Jazz in the past shouldn't be characterized as cheap, if you had asked me a decade ago which would come to them first, a championship or the league's biggest or near-biggest payroll, I would have, without hesitation, taken the title. Well. They are closer to the big-money trophy. The Jazz rank fourth on the NBA's payroll list, behind the Hornets, Lakers and Wizards. There is some inexactness, of course, because some individual salaries are estimates, and totals are fluid. Still the Jazz rolled in at over $73 million. And one of the most notable things about that number is it does not include a full roster of players. Most significantly, it doesn't include whatever it will take to re-sign Paul Millsap. Add that in, and the Jazz could find themselves at the head of the big-spenders club, or near it, if the Lakers, as expected, roll out some major bones to re-sign all their guys."

Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press: "Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars needs to get moving if he wants to have a coach in place by the time the team leaves for play in the Las Vegas summer league next week. Former Pistons coach Doug Collins withdrew his name from consideration, which would appear to open the door for former Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson. Collins told ESPN.com late Wednesday night that he thanked Dumars for the consideration, but he would remain an analyst for TNT. Johnson appears to be the front-runner to replace Michael Curry, who was suddenly fired Tuesday on the eve of the NBA's free-agency period. Dumars has said he wants an experienced coach to lead the Pistons as he tries to shape the roster into an Eastern Conference contender. And Johnson has the experience."

Seriously, at any point during last year's Finals, was anyone telling themselves, "damn, the Lakers really need Ron Artest" ?!?

Apparently, for whatever reason, the Lakers are close to a deal with Ron Artest.

And it makes no sense.

The triangle offense demands a presence that doesn't hold onto the ball. It's an exacting thing that asks for quick decisions and smart resolutions.

Why Ron Artest, in any form, would have a place in this championship-driven mess? It boggles the mind.

The Lakers don't need him. His off-court palatables hardly matter. The Laker offense begs for players whose hands don't stick to the ball, and Ron's hands stick to the ball like no other. He's the wrong idea. He's a wasted face. He's the wrong choice.

Let that sink in.

He's the wrong choice.

The Lakers, as presented during June of 2009, had no flaws. Honestly, not a single flaw, outside of defending point guards.

Artest, as great as he is, solves absolutely nothing.

He's a fine player, and everyone knows his name, but the Lakers don't need him. He'll spin the radio chat show fodder funk to no end, but that means absolutely nothing. He's a defensive-minded small forward heading toward a team with small forward depth and a good defensive history.

The Lakers don't need Ron Artest. It's a pity that his talents don't mind that apogee.

C: Waiting For Next Year. "This surely wasn't your father's press conference."
PF: Sports Radio Interviews. Richard Jefferson hints that Jason Kidd will sign with the Knicks.
SF: Steady Burn. Ricky Davis cracks Mike's "Top Five 'Hot Dog' Athletes" list.
SG: Celtics Hub. "I really hope Leon Powe knows how much Celtics fans like him and will miss him."
PG: Khandor's Sports Blog. Hedo Turkoglu is not the answer for what ails the Raptors.
6th: Doug Smith, Toronto Star. Jose Calderon and Chris Bosh take their game to Spain.
7th: The Blowtorch. A brief recap of the No. 32 jersey throughout Clippers history.
8th: NBA FanHouse. Ten players, under the age of 30, that are fighting for their NBA lives.
9th: Blazers Blog. Greg Oden gets an 'A-plus' in summer workouts.
10th: DMN. Eddie Sefko reports that the Dallas Mavericks have made an offer to Marcin Gortat.

Got a tip/link for Ball Don't Lie? Hit me up at jeskeets@yahoo.ca or follow me on Twitter.

The Minnesota Timberwolves' top draft pick, Ricky Rubio, 18, will remain in Spain to play for his DKV Joventut basketball team for the remaining two years of his contract rather than try to move to the NBA this season, El Periodico reported today.

The Barcelona newspaper also says Rubio, who was paid $97,000 last season, plans to withdraw his contract lawsuit against DKV Joventut.

Pour out a little shaving cream for your draft pick, Minnesota.

If rumors are correct, both will have been employed by the Memphis Grizzlies in consecutive years. This ... this is why you're not good, Memphis.

Now, in recent years, Yahoo! Sports has employed both myself and a kind fella by the name of J.E. Skeets, and we're fixin' to throw up a BDL chat around 3 p.m., if you want to trot on by. Just click the jump, and mind your manners.

After the jump, some TimberLOLves rookies sign a few basketballs.

Winner, GWiss:
Wayne Ellington, left, complained to reporters that although he's a team player, he doesn't think it's right that he was asked to sign hundreds of basketballs with the name "Ricky Rubio".

Runner-up, TicketKG:
Flynn to Ellington: "They said whoever signs more balls wont get traded."

Snoop Dogg rizzle stoppizzle by "Thizzle Tonizzle Show wizzle Conizzle O'Brizzle" to tizzle about MJ's influizzle, playizzlin' Mizzle Tyson in "Fizzle Nizzle 4" and hizzle nizzle iPhonizzle app. Snoop also brought in hizzle yizzle lowrizzle wizzle a swizzle Lakers pizzle job. Can ya dig that? You can? Because I didn't.

Not bad, I guess. But The Hoop Doctors have a question that has to be asked: "Does the baby face Rubio even grow enough facial hair to shave yet?" Seriously. The kid makes me look like Paul freakin' Bunyan.

Some notes, courtesy of Jimmy Shapiro, comparing the updated odds to ones released June 15th:

* Cleveland went from 3/1 to 9/4
* L.A. Lakers fell from 2/1 to 9/4
* San Antonio sky rocked from 16/1 to 11/1
* Orlando jumped a bit from 15/2 to 6/1
* Boston dipped slightly from 9/2 to 5/1

Interestingly, the Rockets still remain at 15/1 odds despite Yao's foot scare.

After the jump, the complete list of all the team's odds to win the '09-10 Larry O'Brien.

Odds to win 2010 NBA Championship:

Cleveland Cavaliers (9/4)
Los Angeles Lakers (9/4)
Boston Celtics (5/1)
Orlando Magic (6/1)
San Antonio Spurs (11/1)
Denver Nuggets (13/1)
Houston Rockets (15/1)
Portland Trail Blazers (18/1)
Utah Jazz (20/1)
Dallas Mavericks (40/1)
New Orleans Hornets (40/1)
Detroit Pistons (45/1)
Atlanta Hawks (50/1)
Chicago Bulls (50/1)
Miami Heat (50/1)
Phoenix Suns (50/1)
Philadelphia 76ers (60/1)
New Jersey Nets (75/1)
New York Knicks (75/1)
Washington Wizards (75/1)
Charlotte Bobcats (100/1)
Golden State Warriors (100/1)
Indiana Pacers (100/1)
Los Angeles Clippers (100/1)
Oklahoma City Thunder (100/1)
Sacramento Kings (100/1)
Toronto Raptors (100/1)
Milwaukee Bucks (125/1)
Minnesota Timberwolves (125/1)
Memphis Grizzlies (150/1)

Straight Bangin': "Really, Joe? Really? You just committed your cap space to Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva? You turned Rasheed's expiring contract and Chauncey Billups into an embarrassing first-round flameout, a streaky and undersized sixth-man, and a mercurial forward who gets hurt fairly often? You took a team that as recently as two years ago was a decent rebounder and another guard away from the Finals and turned it into one that probably can't hope to be any better than seventh in the East? Your second-highest-paid player plays the same position as your highest? The same highest-paid guy who shouldn't have such an onerous deal in the first place? [...] Sorry to say it, Joey, but you need to update your resume, because you played yourself worse than Jay on 'DOA.'"

Empty The Bench: "Something’s gotta give in Detroit, and that something is one of the last remaining pieces of Detroit’s 2004 NBA Championship team leaving town: Richard Hamilton, who will soon be traded. I think. He has to be, right? Despite reports that GM Joe Dumars has stated he has no intentions of trading Hamilton, it doesn’t make much sense to have two All-Star caliber shooting guards capable of playing 34-36 minutes a night (and getting paid like it) at the same position. Both were their respective team’s leading scorers last season (Gordon 20.7 for Chicago, Hamilton 18.3 for Detroit), both revel in the role of being the go-to guy on the floor, both have a well-documented history of not happily accepting a sixth-man role off the bench. Though Gordon is a much higher-character guy than Allen Iverson, the last thing Dumars and the Pistons need is another backcourt controversy: as you recall, it was first Hamilton, then Iverson, who publicly bemoaned their demotions to the bench in favor of the other. I can’t imagine that Gordon made the move to Detroit to be a backup, nor can I see Hamilton suddenly having a change of heart and stepping aside to make room for Gordon in the starting lineup. Something’s gotta give."

Detroit Bad Boys: "Villanueva’s arrival will come with mixed reviews, in part because of shaky defense and a reputation for being 'soft,' but objectively speaking, he’s a better shooter, passer and rebounder than Rasheed Wallace, the man he’s essentially replacing. No, he’s not a complete package — Wallace was an exceptional defender, at least when he was up for the challenge — but for the price and potential for improvement, I have no quibbles with the move. He alone won’t put the Pistons over the top, but this roster is a couple of years away from worrying about the 'missing piece.'"

The Baseline: "Villanueva was a smart move, and while Gordon may hardly have filled an obvious need, he's not going to hurt the team, and Detroit can always use additional offense. Does this immediately make them contenders? No, but could you see any of the 2010 free agents stepping right in and stabilizing a team that, if you'd forgotten, just fired its coach to cap off a lost season? The Pistons haven't ever depended on a single superstar, anyway, which makes the 2010 model that much more unlikely. Instead, you can see Dumars hiring a coach who gets the Pistons culture, and will then indoctrinate Villanueva and Gordon. What's more, while these signings are in some ways a function of the Pistons organization, they also might be taken as an endorsement for teams looking to this summer for a more cost-effective future. If Dumars does it, you know other GMs are going to at least weigh the option."

David Aldridge, NBA.com: "Gordon's agent, Ray Brothers, said that 17 teams contacted him Wednesday about Gordon, but most were looking to sign Gordon to the mid-level exception or looking to do a sign-and-trade with Chicago. And after the last two summers of trying to negotiate deals with Chicago, Gordon was leery of yet more delay in trying to work something out down the road when Detroit came through so quickly with a tangible offer."

The Knicks Blog: "Truthfully, if my team had $19 million in cap space, I am not sure I’d be thrilled with these two deals. I think both got overpaid to a certain extent. Maybe not Gordon, but I do not see Villanueva as an $8 million dollar player in this market. He is a high volume shooter that is more of a chucker than a premier scoring threat. He does not shoot for a good percentage and he has never seen a shot that he didn’t like. Villanueva is a good perimeter defender and a good outside shooter, but he is not a great shot-blocker and is not a great rebounder. Not for his size."

Brew Hoop: "You could say this somehow validates the Bucks' decision to let CV walk.  After all, they'd understandably never throw that kind of coin at CV. However, if the Bucks had made their intention of re-signing CV clear and given him a QO it's unlikely he would have gotten nearly that much — RFAs just don't generate the same interest in the open market. Still, I think it's understandable, if a bit regrettable, that given the tax situation they let Villanueva walk. He'll probably put up good numbers next year, but I don't think anyone ever questioned his ability to put up stats. One thing's for sure: we wish Charlie the best of luck in Motown."

Larry Brown Sports: "Maybe it’s just because I’m not a Ben Gordon guy that I don’t like what Detroit’s doing, or maybe it’s because they spent $10 million a season on a sixth man who’s a gunner and not a ball-handler and doesn’t play much defense. Maybe it’s because I prefer Rip Hamilton and can’t envision them paying Gordon $10 mil per and telling him he’s coming off the bench meaning Rip’s probably gone. Now Villanueva’s a decent deal because he can score and board and he comes at a reasonable price as a Rasheed Wallace replacement. The thing I’m missing is the size issue. Where’s their inside presence? Don’t they need one? Maybe I should be patient to see what they add next year before I completely judge because this has to be a work in progress."

Motown String Music: "What's next for the Pistons? Will the opening night lineup be Kwame Brown, Villanueva, Tayshaun Prince, Ben Gordon, and Rodney Stuckey or does Dumars have something else up his sleeve that would move Tayshaun and/or find an upgrade over Kwame, possible in a deal involving Rip?"

Tremendous Upside Potential: "In basketball terms, Gordon's departure means John Salmons and Luol Deng need to step up. Last we saw them, Salmons was awesome, and Deng was bad and hurt. Is that what we can expect again? Salmons will be Gordon's replacement at shooting guard, and the Bulls better hope that last year wasn't an aberration. Make no mistake, Salmons had a career year last season. He set careers highs across the board at age 29, a point when most players begin to decline, not take off. His biggest jump was in three-point percentage. Without Gordon, the Bulls are going to need more shooters. Last year, Salmons was good enough to fill that roll, making 49 treys in 26 games as a Bull. He was efficient from long range too, connecting at a Gordon-like 41 percent. Again, was it a fluke, or is John Salmons for real? The Bulls better hope it's the latter."

Mouthpiece Blog: "... Mitch Robinson caught up with BG last night after the Pistons deal was announced: 'It was an easy decision. I went to visit and speaking with (Pistons GM) Joe Dumars I liked everything he had to say, I like everything the organization stands for … they’re all about winning and I want that too,' Gordon stated over the phone. 'Joe exudes that (winning) he eats, sleeps and breathes basketball and that’s an organization I need to be a part of.'"

Geoff Calkins, The Commercial Appeal: "We should have known better. Heisley did what he always does. He went for the cheaper solution. He shopped from the discount bin. Never mind that [Zach] Randolph doesn't fit into Heisley's three-year plan because — I hate to be picky — his contract is up in two years. Never mind that Randolph will have a hard time keeping up with a team that has said it wants to run. If the Grizzlies had signed David Lee as a free agent, they'd have been on the hook for four or five years. With Randolph, it's just two. And the first year won't cost the Grizzlies much because they don't have to pay Richardson's salary. So that gets it down to one year of meaningful spending. That's better than four or five years, right? And it's that math — the fundamental calculation that is driving the Randolph acquisition — that makes it difficult to celebrate today. Why does it always have to be about money with this franchise? Why not, just once, go get the guy who fits best? There is nothing that makes Randolph a better fit for the Grizzlies than Lee. But Lee would have been more expensive, so Randolph it is."

Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post/Times-Picayune: "The negotiations between Chris Andersen and the Denver Nuggets have begun. Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien is currently in Los Angeles, meeting with Andersen's representatives, notably Denver-based attorney Mark Bryant and agent Steve Huemann of the Los Angeles-based Creative Arts Agency. Bryant said the goal is to try to get Andersen, a former New Orleans Hornets player, a five-year deal around the mid-level exception (in the $5 million range annually). 'I think that's possible. But we're a team player,' Bryant said this morning. 'We'll make the necessary adjustments if we can and find the right fit.' There are numerous teams inquiring about the NBA's No. 2 shot-blocker from last season, notably Houston, which has all-star center Yao Ming shelved indefinitely, as well as Dallas, Portland and Memphis. But Andersen, who lived in Denver during his two-year banishment for drug abuse, adores the city of Denver and has publicly said he wants to return home."

Eddie Sefko, Ft. Worth Star-Telegram: "The Dallas Mavericks may not strike it rich in free agency, but they are becoming quite adept at adding quality role players. After scoring with Brandon Bass and James Singleton in recent summers, the Mavericks started this year’s free-agent season by making a strong pitch to Quinton Ross, the former SMU and Kimball High School standout. Ross has been in the league for five years, the first four with the Los Angeles Clippers and last season with the Memphis Grizzlies. The 6-foot-6 guard has been a part-time starter throughout most of his career. While owner Mark Cuban was wining and dining Jason Kidd in New York during the first hours after free agency opened, coach Rick Carlisle and president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson were meeting with Ross in Dallas. Ross’ numbers (4.6-point career average) will never overwhelm anybody. But he has always been a good defender and can shoot the 3-pointer well enough to keep defenses honest. He shot 37.5 percent from beyond the arc last season."

Richard Justice, Houston Chronicle: "[Marcin] Gortat, who has never made huge money and wasn't part of a college recruiting process, seemed touched when Morey showed him how hundreds of messages were pouring in. By mid-afternoon Wednesday, Gortat had received more than 2,000 messages telling him how he'd love being a Rocket. There's also a tough-love side to this story. Gortat's agent mentioned wanting a full mid-level exception. That amounts to around $30 million over five years. The Rockets aren't offering nearly that much and apparently aren't prepared to go higher. They've assigned a value to Gortat, and if, say, the Mavericks are offering more, the Rockets are prepared to lose him."

Michael Rosenberg, Detroit Free Press: "No other general manager in the NBA has done it. And here is Joe Dumars, trying to do it twice. Dumars built the 2004 NBA champion Pistons without one sure Hall of Famer on the roster. How difficult is that? Those Pistons are the only team in the last 30 years to pull it off. Obviously, Dumars would love to have a Hall of Famer on his team. But they are hard to land. So instead, he is doing what he has done exceptionally well in the past: finding high-caliber, high-character, unappreciated talent that fits into a system, and — this is crucial — signing reasonable contracts to maintain flexibility. So Ben Gordon, the Chicago Bulls' best player, has agreed to become a Piston. Charlie Villanueva, a rising talent, has done so as well. Their arrivals put the Pistons back in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference, and they allow Dumars to keep maneuvering until he has all the right pieces. Remember, he didn't add the final starter on the 2004 champs, Rasheed Wallace, until February of that season."

Jeff McDonald, S.A. Express-News: "The Pistons waived Fabricio Oberto this afternoon, returning the former Spurs big man to the free agent pool. Traded last week in the deal that brought Richard Jefferson from Milwaukee, and then promptly shipped to Detroit, Oberto would have to wait a league-mandated 20 days to re-sign with the Spurs. It remains to be seen how hard the Spurs will pursue him. Much will depend on what kind of other free-agent bigs the Spurs are able to lure during free agency, as well as on how rookie DeJuan Blair pans out over the summer. Meanwhile, Bruce Bowen — another piece of the Jefferson trade — is expected to join Oberto on the market, eventually. The Bucks have until Aug. 1 to set Bowen loose and avoid paying the guaranteed portion of his contract ($2 million). The Spurs are not expected to bring Bowen back should he become a free agent."

John Reid, The Times-Picayune: "Although Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower initially said addressing the team's frontcourt depth was a priority in free agency, one of the first calls he made after midnight Wednesday morning was to guard Jannero Pargo's agent, Mark Bartelstein. Teams could begin negotiating with free agents at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, but players cannot sign contracts until July 8. 'I talked with Jeff, and they remain interested in Jannero,' Bartelstein said. 'But he said they still have things to work out with their roster.' Bower could be working on a trade before any contract offer is extended to a free agent. Multiple league sources said last week the Hornets have been shopping starting center Tyson Chandler. In addition, New Orleans could be interested in moving one of their veteran guards — Morris Peterson, Antonio Daniels or Devin Brown — in a trade. Bower declined to discuss any trade discussions."

Phil Jasner, Philadelphia Daily News: "Whatever is destined to happen in negotiations between the 76ers and free-agent point guard Andre Miller, one aspect came clearly into focus yesterday: It won't be quick. That was the sense of a source familiar with the discussion between Sixers president/general manager Ed Stefanski and Andre Miller's agent, Andy Miller, on the first day of the NBA's free-agency period. Stefanski is not free to comment publicly until July 8, the first day deals can be finalized. With that in mind, available information is sketchy, but here's what the Daily News has gleaned so far: Andy Miller, in a best-case scenario, would like a contract of 3 or 4 years, probably starting at a figure similar to the $10.3 million Andre Miller earned in 2008-09. The Sixers seem much more interested in 1 or 2 years, uncomfortable with a script in which they could be paying major dollars to an aging veteran at the same time their young core is maturing, reducing any salary-cap/luxury-tax flexibility they might have."

Kevin Tatum, Philadelphia Inquirer: "Though the Sixers have said their preference is to re-sign Miller, speculation stirred this week that had them looking to do a sign-and-trade with the Portland Trail Blazers that would bring point guard Steve Blake to Philadelphia. But in a published report in the Portland Tribune on Tuesday, representatives of both teams denied that such talks were in the offing. [Andre] Iguodala, who signed an $80 million, six-year contract last August as his free agent year was approaching, doesn't envy Miller's position. 'I went through it last year a little bit,' said Iguodala, who recently returned from a vacation in Italy. 'I had teams calling, but this summer's a little different than any other summer. With the economy and salary caps, I had perfect timing. I hope next time it comes up, I have perfect timing again.'"

Doug Smith, The Toronto Star: "Toronto also remains in contention to re-sign forward Shawn Marion, who is attracting very little interest on the open market. General manager Bryan Colangelo said last week he had a number in mind for a contract offer to Marion, who was paid almost $18 million last season and will surely take a significant pay cut. There was no indication what that number was and the Raptors are monitoring movement around the league to see if they can get the 6-foot-7 Marion back in the fold at the amount and terms they want. The 24-year-old [Linas] Kleiza, who lost his major role with Denver late last season, could be had for much less than the expected $5.6 million so-called mid-level salary cap exception, which is about all the money Toronto will have at its disposal to chase free agents from other teams. The forward was paid about $1.8 million last season by Nuggets, who are likely to let him go without a fight because of financial considerations. Toronto would then be free to use whatever's left of the exception to further bolster the bench."

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald: "Leon Powe, recovering from his third knee surgery, did not receive a qualifying offer from the Celtics by the Tuesday night deadline. As a result, Powe became an unrestricted free agent. Five teams reportedly called with interest in the power forward after midnight, including Miami, Memphis and Orlando. 'Of course I was disappointed, because I want to come back,' he said yesterday. 'I love the fans. It was just a wonderful place to play.' Powe walked away from his conversation believing his time as a Celtic was finished. Asked whether he got the sense the Celtics might be interested in re-signing him later this summer, Powe said, 'I wasn't feeling a vibe like that. I knew they wouldn't (extend a qualifying offer), so I just have to move on. They told me, 'Good luck with another team.' Doc told me that he wanted me there, and he would do whatever he could to make sure I came back, but Danny came to me yesterday saying that they only have a two-year window, and I would be taking up a roster spot for someone else.'"

In a bit of a pleasant surprise, Johnny Ludden has Odom ranked first on his list of top free agents of the 2009 class, and it's a fair assessment. Yes, Paul Millsap can board and score better, Ben Gordon gives you the best chance for a 40-point night, and both Shawn Marion and Trevor Ariza give you a good percentage of what Odom provides.

But Lamar, as we've been told since he floated from high school to high school, college to college, over a decade ago, is a special player. And it took until 2008-09 to see the best of it, even if his per-minute, pace-adjusted stats have tailed off since he was traded to the Lakers. This guy does not get the credit he deserves. And I fear that this offseason will be the best example of this.

The quibbles are many. By the second week of next season, just like Hedo Turkoglu, Lamar Odom will be 30. He's an up and down player with an up and down game that depends on the right system, and it is also fair to say that the best possible system for Odom (Los Angeles' triangle offense, to say nothing of the pressure relief of being able to play alongside superstars) hasn't done much to quell the man's inconsistency.

At his age, it isn't going away. But at the same point, is it not so much inconsistency, as it is our own lofty expectations of a player who just looks as if he could drop a triple-double in his sleep?

No, it's inconsistency. Even his most ardent admirers will cop to that. But I do believe the reason he's so continually underrated is his ability to give up stats, for a sound offense. Yes, he was born to drop triple-doubles, but our expectations are skewed, especially if we're only looking at the box score.

In a way, he's the anti-Turkoglu. I don't mean to rip on Hedo, I dig his game and am glad he's fulfilled his potential after the last few seasons; but Hedo only contributes if he has the ball in his hands, constantly. And I'm not calling him selfish, but having the ball go through Hedo's hands means plenty of chances for scores, and assists. Just about every positive result of Turkoglu's contributions ends up with a positive stat to point at.

I used to think Odom was the same way. That he needed a team that would allow him to dominate the ball. That his talent deserved it. Now, after watching him play a huge role in leading the Lakers to a championship, I know this cannot be the case.

Sometimes, as we learned with Scottie Pippen, playing the biggest role in the offense means moving the ball in the right direction early in the possession, and eliminating your chance at a nice assist or sweet bucket. And that isn't some cute way of typing "get the ball to Kobe/Michael, and get the hell out of the way, you lucky sod" without actually saying it.

No, because my fondest memories of Odom last season (and Pippen, throughout his career with Chicago) were of him running the offense with the superstar guard on the bench. Those second quarter runs that Odom was a part of for the Lakers this year were absolute studies in how to play off the ball, how to make yourself a threat without the rock, and how to think team first. The triangle offense helped, no doubt, but it was Odom that made the sacrifice.

And he might have to make another one, this summer. Because he's a candid sort, Odom talked the payroll-weary Lakers into perfect leverage heading into the offseason. Odom did all but guarantee the team a hometown discount of sorts (because he's not actually from L.A., though he has spent all but one of his ten NBA seasons playing in the city) by waxing honestly about how much he loves playing for the team.

Toss in his impending birthday, the specter of Trevor Ariza (the next offensive set he facilitates will be his first), and Dr. Jerry Buss' long unease with paying the sort of luxury tax he paid last season, and all the excuses are in place to collude to let Odom walk. Or play for a tiny, tiny contract.

Which would be an absolute shame.

My initial take on Mitch Kupchak's tenure as Lakers GM was that the man didn't understand Phil Jackson's offense enough to pull in players needed to run the triangle. That hasn't changed much, but he has grown into a fantastic talent scout over the years, and deserves huge praise for putting together what could be a championship team, several times over.

But Ariza, though he defends and hits three-pointers, is not a replacement. And Luke Walton, who rebounds and can run the offense off the bench, is not a replacement. Together, as some superplayer, they don't replace what Odom brings.

Staunch off-ball defense. Huge rebounding numbers. Gorgeous open court passing. Steady, knowledgeable half court passing. A three-point touch. An ability to finish in the paint, something that Ariza (despite his flashy dunks) still doesn't have. The ability to take pressure off of Bryant, so that he can focus on scoring, instead of having to play both Jordan and Pippen's roles.

Best of all, Odom knows the offense. He knows how to get other people involved, within the offense. That last part is important.

It is one thing for a superstar to drive and kick it out to a shooter "to get him involved." And yet it's another thing to make an entry pass to a player, call for a screen, set another screen, and watch as a player who wasn't even involved in the play runs through the offensive set to an easy score.

That takes an involved, exacting mind. And for all the jokes we make about his unsettling dietary habits, Odom has a set of gifts that few others can boast. And certainly nobody on the Lakers can replace.

So take that into consideration, Dr. Buss. Man who spends a lot of money, but also gets a full stadium full of gold jerseys dotted throughout into mid-June. Just about every damn year. For 30 years.

Take into consideration that Odom has already sacrificed, for this team. Sacrificed numbers, sacrificed awards (this is a man who could have screen and rolled his way to a Sixth Man of the Year award), and definitely sacrificed money. Extend the man, to appropriate terms. Don't make a player whose gifts were created for this team above all, waste the final years of his career somewhere else.

31, by the time the playoffs start next season.

Portland? By the time the playoffs start in 2010?

Brandon Roy, 25. LaMarcus Aldridge, 24. Rudy Fernandez, 25. Greg Oden, 22. Travis Outlaw, 25.

And when those players are in their primes? 2014 or so? Hedo's going to be well past his, at age 35. And this was a guy who was made to already look old and slow up against Trevor Ariza in this year's Finals.

So why, exactly, is Portland throwing its free agent booty at Hedo?

What am I missing here? The team was, statistically, the best offensive team in the NBA last year. Possession to possession, nobody scored more. Defense is this team's weakness, so they're spending all sorts of dough on a defensive liability?

The team, for years, has been one of the better closing squads in the NBA. They don't make a lot of comebacks, not with Nate McMillan's snail-slow pace, but with Travis Outlaw and Brandon Roy in the fold, they do just about lead the league in game-cinchers in the last 90 seconds. Statheads can talk about Carmelo Anthony, TV talking heads can talk up Kobe Bryant, but no team is better in the clutch than the Portland Trail Blazers.

And they're trying to add a guy who made his hay as a late-game finisher? Read that again. His value is inflated because of his late-game heroics. The team would be overpaying for something it already has in spades.

What is wrong with this picture? Why are they adding a player who is past his prime (Hedo's numbers dropped across the board in 2008-09, after hitting an NBA players' typical career-best at age 29, in 2007-08) to a team full of players that haven't even hit their prime?

Hedo in Orlando, before the Vince Carter trade, I was cool with. The Magic, save for Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson's presence, had a fair amount of money already invested in players that were as good as they were going to get. So might as well try to win now.

Not that Portland isn't trying to win now, they'll be just fine with a trip to next year's Finals, but is Hedo the guy to put you over the top?

Let's say he turns back the clock next year and sustains his 17-point, five-rebound, five-assist averages. Coupled with poor defense, how does that help? How does 41 percent shooting help when Travis Outlaw - one of the league's more underrated offensive talents - is taking fewer shots, and playing fewer minutes? How does the defense improve with Turkoglu taking Nicholas Batum's minutes? And that's just assuming Hedo's contributions sustain. It could happen, but for someone his age, that's hardly something to bank on.

I don't mean to pick on Jason Quick, who does a fantastic job on the Blazer beat, but paragraphs like these are exactly why someone like Hedo Turkoglu gets overrated to the point where he can approach $9 million a year at age 30.

He averaged 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists this season. The nine-year veteran is regarded as a perimeter shooter but is coming off a season when he made just 41.3 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from three-point range.

His stock rose dramatically in the playoffs, when he became the go-to player in the Magic's playoff push. He averaged 15.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 24 playoff games, shooting 42.7 percent rrom the field and 38.6 percent from three-point range.

So, his "stock rose dramatically in the playoffs," even though he was contributing less. Why? Because he was on national TV, more. Simple as that.

(You can rip on this column, though, if you want. It has Detroit putting Hedo ahead of all other free agents today. Turns out, the Pistons didn't even call Turkoglu.)

Hasn't Portland GM Kevin Pritchard seen this thing before?

The Chicago Bulls were one of the best defensive teams in the NBA for two seasons running entering the 2006 offseason, and instead of cutting up their salary cap space to accrue depth or try and help what was a pitiful team offense, the team splurged and used all of its cap space on a player that gave them exactly what they already had, but much older. By the end of his first month in Chicago, it was obvious that signing Ben Wallace was a huge blunder.

Portland needs a defender, and it needs a point guard. Chicago's Kirk Hinrich would seem to be the obvious fit, but if the Blazers sign Hedo, they'd have to ship Outlaw to Chicago for Hinrich. The team plays great for a year, but by the time Turkoglu reveals himself to be a seventh or eighth man as a 32-year old in 2011, where's the relief? Where's the payoff, from all that cap space? The ability to plug in Nicolas Batum? You have that right now!

It just boggles the mind that people who are paid to be patient, dealers who can only deal under strict guidelines, limited to trade deadlines, given only a finite amount of roster spots and cap space, dissuaded by a profit-killing luxury tax, still jump at the bit to reel in someone because he's famous, and because they have money to burn.

Kills me.

Portland, Hedo Turkoglu is 30. He's a fine player, but an average one, especially after you factor defense in. Please act accordingly.

We know why. Millsap's a terrific player, a borderline All-Star last season, and he provided a good slap in the face to those who doubted per-minute statistics last season when his presence in the Jazz lineup (with or without Deron Williams; sometimes with a hobbled Deron Williams) allowed Utah to win with Carlos Boozer on the bench. He's 24, he can board, and he can score. And as much as the Oklahoma City Thunder might throw at him, Utah seems set to match the terms for the restricted free agent.

But bringing him back at a fair price (say, starting at $9 million a year) knocks the Jazz payroll all the way up to $82 million, and that's just for 12 players. The team is well over the luxury tax, a threshold deceased former owner Larry Miller vowed never to pay last season.

The team's going to pay it, though. For now. And the question isn't, "is this team a winner, for that money?" We know it isn't. We think it has the talent to make it out of the West, if healthy, but it's not a guaranteed winner.

The questions should go along the lines of, who wants Carlos Boozer for a few months? And who'd like to take a chance on Mehmet Okur? And remember when Andrei Kirilenko wasn't scared of contact and/or his coach? That could come back any day now. Do you want to trade for him?

Utah figures to be huge dealers as the summer moves along, and into the 2009-10 season. Boozer wasn't exactly made superfluous by Millsap's play -- he does score in a way that Millsap can't match even with Paul's propensity for active finishes off the screen and roll - but he now boasts a massive expiring contract that could be worth a sniff.

A dangerous proposition, for any team. They could only pull in Boozer for a spell, only to see him jet to another team in 2010. Money is the motivating force for Carlos, but that doesn't mean he'll stick with a team that owns his Bird Rights - i.e., the Jazz, or whoever trades for him. Boozer and his family want the right setting. Utah, because it pays him the most money, is currently the right setting. He's a flexible guy.

Okur is different. His contract is smaller, but his game isn't as malleable. He has to be part of a team that plays sound defense, and he's probably best suited to play power forward on a squad with a defensive presence in the middle, making up for all the power forwards that can blow by him. Better than being blown past by a center, in my estimation.

He's not as easy to place. Portland would seem a proper fit, with all that cap space, but they already have an Okur-type (that's not a slam, Blazer fans) in LaMarcus Aldridge. Detroit's used its salary cap space up. Oklahoma City likely isn't into adding a 30-year old. Maybe New Orleans would be willing to clear potential space for the shooter, which could net the Jazz Tyson Chandler. Options, kind of.

And money. Lots of money. You can't help but applaud this team, even if they end up missing the tax, finding some way under it by dumping Boozer or Okur or AK (or any combination of the three) on other teams for a mere trade exception. Don't forget that the team also owns the rights to New York's 2010 first round draft pick, thanks to the fact that Isiah Thomas assumed that the world was to end sometime after November of 2005.

Other teams? Start dialing. You could get a hungry, talented big bent on earning a large payday, for a song.

At times, last season, I seemed to be the only one out there that was unswayed by Artest's batch of good behavior. It's probably because good or bad behavior has never been what matters most to me, when appraising the play of Ron Artest. It's the on-court stuff I'm obsessed with, and as someone who has been watching closely since he entered the NBA, you can tell when Ron isn't holding his own.

He'll shoot too much. He'll dominate the ball. He'll fancy himself a point forward, set up absolutely nobody, come to meet the ball late in the possession, and end up firing a contested 20-footer. If it goes in, great, but it's not likely to go in more than a third of the time. And as time has moved along, through his many stops, it's Ron's team-killing offensive play that has gotten worse and worse.

Few point it out. Most are concerned with the nonsense that starts after the whistle stops play. That's fair, but that's been covered.

And you could tell, toward the end of his turn in Indiana, growing much worse in Sacramento, and coming to a head last year (for me, at least) with the Rockets, that Ron's insistence on fancying himself an offensive superstar was killing teams. Way more than any suspension or off-court headache.

And before we heard about Yao Ming's potentially career-ending injury, I'd hoped that the Rockets would have gotten creative with Artest's future. The guy is a free agent, and while Houston wouldn't exactly be selling high with Ron, I'd hoped that GM Daryl Morey would try to find a sign-and-trade suitor to replace the lame offensive possessions that Ron continually uses up. I wanted him on another team.

Now that Yao's out, and the Rockets are apparently set on holding serve until he returns (as opposed to completely rebuilding)? Yeah, you should probably bring Ron back.

Because this team is pretty hopeless offensively. And while Artest can create some awful, awful shots, he's still creating shots. You're not likely to find that in the open market, while over the cap, while hoping to spend your mid-level exception money on Marcin Gortat.

Sorry for being simple with it, but you can sign Artest while over the cap, because he's your free agent. That's a sound rotation player you can retain without having to give anything up. Anyone else would cost you something, especially if Gortat signs your MLE.

From there, you tinker. Tracy McGrady, I'm sorry, but I just don't see him returning from microfracture surgery as soon as people think. The guy went under the knife late in the season, it's a year's worth of rehab, and Tracy has never been one to rush back to the lineup. His expiring contract is a huge asset. Artest can be the same, if signed to a solid deal. Houston has options, I know, but options the team probably won't cash in until next February.

I'm tossing this out there because the Rockets are unlikely to blow things up. They'll probably try to hold serve while sussing out Yao's future, getting by on a smallish lineup with or without Gortat, one that could possibly make the playoffs even with Yao out for the year. As name-heavy as some other lottery teams were last year out West, I'd still pick Houston to make the postseason, because they have so many players who use their time on the court to do great things.

Artest isn't always one of those players. On the bad nights, and there are really bad nights, he's rarely one of those players. But he's also a guy who isn't going to fetch much on the open market, he probably wants to sign quickly and without the embarrassment of dealing with limited options from around the league.

And unless some other team wants to send you compensation for the right to pay Artest, you need to bring back a contributor at this price. Retain the assets, figure the rest out later.

What I just can't imagine, knowing throughout 2008-09 that the Pistons would have heaps of salary-cap space to work with this summer, that this is how fans of the team assumed things would work out.

Carlos Boozer's staying in Utah, I understand that option is off the table. By midseason, last year, it became more and more likely that Boozer wouldn't want to walk away from guaranteed money in 2009-10. Not in this climate, not with his 2008-09 play. And beyond that, the free-agent pickings are somewhat slim.

But Gordon and CV? This soon? Woj is reporting that both will be in Detroit today, and likely to sign with the Pistons. And that their new contracts will take up most of Detroit's $20 million in cap space.

So, that's your team. Those are your Pistons. That's the payoff of the rebuilding process. Yikes.

We know why Villanueva is available. The Bucks didn't want to extend a qualifying offer to their once-restricted free-agent forward, and for good reason. The team is trying to figure its future out, and adding new salary for a very good-but-not-great player while confusion reigns is never a good idea. Even if all of CV's offers fell by the wayside and he had to sign for the QO, nah. Just not worth it, even if his play and contributions are worth much more than the QO.

Gordon? The Bulls prepared to do this for years. Team owner Jerry Reinsdorf is easily the cheapest in the NBA, taking in quite a bit of profit while refusing to pay the luxury tax, or retain players that he's not entirely comfortable with.

You've been able to see the writing on the wall for years with this move. It's why the team makes all sorts of moves to approach the tax (like spending guaranteed money on two draft picks who aren't even likely to be in next year's rotation) just to leave itself the excuse to not pay Gordon, a huge scoring threat for a team that sometimes struggles to top 80 points in a game.

Chicago will toss out John Salmons' name, of course, because most of their fans won't remember that Salmons will turn 30 later this year, and will be about to enter the down side of his career. The Bulls always leave you a carrot, always refusing to smartly spend money in the proper areas while distracting you with the luck of the Derrick Rose lottery selection, or a seven game series loss to a team missing its best player.

And Detroit? I just thought they could do better. I understand that you have to wrap up talent and assets (because talent is an asset) early in the free-agent game, before someone comes along with a newer, bluer, offer. And I understand that, supposedly, you don't want to rake the players who you're trusting to turn your team around over the coals, letting them twist for too long while you explore other options.

But ... no.

Explore other options. Almost $20 million in cap space means you can trade for great players, give up nothing but draft picks or also-rans, and absorb the salary hit under the cap. It means you have flexibility. It means you can do better than Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. Again, I like both players, and am sorry to come across like I'm denigrating them, but you have to look around longer.

And if you do explore, and there's nothing to find? Hurt feelings have a tendency to float away once you hand nearly $20 million over to two players. By next season, they'll forget that you agreed to terms on Aug. 19, instead of July 1.

For now, though, this is it for the Pistons. They'll try to trade Rip Hamilton, but the only team that would take on an above-average player (at this stage, this is what Hamilton is) with a superstar contract would be a team making a massive mistake. And do you want a team that makes massive mistakes' players?

Rodney Stuckey, Gordon, Hamilton, CV, Tayshaun Prince, Jason Maxiell, Aaron Afflalo. Maybe Austin Daye. That's a rotation worth singing about? The Pistons figure to have a small amount of cap space next summer, even if Hamilton stays on board and with the new contracts, but not nearly enough to try and seduce Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, or LeBron James.

The only hope is that the team can finagle a deal with Bosh using its remaining cap space. But that would also mean giving up an asset, and most indications are that Bosh wants to go where James goes (or, likely, stays) anyway.

It seems like a fun team. Gordon and CV are certainly far cheerier than Allen Iverson and Rasheed Wallace. I'm just not sure it's a knockout team. And I'm not sure that rotation is worth spending nearly $60 million on, which is what the Pistons would be doing next year if Ben and Charlie come on board.

Dallas owner Mark Cuban met with the free agent point guard sometime early Wednesday morning in New York, in a desperate move to try and beat the New York Knicks from signing away the nine-time All-Star. The Portland Trail Blazers, for whatever reason, have also expressed interest.

I'm expressing some interest, as well. I'm interested in just what the hell these teams — New York and Portland, especially — see in Kidd.

The guy is 36 years of age. By the time the playoffs start next spring, he'll be 37. This isn't just old for point guards, this is old for any athlete. And it's also old for point guards. It's ancient for point guards. Mo Cheeks was in a walker by age 35.

Kidd has enjoyed a fantastic career. A great deal of what he provides cannot show up in individual statistics, but individual statistics have also helped inflate his worth. He's a bit of a liability to an offense if he isn't dominating the rock, dishing out tons of assists. He has a reputation as a fast-break point guard, but I can't tell you how many would-be breaks have been halted by Kidd chasing after rebounds, instead of leaking out and waiting for the outlet pass. And his jumper, though on-point in 2008-09, comes and goes.

This is the point where I have to point out that I'm not pointing toward denigrating this point guard's skills. He's a fine, fine player, even at this stage. He helps teams. I just don't get where he fits into the plan for a team like the Knicks, or the Trail Blazers.

New York? I thought you were starting from scratch? I thought you were turning it around? I thought every penny was for this time, 12 months from now?

Is this supposed to intrigue LeBron James? Give Chris Bosh room for pause? A man who, should they sign into your fold, will be 38 by the time their first postseason as a New York Knick commences? Someone who will be three years older than the guy who was too old to be anything but a defensive liability in the face of Chris Paul in 2008?

On the court, sure, he can help. He can push the ball and find teammates and make life fun. But what are we shooting for, here? 40 wins? A bit of fun while rebuilding? Can't that be done with a series of prospects that don't cost as much, or won't eat into the 2010 cap space? Isn't this severely impatient?

Portland already started over. They already brought in the youth. Things are humming along. So why hand money and minutes to a man who will be near retirement age (or, retired) by the time your core is in its prime? Why waste the money? Why waste the roster spot?

And, in both cases, where's the work? Where's the creativity in throwing mid-level exception money at Jason Kidd, even if he re-signs with Dallas? Just to say you made an attempt? Just to give the fair weather fans who aren't really up on NBA comings and goings something to perk to? If that's it, then this is incredibly crass and cynical.

I'm not going to buy that throwing out potential suitors to the press is Kidd's way of gaining leverage. I think the teams are really after him, for whatever reason. It's bad leveraging anyway, mainly because Mark Cuban was always going to offer Kidd above MLE money. Kidd doesn't need the leverage. 

And he certainly doesn't need his name in the papers, because it's that name that is getting him these potential offers, right now.

Think about it. He averaged nine points and nine assists last year. Nine and nine. I know he rebounded half as much as Kidd, but a 29-year old Brevin Knight averaged 10 and nine (with a bunch of steals, like Jason) for the Charlotte Bobcats in 2004-05, and were teams banging down his door at 12:01 a.m. to try and sign the guy that summer? And Kidd ain't 29. He's 36. The dog years, for a point guard. So what's the difference?

Jason Kidd's been an All-Star. Brevin Knight never was. Jason Kidd's been on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Knight? Not so much. As it has been for years with Kidd, it is reputation gone mad. Style over substance.

Now, I give the Mavs a break on this. Mark Cuban wants to tinker, he doesn't want to blow things up, he's not likely to give Kidd a massive deal, and he has his as-yet-unexplained set of statistical data that vaults Kidd to the top of the most valuable players in this league in his hand. He wants his team back, with Kidd running things. Can't blame the guy. And the money he's probably offering Jason is fair.

It's the Knicks and Blazers that get me. Why New York would want to sign anyone past 2009-10, much less a 36-year old point guard, just baffles me to no end. Even nodding in Kidd's direction confuses me, because Kidd has always thought money-first, and the Mavs were always going to offer him the most money.

And if I'm a Knicks or Blazers fan, I'm a little upset at this. I want my team thinking about 2010, if I wear the blue and orange. If I support the Blazers, I'm hoping that Kevin Pritchard brings in a series of players whose ages actually match up with Brandon Roy and Greg Oden, instead of Alan Henderson and Brian Evans. 

Even if it is a ploy, and Kidd scampers back to Dallas by the end of today's trading day, it's a feint that I just can't get behind.

Jonathan Feigen, The Houston Chronicle: "While their cornerstone center considered treatment options, the Rockets began the free-agent shopping season at the front door of a player they hope will fill in for him. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey began his recruiting efforts to sign Magic backup center Marcin Gortat at [12:01 p.m. EST] Tuesday, the first minute teams could begin speaking to free agents. Though free agent guard Ron Artest has indicated that his decision will not be impacted by the uncertainty surrounding Yao Ming, and the team held out hope that Yao would return next season, the Rockets wasted no time starting the chase for a backup big man to fill the middle while Yao is out, and beyond. 'I don’t do speculation stuff, but from a basketball point of view, I’ve read there appears to be an unfortunate problem with Yao’s health. And if Yao cannot play, that creates a particular need for Marcin,' Guy Zucker, Gortat’s agent, said adding he had not yet spoken with the Rockets. 'He is the type of character that would fit very well there because they have done a great job choosing … hard-working, team-oriented players.'"

Frank Isola, New York Daily News: "A team source claims the Knicks will offer Lee a four-year deal worth $32 million, which is below his asking price of $10 million per season. The Knicks have the right to match any offer given to Lee, as well as Robinson, but the club wants to remain fiscally responsible as it pertains to the summer of 2010. 'There's no question he'd love to stay in New York,' Lee's agent, Mark Bartelstein said yesterday. 'But you are only a free agent so many times in our career, especially in the prime of your career.' Portland is expected to make a strong push for Lee, who averaged career bests in scoring (16 points) and rebounds (11.7). Detroit and Oklahoma City also have the cap room to make Lee a substantial offer. It is no coincidence that the Knicks drafted a power forward (Jordan Hill) and a guard (Toney Douglas) as insurance in case they lose Lee and Robinson. Of the two, the Knicks seem more committed to keeping Lee."

Paul Coro, The Arizona Republic: "There are plenty of ways to contact Grant Hill. He has a landline, a cellphone and video calling. But as he did June 18 with Steve Nash, Suns General Manager Steve Kerr is choosing to have a face-to-face talk at Hill's Orlando home on Wednesday. If words do not suffice, Hill will have the feel of a handshake and the look on Kerr's face to know he is the Suns' free-agency priority. 'Grant is our biggest priority and that's why I'll be in Orlando,' Kerr said. 'He's an important part of our team and we'll make sure he knows that.'"

Jeff Eisenberg, The Press-Enterprise: "If either Trevor Ariza or Lamar Odom prove to be too expensive for the Lakers, one backup option could be Houston forward Ron Artest, a player Mitch Kupchak has targeted in the past. Agent David Bauman said Tuesday afternoon that the Lakers, Cleveland Cavs and Orlando Magic were three teams he expected to join Houston in pursuit of Artest. 'Ron's tight with Kobe,' Bauman said. 'From a basketball perspective, the Lakers make perfect sense. Ron is a winner. His best fit is when he's on a winning team. He shoots the three, posts up smaller guys, and defensively he's a beast. Certainly those are skills a contending team would find attractive.'"

John Reid, The Times-Picayune: "New Orleans is seeking a backup power forward to keep starter David West from having to play the extensive minutes he averaged last season, a team-high 39.2 per game. 'We're going to get involved with everything and make contacts and start the process and see what the market is going to create, and let players know of our interests and find out what they are looking for,' Bower said. Tony Dutt, the agent for former LSU and Hornets power forward Brandon Bass, said he and Bass have New Orleans on their list, along with several other teams, including the New Jersey Nets and Dallas Mavericks, his current team. Bass, a Baton Rouge native and a 2005 second-round pick by the Hornets who played two seasons with the team before signing a free-agent deal with the Mavs in 2007, has emerged as an effective rebounder and mid-range scorer. As a backup last season, Bass averaged 8.5 points and 4.5 rebounds after averaging 8.3 points and 4.4 rebounds in 2007-08."

Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel: "Happy trails, Hedo. So long, Turk. Farewell, Hedo Turkoglu — one of the greatest and most beloved players in Orlando Magic history. Amid the ongoing 'Vinsanity' of the Magic trading for Vince Carter and the accompanying hype and hoopla of bringing in one of the NBA's most electrifying players, can we take just a few minutes today to give H-Turk the goodbye and Godspeed he deserves? I know, the free-agency period just started at midnight Tuesday and it's not yet official that Turk will sign with another team. I read the article where Magic General Manager Otis Smith hasn't completely shut the door on bringing back Turk. I even spoke with Turk's agent, Lon Babby, who also left the door cracked when he said, 'I'm not ready to talk about Hedo and the Magic in the past tense.' Come on, can we stop kidding ourselves? The chances of Turk re-signing with the Magic are about the same as Bernie Madoff getting elected banker for the Monopoly tournament during board-game night at the federal pen."

Darnell Mayberry/Mike Baldwin, The Oklahoman: "The NBA’s free agency period gets under way today, and some of the biggest names on the market have been linked to the Thunder. Oklahoma City should be at least $11 million below the salary cap when the 2009-10 figure is announced next week. With so much room, the Thunder could target some of the most talented players on the market. Oklahoma City is widely considered a likely destination for players such as Utah’s Paul Millsap, Chicago’s Ben Gordon and New York’s David Lee. Orlando’s Marcin Gortat and Boston’s Leon Powe also could be two less-heralded players who find their way on the Thunder’s roster this summer."

Phil Jasner, Philadelphia Daily News: "[Andre] Miller was listed on the Sixers' salary cap at $10,333,334 last year. Will he accept something similar? Will the Sixers offer something similar? More? Less? Those same observers acknowledge that Miller holds the longest streak of games played (530) among active players and that the Sixers do not have another starter-ready point guard. Stefanski has said that first-round draft choice Jrue Holiday is their point guard of the future, and his best path to immediate minutes is his willingness and ability to play defense. Supporters of new coach Eddie Jordan's Princeton offense like to point out that it can be effective with a pair of combo guards; others suggest it remains necessary to have someone experienced to direct the offense. The age factor? 'By the time we get to March, they will have played almost a whole season,' Andy Miller said. 'We don't see age being a factor. Last year, Andre was as productive [16.3 points, 6.5 assists] as he has always been, and he's one of the iron men of the league. He gets hurt less than any of the other starters." Length of term? 'We're not looking long term — 3 years,' Andy Miller said. 'Jason Kidd and Steve Nash are likely to have contracts that will take them to 38.'"

Brian Windhorst, The Plain Dealer: "Warren Buffett, a friend of LeBron James and a rather established expert in making acquisitions, can certainly relate to the situation the Cavaliers are now in. One of the billioniare's core philosophies and known quotes is to 'attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful.' In listening to sources within the organization and across the league, despite being in a challenging climate for professional sports that has prompted fear with good reason, the Cavs fully intend to be greedy. It seems the team is expected to act quickly to add to their already well-heeled roster in an attempt to win their first title next season, which is famously the last on James' contract. They are going to make their pitch and look to spend about as much as the league rules will allow them, within reason. Their product already has James and now Shaquille O'Neal, and another All-Star in Mo Williams in residence. Plus it owns some of the best facilities in which to play and train in the league, even if it isn't located in a glamour city."

Ailene Voisin, The Sacramento Bee: "Geoff Petrie hasn't completely lost his mind. It just seems that way. His edgy, new in-your-face, elbow-to-the-ribs, forearm-to-the-hip approach makes perfect sense. Mental toughness? Physical toughness? Blue-collar workers? Granted, these are not concepts normally associated with the Kings basketball president, whose conversations are dominated by references to backdoor cuts, ball and body movement, and the fluid beauty of the game — all elements he still values. But after watching his club's incremental descent to a 17-win season, coupled with its amazing capacity to chase fans out of the building with feeble, uninspired performances, Petrie underwent a not-so-subtle offseason change in philosophy. You can feel it. You can sense it. You can look at the three players drafted by the Kings last week — Tyreke Evans, Omri Casspi and Jon Brockman — and understand his thinking. The plan is for the Kings to be competitive and entertaining and endearing enough that earplugs once again will be required at Arco Arena."

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald: "The Celtics took the first step in their attempt to retain the services of Glen Davis by tendering the forward a qualifying offer last night. But the chase is far from over. Based on his playoff performance — beyond Kendrick Perkins he was arguably the Celtics’ best player during the conference semifinals against Orlando — Big Baby is anticipating a big paycheck. According to a league source, Davis, as a restricted free agent, will carry a mid-level exception (approximately $5.8 million) price tag into the marketplace. He also qualifies as a so-called 'Early Bird' exception free agent (two years with the same team), meaning the Celtics can sign him for up to 175 percent of last season’s salary."

Frank Dell'Apa/Marc J. Spears, Boston Globe: "Eddie House decided yesterday against free agency and will remain with the Celtics next season, according to his agent, Mark Bartelstein. House, who could have exercised a player option and declared for free agency today, has one year remaining on a contract worth $2.86 million. 'Eddie is staying in the contract,' Bartelstein said. 'It was a tough decision. But, when it was all said and done, Eddie loved his time in Boston, he feels like he is on a championship contender, he really enjoys playing with his teammates and playing for Doc [Rivers], and the fans have been great to him.'"

Michael Grange, Globe and Mail: "The last time the Toronto Raptors made a splash in free agency, they made it fast. Team president Bryan Colangelo and assistant general manager Maurizio Gherardini picked up a phone at their Air Canada Centre offices the moment the NBA's free agency period started. Minutes later, then-Raptors coach Sam Mitchell, at home in Atlanta, was linked in on a conference call. Together they made Jason Kapono very rich, using their quick-strike approach to lay a four-year, $24-million (all currency U.S.) contract at the journeyman's feet. The whole deal took about 10 minutes. Times have changed. Not only is Kapono, who agreed to his deal in the wee hours of July 1, 2007, now with the Philadelphia 76ers, but the NBA's economic landscape has shifted so much that players of his pedigree don't get plush offers any more."

Today is Canada Day, a proud and noble thing, and our beloved editor has the day off. In his place, I'll be offering a series of posts based mainly around the transactions we expect to see, and can't believe we're about to see as the NBA's offseason truly begins. A lot of your typical BDL programming will also take the day off, but plenty of spirited discussion will be in its place. Ready those comments.

Also, the typical Wednesday chat will become the Thursday chat, for obvious reasons, but this shouldn't stop you from asking us about the Knicks and 2010 32 times anyway. Happy Canada Day, people. See you in a few.

One day as he sat reading about Kobe Bryant's life-size bobblehead, and thinking where he might be traded to, the Phoenix Suns Power Forward thought of a wicked plan to amuse himself.

His Twitter followers and fans had told him to tweet any breaking news should he be traded, and the mainstream media and bloggers would help spread the news quickly. So now, though he had not been traded, he tweeted with multiple exclamation marks, "Breaking News! Amar'e Stoudemire to the Lakers!!"

As he expected, the Followers and Bloggers who read the tweet dropped their work and ran in great excitement to their laptops and Blackberries. But when they got there, and checked to verify the trade report, they found the Power Forward doubled up with laughter at the trick he had played on them.

A few days later the Phoenix Suns Power Forward again tweeted, "Breaking News! Amar'e Stoudemire to the Lakers!! He might take less money to win a championship." Again the Followers and Bloggers ran to see what was up, only to be laughed at again.

Then one evening as the sun was setting on Phoenix and the shadows were creeping out over the city, a Minnesota TimberWolf picked up a phone and really did trade for the Power Forward.

In terror the Power Forward ran to his Mac Book Pro and tweeted, "Wolf! Wolf! Steve Kerr just traded me to the Timberwolves! Help!!!" But though the Followers and Bloggers read the tweet cry, they did not care as they had before. "He cannot fool us again," they tweeted.

Then Wolves' GM David Kahn killed Stoudemire's dog and slipped away into the forest. The end.

C: HoopsAnalyst, via BBR. Ed Weiland compares the bevy of point guards in this year's NBA Draft to the iconic group of quarterbacks taken in the 1983 NFL Draft.
PF: Waiting For Next Year. How would Charlie Villanueva impact the Cavaliers' long-term plans?
SF: SRI. Dwight Howard on trading for Vince, re-signing Hedo and improving his game over the summer.
SG: The Puns Are Starting To Bore Me. An open letter to free agent Brandon Bass.
PG: Deep Purple. Man, that Amar'e Stoudemire character really wants to play for the Lakers!
6th: ETB. "It's the summer's biggest garage sale, and everything must go." How much for this LO, sir?
7th: Indy Cornrows. "... Larry Bird has enough factors involved in trying to build a roster for the future without also trying to execute some sinister conspiracy to make the team white."
8th: Miami New Times. Did Shaq sell his Florida mansion to Naomi Campbell's billionaire boyfriend?
9th: DMN. Report: Devean George has exercised his player option to remain with the Mavericks.
10th: Supersonicsoul. "One year [after losing the Sonics], and most of the anger has ebbed. And while I’ve grown to understand why the majority of population takes a not-my-problem attitude towards what happens in other cities, let me offer a few words of advice: You’re next."

Got a tip/link for Ball Don't Lie? Hit me up at jeskeets@yahoo.ca or follow me on Twitter.

And, though this somewhat excuses the job Michael Curry did with the Detroit Pistons, and Joe Dumars' choice to hire him while dumping Saunders, I will never understand why people continually refuse to believe that it was the Pistons players that were screwing up, all along.

Curry was fired today. Woj broke the news and, while it is a little surprising to see a personnel boss admit to a mistake so soon after making it, the actual comment on Curry's coaching abilities that this firing shouted wasn't a shock. He never had control of the locker room. He never seemed to be head coaching material. Down the line, perhaps. Not now. Certainly not in 2008-09.

You shouldn't be able to deal with the multifold changes in the Piston organization since the team went down in the 2008 Eastern Conference finals in black and white, either/or terms, but somehow things stay simple with this team despite all the complexity, mitigating factors, and heaps of excuses.

Really, it still comes down to Saunders being good, Curry not being good, and the Pistons players (both former and current) not playing hard. With Joe Dumars matching each and every brilliant move with a bum one.

Yes, the team had its legs swept out from underneath them when Dumars traded Chauncey Billups to the Denver Nuggets for Allen Iverson last November. The team was 3-0, and seemingly, never recovered. Teary-eyed hotel room goodbyes and post-trade on-court ennui seemed to drive this point home. Toss in a 3-0 Pistons record at the time of the deal, and the blood is on Dumars' hands, right?

Not exactly. Two of those wins came against hapless Wizards and Bobcats squads, and another was a two-possession victory over the middling Indiana Pacers at home. This team, as great as Billups was and is, wasn't going anywhere.

Part of that has to do with the uncertainty the players had to feel throughout the 2008 offseason. Dumars made it clear in the press conference hiring Curry that he would hold no cows as sacred during the summer months, and that everyone was on the block. That the player least expected to be jettisoned, the well-respected yet highly-compensated Billups, was sent out seemed to drive that point home.

But his deal took place in November. Not July or August or September. The deed was done in November, after months of wondering when the hammer was to fall, and after a training camp and season-opener bent on establishing a team identity and a new start under Curry.

So, Dumars' fault, right?

Not exactly.

Yes, it's his fault for trading Saunders for Curry. It's his fault for not doing more to chide his Pistons after they lost to inferior (not to denigrate the Miami Heat or Cleveland Cavaliers; but let's get real) teams in the 2006 and 2007 Eastern Conference finals. Several front office transactions were clearly his fault, it's his fault Billups will be overpaid toward the end of his massive contract (necessitating a trade), and his fault he needlessly extended Rip Hamilton's contract after the Billups deal.

But even with all those excuses, Curry was still in over his head. Detroit's once-gorgeous slow-down offense looked a right mess in his hands, and you can't pin that all on Iverson's dribble-happy ways, and the exchange of Billups minutes for Rodney Stuckey minutes. Rasheed Wallace turned into Brad Lohaus under his watch, while Stuckey alternated between a Brevin Knight and World B. Free-clone.

The team seemed to trade defensive assignments and philosophies on the fly, switching off how they played pick and roll or dealt with dribble penetration (the team's greatest weakness) seemingly from possession to possession. The team seemed to have no cogent plan, night after night.

Now, I fully realize that this could entirely be on the players. Did we not see the Pistons (Tayshaun Prince, especially) breaking play after play after play under Flip Saunders in the 2006, 2007, and 2008 playoffs - especially after executing those plays with ease during the regular season? Sure. Did we see them improvise defensively under Saunders (and even Larry Brown) during the playoffs, after regular seasons spent listening and executing. Definitely.

But it's to Saunders' credit that he got until spring before this lot tuned him out. Curry didn't even make it out of November.

That's on the players, sure, but when you hire a coach to lead a group of gripers and moaners like these Detroit Pistons, you better have someone who can make it out of the first month. Curry wasn't that guy. In the end, it is the players' fault, and it is Dumars' fault, but that doesn't mean Curry should have been hired last summer, or retained this summer.

Attention basketball coaches of all levels and Vinny Del Negro: I have seen the future, and it's gorgeous. This E-Ink electronic clipboard, designed by Gorden Yeh for Iota Creations, looks to be the most important innovation in clipboard technology since Ernie Johnson had one made out of a surfboard.

Release details are pretty unclear for this nifty little device. In fact, Skeets and I couldn't even decide if it's actually on sale. If it's not, it will be. And if it is, it's probably fairly expensive. I mean, not only can you diagram basketball plays, but the Steve Nash in you could use this for soccer as well. Or any of five other sports. If E-Ink is good enough to tell a nine-word story over 1000 years, it's good enough to animate five tiny heads on a basketball court.

Ball Don't Lie's Swag Rating: Four Muggsy Bogues ...

"This was a difficult decision to make," Pistons president Joe Dumars announced Tuesday. "I want to thank Michael for his hard work and dedication to the organization. However, at this time, I have decided to make a change."

Curry was 39-43 in his only season as Pistons coach.

More to come ...

Adrian Wojnarowski update: "No replacement has been hired, but a league source believes that one-time Detroit coach Doug Collins could be the favorite for the job."

After the jump, CP3 poses for an artist during an NBA Draft party.

Winner, poloboyi:
"That picture is on point. Jason Kidd's son does have a nicer mustache than I do. Wait ... that's me?"

Runner-up, Louie:
"Instead of sketching me, could you draw me a supporting cast so that the Hornets could avoid another humiliating loss in the playoffs."

It's no secret that Boozer in the midst of a divorce — court documents were filed in March, and a petition is still on record even though the couple is reportedly attempting to reconcile.

Why does this matter?

Should they officially separate, word on the street is that Boozer's wife is entitled to half of his current contract, but since divorce papers have already been filed, she has no claim on any new contract. I'm hardly a lawyer, but I can add and subtract, so if this is true, it means Boozer would actually take home more money if he signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract than if he stayed put and earned $12.7 million. Or, from Detroit's perspective, thinking Boozer might bite on a multi-year deal with a starting salary of $10 million is suddenly no longer a reach.

Boozer, a two-time All-Star, declared his intention to opt out in December, with little indication until now that things had changed. Could he and his wife, CeCe, kissed and made up? We shall know soon enough.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers has said he hopes Marbury will be back.

"I'm not trying to get a bunch of money," Marbury said. "I know Boston doesn’t have a bunch of money. I'm not seeking out teams with more money. I want to play for a championship-contending team. I can't play for a young team that's not in a position to compete for a championship.

"I want to play in Boston. I'm not going to say that I don't. But I know the way that business works. If I don't come back it won’t be because of me."

At last check, more than 85% of CelticsBlog.com's readers would welcome him back.

And while we're on the topic of re-signing, Steph recently mentioned that he plans to stick with the NBA Players Association as his representation when free agency begins rather than hire an agent.

"The best thing about the NBAPA is that they work for you for free," said Marbury via e-mail, who signed with the Celtics for $1.3 million for the remainder of the '08-09 season and did not have to pay the NBAPA commission. "When you have a team that negotiates the Collective Bargaining Agreement for all the players representing you, there is strength in numbers."

Richard Justice, Houston Chronicle: "Chris Bosh is 25 years old. He's 6-10. He's 23 points and 10 rebounds a night. He's a great kid. He's a Texan, too. (Actually, he's from Dallas, which, sort of makes him a Texan. No one's perfect.) He's the best option for the Rockets filling that huge hole in the middle of their roster caused by the possible absence of Yao Ming for next season or longer. If you're looking for good news, this is it. No team is better positioned to withstand the loss of a Yao Ming than the Rockets. They may not have a single major contract obligation after next season when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Bosh and other premier players are set to be free agents. Keeping that financial flexibility suddenly is Morey's first priority during a nightmarish offseason. If he can trade for a player worth a long-term investment, he'll do it. Otherwise, we'll see a small, fast, scrappy team next season."

Chris McCosky, The Detroit News: "The Pistons would love to sign Carlos Boozer should he decide today to opt out of the final year of his contract with the Jazz and become a free agent. Why wouldn't they? He's 26 and one of the elite power forwards in the game, capable of averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds. However, if Boozer opts out, he would leave $12.6 million on the table in Utah. Thus, there is a good chance Boozer, as has been widely speculated, would look to start his next contract at $14 million or $15 million. If that is the case, the Pistons most likely would walk away. The Pistons expect to have between $17 million and $19 million of available cap space (the exact number will be determined within the next week when the NBA releases new salary-cap figures). With that, president Joe Dumars has said they hope to get at least two top-tier players — one is expected to be a scoring guard, the other a starting power forward."

Darnell Mayberry, The Oklahoman: "One name that constantly crops up around here as the start of free agency nears is Paul Millsap. The big man for the Utah Jazz will be a restricted free agent Wednesday, and fans have long wanted the Thunder to take a chance on the 6-foot-8 forward out of Louisiana Tech. It’s an easy connection to make. Millsap, with his rebounding and interior defense, fits the Thunder’s most pressing needs. And so there are reasons to believe the Thunder will make a run and Millsap, but there are also some that suggest OKC won’t. The question you have to ask is does Millsap fit with the Thunder both short term and long term? The answer seems to be no. With Joe Smith gone and Malik Rose and Robert Swift likely gone as well, Millsap could come in and add relief on the interior immediately as Green’s backup at power forward alongside Collison as the backup center. But how much would that backup tandem cost? Collison is already owed $13 million over the next two seasons. And in the long term, when Ibaka and White are ready to contribute, where would that leave Millsap? And where would that leave the Thunder’s financial state? It’s possible the Thunder thinks Millsap is worth the gamble, which then begs the question how good is this guy right now in the organization’s mind and how much better does the Thunder think he can be?"

Jeff Eisenberg, The Press-Enterprise: "While [Trevor] Ariza has maintained that he hopes to wear purple and gold again next season, agent David Lee said Monday that the Lakers won't receive any hometown discount from his client. Lee declined to reveal how much of a raise Ariza will seek when he becomes an unrestricted free agent Tuesday night at 9:01 p.m., but he said the young forward's upside should make him the most coveted wing player on the market. Among the teams Lee expects to pursue Ariza: Detroit, Portland and Toronto, franchises with enough cap space to more than double Ariza's $3.1 million salary of last season. Lee acknowledged he doesn't have a feel for how much the Lakers are willing to offer, but expressed hope that draft-week trades made by fellow contenders San Antonio, Cleveland and Orlando will coerce General Manager Mitch Kupchak into making a competitive bid. 'If you cut him, he bleeds purple and gold,' Lee said. 'The issue is whether the Lakers want to pay him.'"

Jeff McDonald, S.A. Express-News: "Though he has yet to officially inform the club of his decision, swingman Michael Finley is expected to exercise his contract option and remain with the Spurs for a fifth season. Finley, who is due $2.5 million from the Spurs in 2009-10, could have opted out of the final year of his deal to test the free-agent waters. In a soft market, however, he was unlikely to find a more lucrative contract than the one the Spurs already owed him. If Finley, as expected, elects to return to the Spurs, he will be asked to fill a different role than in previous seasons. Newly acquired forward Richard Jefferson, snagged in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks last week, is likely to siphon a good deal of his shots and minutes."

Don Seeholzer, The Pioneer Press: "Since hiring David Kahn as president of basketball operations on May 21, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor has stayed out of the media spotlight, but he's as involved as ever behind the scenes. From the Kevin McHale decision to the trade that sent veteran guards Randy Foye and Mike Miller to Washington to last week's NBA draft and the selection of Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio, Kahn has hit the ground running, and Taylor said Monday that he fully approves. 'We brought him in to make changes and to re-evaluate the team,' Taylor said. 'To have a new vision, a new look at it. That's what I asked him to do, and I think he is doing that. He's not laid-back. He's been very aggressive. ... I've been very satisfied with how he's worked with the staff.' Taylor said he was pleased with the Wolves' draft preparation and how quickly Kahn and the staff adjusted when Rubio fell to them at the No. 5 selection."

Jason Quick, The Oregonian: "Channing Frye's two-year stint with the Trail Blazers officially ended Monday when general manager Kevin Pritchard said the team has decided not to make a qualifying offer to the 26-year-old free agent power forward. The move allows Frye to become an unrestricted free agent, and prevents the Blazers from having the right to match an offer from another team. The Blazers had until midnight on Tuesday to make a $4.6 million qualifying offer to Frye, who made $3.1 million last season. 'We are going to open up some cap space,'' Pritchard said. 'But we are very thankful for what Channing did and has done. He has been terrific for us.' 'I've had a great time in Portland and I appreciate the fans for their support,' Frye wrote in an email. 'It's a business and it's time for me to be somewhere where I can contribute. I wish the team the best of luck.'"

Mike Monroe, S.A. Express-News: "Now we know why Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was trying to trade into the upper reaches of the draft on Thursday night and buying second-round picks after he couldn’t get a spot in the lottery level: The Rockets need healthy players. The surprise is none of the three second-rounders the Rockets acquired were big men. Who does Rick Adelman start at center next season now that it appears Yao Ming won’t be available? Carl Landry? Chuck Hayes? [...] Free agency begins at one minute after 11 p.m. local time today. Expect the Rockets to contact the agents for the best big men who might be lured by the full mid-level salary cap exception of just less than $6 million. One of those is Antonio McDyess, the veteran Pistons center-forward whose off-season home is, ahem, Houston. Even at age 34, he is one of the NBA’s most consistent post players. He averaged 9.6 points and 9.8 rebounds last season, when he returned to the Pistons after being part of the Chauncey Billups-for-Allen Iverson deal, loyal to GM Joe Dumars to the bitter end."

Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel: "[Otis] Smith said the Magic haven't given up on trying to keep [Hedo] Turkoglu, but they will have to go deep into the punitive luxury tax to re-sign him or promising center Marcin Gortat — and other players. They have only eight players on their roster, and need to at least add five more this summer. The Magic aren't expected to be able to match offers for Gortat, a restricted free agent who made $770,000 last season as Dwight Howard's backup. Smith indicated they would be out of the running if offers 'were north of 5 [$5 million per season.]' The Houston Rockets could be a player for Gortat. Their all-star center, Yao Ming, is expected to miss this coming season because of a nagging foot injury."

Ronald Tillery, Memphis Commercial Appeal: "While insiders contend the organization remains undeterred in its efforts to consummate a trade for Los Angeles Clippers forward Zach Randolph, there are several other options the Griz can now consider in hopes of bolstering their frontline. Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley is determined to bring to Memphis a high-caliber power forward, making that his priority this offseason, less than two years after gift-wrapping Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers. That player must fit the criteria, though, of being young, productive and reasonably priced. Armed with significant money to spend under the salary cap, the Griz will join at least six teams — Detroit, Oklahoma City, Portland, Sacramento, Atlanta and Toronto — expected to be in position to shop. Utah's Paul Milsap and New York's David Lee are highly coveted yet restricted free agents who will have several suitors, including Memphis and Oklahoma City. Reports already have Oklahoma preparing to offer Milsap a five-year, $65 million contract — something similar to a deal Lee reportedly is seeking."

Dave Krieger, The Denver Post: "The Nuggets already have $71 million committed to 10 players, one of whom, Antonio McDyess, will play for somebody else again. If they intend to bring back free agents Chris Andersen and Dahntay Jones, as they say they do, they will need most or all of their mid- level salary cap exception, which will take them close to $77 million. That doesn't include Linas Kleiza's qualifying offer or several minimum salaries to fill out the roster. So billionaire E. Stanley Kroenke is looking at a minimum luxury-tax bill in the $5 million to $6 million range without roster improvements, other than Lawson. Any further upgrade will cost twice its face value because of the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax. Kroenke keeps his own counsel, but having had such good results with cost-cutting lately, a new spending spree probably isn't the way to bet."

Chris Vivlamore, AJC: "Jamal Crawford, who will wear No. 11, has two years and $19 million remaining on his contract. He had an out clause this year but signed an agreement that he would not opt out of his contract. That's how much the 29-year-old, who has yet to play in the postseason, wanted a fresh start with the Hawks. 'First when I got traded to Golden State, coach [Don] Nelson said I was a guy that he wanted to end my career there,' Crawford said. 'Unfortunately, things didn't work out. We never got into it, there was never a beef. He just thought that Monta [Ellis] and I were very similar and they already invested six years in him. I totally understand that. There are no hard feelings. Looking forward, I'm ecstatic. They could have sent me anywhere. To come to an up-and-coming team, a team that went to the second round of the playoffs, they were fun to watch. ... I'm happy to be here and be a part of it.'"

Eddie Sefko, The Dallas Morning News: "Decked out in a slick vest and tailored trousers, Kenyon Martin spent Monday night in Dallas chatting and glad-handing with friends and fans at his inaugural reception for his charity foundation. It was a side of Martin fans almost never get to see. What most of them remember are the issues Martin — a Bryan Adams High School graduate who plays for the Denver Nuggets — had with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban in the playoffs. Martin said the two have since buried the hatchet after Cuban and Martin's mother had words — and an ensuing controversy — after a playoff game at American Airlines Center. 'He reached out to me,' Martin said. 'I didn't reach out to him. But he reached out, and I'll leave it behind. It wasn't negative. Everything's fine. It's over. I'm moving forward with positive things.'"

C: Deep Purple. "At his pool party at the Mondrian Hotel in Scottsdale over the weekend, according to sources, Amare was apparently telling anyone who would listen that the festivities were his 'going away party.'"
PF: The Blowtorch. Proposed nicknames for all 60 draftees. I particularly enjoy Brandon "Ken" Jennings.
SF: NBA Off-Season 2009. Cool tee, 'Melo.
SG: Empty The Bench. Looking back at the hits and (many) misses of the 2006 NBA Draft.
PG: Sun-Sentinel Blog. Winderman: Did the Heat offer Michael Beasley for the Grizzlies' No. 2 pick?
6th: Trail Blazers Center Court. You know, this Rudy Fernandez pic would've made a great C-a-C post.
7th: Sactown Royalty. "E:60" on the life-long development of Kings rookie Tyreke Evans.
8th: Bucks Diary. Worst ... free agent signing ... ever. Take a wild guess who before clicking over.
9th: D.C. Sports Bog. Gilbert Arenas and new assistant coach Sam Cassell have a bit of history.
10th: Mouthpiece Sports. "Since the Ron Artest fight and the Stephen Jackson shooting and all the rest of it, [Larry] Bird has been conspicuously acquiring white players. Whether or not he’s been doing it at the expense of the team — I would argue there were better players than [Tyler] Hansbrough at No. 13, but it’s not a slam dunk — is a different argument. But he very clearly has been doing it."

Got a tip/link for Ball Don't Lie? Hit me up at jeskeets@yahoo.ca or follow me on Twitter.

After the jump, GQ Thab.

Winner, JM:
Hasheem Thabeet's endorses Savane's new line of casual wear for the very, very tall and lanky: the Ralph Sampson collection, perfect for any rail-thin 7'3" or above NBA prospect whose college success will likely not translate into professional productivity. The Ralph Sampson collection: Your post game may not look so good, but you still can.

Runner-up, Zach H. from Talk H.:
Tyler Hansbrough is shocked to discover that Hasheem Thabeet has a lower back tattoo of a tribal symbol with angel wings.

"One of the things he always told me was, don't be afraid to be different. In other words, when you have that desire, that drive, people are going to try to pull you away from that, and pull you closer to the pack to be 'normal.' And he was saying, It's O.K. to be that driven; it's O.K. to be obsessed with what you want to do. That's perfectly fine. Don't be afraid to not deviate from that. One of the books that he gave me that helped him communicate with me was "Jonathan Livingston Seagull," which was about that.

Beyond the genius of what he was, he was just a genuinely, genuinely nice person. He got me hooked on movies that I would normally never watch. Fred Astaire movies. All the old classics. I would never, never watch those. I remember my fiancée and I telling him we were getting married, and him just being really excited and actually just offering up the ranch to have our wedding there, because privacy was going to be an issue. We wanted to get married in a church, so that's what we wound up doing. But he made the offer. He was just a genuinely nice person who was exceptionally bright, exceptionally bright, and driven and talented. You mix those things together, man, you have Michael Jackson."

The New York Post is famous for their pun-based headlines. The New York Knicks are famous for giving the Post something to make pun of. (Zing!) So call me Alicia Silverstone, because this New York Knicks toilet seat cover set is a match made in heaven.

How about "TEN THOUSAND FLUSHES BLUE AND ORANGE?" Or "THIS STINKS?" And that's just off the top of my head. There are at least a billion more punny headlines just as good as those, and I encourage you to add them in the comments. In fact, if you buy this, that would make for a great party game.

At just $15, it's quite the deal. Not only does it look amazing, since it's fleece, it also keep you warm during all those times when you're just sitting on the toilet. If you're anything like me, you'll agree that's the best place to knit. Got to love the bathroom's lighting.

Ball Don't Lie's Swag Rating: One stinkin' Muggsy ...

LeBron James will, of course, be in an orange-and-blue jersey soon enough, and his teammates will include Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Ricky Rubio, Stephen Curry, Dell Curry, Michael Curry, Kobe Bryant, Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Charles Oakley, Patrick Chewing and John Starks.

And oh, Jason Kidd will running the point:

The Knicks, who also acquired the veteran big man Darko Milicic in a draft-night trade, are not done shopping. They will try to re-sign their two restricted free agents, Lee and Nate Robinson, when the negotiating period opens Wednesday. They will also continue their search for a top-flight point guard, with Jason Kidd a primary target.

Kidd, who previously played for the Nets, is said to have an interest in returning to the area. However, the Knicks will have only their midlevel exception, about $5.5 million, to spend. They are also unlikely to offer Kidd more than a one-year contract, because they do not want to jeopardize their salary-cap space in 2010.

The Dallas Morning News reports that Kidd is expected to get overtures from several teams, including Cleveland, Portland, Boston and perhaps even the Lakers. Not a bad little list for someone trying to win their first championship ring. If Kidd doesn't care about the dolla dolla bills, he's definitely got options. Thumbs up!

That was not a joke. Steph was just three-years-old.

Mitch Richmond? 'Bout 27.

(Thanks to @johnschuhmann)

After all, the kid's public life thus far has hardly been the stuff of PR dreams. Consider that ...

*Jennings failed to acquire the necessary test-based certification needed in order to play for the University of Arizona.

*Jennings decided to forgo the junior college route as a result, deciding instead to play a year of basketball overseas before declaring for the NBA Draft. Not necessarily a bad thing, but atypical none the less.

*Jennings complained about his playing time and overseas experience in an ESPN the Magazine article midway through his lone season with Lottomatica Roma. Again, well within his rights, but griping pro athletes have rarely won over the American public.

*Jennings showed no hesitation in bashing fellow draftee-to-be Ricky Rubio after a workout with the Sacramento Kings, either uncaring or unaware (or both) that the cameras and tape recorders were running. With Jonny Flynn trying desperately to stifle laughs at his side, Jennings referred to Rubio as "all hype."

*Jennings and his agent decided to decline an invitation to the NBA Draft after failing to secure a promise that he would be taken as a lottery selection, despite rampant rumors that the Milwaukee Bucks were not going to let him fall past 10th in the Draft, supposedly choosing instead to watch the Draft with friends and family. When Milwaukee chose Jennings 10th, he made his way into the Draft and staged an awkward initial meeting with David Stern.

*Jennings' apparent conversation with rapper Joe Budden took to the YouTube airwaves on Saturday afternoon. Though it hasn't been confirmed that it is actually Brandon in the conversation, it does sound quite a bit like him, and the subject matter — fighting for playing time with Bucks restricted free agent guard Ramon Sessions, being passed over by the New York Knicks, working for head coach Scott Skiles — seems awfully appropriate for someone in Jennings' position. And awfully vulgar. And awfully ill-timed.

Jennings, Jennings, Jennings. Three more of those bullet points with his name on them, in fact.

The Budden controversy is perhaps the most lurid of all, at least to most sensibilities. I'm not going to pretend to know what sort of place a guy like Budden has in the hip-hop strata, my knowledge of that thread of music fell apart once the Native Tongues crew sort of fell apart, but apparently the guy is a bit of a joke by now.

And for Jennings to be duped by him into allowing a private conversation to be heard by thousands over YouTube, while repeatedly bashing Rubio (again), sniffing at proven NBA vets like Sessions and Chris Duhon, assuming a starting role ahead of Luke Ridnour, while continually using a stream of expletives ... well, it's not the best of starts. And for Jennings, it seems awfully typical.

But, to me, that isn't a bad thing.

This is typical. Another bum move in a series of bum moves for a kid I've only known about for a little over a year. But we're smart enough to appreciate the complexity of the situation, I hope, without making excuses, but without damning Jennings at the same time.

He failed his SATs. It happens. Happened to Kevin Garnett. Happens to a whole lot of smart, potentially-successful and driven kids every year. Instead of heading off to JC and ending up making his NCAA splash under Bob Huggins or John Calipari's "guidance" in 2009-10, Jennings followed some advice and rocked off to Italy, losing the lame façade of the "student/athlete" along the way. We're not used to that. I kind of like that.

We're used to and usually don't respond well to players complaining about playing time, which is what Jennings did while overseas, but we also have to remember that those complaints were matched with honest appraisals of what the pros in Europe were putting Jennings through, and how he appreciated it. The fact that he complained about late checks, well, wouldn't you? And we have no idea what the coaching staff was like over there.

Before the Draft, aren't you supposed to be coached by your representation to offer the sort of milquetoast answers that fans claim not to want to hear from pointed questions, yet swiftly repudiate once they actually leave an athlete's mouth? I'm sorry, but if you don't have your client tossing out harmless answers to the questions like the ones posed in Sacramento by June, then you haven't been doing your job.

Same for the Draft night brouhaha. If I've read that Milwaukee is hot after Jennings, regardless of what dominos may fall, shouldn't you be on top of that and accept the invite?

The Budden ordeal seems to be jock-sniffing at its worst. A B-level rapper, past his prime, showing off a supposed relationship with a 19-year old kid/athlete, taking advantage of him by leaving him unaware (apparently) of the rolling YouTube tape.

After all, if Budden had cleared the discussion for public consumption with Jennings beforehand, would Jennings have gone off? And wouldn't Budden have kept the discussion online? If he had permission, the thing would still be up.

And, really, how many employees have scoffed at the idea of another employee grabbing the sort of promotion that they're looking for while in private conversation? How many employees tend to rip on workers of a similar stature that doing the same job with another company? How many of us tend to work a bit blue, when in casual, comfortable conversation?

Jennings has to be know better, pretty damn soon. But this also reeks of someone being let down by people he should be able to trust, by now. Shoe-merchants, both past and present. Coaches. Agents. Older men, like Budden. If these men can't be on top of it, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to rip Jennings too much. Not at his age.

He has to wise up, make no mistake, but he's also a few months removed from being able to work day-to-day with a fellow by the name of Scott Skiles. Now, this could go either way. Skiles has let some youngsters down in the past, for no good reason that I can understand. But attitudes, for both sides, could turn around quite a bit. Here's hoping for the best.

Bob Young, Arizona Republic: "We suspect that Suns General Manager Steve Kerr was double-crossed by Golden State's Don Nelson on draft day. As you know by now, the Suns evidently believed they had an arrangement with the Warriors that would have sent Amaré Stoudemire to Golden State for a package of players and Stephen Curry, whom the Warriors selected with the seventh pick in the draft. Only the Warriors hadn't anticipated Curry falling into their laps. When he did, the deal went Kerr-boom. We aren't alone in this thinking, either. Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, a dependable long-time NBA and Warriors observer, wrote in his blog: 'Nelson's reputation on these matters precedes him, and this perceived 11th-hour pullout only adds to the sense that the Warriors with Nelson are extremely difficult trade partners, and possibly borderline untrustworthy in these matters.' It's clear, though, that the Suns are willing to part with Stoudemire — maybe even to the Warriors."

Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel: "What happens when you add a star to a group of supremely talented, accomplished people who already are stars in their own right? That's the question that the Orlando Magic will face head-on in the season ahead. On paper, the acquisition of eight-time NBA all-star Vince Carter gives the Magic a proven scorer who can complement Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson — and Hedo Turkoglu in the unlikely event that he re-signs with the team. 'I just want to fit in and get to work,' Carter told reporters at RDV Sportsplex just hours after the trade went through Thursday. 'They have already accomplished so much. I just want to take the team one step further.' But in team sports or in any group endeavor — anytime egos are involved, really — reality sometimes is far messier than theory when strong personalities are added to the mix."

Don Seeholzer, Pioneer Press: "Quoting Tim Shea, a former Knicks scout who is a consultant for (Ricky) Rubio's agency in Spain, the offer would be for about $1 million, with another $2 million going toward Rubio's $6.6 million contract buyout with his Spanish team. Shea said the team also is in talks with Real Madrid about Rubio and he doesn't expect Kahn to trade him to the Knicks, even though that is the preference of Rubio's parents. 'I think (David Kahn) understands he has a gold nugget,' Shea said. 'The price of gold is always going up. He's only 18, so Rubio's stock will go up next year. He drafted so many point guards because of this. He's in the driver's seat. He doesn't have to trade him to the first suitors.'"

Jerry Zgoda, Minneapolis Star Tribune: "To address the little birdie and Charley Walters’ 'report' that Ricky Rubio was in town — or due in town — yesterday to meet with David Kahn … Honestly, I don’t know. I’ve worked to confirm it, which unfortunately as a beat writer is a necessity, but haven’t been able to. David Kahn promised 'transparency' when he took the job but eventually said 'Sorry, we have no comment' when I texted him numerous times to ask if has, or will soon meet, with Rubio and his father. That he says no comment rather than deny it leads me to believe there’s something there, which isn’t surprising that the two sides would begin some kind of conversation face to face soon."

Joel Brigham, HOOPSWORLD: "It's starting to become relatively clear that there never was much credibility to the rumors of Ricky Rubio potentially heading to the New York Knicks via trade, so at this point it seems healthiest for Knicks fans to just let go of that idea. Sources close to the situation have told HOOPSWORLD that nothing substantial was ever discussed between Minnesota and New York, so Rubio is, for the time being, a member of the Timberwolves. The most pressing question right now is whether or not Rubio will actually play in the NBA next season. According to Peter Vescey of the New York Post, Rubio has been receiving serious offers from teams in Turkey and Real Madrid. The reason these contract offers might be more desirable than a stint in the NBA is that these other clubs can offer more significant amounts of cash for Rubio's massive buyout with Joventut. But let's be honest — Minnesota was extremely lucky to have arguably the draft's second most exciting player drop to them at No. 5, and Wolves GM David Kahn really wants to keep him. Kevin Love is even twittering his "pretty please!" shtick in hopes of reigning him in. It appears that, for right now, Rubio is just trying to make the smartest financial decision for himself. Remember, it's not always about a love for the game of basketball. Sure, that plays a huge part in doing this for a living, but it's a living." 

Marc Berman, New York Post: "The Knicks dispatched declining Quentin Richardson, who has been wretched the past two seasons, to Memphis for Milicic, whose arrival gives the Knicks more flexibility in the David Lee sweepstakes, which begins Wednesday. 'It's low risk, high reward,' his New York-based agent, Marc Cornstein, told The Post yesterday. 'There is a reason he was drafted where he was drafted. Now it's a matter of will we see it? It remains to be seen, but I'm optimistic off this situation.' Milicic, who hasn't adapted well to U.S. living, now is surrounded by a larger support system, featuring Cornstein and a European-style head coach. But one NBA executive whose franchise had Milicic said: 'He's been in the league six seasons. He is what he is.' Cornstein disagrees. 'We're thrilled on so many levels,' he said. 'I'm excited to have him in my hometown, personally and selfishly. We've known him for a long time and are very close to him. On a basketball level, we're more thrilled. Coach D'Antoni is the ideal coach for him. He has a great understanding of European players and how to utilize his skill sets and talents.'"

Mike Wells, The Indianapolis Star: "The decision not to pick up Marquis Daniels' $7.5 million team option was not an easy one for the Pacers. The Pacers would have been right up against the luxury tax if they picked up Daniels' option and if Jarrett Jacks ends up accepting the $2.9 million qualify offer the Pacers plan to make to him any day now later in the summer. President Larry Bird and general manager David Morway would have little wiggle room to make any kind of offseason moves. They've now got about $9 million to work with this summer. ... Counting Tyler Hansbrough, who will eventually sign his contract, the Pacers currently have 10 players under contract. They only have eight players that will be able to help them at the start of the season because Mike Dunleavy is out indefinitely and Jamaal Tinsley's time as a Pacer is over. Expect the Pacers to be cautious in their offseason moves because they have no intention of going over the luxury tax and they don't want to take on lengthy contracts in any trade they make."

Monte Poole, Contra Costa Times: "The (Amare) Stoudemire who would join the Warriors is not the four-time NBA All-Star who has spent years tormenting them. Stoudemire's prime is behind him. Not because he's old; he's only 26. Nor is it the mileage. It's the troubling medical history. Stoudemire is four months removed from surgery to repair a detached retina in his right eye. He is eight months removed from a partially torn right iris. He is 20 months removed from having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. He is 44 months removed from having the dreaded microfracture surgery on his left knee. The knees, however, represent the biggest, brightest red flags. Common sense would accept that the left knee, in particular, would inhibit any chance of Stoudemire being the explosive, dynamic athlete he was pre-surgery and over the long term. That's important insofar as the Warriors likely won't make any megadeal unless they have assurances of signing a five-year extension that would make Stoudemire their highest-paid player. Microfracture surgery diminishes everyone who has it."

Tim Buckley, Deseret News: "According to a weekend report from The (N.J.) Record, New Jersey basketball boss Rod Thorn said, 'Obviously we're not going to be signing a guy (at) 10, 12 million dollars a year.' 'That,' the newspaper reported, 'makes it doubtful the Nets will get in the mix for (Jazz forward) Carlos Boozer, if he opts out of his contract.' The New York Post has floated Jersey as a potential sign-and-trade destination for Boozer, whose primary suitor could be Detroit."

Alan Hahn, Newsday: "(Nate) Robinson won’t command nearly as much in salary, but his popularity as an electrifying 5-9 guard and two-time Slam Dunk champion could be valuable as an attraction in some small markets. According to one league source, the Lakers inquired about Robinson’s availability after his 33-point performance at the Staples Center on Dec. 16. Kobe Bryant has expressed adoration for Robinson and owner Jerry Buss was said to be smitten after that game. The Sacramento Kings also were close to a deal for Robinson and Jeffries before the trade deadline and there are indications that the deal could still take place this summer. Robinson had a breakthrough season statistically — career-high 17.2 points per game — but his ball-dominating, one-on-one mentality does not fit well in Mike D’Antoni’s system. The Knicks drafted a rugged point guard, Toney Douglas, the 29th overall pick on Thursday and are also in the market for a starting point guard with the plan to move Chris Duhon to a backup role this season."

Marcos Breton, The Sacramento Bee: "Sacramento needs a game changer. The region is mired in a slump, but all slumps eventually end. The Kings are trying to end theirs with a 19-year-old named Tyreke Evans, who is sweet natured in person and a 6-foot-5 bull on the basketball court. This lad is highly touted, but he inherits the heavy expectation of playing a key role in restoring an essential regional franchise. 'We're going to put him front and center,' said Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof. 'When he gets the ball in his hands, no one is going to stop him.' Evans joins a team of fresh faces with something to prove. New Kings coach Paul Westphal is trying to revive a dormant career. Team president Geoff Petrie is searching for his Teflon suit after some flawed decisions stuck to him. The Maloofs are being more positive than they have in years. 'I'm tired of all the negativity about this franchise,' Gavin Maloof said. A lot of people are tired of local negativity — of 11 percent unemployment and the baggage that goes with it."

Drew Sharp, Detroit Free Press: "The Pistons' biggest problem isn't a dearth of talent. It's that their head coach and best player barely speak to each other. Both Michael Curry and Rip Hamilton are to blame, prone to varying degrees of ego and stubbornness. But Curry must understand that it's incumbent upon the coach to fall on the sword, admitting his mistakes for the sake of pacifying the star's delicate disposition. That's lesson one on the first day at Chuck Daly Coaching School. Curry must make amends with Hamilton, regardless of the amount of crow swallowed, or he risks compromising his future as Pistons' coach."

Jeff McDonald, SA Express-News: "NBA free agency officially opens at midnight Wednesday. The Spurs' first big decision of free agency will come no later than 24 hours before that. And it won't even be their decision to make. Will Michael Finley opt out of the final year of his contract? That is the $2.5 million question. Finley, who started all but one game for the Spurs last season, is on the books for that amount next season. He could choose to opt out and become a free agent — or retire — in which case the Spurs owe him nothing. In April, a day after the Spurs' were eliminated from the playoffs by Dallas, Finley indicated that his future was up in the air. Two months later, it apparently still is. Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said late last week that Finley had given him no indication as to his plans. Finley's agent, Henry Thomas, confirmed as much, saying his client had yet to reach a decision."

The 15-time All-Star chose the new digits because it corresponds with the number he wore in high school and at LSU before turning pro. The Big Witness — yes, that's what we're calling him — wore No. 32 when he played in Orlando, Miami and Phoenix (he wore No. 34 in Los Angeles from 1997-2004), but that number, 32, is already taken by veteran power forward Joe Smith. Apparently, Shaq and the Cavs couldn't wait for free agent Joe to jet somewhere else this offseason. Got to sell those replicas now, man!

As you'd imagine, all of your Shaq-Cavs merchandise is available right here. This shirt is especially crappy.

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: Lakerhead Daily. Sasha Vujacic helps to find out what it takes to turn a pro free-throw into Shaq.
PF: Both Teams Played Hard. Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson and Magic Johnson. M to the freakin' J.
SF: With Malice. Shaq looks likely to play trick-shot artist Bruce Manley in a game of H-O-R-S-E.
SG: SRI. Danny Ferry talks about the Shaq trade and how close the deal was to happening in February.
PG: The Blowtorch. Found item: The Minnesota Timberwolves' war room draft board.
6th: Deadspin. UNC's Ellington is happy to be drafted, but sad to leave his 19-year-old Philly girlfriend.
7th: NBA Off-Season 2009. Ricky Rubio's "other" Draft photo cracks me up.
8th: Barkley's Mouth. Michael Jackson's greatest hits relative to Thursday's NBA Draft festivities.
9th: Bucks Diary. The numbers say Shaq doesn't have the kryptonite to slow down Dwight Howard.
10th: Larry Brown Sports. Kevin Love on the Wolves taking three guards: "What are we doing?"

Got a tip/link for Ball Don't Lie? Hit me up at jeskeets@yahoo.ca or follow me on Twitter.

Relax, he's joking.

...

...

...

Right, Woj?

(Thanks to Avi at The Daily Snowman, who has an excellent review of the movie right here.)

But can you also see the writing on the wall? Actually, forget that; can you see last year's standings? The ones that left Phoenix out of the playoff bracket?

I don't doubt that Steve Nash conveyed a dubious tone, to say the least, regarding Shaquille O'Neal's potential for aiding the Phoenix Suns in returning to the playoffs next year, in a recent meeting with Suns GM Steve Kerr. Not for a second.

It's too little, too late, though. Shaq's permanence or impermanence with the Suns, really, had little to do with this team's championship aspirations. Because, as great as the Suns were playing in the days leading up to their acquisition of O'Neal in February of 2008, this still wasn't a championship team. And it's not because the Suns were poor defensively.

It's because they weren't a knockout team offensively. They were still the best in the NBA, offensively, but not to a point where it made the team's average-to-below average defense passable.

Offense and defense win championships. Not defense, alone. Same with offense. And if you slip below the "damned good" radar on either side, your other side must make up for it. Phoenix, even with the league's best offense, still couldn't hit enough shots to make up for it.

With, or without O'Neal. And the same went for 2008-09. And as well as O'Neal tried to fit in last season, and as good a teammate as he was, the writing was on the wall. It had been there for a while. There's a reason Nash (and O'Neal, to a lesser extent) went through the season with a bemused smile. He knew this team wasn't going anywhere.

Steve Kerr, on Thursday night and in meeting the press today, has not flashed a bemused smile. The man knows this game, I still believe he has the GM potential to be one of the greats (Kerr inherited a goofy owner and a great team, two things that don't often work out to creating a dream gig), and he seems pretty sick about being bashed around in the press.

And he seems pretty sick about losing. Losing with that payroll, losing with that star power, losing in general. Every GM hates losing, I'm not telling you anything new, but Kerr has always seemed a bit more aware than most — even if he is the guy who took a chance on putting someone like Shaquille O'Neal on the Suns.

Kerr's implied message, both in terms of action and the tone he's set while giving us the typical GM-pabulum, is that he's done with this team. The Suns are to be blown up. He may not succeed in blowing the team up, you never make a trade for the sake of making a trade, but the team is to be blown up. Even if Phoenix doesn't make another transaction between now and November.

Why? Because these guys are done. Stoudemire was white hot to begin 2008-09, but he faded, and you can see him fading into the ranks of a "why are you taking that shot when you can drive?"-jump shooter as his career moves along. Even if he's way too young for that role.

Beyond Stoudemire? No real young talent. Leandro Barbosa is solid, but he'll be 27 next fall. Nothing to build around, here. And nothing to tinker with. Tinkering, sadly, won't turn the Suns around. I wouldn't be shocked at all if the current roster won 50 games next year, but that doesn't win you a championship.

This doesn't mean the team rebuilds this summer. Again, if a trade that would help the team isn't there, Kerr ain't dealing. The rumored deal that would send Stoudemire to the Golden State Warriors, as one-sided as a deal like that would have been in Golden State's favor, has been put on the back burner by the Warriors, of all sides. Can you believe that? And you can't even blame them.

Golden State was shocked to have Stephen Curry drop into their laps, last night, and though rumors abounded about the team taking the Davidson product for Phoenix, that can't possibly be the case. For now, Golden State is staying put.

That might not be the worst thing for the Suns. As much as we respect Andris Biedrins' production, and a chance to rebuild ... you have a 6-10 guy who can score a ton. You should be in no hurry to lose that defining aspect of your very existence, Phoenix.

Which brings us back to Nash. To most, he is the defining aspect. But he's also on the wrong side of his career, he as a team option for next year that you know the cash-strapped Suns considered declining, and he'll be a free agent next summer. He's everyone's favorite player, but he's not leading even a pretty-good (or, even, "great") supporting cast to the playoffs.

Remember that, when you consider the idea of Nash making the move to dump O'Neal for payroll (not salary cap) relief. You've got the wrong Steve.

Steve Kerr made this move. Nash may have expressed his displeasure with the way things have been, but he was preaching to a one-man choir.

Third Quarter Collapse: "Ultimately, it's apparent that the Magic have re-asserted themselves as serious championship contenders. Were they content with merely appearing in the Finals, as they did last season, they would not have made this trade. They're confident that Carter can put them over the proverbial hump, as they were only 3 wins away from a title, after all. Trading a prospect such as Lee must have been a tough decision, but New Jersey would not part with Carter otherwise. The Magic made the tough choice to jettison a promising, young player and their two most valuable trade chips. Whether or not it was the right choice remains to be seen. But based on what we know about Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson, they're improvements over the men they'll replace in the rotation. That's reason enough for encouragement, even accounting for the loss of a brilliant youngster."

Nothin' But Nets: "... there is also a somber feeling about the end of this era, flawed as it was but surely with its moments. Because it also seems to portend to something happening beyond basketball for the Nets. (It seems, as their incessant catch phrase goes) It's about ... salary dumps ... and surviving. Rod Thorn seems to be making the trades that he so often was on the other end of shrewdly making. Sure, Courtney Lee is good and young and showed some things. But in earlier Nets eras, the Rafer Alstons' and the Tony Batties' sound a lot like the Eric Williams' and Aaron Williams' — and the 'contracts' of Alonzo Mourning. Vince was traded by the Nets the way he seemingly was brought to New Jersey. And for that, it peppers this trade with holes. His window is closing on primetime, as his contract numbers escalate, but when the Nets make a trade like this — while substantially laying off their business-side workers (and advance scouts!) and the contracts of their assistant coaches — it feels not only like a salary dump, but a dump for survival."

The Baseline: "We've been hearing for a while that Vince would like to play out his career in Orlando, since it's effectively his hometown team. Putting him on the Magic certainly gives them more offense, as if they needed any, and a slasher — I mean, a guy who when he chooses to can be among the best in the league at slashing. And who isn't getting any younger. Maybe this means they really wanted to get Alston out of town, since in the past (and possibly in the Finals) Nelson hasn't responded well to competition. And this would seem to suggest that Courtney Lee was not, in fact, their SG of the future."

Nets Daily: "It wasn’t a straight salary dump. The Nets did get a promising shooting guard in the Carter trade, one in fact that ironically they almost took in the 2008 draft. Nets brass had to choose between Ryan Anderson and Courtney Lee at No. 21 and took Anderson. The 6'5" Lee averaged 8.4 ppg during the regular season, starting 42 out of 77 games, shooting 40.4% from deep. Lee started 16 games in the playoffs."

Orlando Magic Daily: "Carter is not shy about shooting. He’s a guy who will fire away if he has any room, even when he’s missing a lot of his shots. In the past, his tendency to attack the basket has gotten him in hot water with his coaches, teammates and fans alike. But Stan Van Gundy’s system is renowned for not penalizing players for shooting. It’s a big reason Hedo Turkoglu transformed into a playmaker when Van Gundy came aboard — he was no longer looking over his shoulder when his shots weren’t falling. I believe Carter will succeed in similar fashion. Van Gundy won’t be shy about giving Carter the ball. 'With Vince, you can give him the ball anywhere on the floor and he can isolate and create a shot either for himself or for a teammate on his own,' Van Gundy said. 'Plus, if you look at the numbers like we do all the time ... Vince has been, throughout his career, one of the best fourth quarter and end-of-game guys in this league, in terms of production. He’s been a guy that has always come through down the stretch in games.'"

Another48Minutes: "They called him Wince Carter, but in his last four full seasons, he only missed 11 games. He’s not getting any younger, he has a huge contract, but he is also capable of making huge baskets, or making the right pass when needed, as we could state that VC is one of the best passing shooting guards in the League, and maybe one of the most unselfish players in the NBA. Sure, Vince is a great actor, limping, grimacing, staying down for a while, the man has a flair for the dramatic, just ask Toronto when he killed them by scoring a reverse alley-oop in the buzzer with 18.000 people booing him. About the incoming players: I like Courtney Lee, I don’t know how Rafer Alston will fit in coming off the bench, and Tony Battie is a nice veteran addition (however, the contracts of those two are coming off the books in 2010, so that’s why there now with the Nets). But I really don’t know how the Nets are planning to score 85 points in a game next season."

Nets Are Scorching: "The thing that impressed me the most about you [Vince] this past season was how you were a professional through everything. Playing hard even though we were out of (realistically rather than mathematically) playoff contention, through the trade rumors, and through the shift in offensive philosophy. It’s going to be strange not seeing you do your pull-up on the net before the games. It is going to be strange not seeing all of the Vince Carter jerseys walking the tunnel to and in the stadium. Most of all, it is going to be strange not hearing our PA Announcer screaming 'VC3' after a big three-point bucket."

The Minnesota Timberwolves held a news conference Friday afternoon to introduce first-round draft choices Jonny Flynn of Syracuse and Wayne Ellington of North Carolina.

Just one tiny problem — No. 1 pick Ricky Rubio wasn't in attendance.

But not to worry, not to fret — Friday morning, according to Don Seeholzer of the Pioneer Press, Wolves President of Basketball Operations David Kahn cautioned not to read anything into the strange situation.

Well, I tried my best, I really did. But before I knew it my eyes had slipped and I was re-reading Spanish news that Rubio's father said it was possible his son may stay in Spain for a few more years rather than come play in Minny. But, again, I wasn't really reading into anything. It was probably just a coincidence Rubio wasn't at the press conference, right? Maybe the Wolves' staff had the air conditioning cranked too high. Kid hates the cold.

Jokes aside, Kahn made it abundantly clear that the team is prepared to play the waiting game for a player who just turned 18:

"Nobody here ... will be banging his fist on the table, saying, 'He must be here!' It's a very complicated matter," Kahn said Thursday night. "We need to understand that we're not in control of the situation vis a vis the buyout. ... I think it's too early to worry about that. But I said this to the agent tonight: If any team in this league can afford to wait a year, dare I say two, it's us. Y'know? It's us."

Cue the Johnny Mathis!

Why is that? Well, considering the talent level in Thursday's NBA Draft, most GMs did quite well. Did every one of them pass on DeJuan Blair, until the Pitt forward went 37th overall to the San Antonio Spurs? Yes. And that's why we won't fawn.

But we're also not going to criticize too much. There will be plenty of time for that once hindsight becomes 20/20. For now, though, here are the scores ...

Atlanta Hawks — Jeff Teague, Sergiy Gladyr

Atlanta has a type, they can't deny it. They love point guards who shoot first, and Jeff Teague fits the profile. Can you really slam a team for being in love?

Score: 7

Boston Celtics — Lester Hudson

Taking a big NCAA scorer with one of the last picks in the Draft hasn't worked out ... ever. But for the pittance of a second round pick, non-guaranteed money, and a camp invite, the C's could have done a lot worse.

Score: 7

Charlotte Bobcats — Gerald Henderson, Derrick Brown

Despite all the hype and his Duke pedigree, Henderson still feels like a reach. The Bobcats think they found a starter at the wing, but the guy just reeks of 10th-man. So does Brown, but he wasn't the one taken in the lottery, was he?

Score: 7

Chicago Bulls — James Johnson, Taj Gibson

Are these really two players that you want to hand guaranteed contracts to for the next two or three years? Johnson is athletic, no doubt, but at what point do we start to expect actual, you know, "production" out of athleticism when you're 22? Gibson? You don't draft 24-year olds. You don't do it. Unless they're 24 and absolutely dominating college ball, and he wasn't. And you hadn't heard of Gibson, either. Both players might make the rotation, sure, but with Blair still available?

Score: 4

Cleveland Cavaliers — Christian Eyenga, Danny Green, Emir Predzlic

Green can play, but why send guaranteed money Eyenga's way? If he's worth hanging onto, why not trade out of the first round to pick him? Strange move.

Score: 6

Dallas Mavericks — Rodrigue Beaubois, Nick Calathes, Ahmad Nivins

Again, guaranteed money for Beaubois? He might turn out to be a fine player, that isn't the question. It's the idea of being forced to pay the man guaranteed money under terms atypical for players named "Rodrigue Beaubois." We hear good things about Calathes and Nivins, two proper second round attempts.

Score: 7

Denver Nuggets — Ty Lawson

Lawson will be fantastic with the Nuggets. He's hardly lanky, but that hasn't stopped him from putting up great numbers and winning big games in a nasty, nasty conference. Great value for an 18th pick.

Score: 10

Detroit Pistons — Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers, Jonas Jerebko

Fine moves from Joe Dumars, grabbing a litany of forwards that boast a high ceiling. There might be a chance that all three mope their way out of the NBA, or the triptych could became huge rotation parts. Either way, for the price of a first round pick (second round cash isn't guaranteed), this trio is worth a chance.

Score: 9

Golden State Warriors - Stephen Curry

Curry may or may not (rumors lean toward the latter, at this point) be on his way to Phoenix in a deal that would net the Warriors Amar'e Stoudemire. Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter that Monta Ellis might be unhappy with Golden State selecting a player with a frame similar to his. If Monta Ellis has enough sway in your organization to call shots, then your organization is shot. Curry can play. Figure the rest out later.

Score: 9

Houston Rockets — Jermaine Taylor, Sergio Llull, Chase Budinger

All second rounders, guys you don't have to throw guaranteed money at, but three guys you spent a bit of dough on just to secure the rights to. Call it a bias, but we're inclined to believe in what Daryl Morey is doing scouting-wise at this point.

Score: 8

Indiana Pacers — Tyler Hansbrough, A.J. Price

We can joke about Hansbrough's pigmentation until we're white in the face, and make white of Larry Bird's seeming predilection toward players of a certain tone. What we can't joke about is his game. He can play, ably using up minutes, and he's a solid pickup for a low-lottery selection.

Score: 7

Los Angeles Clippers — Blake Griffin

Listen, Griffin has some holes. He'll be beat defensively. He isn't the sturdiest in the low post, as he tends to fall to his left or right when he should be jumping straight up for jump hooks. The same glitch hurts his jump shot. He isn't 7-feet tall, either. And that's about it. The guy is a stud.

Score: 10

Los Angeles Lakers — Chinemelu Elonu

Teams talk themselves into all sorts of nutty things during the Draft. They talk themselves into thinking that a 29^th pick could provide insurance for a 10-year starter. The talk? It's nonsense. The Lakers grabbed $3 million bucks to dive out of the first round, something a series of teams should have tried on Thursday night.

Score: 9

Memphis Grizzlies — Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll, Sam Young

Young will help right away, and that's about it. Carroll can play, and Thabeet will become a hell of a player. It's become obvious that the Grizzlies don't know what they have in Marc Gasol, but we'll save that criticism for another column. For now, a solid trio of players, well worth their picks.

Score: 10

Miami Heat — Patrick Beverley, Robert Dozier

On the surface, you'd have to think that neither of these guys would play for the Heat, and their selections wouldn't even be worth discussing. But considering the way Pat Riley has put together teams since coming to Miami in 1995 (high class payroll guys and minimum contracts, no middle class), Beverley might see some minutes. And apparently he's worth some minutes.

Score: 8

Milwaukee Bucks — Brandon Jennings, Jodie Meeks

Jennings has massive holes in his game, fundamental issues with his shooting, handle, and approach. Meeks won't set the world on fire. But for the 10th and 41st picks? Huge potential.

Score: 9

Minnesota Timberwolves — Ricky Rubio, Jonny Flynn, Wayne Ellington, Henk Norel

When you play basketball, and get the rock in an isolation situation, it's never a good idea to subscribe to your move before you even get the ball, and stay with it no matter what your defender does. Sure, it might pay off sometimes to know your move before you go into executing your attempt, but by and large you want to have practiced moves and options that allow you to think on your feet and adapt to the situation as it unfolds.

The Timberwovles, I'm sorry, but I think they picked a move heading into the Draft, and stuck with it even as the defender beat them to the spot.

I can't blame them. I begged every team to take Rubio to use as trade bait, and insist that every team take the best player available regardless of roster makeup. And the Wolves got two very good players, and two guys worth looking at. They just haven't looked good in the process. Rubio and/or Flynn are obviously trade bait, but nobody's biting. A transparent move, even if the telegraphed shot goes in, and Rubio/Flynn are brilliant together.

We really shouldn't rank them (or any other team) until 2012 or so, but for now ...

Score: 8

New Jersey Nets — Terrence Williams

Williams can play in this league. And for an 11th pick in a crummy Draft, I should accept that a rotation part taken at that spot is worth our time. Just not a fan.

Score: 7

New Orleans Hornets — Darren Collison, Marcus Thornton

The Hornets have holes in the rotation up front, and in the back court. So they were in full "best player available" mode (or should have been), even if they took two guards. As it always is, time will tell if they actually took the best player available. Cop-out analysis, always worth your time!

Score: 7

New York Knicks — Jordan Hill, Toney Douglas

Listen, the Knicks have holes, everywhere. They are starting from scratch. Guys like Nate Robinson and David Lee can play, but the team's brass wouldn't care if any of the 2008-09 roster is on board for a 50-win team in 2011-12. So New York went for the best players available. Hill doesn't quite look like a BPA at 8th, but Douglas does.

Score: 6

Oklahoma City Thunder — James Harden, B.J. Mullens, Robert Vaden

Harden can play, Mullens has lottery-level talent, and Vaden can make a team. In a weak Draft like this, even if Harden was taken third overall, this is still a fine haul. Now it's up to Scott Brooks to work things out. We're OK with that result.

Score: 8

Orlando Magic — No selections

Picked up Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson for expiring contracts and Courtney Lee. A fine Thursday.

Philadelphia 76ers — Jrue Holiday

I mocked the pick initially, but Holiday is a lottery talent that the 76ers selected at 17. That's a good night out.

Score: 9

Phoenix Suns — Earl Clark, Taylor Griffin

Griffin's probably not going to make the team, so let's just dump that idea. Clark can play, but he can also float. Huge talent, but a bit of a floater. Still, for the 14th pick (and, if Griffin does improve, the 48th pick?)? A workable turn for Steve Kerr.

Score: 9

Portland Trail Blazers — Victor Claver, Dante Cunningham, Jeff Pendergraph, Patrick Mills

The Trail Blazers didn't disappoint by not putting together 12 Draft-night trades, so let's just lose that idea. I don't like dumping Sergio Rodriguez, not at his age, and am not sold on any of the players Pritchard picked up. But that's because I don't know much about them, and each of the guys (save for Mills) had gotten good marks entering Thursday's Draft. And only one (Claver) will get a guaranteed deal.

Score: 8

Sacramento Kings — Tyreke Evans, Omri Casspi, John Brockman

There's nothing actually wrong with any of these selections, but on a team that can't rebound to save its life, Blair would have helped.

Evans has huge upside, Casspi can play and was much-bandied about heading into the Draft, and even Brockman might contribute given a good summer, but you're still left wanting with this team. Wanting, maybe, Ricky Rubio and DeJuan Blair. Time will tell.

Score: 7

San Antonio Spurs — DeJuan Blair, Jack McClinton, Nando De Colo

Two guys (one a lottery-level talent) that can help right away? And a man named "Nando De Colo?" Big, productive night for the Spurs, who didn't even have a first-rounder to work with.

Score: 10

Toronto Raptors — DeMar DeRozan

There's a good chance DeRozan could fall on his face, or never develop. Then again, there's also a chance he could turn into an All-Star. And for the ninth pick in an awful Draft, that's a chance worth taking.

Score: 9

Utah Jazz — Eric Maynor, Goron Suton

Two useful talents that will see minutes, eventually. In a Draft low on talent, this is a fine night considering Utah entered the evening with the 20th and 50th picks.

Score: 9

Washington Wizards — No selections

Picked up Mike Miller and Randy Foye for a load of bad contracts and the selection that turned out to be Ricky Rubio. Time will tell.

Let's hear your favorites, both good and bad, in the comments below.

Best Dressed: Brandon Jennings, Milwaukee Bucks, No. 10
The kid arrived fashionably late in every sense of the term. Sure, it's a simple look, but what's not to like about it? The thin pinstripes, the different patterns of the shirt and tie, the overall cut of the suit — if only Jennings still had that Kid 'n Play haircut.

Worst Dressed: Hasheem Thabeet, Memphis Grizzlies, No. 2
Again, there were no real fashion disasters (I'm talking Jalen Rose's REDRUM or Samaki Walker's funny hat), but since we had to give the "title" to someone, upbeat 'Beet gets it, I guess. Shiny light grey on a seven-foot-three-inch frame is not a great look. He should've stuck with his weekend-in-the-Hamptons sweater.

Best Dressed (runner-up): Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers, No. 1
Best purple of the night, though I'm surprised Subway didn't talk him into wearing green and yellow.

Best Tie: Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves, No. 5
According to Men's Flair: "A tiny bit geek, a tiny bit chic, skinny ties have an attitude that's all their own." Yes, an attitude that apparently doesn't want to play in frigid Minnesota.

Worst Tie: Jordan Hill, New York Knicks, No. 7
I would've booed that tie, too, New York.

Best Bow Tie: James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder, No. 3
Michael Wilbon loved it: "The Arizona State swingman is the single best dressed player to ever walk across the draft stage and shake Commissioner David Stern's hand on draft night. Beige slacks, perhaps Super 120s, vest, smart two-button blazer that had just a little olive to provide a contrast with the slacks/vest and looked like it might have been, oh, silk and bamboo, topped of by a bow-tie with coordinated pocket square. Best-dressed college athlete I've ever seen. Ever."

Best Club-Look: Terrence Williams, New Jersey Nets, No. 11
The Louisville guard is either a) slipping bouncer Stern a $50 to get into the club, b) asking where "Paulie Walnuts" is, or c) just sold a used '98 two-door hatchback Supra. "80,000 miles, good condition, man."

Best Accessories: Rodrigue Beaubois, Oklahoma City Thunder (traded to Dallas), No. 25
Like the watch and pocket square; love the tiny French flag accent on the cuffs. Très excellent!

Worst Sweater: Austin Daye, Detroit Pistons, No. 15
As Eamonn said during our five-hour long NBA Draft live blog, "Daye wins for 'suit that looks good now but will definitely look bad in old NBA footage.'"

Just Awesome: Jonny Flynn, Minnesota Timberwolves, No. 6
Just awesome.

Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News: "In a different world, with a different medical sheet, Pittsburgh forward DeJuan Blair might have been a lottery pick. Blessed with an instinctive rebounding ability but cursed with two surgically repaired knees, Blair instead slipped to the second round of Thursday night’s NBA draft. The Spurs were waiting. And almost salivating. When Blair was still on the board at No. 37, the Spurs — after a long wait just to get on the clock — wasted little time in using their first pick of the night to try and fill their most pressing need. 'They were the one team that believed in me,' Blair said by phone late Thursday night. 'Since they believed in me, I’m going to give them 1000 percent.'"

Don Seeholzer, Pioneer Press: "David Kahn said he wasn't looking to make a big splash in Thursday night's NBA draft, but that's just what the Timberwolves' new president of basketball operations did. Now comes the tricky part. With Ricky Rubio unexpectedly available with the No. 5 pick, the Wolves thrilled their fans by selecting the 18-year-old Spanish point guard with the Pete Maravich haircut and passing skills to match. It's not a sure thing, however, that he will be playing in Minnesota next season. With a $6.6 million buyout of his contract with his Spanish League team still to be worked out, Rubio said he wasn't sure. Neither was Kahn, who had talked to teams about trading up in the draft for Rubio and instead had him fall into the Wolves' lap. 'I'm neither confident nor nonconfident,' Kahn said of the buyout issue. 'I don't know enough at this point yet, partly because there wasn't a scenario until, I'd say, the last three to four days, and frankly really only until today, that I thought this was even in the realm of possibility. I just never thought he'd be there.' Under NBA rules, the Wolves are allowed to pay only $500,000 toward Rubio's buyout. The rest of the buyout money would come out of Rubio's NBA contract. Kahn said the fact that Rubio was taken fifth instead of in the top three picks makes it 'more problematic.'"

Tim Kawakami, Mercury News: "Does the selection of (Stephen) Curry mean he's the point guard of the future? 'No, it does not,' (Larry) Riley said. 'We'll train him as much as we possibly can to play some as a back-up to Monta Ellis and to play some at the two spot' ... 'This doesn't mean he's been drafted to take over this team as our point guard of the future. (But) you never know where things are going to go in four or five years.' Showing nice NBA perspective, Curry said he just wanted to fit in wherever and however Ellis would like him to. It's all a work in progress. The wheel is still turning. Nobody's sure where anybody will land. All the Warriors are trying to do is change it up and make things happen. And that's definitely better than nothing."

Berry Tramel, The Oklahoman: "When David Stern announced the name, 'James Harden,' groans ricocheted around The Oklahoman newsroom. Same with the Thunder draft party at Riverwind Casino, various Internet chats and probably all over Boomtown. But rest assured, somewhere in Los Angeles, Russell Westbrook smiled wider than the Santa Monica Freeway. All that pillow talk from general manager Sam Presti? All those assurances from the Thunder that yes indeed, Westbrook is the Thunder’s point guard? Not hollow words. Ricky Rubio, the dashing Spaniard, the Ringo Starr lookalike, will take his no-look passes and Latin flair elsewhere. Westbrook is the Thunder quarterback of the present and the future. Which is perfectly fine. Westbrook was one heck of a rookie point guard, and he’s going to get not only better, but much better."

Jonathan Feigen, Houston Chronicle: "The Rockets never quite got into the first-round of the NBA Draft on Thursday, but once they began getting picks, they did not stop until they had three selections in the second round. And they might not be done yet. The Rockets bought three second-round picks and used them to acquire high-scoring Central Florida guard Jermaine Taylor, Real Madrid point guard prospect Sergio Llull and athletic Arizona wing Chase Budinger. They went hard after several early first-round picks, and an NBA executive with knowledge of their trade talks said late Thursday that the Rockets are among several teams still trying to acquire Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio, one of several point guards selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves."

Mike Ganter, Toronto Sun: "Having already addressed the Raptors deficiency in toughness with the acquisition of Reggie Evans via a trade, Colangelo addressed his club’s other glaring weakness getting a guy who can create his own shot and has no qualms about going through people to get to the rim. Raptors head coach Jay Triano revealed the pick actually was made five weeks ago when Colangelo and Triano were in Oakland for one of those group workouts. They watched DeRozan in an hour and 45 minute session that included a one-on-one work as well as various drills. At it’s conclusion, Colangelo asked Triano what he thought. 'I just told him: 'I think this is our guy.' And he told me: 'I’m glad you said that because that’s exactly how I feel.' And from that point on, he was at the top of our list,' Triano said. Colangelo considers DeRozan a little more polished than Stoudamire was on his draft night seven years ago."

Ronald Tillery, Memphis Commercial Appeal: "The Grizzlies' decision to draft 7-3 center Hasheem Thabeet made one of their three returning centers expendable. Darko Milicic quickly became the odd man out as Memphis agreed tonight to trade him to the New York Knicks for guard Quentin Richardson and cash considerations. 'Marc (Gasol) had taken the (starting) job,' Griz general manager Chris Wallace said, explaining his motivation behind the deal. '(Darko) would not have been a happy camper with the depth chart. With Quentin, I know he can shoot the three ball. He's been a capable player throughout his career. He'll help our bench.'"

Eddie Sefko, Ft. Worth Star-Telegram: "The Dallas Mavericks aren’t expecting the second coming of Tony Parker with their acquisition of French point guard Rodrigue Beaubois. They’ll settle for a reasonable facsimile of Boris Diaw. Beaubois, 6-foot-2 with great quickness and leaping ability, was acquired Thursday night by the Mavericks from Oklahoma City in a swap of picks taken one after another late in the first round of the NBA Draft. The Mavericks originally took Ohio State center B.J. Mullens with the 24th overall pick, but when the Thunder took Beaubois with the 25th pick, they exchanged the picks, with the Mavericks picking up a future second-rounder from the Thunder. Beaubois, who worked out for the Mavericks a couple of weeks before the draft, has a wingspan of 6-11 and is considered a supreme athlete. The Mavericks have no intention of stashing him in Europe next season, coach Rick Carlisle said. Beaubois averaged 10 points for Cholet Basket in the French League last season."

Phil Jasner, Philadelphia Daily News: "The 76ers don't see Jrue (pronounced Drew) Holiday as an immediate impact player. They don't see him as a starter in the coming season. But they made it clear last night that they see him as their point guard of the future. For all the people who thought North Carolina's Ty Lawson or Virginia Commonwealth's Eric Maynor was the right choice at No. 17 in the first round of the NBA draft, the Sixers' boardroom gang secretly was hoping Holiday might slip through the cracks. And once Brandon Jennings went No. 10 to Milwaukee and Indiana opted for big man Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina rather than a guard at No. 13, they began to think they had a chance. This was somewhat similar to last year's scenario when they held the No. 16 pick and Marreese Speights emerged as the highest-rated player remaining on their board. This time, they tried to move up what senior vice-president/assistant general manager Tony DiLeo termed 'a little bit, but we couldn't.'"

Steve Adamek, Bergen Record: "(Donnie) Walsh described the 6-10 (Jordan) Hill as being an athletic player who fits Mike D'Antoni's system. He also said Hill's selection had 'nothing to do with David Lee' in terms of Lee's future with the team as a restricted free agent. D'Antoni, however, did acknowledge some disappointment after Curry (a Knicks' target if not THE target since the start of the draft process) one pick short of their grasp, thanks to Golden State's Don Nelson, the former Knicks' coach. The Knicks also grabbed Florida State point guard Toney Douglas (a 21.5-point scorer last season) with the No. 29 pick, which they acquired from the Lakers for a 2011 second-rounder and reportedly as much as $3 million. Officially, the Lakers made the pick for the Knicks before the trade was consummated."

Howard Ulman, Boston Globe: "Danny Ainge's long wait to draft a player Thursday night left him tired but pleased that he took tough shooting guard Lester Hudson of Tennessee-Martin with the Boston Celtics' only pick. 'What are you guys doing awake?' Boston's general manager said as he began a conference call about 20 minutes after he chose the 6-foot-3 Hudson with the 58th choice of the 60-pick draft. The 2008 NBA champions sent their first-round pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 7-for-1 trade for Kevin Garnett after the 2006-07 season. Hudson averaged 27.5 points as a senior and 25.7 as a junior while grabbing more than seven rebounds per game each season. As a senior, he had games in which he scored 41 and 42 points. 'I like his toughness, his ability to score. He's got strength,' Ainge said. 'I think his strength is (as) a scorer, but I think he can handle the ball and create off the dribble as well.'"

John Reid, The Times-Picayune: "Four months after his trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder was rescinded, the New Orleans Hornets have apparently resumed trade talks for center Tyson Chandler. According to multiple league sources, the Hornets were involved in trade talks this week with the Cleveland Cavaliers regarding Chandler, but no agreement was reached. Instead, the Cavaliers reached an agreement with the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night to obtain center Shaquille O'Neal. On Thursday morning, Hornets officials declined to say if they had been in trade discussions with Cleveland or the Suns to possibly obtain O'Neal. 'I'm not going to discuss trades,' Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower said last week. 'I could spend hours discussing trade rumors with you.'"

Ricky's pop, Esteve Rubio: "Ahora mismo, es muy probable que Ricky se quede uno o dos años en Europa." Translated, it says, "Right now, it is possible that Ricky plays a year or two more in Europe."

"Tenemos que hablar con la gente de Minnesota ... y ver lo que pasa, porque, a estas horas, podemos estar en Minnesota o en otra parte", declaraba." Loosely translated: "We are going to speak with the [people, staff] of Minnesota and see what's happening, because, in some hours, we may be in Minnesota or in another place."

Earlier in the evening, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported that the Knicks were working hard to cut a deal with the Timberwolves to acquire Rubio. New York's a big enough market, si? The flashy teen was one of three point guards taken by Minnesota in the opening round of the Draft, with new Wolves general manager David Kahn snapping up Ricky at No. 5, Jonny Flynn of Syracuse at No. 6 and North Carolina's Ty Lawson at No. 18, though he was subsequently traded to Denver.

Decisions, decisions ...

H/T: The Knicks Blog

It's not really a "green room," in the TV sense. More like a series of tables where friends, family, and, um, "associates" can surround a player as he waits for his fate to be determined.

And while you sometimes get some head-scratchers — players not invited to the room that should be in, and vice versa — by and large the NBA gets it right. 

And, since 2001, some players not invited to the green room have taken to stashing themselves in the audience at the NBA Draft, walking down to David Stern's podium after being selected.

Brandon Jennings, for whatever reason, didn't see this as a viable alternative.

Though he was unexpectedly left out of the green room list (Jennings was rumored to go as high as third in Thursday's draft, or out of the top-15 altogether), Jennings decided not to show up at all, despite being in Manhattan. Until he was chosen, 10th overall, by the Milwaukee Bucks.

Jennings then entered Madison Square Garden a little while later, and was rushed onstage with a Bucks cap to greet David Stern just after Stern announced the 14th selection in the Draft. The crowd and TV viewers were as confused as you'd expect.

Welcome to the 2009 NBA Draft, live at Ball Don't Lie. Tonight I'll be joined by Kelly Dwyer, "Phenomenal" Trey Kerby from The Blowtorch and Eamonn Brennan from Yahoo!'s own NCAA blog, The Dagger.

We'll be here all night, or at least until that Victor Claver guy is off the board, so shoot us a comment or nine. If it's lottery-worthy, you'll see it on BDL. If it's not — don't panic — it just means we didn't read it. (I'm kidding.)

See you in there.

The team is about to acquire Vince Carter and Ryan Andereson for the pittance of Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee, and Tony Battie. Big talent, without giving up too much.

The Nets, Carter's team from 2004-09, wasted no time in dealing VC as soon as GM Rod Thorn was presented with anything more than a cost-cutting alternative. Make no mistake, this is a cost-cutting move for the Nets, but Lee's presence trumps the other proposals that have been sent New Jersey's way since last winter, proposals that offered nothing more than salary relief.

For Orlando, they get a hometown product who is still a formidable contributor (nearly at an All-Star level) even at the age of 32. Sure, nobody has liked Vince Carter since 2002 or so, but that's not the point. The point is that Orlando made a huge upgrade without giving much up. Lee is a fine player, but he'll never be a star, and Carter's all-around offensive game is exactly what the league's 11th-best offense needed.

Best, it gives the team a little leeway in negotiations with free agent Hedo Turkoglu. Though Carter is one of the better passing wing players in the game, he isn't a point forward, but he isn't bad either. And the Magic might not need to keep Turkoglu if he gets a ridiculous offer from a team like the Portland Trail Blazers. Just slide Mickael Pietrus into the small forward slot, start Carter, and continue apace. Hell, Anderson will be a starting-quality forward in two years.

The move puts Orlando a little under the luxury tax level with Carter's salary added, and without Turkoglu or restricted free agent Marcin Gortat on board. Signing either to a reasonable deal would put the Magic into the tax bracket, but the team has already patted itself on the back by announcing that it would pay the tax, so you have to figure one or both players will be back.

If they both return, and we estimate that they'll combine to make about 14 million a year in 2009-10 and 2010-11, then the Magic will be well into the tax in 2010-11 as well. Carter's $18.9 million for 2011-12 isn't guaranteed, though, so the Magic could squeeze under the tax threshold (albeit with a limited roster) after declining the final year of his deal. Not unlike what we saw with Sasha Pavlovic this summer, they'll likely deal Vince. The point being ... this team is going to be shelling out some dough for a long time.

New Jersey? Not so much. ShamSports has Alston's 2009-10 deal as unguaranteed, but I'm not seeing it listed as such anywhere else. Either way, it expires next summer along with Battie's, and even with Lee's contract on the books the Nets are only due to shell out about $17 million in salaries for 2010-11 if they decline the options on Keyon Dooling, Eduardo Najera, Sean Williams, Yi Jianlian, while passing on re-signing Josh Boone. All, save for the last option, are very likely.

Even a conservative estimate would then have the Nets looking at about $45 million in cap space, with Lee, Devin Harris, Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson, Chris Douglas-Roberts, and whoever they select with the 11th pick in tonight's Draft on the roster. That's a fantastic core that could suddenly fit two or three max deals into its coffers. Yikes.

Great deal, for both sides.

C: Free Darko. Shoals: "First of all, I own that same outfit. But not the socks. I like the socks, and think that's the next frontier of NBA fashion. That said, Curry looks perfectly comfortable and convincing until you get to the point of contact between his hand and the ball. NOT A GOOD SIGN. If he's going to be anything more than a friendly catch-and-shoot fella, he could at least look like he sometimes takes the ball out at night and does tricks in front of the mirror."
PF: Ehrl The Pearl. Can't decide if Blake Griffin looks more like Wentworth Miller or Channing Tatum.
SF: Tremendous Upside Potential. Wow. Looks like someone found their new favorite ball player.
SG: NBC Miami. Shaq's overpriced waterfront mansion sells the same day he finds a new team.
PG: The Sports Hernia. Behold, the "greatest" NBA player ever assembled.
6th: Sports Radio Interviews. DeJuan Blair says he's tired of people worrying about his knees.
7th: Mr. Irrelevant. Should the Bulle— err, Wizards go back to wearing red, white and blue unis?
8th: 50 vs. The World. "Woman Selling NBA Players Sperm" ... this has to be fake, right?
9th: Bucks Diary. Should we be worried about Griffin's "T-Rex" arms? What do you think, Kevin Willis?
10th: Associated Press. Durant, Rose and Griffin are among the 25 players who have accepted invitations to participate in the USA Basketball national team minicamp.

Got a tip/link for Ball Don't Lie? Hit me up at jeskeets@yahoo.ca or follow me on Twitter.

After the jump, Blake Griffin signs an autograph or two.

Winner, JM:
Blake Griffin writes down his "Plan to Avoid Getting Picked By the Clippers":
Step 1: Lose to Jared Fogle at HORSE. Check.
Step 2: Hit on two 15 year-old girls. Check.
Step 3: [if necessary] Saw off own foot.

Co-runner-up, McHouse:
"Best wishes (brought to you by Subway), Blake Griffin"

Co-runner-up, Gils_Keloids:
"When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long! KIT, stay cool, have a great summer!"