Just filed to ESPN w/@Chris_Broussard: New trade framework of original three-team CP3 deal has been submitted to league office for approval.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: If at first you don’t succeed, try again.

ESPN is reporting that the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and New Orleans Hornets are submitting a re-worked trade proposal that would involve superstar point guard Chris Paul.

The first trade was nixed by the league for ’basketball reasons’ on Thursday evening, sending shockwaves around the NBA. (Remember, the NBA owns the Hornets because a buyer couldn’t be found).

The league apparently wants the Hornets to receive young talent and draft picks. And then there was the optics of a larger market, like the Lakers, continuing to dominate and accumulate superstars.

Stay posted to HoopsVibe News for further details on this story.

“Maybe I’ll see you there,” Odom said, “but I doubt it. You don’t want to go to no place you’re not wanted. I’ll try to give them what they want as much as possible.”Odom also felt bad for his teammate.

“Imagine how Pau feels,” he said. “Pau came to the Lakers and played here for four years, went to the Finals and lost, won two NBA championships and then got swept [by Dallas]. Wow!

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The trade was shocking -even though Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom’s names had been in trade rumours for years.

Yesterday, the Los Angeles Lakers cut ties with Gasol and Odom as part of a three-team deal to get superstar point guard Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets.

Or, so they thought.

The NBA owns the Hornets and nixed the trade for 'basketball reasons'. The outcry was significant and all sides are still talking about reviving the deal.

This means Gasol, Odom, and Paul are in holding, waiting for the deal to go through again or get cancelled for good.

The shock will wear off. Whatever happens, Gasol, a four-time All-Star, and Odom, a former Sixth Man of the Year, must accept the team they won two championships with no longer wants them.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Dan Gilbert sent an email to David Stern, Adam Silver and several of his fellow owners to urge the NBA to block a proposed trade that would send Chris Paul to the Lakers.The following is the email in its entirety:

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A recent Shaquille O’Neal rumor has him close to signing a deal with the Boston Celtics to go on another adventure of ring chasing. It’s sad to see the old man like this chasing these things when he already has four. He is also a shell of his former self. The new generation of fans will probably only remember Shaq within the past 4 years. The long time fans barely remember O’Neal during his Orlando Magic days. Please don’t forget – Shaq was the most physically dominant center in the last 30 years.

The source classified Bynum as “indifferent” to all the trade talk and willing to play wherever. This is the third time he’s been rumored to be the centerpiece of a package for an All-Star, previously being involved in discussions for Kevin Garnett and Jason Kidd.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Andrew Bynum has been through this before.

Remember the Los Angeles Lakers nearly dealt a teenage Bynum to the New Jersey Nets for Jason Kidd. The speculation was ramped, with Laker great Kobe Bryant commenting on the trade rumors in a bizarre cell-phone video.

There had also been chatter of Bynum being dangled as bait for Kevin Garnett when The Big Ticket was looking to escape the Minnesota Timberwolves.

So it’s no surprise that Bynum isn’t bothered by the chatter of being sent to the Orlando Magic in exchange for All-Star Dwight Howard.

In Orlando, he’d be the undisputed first option. There’d be no more playing in the shadow of Kobe Bryant.

However, there’s a strong chance the Lakers keep Bynum. He was, after all, the choice of Jim Buss, the new lead executive of the purple-and-gold and, most importantly, the owner’s son.

The younger Buss uses Bynum’s success to justify his position in the front office. Don’t think this doesn’t matter in the political world of the purple-and-gold.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

What happened? The game was over when Kendrick Perkins got injured. The Lakers took their hearts. After Kobe questioned his teammates’ hearts, they proved that they had more than enough for game 6 in Los Angeles. Pau Gasol finished with a near triple double: 17 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists, and 3 blocks. Derek Fisher didn’t need to do much. Kendrick Perkins is done. Rajon Rondo took a vicious elbow from Ron Artest that required stitches. The Lakers got this and Kobe got his 5th ring.

Come on Los Angeles. You’re better than this. Shout outs to Shrek and Donkey AKA Big Baby Glen Davis and Nate Robinson.  They stepped up when it mattered. Davis added 18 points and Nasty Nate provided 12 points. Lamar Odom disappeared as usual with 10 points in nearly 40 minutes of game time. Andrew Bynum could not get his game going, which resulted in Phil Jackson yanking him out early. The nagging injury is really affecting him.

Paul Pierce should have never opened his mouth towards the end of game 2. The Celtics have to pull an LL Cool J by headin’ back to Cali stylin’ and profilin.’ The game was embarrassing for P-Squared. He was to be out done by Ray Allen. He was scorching hot in game 2. He played like a bumbling idiot in game 3. Ray Ray couldn’t hit any type of shot out there. 0-13? That’s bloody awful especially in the NBA Finals at home. I thought he was entering John Starks’ level. I was wrong. He went beyond that.  

The Lakers are curious to see if veteran point guard Baron Davis gets cut by Cleveland. He has two years and $28.7 million left on his contract, though he can be signed for substantially less than that. The Lakers also want a shooter and are monitoring whether forward Rashard Lewis (two years, $43.8 million remaining) gets waived by Washington.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It’s official name was the ‘amnesty clause’. It’s unofficial name was ‘team screwed up, overpaid said player, and now gets out of jail/contract free’.

Well, nothing is completely free.

As part of the 2004-05 CBA negotiations, teams could waive one player and his salary did not count against the cap. The team had to cover the contract, but increased financial flexibility and/or saved on luxury tax payments.

Remember, the Dallas Mavericks cut ties with Michael Finley‘s mammoth big-ticket, but the swing joined the rival San Antonio Spurs and won a championship.

So things can backfire.

Word is the new CBA has an amnesty clause. The Los Angeles Lakers are eyeing a couple of veterans, Baron Davis and Rashard Lewis, who are on the chopping block.

Davis is owed $30 million through 2014, which may be too much for the rebuilding Cleveland Cavaliers, especially with youngster Kyrie Irving in the fold.

Now Davis’ drive-and-kick style might suit Mike Brown’s system, however, the portly point guard was distracted during his time in Los Angeles with the Clippers.

Lewis is far more interesting. The Wizards are also starting over and have little interest in doling out more than $40 million over the next two seasons.

It’s quite possible the stretch-four gets waived and signs with a contender like the Lakers for the Mid Level Exception or a bargain salary.

All Lewis would have to do with the purple-and-gold is spot up, catch, and shoot. The burden of fulfilling a ridiculous contract would be gone.

So the Lakers could re-tool on the fly. And it may just happen because of the new CBA.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Black Jesus was en fuego. How did the Lakers’ defense let this man get hot like that? After game 1, you had to know that the Boston Celtics were not going to play like that again. Ray Allen lit up the NBA world with eight three pointers – NBA Finals record. The certified top 4 point guard in the league, Rajon Rondo, posted up a triple double: 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce played like trash, but the Celtics escaped LA with a win.

The Los Angeles Lakers crushed the Boston Celtics in the first game of the NBA Finals, 102-89. Kobe Bryant cleaned up with 30 points on 10-22 shooting (1-2 from three, 9-10 from the line) to go with 7 boards, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, and 4 turnovers. Pau Gasol produced 23 points on 8-14 shooting (7-10 from the line) to go with 14 boards (8 offensive), 3 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, and 3 turnovers. At one point, the Lakers were up by 20. The most alarming stat is Phil Jackson’s 47-0 perfect record when he leads his team to a game one victory. Wow.

This is an intriguing challenge because ever since the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Pau Gasol as a gift from long time former general manager Jerry West, the team is unbeatable. The squad can be beaten in one game because it’s just one game – mad random. In a seven game series, however, no team in the West can knock off the Purple and Gold. I just do not see this happening as long as Kobe Bryant is at his peak running the team. What does a team have to have to be able to defeat them?

The Orlando Magic has been eliminated at the hands of the Big Green Monster, The Boston Celtics. The one thing that is shown during this series is Superman is really Clark Kent. The Green Machine is definitely his Kryptonite. Many experts didn’t count out the Celtics against the Heat in the first round, but the majority counted them out against LeBron and The Cavs. I did not. I was in the minority. They trashed Cleveland and gave some false hope for Orlando before eviscerating them. Give them their due; there is room for old middle aged men.      

HoopsVibe is proud to welcome Marija Kero, better known to many of you as The Knicks Chick, to the team. Marija will be checking in with videoblogs covering everything from her beloved Knicks to Ron Artest's latest hair-related mishap. In her first piece, Marija shares her thoughts on Boston's bad temper, the surging Mavs and the ghosts of NYK past appearing in the postseason. 

In the tradition of his spiritual predecessor Dennis Rodman, Ron Artest has been getting a little creative with his hair of late. Working on a lurid blond base that nearly matches the LAL uniform, Ron has been toying with different designs, from his homage to defense to the gingerish 'do he sported for game one of the Lakers-Thunder series.

Tonight he came out with something a little different, and we've got the photos for you. Check out the images below and let us know what you think of Ron Artest's latest hair experiment.

“As a fan, its’ killing me because I love the game and I love watching these athletes, I think they’re such great athletes. It’s killing me because I love the spectacle of going to the Lakers and watching the guys play.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: He has everything. Money. Pop star wife. A family. Multiple mansions. Celebrity endorsements. International fame. Over one hundred caps for his country. English Premiership glory. UEFA Championships. And most recently, an MLS Title.

Well, he doesn’t have everything. David Beckham doesn’t have the NBA.

Like you and me, Beckham desperately wants an end to the five month old lockout. The rock star of ‘The Beautiful Game’ is a die-hard hoops fan who wears #23 to honour his idol Michael Jordan.     

Beckham often sits courtside with the other A-list celebs’ at Los Angeles Lakers games. So the impasse between players and owners is frustrating -even for a man who appears to have everything.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

I'll be taking quick notes as I watch the game here. Feel free to drop in your comments below. They update in real time.

- What is Andrew Bynum drinking? A pre-game shot shows him chugging a foaming red liquid from a water bottle.

- OKC tosses the ball to Durant for the first play.  He dribbles around for a few seconds before tossing up an awkward brick. Bad opening.

- Pau connects on a shot with so much arc the ball came down with snow on it.

- That red stuff is obviously working for Bynum, who connects on his first attempt.

- Durant botches an open layup. Let's hope that's a fumble and not a sign of the pressure getting to him.

It’s official. LeBron James is a free agent. He’s up for grabs. People were waiting to exhale. Don’t exhale just yet until the first week of July. The Boston Celtics has eliminated the Cleveland Cavaliers from the second round in a disastrous series.

A young kid entered war full of determination, grit, and gung ho. He doesn’t know much about anything since he sports the usual traits of youth – ignorance, naïveté, and innocence. Once this kid endures battle after battle, the fighting spirit gets worn down somewhere. The kid loses yet gets wiser with each step. He makes many mistakes. Some soldiers leave and disappear. The squadron is rebuilt with new warriors who mirror the kid before war. Some of them might be better and some will not.

The Lakers outmuscled Deron Williams’ Jazz into submission by bringing out the brooms for a complete sweep. Laker fans are sitting pretty entering the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Suns, which the Lakers should not have any problems against. The Jazz, however, are looking down a well that leads to an abyss. What’s next?

So where do these two guys measure up against Kobe? Kobe is a scientific dawg. He works out every day, practices every day. Most of the other stars are just dawgs, not scientific dawgs. Me, I’m a freak-of-nature dawg because of my size. LeBron could be a scientific dawg like Kobe, but he’s got a lot going on like I did, so that’s preventing him from being one.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Shaquille O’Neal thinks Kobe Bryant is a ‘scientific dawg’, which apparently makes him better in the clutch than LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

For the record, I don’t know what a ‘scientific dawg’ is. I do think Shaq is saying Bryant is a superior fourth quarter player because of his focus and commitment to his craft.

Perhaps.

At this stage in their careers, James and Wade are better athletes - and maybe better players - than Bryant. But Bryant always possessed an intangible that more often than not propelled him to greatness when it mattered most.

This was evident from his early days sitting on the Lakers' bench as a 17-year old rookie under Coach Del Harris.

He is indeed the closest thing to Michael Jordan that the NBA has ever had. Shaq, his former nemesis, has to show respect by dubbing him a scientific dawg’.

--Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

I start taking a couple of steps towards Pat. Udonis Haslem steps in and I shove him out of the way. Then Zo tries to grab me. I threw him aside like he was a rag doll.Now it's me and Riley face-to-face, jaw to jaw. I'm poking him in the chest and he keeps slapping my finger away and it's getting nasty. Noisy, too. He's yelling "F--- you!" and I'm yelling back, "No, f--- you!" Zo is trying to calm us both down and he has this kind of singsong panic in his voice. He keeps saying, "Big fella, no big fella, big fella!" I finally turn around and tell him, "Don't worry. I'm not going to hit the man. Do you think I'm crazy?"

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Shaquille O’Neal’s tell-all tour continues. No player, coach, man, or woman will be spared.

The future Hall of Fame center has a spill-the-beans book coming out, so he and his people have leaked excerpts to create a buzz.

Like O’Neal’s World Wars with Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant. Like O`Neal`s take on LeBron James ignoring Coach Mike Brown in Cleveland. Like O`Neal`s lack of a relationship with iconic center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The latest: O’Neal nearly fought Pat Riley, also known as the oil slick, during practice with Miami. Of course, O’Neal says he was heroically sticking up for teammate Jason Williams.

This may or may not be true. There’s no disputing O’Neal has had problems with coaches.

There was the fallout with Riley. There were problems with Phil Jackson, another all-time great on the sideline. And he undermined Terry Porter in Phoenix.

So before blaming others, O’Neal should perhaps look inward first. This, however, is unlikely.

--Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

"With the collective bargaining agreement and some of the things that they're trying to enforce, it would basically prohibit me from coming back," Chandler told KESN-FM FM in Dallas. "It would take it out of my hands -- and the organization's -- because it would almost be pretty much impossible for me to re-sign. I just think that can be the worst thing that can happen."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Tyson Chandler could be a casualty of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The owners’ offer of a low 50% share of Basketball Related Income and a more restrictive system might make it impossible for the Dallas Mavericks to re-sign Chandler, the club’s starting center and a key cog in last year’s success.

Chandler believes it’s unfair the CBA is changing after the Mavericks` championship run, arguing that the Los Angeles Lakers never faced such restrictions.

The timing is unfortunate, but not unfair.

After all, everybody knew there’d be drastic changes after the last CBA expired. And Chandler will still get his money -just not with the Mavericks.

Of course, Chandler could always discount his services and take less if he feels passionately about returning to the Mavericks.

Something, however, tells me this won’t happen.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Kobe stands up and goes face-to-face with me and says, “You always said you’re my big brother, you’d do anything for me, and then this Colorado thing happens and you never even called me.” I did call him. … So here we are now, and we find out he really was hurt that we didn’t stand behind him. That was something new. I didn’t think he gave a rat’s ass about us either way. “Well, I thought you’d publicly support me, at least,” Kobe said. “You’re supposed to be my friend.”

Brian Shaw chimed in with “Kobe, why would you think that? Shaq had all these parties and you never showed up for any of them. We invited you to dinner on the road and you didn’t come. Shaq invited you to his wedding and you weren’t there. Then you got married and didn’t invite any of us. And now you are in the middle of this problem, this sensitive situation, and now you want all of us to step up for you. We don’t even know you.” …

Everyone was starting to calm down when I told Kobe, “If you ever say anything like what you said to Jim Gray ever again, I will kill you.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The shocking part is that their World Wars didn’t erupt sooner and destroy the Los Angeles Lakers.

Pundits often debate how many championships Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal could’ve won if they worked together and pushed their egos to the side.

The argument is that Bryant and O’Neal, while capturing three consecutive Larry O’Brien trophies, should‘ve been far more successful.

They should've been Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen (six championships). Or, they should've been Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson (five championships).

Instead they have just three. I, however, have a different view: it‘s a miracle they won anything.

Sure, they were talented. At the time, O’Neal was as dominating a player to ever suit up in the NBA, while Bryant was coming into his own as a superstar. 

The excerpts from O’Neal’s upcoming book show just how dysfunctional those Lakers were, especially the highly toxic dynamic between Shaq and Kobe.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

A random NBA fan wrote on Twitter a message directed at Heat owner Micky Arison. "Fans provide all the money you're fighting over," wrote the fan."Honestly u r barking at the wrong owner," replied Arison on his Twitter feed. Arison has been categorized by NBPA Executive Director Billy Hunter as part of a group of owners eager to reach a deal with the players.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The players union may be splitting, but so are the owners.

Case in point: Micky Arison, the owner of the star-studded Miami Heat, who tweeted his frustration over the two sides not finding common ground on a new collective bargaining agreement.    

Arison wants to settle on a new CBA, so his Big Three can win a championship and he can maximize his investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade.
 
Clearly, Arison isn’t alone in wanting to settle. Other big-market, ‘have’ owners are comfortable in winning these negotiations with players and do not wish to extract blood.

Unfortunately, the Bulls, Celtics, Heat, Lakers, and Knicks are in the minority. The Blazers, Bobcats, Bucks, Suns, and eighteen other owners are determined to have total victory.

And so we continue to wait for basketball.

--Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

“Everybody’s always asking, ‘Who is better between Kobe (Bryant) and LeBron?’” Johnson said. “I’m like, Are you kidding me? I’m like you’re kidding me … Kobe, five championships; LeBron, zero. I love the young man though. I know he’s going to get better in the fourth quarter this year.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: He speaks the truth.

Magic Johnson isn’t hating on LeBron James by saying that the Miami Heat three-man can’t compare with Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant.

Magic’s reasoning is fair: Bryant has five championships, while James has none.

After all, championships have long been the mark of greatness in the NBA. Superstars, the real elites, measure themselves by the number of times they hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy in June and not individual statistics.

Johnson was simply holding James accountable to this criteria. To be fair, James is currently superior to Bryant, but has yet to enjoy true post-season success.

Until James does, he’s not in the same company as Bryant.

O.Sandor

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Kevin Durant scored 50 points last weekend in Los Angeles.

Sadly, such a performance didn't help his Oklahoma City Thunder defeat the Los Angeles Lakers because the NBA is locked-out. Instead it came in an exhibition match for the Goodman League.

Watch the video below, remember what are missing because of the lockout, and hope the powers that be find an answer. 

--O.Sandor 

Kobe is out on a Nike-fueled tour of Italy right now and in a radio interview he was asked what was his issue with Shaq: “I like players who work out. I used to do that 6-7 hours per day. I cannot stand players who practice for 30 minutes. I need to say something to them”.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It was a shot at on old foe.

Today Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant called out players who don’t practice. Translation: he’s talking about Shaquille O’Neal, also known as The Big Broadcaster.

Of course, Bryant and O’Neal have history.

They were teammates and rivals with the Lakers. Then they parted and were just rivals, slamming each other in the press and at open mic’ night.

Currently, there’s a détente between the two, which results in not-so subtle digs flying back and forth every few months.

Whatever the case, it's nice to see O'Neal, now a retired TNT broadcaster, getting a taste of his own medicine.

In July, he called out Chris Bosh, Recently, he bragged about warning Boston Celtics GM Danny Ainge not to trade Kendrick Perkins.

And he made a career of jabbing, poking, and swiping his peers. For once, the shoe is on the other foot.

--O. Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Kobe Bryant has been offered $6.7 million to play basketball for an Italian team, appealing to his childhood memories of growing up the country. Virtus Bologna general manager Massimo Faraoni tells The Associated Press he's been on conference calls between Bryant's agent, Rob Pelinka, Bologna president Claudio Sabatini and main sponsor Canadian Solar, which would provide the cash for such a deal.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Kobe Bryant will pass.

There have been rumblings the Los Angeles Lakers superstar is contemplating a one-year, $7 million dollar offer to suit up for Virtus Bologna in Italy.

Returning to his childhood home of Italy would be nice. And he’d love to spread his brand across international waters into Europe.

But Bryant has greater fish to fry -like getting revenge on the Dallas Mavericks for last year’s playoff defeat and winning a Michael Jordan-esque sixth championship.

Bryant, who is hitting the twilight of his career, won’t risk a championship for a jaunt throughout Europe.

--O. Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

"They've been deeply involved in the meetings we've had. I know Kobe is intimately involved in interfacing with colleagues and sharing in a pool of revenue to help the others get through this. Kobe has volunteered to do that in the event others need, he and others are prepared to loan money if necessary."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The Bank of Kobe Bryant could be coming.

Union head Billy Hunter told the press superstar Kobe Bryant is willing to lend his union brothers money during the work stoppage.

This is a nice gesture by Bryant, but shows the need for NBA players to learn how to manage their money.

Take Eddy Curry. The puffy post turned one good season on a bad Knicks team into an exorbitant 5-year, $55 million contract.

In the last three years, Curry suited up for 33 games. While injured, he accumulated debt, overhead, and high-interest loans like a European ‘P.I.G.S.’ nation.

Now Curry, who will receive a massive pay-cut as a free agent when the season does begin, must honour those financial obligations.

I have a feeling Curry’s situation is not unique. Many, if not most, NBA players are stretched, so the owners only have to outwait the players.

Hunter should be more careful about releasing information to the public, even if it involves The Bank of Kobe Bryant.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: ‘Peace’ was not enough.

Ron Artest, also known as ‘Metta World Peace’, was the first celebrity participant cut by the popular reality television show Dancing With The Stars.

The judges gave him the lowest score of all participants at 14/30, which led to fans voting him off ABC’s juggernaut.

Hopefully, Artest has an epiphany and remembers he’s a basketball player first and celebrity second. Too often, it has been the other way around.

Anyway, watch the video of Ron-Ron on DWTS, gather thoughts, and get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

--Oly Sandor.

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar told The Associated Press on the sidelines of a youth basketball clinic in Singapore that he didn't know if there will be a 2011-12 season and hasn't ruled out playing abroad. "I could," Bryant said Saturday. "I'm playing abroad right now."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Will he stay state-side or go abroad?

This was the dilemma facing Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, who could earn millions of dollars per month playing outside the NBA.

However, the rumours, speculation, and gossip teetered off once the Chinese leagues restricted the escape clauses and talks heated up between the players and owners on a new collective bargaining agreement.

  Currently, the two sides are nowhere near a deal, which means Bryant is again considering his options abroad.

Perhaps he’ll tour Asia. Perhaps he’ll link up with a top squad in Europe. Currently, the owner of a prominent Italian club side is exploring ways to sign Bryant and pay the insurance on his NBA pact.

Or perhaps it’s a massive bluff. Bryant could be trying to pressure the owners, who hold all the cards and leverage in this lockout, by talking about suiting up in another league.

If so, it’s a Hail Mary. It may be the union’s best shot of getting some owners to move off their hard-line stance.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

it’s ya boy @RealLamarOdom !" Odom tweeted to Gasol. "My dude really want 2 talk 2 u! Really thinking about going 2 play in Europe after this season!"

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Who knows Lamar Odom’s real motivation?

The two-time world champion, superstar sixth-man, and reality TV King is thinking of plying his trade in Europe if the lockout cancels part or all of the NBA season.

So Odom tweeted his L.A. Lakers’ teammate Pau Gasol to ask his advice. No phone call. No e-mail. No text. No Skype. No face-book message.

Such information and manoeuvring is intentional and deliberate when your part of the multi-million dollar brand known as the Kardashians. 

Odom wanted you, me, and the public to know about him possibly going to Europe.

And this represents a larger issue for the Lakers, who lost in the second round of the playoffs to the world champion Dallas Mavericks.

They’re trying to get back atop the NBA, while Odom seems pre-occupied with his show and selling stuff.

Something has to give. It may end with the Lakers trading their versatile forward or not picking up the last year of his contract in 2013.

--Oly Sandor. 

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
 

His account even offered up an inaugural Tweet: "Can you hear me now?!?!" A pretty weak inaugural Tweet. The account was shut down after that, but it is expected to resume communication at some time in the future. Whether Bryant can bring enough individual effort and personality to Twitter remains to be seen.

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When it comes to trying to figure out where NBA owners and players are in negotiations for a new deal, the one-time Knick and current players union VP Roger Mason Jr. apparently is no Perry Mason.  Mason’s contention that there will be an NBA season was challenged Thursday by Derek Fisher, president of the NBA Players Association, after owners and players met for close to six hours for a second straight day in Manhattan. “Roger’s a very valuable member of our committee,” Fisher said. “I think he’s well-aware that we’re no closer to having a season today than we were at any other point. I think he’s clear on where we are now.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: One step forward. Two steps back. Or is that what they want us to think?

Hopefully, the President of the Player’s Union Derek Fisher is simply trying to manage expectations when he says the players and owners aren’t close to deal -even though they met for consecutive days last week.

After all, downplaying Wednesday and Thursday’s small group sessions removes the pressure when the players and owners meet with their full staffs early next week.

Perhaps they can then make progress, find common ground, and start the process of saving the season. The alternative, no basketball for an indefinite amount of time, isn’t pretty.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

 

"Win it all," Artest said when asked will the Lakers do in the 2011-12 season. "Win the whole thing. That's a guarantee."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: His new name is coming. His confidence hasn't gone anywhere.

Nobody knows if Ron Artest will actually change his name to Metta World Peace, however, the speculation surrounding his moniker hasn’t impacted the swing’s confidence.

Artest/Peace is so sure his Los Angeles Lakers will win the 2012 NBA Title that he pulled a Joe Naismith and publicly guaranteed it.

There are a few issues. First, there might not be a 2012 season due to the labour impasse between owners and players. Second, if a 2012 season occurs, it will be with a stricter collective bargaining agreement that may force the Lakers to shed talent. And third, the club has a new coach in Mike Brown, which means a transition will occur.

All in all, the Lakers will be hard pressed to win their third championship in four seasons. Just don't tell Artest that.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

"I do not think there's anything to prove on my side," Gasol said via email when asked if he was eager to put the Lakers' postseason behind him. "Last season we didn't perform during the playoffs as we were supposed to. . . . You cannot win every year; there are a lot of very good teams in the league."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Pau Gasol, ‘thou protest too much’.

Gasol is in denial if he thinks he and the Los Angeles Lakers don’t have something to prove after losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Semi-Finals last May.

He, and his team, have everything to prove.

Gasol had an up-and-down regular season, but belongs on a milk carton after disappearing in the playoffs against the Mavericks.

His play was so poor former coach Phil Jackson, in a fit of un-Zen-like behaviour, shoved him. Their exchange was played over-and-over again on you tube as the Mavs’ swept the Lakers. 

Then Laker-nation piled on. Snoop Dogg, the West Coast rapper, attacked via twitter. Gossip rags speculated that teammate Shannon Brown was to blame for his split with a longtime girlfriend.

(For the record, Brown, who is married to the singer Monica, denied the rumor.)

There was a school of thought that Gasol would be dealt, and the Lakers supposedly tested the market for their finesse-four at the end of June after the NBA Finals.

So Gasol, like it or not, must prove he’s still a premier player. He has company, though.

The Lakers are expected to win the championship every year, which is why their ownership consistently exceeds the luxury tax. Except after winning back-to-back Larry O’Brien trophies in 2009 and 2010, the purple-and-gold got embarrassed by Team Cuban.

The Lakers were out-hustled and out-worked; they looked like complacent Hollywood stars and not the team that captured consecutive championships.

Bottom line: Gasol and the Lakers have everything to prove.

--Oly Sandor.

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If Bryant decides to play in the Drew League this summer, Jennings would want to see some documentation. "He wasn't born and raised in L.A," Jennings told ESPN the Magazine`s Chris Palmer. "You gotta be from L.A. for Drew. Show me a birth certificate."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Perhaps taking his cue from Donald Trump and President Obama, Brandon Jennings wants to see Kobe Bryant’s birth certificate to establish if the superstar can represent the Los Angeles based Drew League.

Locked out NBA players have taken to suiting up for two street ball organizations: the Goodman League and the Drew League.

Jennings believes you must be born or raised in Los Angeles to play for the west-coast based Drew League. Bryant wasn’t born or raised in Los Angeles, which according to the Milwaukee Bucks’ table-setter makes him ineligible.

To be fair, Bryant has always considered himself a Los Angeles native since getting drafted by the Lakers in the mid-nineties. Other cities, especially Philadelphia, gave him grief for such allegiances.

So Jennings, a resident of Compton, should perhaps cut the five-time world champion a little slack and let him play for the Drew.

--Oly Sandor.

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Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest will put on his dancing shoes on the newest season of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars”.  My source close to Ron Ron has confirmed that Artest is one of the participants on the 13th season of DWTS.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Dwyane who?

Yesterday the world wide web was buzzing with reports Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade will appear on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars.

Today the reports are different. Wade is apparently out, while Ron Artest, the Los Angeles Lakers’ larger-than-life swing, is in.

Wade, a smooth and graceful scorer, seems more suited for success on the dance floor, however, Artest could charm with his personality.

Hopefully, neither appears and have to get back to their day-jobs because owners and players settle on a new collective bargaining agreement.

Sadly, Wade and Artest are more likely to dance with a partner on television than to dance around an opponent in an NBA arena. 

--Oly Sandor.

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“One thing that might give some comfort to Orlando fans is that one of the thoughts in the new collective bargaining agreement is to give an advantage to teams who are trying to keep their incumbent players,” Dyer says. “That would allow the Magic, for instance, to offer Dwight more money than any other team and (entice him) to stay home.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: They have hope.

The speculation has been that Dwight Howard will opt-out of his contract next summer and walk on the Orlando Magic, sending the South Florida franchise back to the stone age.

Some expect Howard to join the Los Angeles Lakers, even though the purple-and-gold has post Andrew Bynum. Others expect Howard to partner with a top table-setter like the New Jersey Nets’ Deron Williams.

Either way, Howard was thought to be gone. And Magic GM Otis Smith was getting ready to reserve his seat at the NBA’s annual draft lottery in the spring of 2013.

Until now.

Apparently, the new Collective Bargaining Agreement will help teams retain their own stars by increasing the amount they can pay, and essentially outbid opponents for, their own free agents

Other clauses will make it difficult for stars to join forces. Salaries will be reduced; there could be a hard cap without a luxury tax or exemptions; there may even be revenue sharing. (Call it ‘The Miami Clause’.)

Expect the post lockout NBA to resemble the NFL. There will be greater parity. There will be greater balance. There will be less have-not franchises.

All of which should help Orlando keep Howard. This, it seems, is the best they can hope for. 

--Oly Sandor.

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“No I don’t think Kobe Bryant is going to Turkey. Kobe Bryant, I want to get my numbers right, but I think he has three years and 83 million dollars, so could you imagine him going to Turkey or China for a couple of million dollars and blowing an Achilles or knee out? When you have 83 million dollars coming in the next three years, first of all you should already be financially set, but that’s too much to risk. You can’t risk that money playing overseas.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Will Kobe Bryant play in China during the NBA lockout? Or, will he stay state-side?

Everyone has an opinion, including Hall of Fame power forward and TNT broadcaster Charles Barkley, who believes Bryant has 83 million reasons to avoid China and remain in America.

Barkley believes The Black Mamba would be silly to risk injury playing in a foreign league and potentially compromise the remaining three years and $83 million on his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

After all, in China he’d reportedly pull in between $1-2 per month, however, there’s the possibility of tearing an Achilles or blowing out a knee.

Even with insurance such an injury would complicate the term and money on his lucrative pact with the purple-and-gold.

So perhaps Bryant rests until the lockout is settled -whenever that is.

--Oly Sandor.

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Kobe Bryant insisted on giving some of the team's playoff bonus to two members of the Lakers' video department whose contracts were not renewed after the season. Chris Bodaken and Patrick O'Keefe split about $65,000 of the Lakers' playoff bonus.

Bodaken started with the Lakers as a ball boy in 1986 and spent the last 10 seasons as their director of video services. O'Keefe was the Lakers' video coordinator for six seasons.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The owner’s son can learn from the superstar.

Kobe Bryant led teammates in donating part of of their playoff bonus to two Laker employees who had been let go by Jim Buss because of the lockout.

The Lakers are highly profitable, and have made the Buss clan a fortune. They didn’t need to pink-slip anybody when it became clear owners and players wouldn’t agree on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

But Jim Buss saw an opportunity, laying off 20 employees, many of whom he perceived as loyal to former Coach Phil Jackson. So he’s using the current labour strife to settle a personal beef with The Zen-Master.

At least, the players showed class. Once again, Laker-nation should be troubled and disturbed by Jim Buss.

--Oly Sandor.

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A man is claiming he was injured at a local church in an incident involving NBA superstar Kobe Bryant. Sources told 10News Bryant was attending a church service at St. Therese of Carmel in Carmel Valley Sunday and thought someone was taking pictures of him with a cellphone.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: You’re with the family at Church. Or anywhere for that matter. Starbucks. The beach. The mall. Chuck-E-Cheese. Whatever.

All you hear is one sound: click. Again and again. There’s no escaping it.

Part of being wealthy and/or famous is dealing with annoyances. But constant cell phone pictures would get old awfully fast, so it’s hardly surprising a star - in this case, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers - (allegedly) snapped.

(Bryant reportedly took a man’s phone because he thought he was taking his picture at Church. The Laker great returned the phone after realizing there were no pictures, but the man is claiming Bryant injured his wrist.)

Generally, I have little sympathy for those who earn millions to play a sport. They get paid well, and must put up with certain inconveniences.

That’s the game. Them the breaks.

Cell phone pictures are different. Every cell phone has a camera, which means the general public can, and do, act like the paparazzi. They see a star. They take his or her picture.

This is a natural reaction. However, it would be unnerving and frightening for the person being photographed. There would be no escape and no privacy. Ever.

Steve Nash, a man who is as comfortable and natural in the spotlight as any athlete or movie star, has called cell phone pictures a violation.

And Bryant had issues with two fans baiting him with loaded questions, filming/recording his answers on a cell phone, and then attempting to blackmail him and the organization.

It’s not a surprise an incident occurred. In fact, it’s a surprise something hadn`t happened sooner.

--Oly Sandor.

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Q: How have you endured speculation you'll be traded, or replaced next year by free agent Dwight Howard?

A: It's good to know everybody wants me; that means I'll be in this game for some time. I like L.A., and don't want to go anywhere else. It'd be good to stay in one place your whole career, and the Lakers are the most storied franchise in the league, everyone knows who the Lakers are, and I appreciate the Lakers' love.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Of course, he likes Los Angeles and wants to stay.

Andrew Bynum finally responded to rumours he’ll be traded to the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard by stating he wants to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Why wouldn’t he want to stay?

The Lakers are the NBA’s ultimate have-franchise. Their market-size, wealthy owner, and desirable location means they’ll compete year-in, year-out.

Translation: in Los Angeles, Bynum contends, has a terrific supporting cast, gets invited to famous parties, and is linked to desirable singers.

(To be fair, Orlando is also a have-franchise. Like the NBA’s 29 other franchises, it can’t compete with the lure, hype, and glamour of Los Angeles.)

Bynum knows this. He’s also knows the reason he’ll likely stay in Los Angeles long-term is because of the internal politics of Laker-nation.

Bynum is Jim Buss’ guy. Jim Buss, the owner’s son and head of the Lakers, claims to have drafted and groomed Bynum.

And Jim Buss’ has hedged what little reputation he has as a basketball executive to Bynum’s success on-court. So Bynum will be given every opportunity with the Lakers.

For instance, Jim Buss forced coach Phil Jackson to leave, despite the Zen’s stellar record, and hired the defensive-minded Mike Brown.

Brown immediately promoted Bynum to co-superstar status, putting him - right or wrong, fair or not - on equal footing with Hall of Fame guard Kobe Bryant.

Bottom line: Bynum’s protected with the Lakers. How can the Magic possibly compete?

--Oly Sandor.

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