Scottie Pippen suggested, on ESPN Radio’s Mike And Mike In the Morning, that LeBron James, and not his former teammate, Michael Jordan, could end up being the greatest all-around player the league has ever seen.

“Michael Jordan is probably the greatest scorer to ever play in the game, but I may go as far to say LeBron James is probably the greatest player to ever play the game,” Pippen said.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Take a deep breath. Now exhale. Repeat.

While you’re meditating please remember Scottie Pippen didn’t totally go there. He didn’t say LeBron James was better than Michael Jordan.

Pippen sure came close, though.

He said James may be a greater all-around player because of athleticism and size. And he said James can a dominate game in more ways than Jordan.

Purists will be offended. After all, Jordan has six championship rings. James has none. Jordan transcended basketball. James gave basketball a bad name with The Decision.

Still, Pippen, in theory, may have a point. James’ rare combination of size, speed, skill, and power gives him a unique advantage over any player to ever grace an NBA floor.   

When it’s all said and done, James may eventually be in the same sentence as Jordan. Not now, though.

Here’s the reality: James lacks Jordan’s will and competitiveness. Remember, Jordan overcame the Detroit Pistons’ harsh tactics; upset Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals; handled Clyde the Glyde and Rip City; twice withstood the best John Stockton and Karl Malone, two Hall of Famers, could offer; and defeated Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, and the Seattle Sonics.

James has done nothing of the sort. Yet.

Let’s be fair: Jordan had help. It’s interesting his ‘help’ (Pippen) is so quick to deflect praise away from his former teammate and supposed friend towards others.

Maybe Pippen’s statement says more about the rivalry between him and Jordan, and less about James’ place in the game.

--Oly Sandor.

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Westbrook, the Thunder's most misunderstood, puzzling or overanalyzed player, depending on your perspective, wouldn't flame the scrutiny on coach Scott Brooks' decision not to play him a single second of the fourth quarter in OKC's Game 2 win over Dallas on Thursday. The play of the Thunder's second-best player has been publicly picked apart throughout the postseason. Does he shoot too much, take bad shots and not pass enough?

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Russell Westbrook has a giant bulls-eye on his back.

The critics allege the Oklahoma City Thunder point guard shoots too much, knocks heads with Coach Scott Brooks, and wants to establish himself at the expense of his team.

The critics argue Westbrook should be the Thunder’s third option, with superstar Kevin Durant and super-sub James Harden as primary scorers.

Perhaps this is fair. Perhaps, the Thunder would be better with Westbrook using his athleticism to set-the-table for teammates and averaging a balanced 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.

The criticism is, to an extent, unfair. Especially since the Thunder won game two of the Western Conference Finals in Dallas. 

Sure, Brooks sat Westbrook for the entire fourth quarter. Sure, the Thunder won in spite of Westbrook, not because of him.

They still won, though. They still achieved a split on the road. And they have home-court advantage.

The world isn't ending. Westbrook isn’t the devil. He’s just a 22-year old point guard, who sometimes struggles with when to pass and shoot.

Others have had issues with decision making. Like Isiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons. Like Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers. And like Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls.

By the way, these three figured 'it' out and won a combined 13 NBA championships.

Don’t get it twisted: Westbrook is not the next Zeke, Kobe, or MJ. It takes time for players, specifically point guards, to figure ‘it’ out.

Take Chauncey Billups. Before he became Mr. Big Shot with the Detroit Pistons, Billups was a nomad, playing on four teams between 1997 and 2002.

Critics said he lacked a position, couldn’t involve teammates and was a bust. Billups suddenly figured 'it out. Over the last ten years, he has won an NBA championship, been a Finals MVP, and made regular appearances in the Conference Finals.

Bottom line: Billups has had an excellent career. And he isn’t done. Like Westbrook, he needed time. Westbrook, at this age, is mch further along than Billups.

Critics need to appreciate Westbrook for what he is and can do. Soon enough, he’ll figure ‘it’ out. Then opponents will have to watch out.

--Oly Sandor.

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“I want to spend money for a team that’s going to get us in the top four (in the Eastern Conference), the top three.“We haven’t put ourselves in position to do that yet because of some of the stipulations of our contracts,” adds Jordan. “And now this is the first time we feel like we’re going to have a pretty good summer because we have some flexibility. We want to invest. To get where we have to go, we know we have to.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: He has cache. He has money. Is this enough?

Michael Jordan, perhaps the greatest basketball player of all time, is willing to open his wallet and spend to turn his Charlotte Bobcats into a contender.

However, Jordan’s name and resources aren’t enough. For several reasons, it won’t turn the Bobcats, a mediocre team in the Eastern Conference, into a destination.

In today’s NBA, great teams have more than one superstar. And these superstars typically prefer big markets. Like New York. Like Los Angeles. Like Miami.

These cities let them maximize endorsement opportunities, grow their brand, and live like a TMZ style celebrity. All/some of the above can be done in Charlotte, but not to the same extent.

Of course, Jordan, a stubborn man, can’t accept that his star power and money won’t go as far as he’d like in today’s NBA.

Times have changed. Being Mike isn’t enough. Not in Charlotte, at least.

--Oly Sandor.

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

Paul's comments on Twitter indicated he felt as though his words were taken out of context.

"Come on now people," Paul tweeted, "I did 3 different interviews about the Jordan Brand Classic this morning and was asked if Michael Jordan had influence on free agent signings and I said at the end of the day guys want to win...they askd would I want to return home and I told them I'm focused here in NO and that's the future and anything can happen...Hate when people try to turn things around just to make it a story.. #slowdown."

Former Detroit Pistons Dennis Rodman has been elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The official announcement will be made Monday at the Final Four in Houston.

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When it came to talking about the past, the two had a lot of worthwhile stuff to say. When it came to the present and future, Jordan, owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, had this to say about the Bulls: “You guys are in store for a lot of other championships. If you look at this team tonight…don’t be suprised if you have six more coming.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Let’s translate the hyperbole. Michael Jordan is absolutely right.

The Chicago Bulls –not the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, or Orlando Magic- may in fact be the best team in the Eastern Conference. (They will not win another six championships with this group of players.)  

There are two reasons for this. First, the Bulls have Derrick Rose, who through the first sixty games of the season is the consensus league MVP.

Rose’s game has evolved in 2011 because of his extended range, which has made him a pick-your-poison, unstoppable force. He could always blow by overzealous defenders, but now he also punishes defenders who sag with his improved jump shot.

Second, the Bulls are getting stops. Hiring Tom Thibodeau, the former defensive guru for Doc Rivers and the Boston Celtics, has made all the difference in their own end.

Don’t be surprised if His Airness’ former team is the one to survive the Eastern Conference and advance to the NBA Finals.

--Oly Sandor.

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“Basically, you feel betrayed by somebody you love,’’ Wallace told the Observer before Saturday’s Blazers-Bobcats game. “I totally didn’t see it coming. I’d been there seven long years and then you feel like you’re not wanted anymore. That’s a bad situation to be in, especially for me, who committed so much to the organization. 

“I understand the situation – it’s a business and they’re looking to start all over. They wanted cap room, and I guess I was the logical answer for them trying to get draft picks.’’

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Gerald Wallace is right.

On the one hand, he should feel disappointed and, perhaps, ‘betrayed’ by the Charlotte Bobcats, who dealt him at the trade deadline for draft picks.

After all, Wallace was their heart and soul. The three-man was one of the Bobcats’ original players, and in Charlotte he matured from a raw athlete man into an established professional.

Best of all, Wallace was blue-collar. He never took a night off. He always played hard. Night-in, night-out, he left it all on the floor. No matter how bad his team and the talent around him were.

On the other hand, the NBA, like Wallace mentions, is a ‘business’. The Bobcats are bidding their time until the new Collective Bargaining Agreement levels the playing field, which means swapping expensive salaries for draft picks, prospects, and expiring contracts.

Team Jordan couldn’t afford the two years and $20 million remaining on Wallace’s  contract. So he was a goner.

There are plenty of positives, though. The Portland Trail Blazers, Wallace’s new team, are relevant. They have young talent: LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Wes Mathews, and Brandon Roy (provided he recovers).

Of course, Paul Allen owns the Blazers, so the club has deep pockets and will spend to win.

Change is never easy; however, being ’betrayed’ by Charlotte and starting over with Portland may be best for Wallace.

--Oly Sandor.

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

The Heat would like to sign Mike Bibby if the Wizards give him a buyout; Washington called it unlikely but hasn’t ruled it out. The Heat will explore Troy Murphy if he gets a buyout from Golden State (one report has Boston as the front-runner) and perhaps Indiana’s T.J. Ford, but he’s a poor three-point shooter.

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Charlotte's Gerald Wallace has been traded to Portland, according to sources. The Blazers had strongly been coveting an upgrade at the deadline. Portland will send Joel Przybilla, Dante Cunningham and two first round picks to the Bobcats in exchange for Wallace.

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He complained about his lack of playing time, his lack of touches and the Lakers' lack of effort. I was out there playing hard, man," Bynum said. "In the second half, I didn't really get in the game."

Bynum played only 23 minutes 8 seconds. He scored nine points, shooting only six times, making three. In the second half, Bynum played 8:07, and not at all in the fourth quarter. He scored one point after halftime, and got only one shot.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: For the Los Angeles Lakers, he’s the difference between mediocrity and greatness.

When Andrew Bynum is injured, struggling, or frustrated, the Lakers are vulnerable against bigger, athletic teams. Like, say, the Charlotte Bobcats.

On Monday, Team Jordan had their way with the purple-and-gold, dominating the paint in a blow out victory over the Lakers. 

While Bynum’s complaints about minutes and touches aren’t reason to panic, Coach Phil Jackson must keep Bynum happy. His well-being, both physical and mental, must be monitored.

After all, Bynum was involved in some viral gossip last week –the Lakers and Denver Nuggets reportedly discussed swapping the seven-footer for Carmelo Anthony. 

When Bynum is relatively healthy and focused, the Lakers are a tough match-up because of his size. Few teams can handle a frontcourt of Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Bynum.

For instance, Bynum, even with a wonky knee, was too much for the Boston Celtics to handle in game seven of the NBA Finals. His frame, length, and wingspan were key to the Lakers winning the championship.

To have any chance at a thee-peat, the Lakers need a healthy and happy Bynum. 

--Oly Sandor.

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

He wants to be better than Michael Jordan. Most people would be scared to admit that because that guy was that good and did that much. So you have to understand that what Kobe’s trying to get as a basketball player and what it takes to get there, a lot of us don’t even have the gall, the balls, the will.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Put the blame on Lamar Odom.

In a recent interview, the Los Angeles Lakers’ renaissance forward re-opened the Pandora’s Box known as Kobe-versus-Mike.

Odom states that Kobe Bryant’s goal is to be better than Michael Jordan, and the Black Mamba believes he can achieve this by passing His Airness’ total of six championships.

If only it were so simple.

Championships are one measure of a player’s greatness. The other has to be how that player performed during those championship series. In the other words, when the chips were on the line, what did the player do?

In this respect, Jordan has Bryant beat. It’s not even close.

After all, Jordan went six and zero in the NBA Finals. He never lost; nobody could touch him, as he won six Most Valuable Player awards.

Bryant is 5-2 in the NBA Finals. His Lakers have lost to the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics. For his first three championships, Bryant was a co-star next to the ‘Most Dominant Ever’ in Shaquille O’Neal.

Bryant wants to be better than Jordan; however, he can’t touch The Greatest of All Time. Not now; not ever.

--Oly Sandor.

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

If they're not, adding Jackson and the $19.3 million he is owed over the next two seasons wouldn't make sense for either party. "He's happy there," a confidant said of Jackson. "He loves the city of Charlotte, and he loves to play for one of the greatest players to play the game, Michael Jordan."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Well hallelujah. Stephen Jackson is ‘happy’ in Charlotte.

Apparently, the talented swing ‘loves’ the city of Charlotte and having Michael Jordan, the Bobcats’ owner, as his boss. So he wants to stay and fulfill the remaining two years and approximately $19 million on his contract.

There may not be a ‘happily ever after’, though.

Jackson often resmebles an impulsive teenager, changing his mind and word. Years ago, he turned down an extension from the world champion San Antonio Spurs to test the market and ended up with the lowly Atlanta Hawks.

More recently, he was enamoured with the Golden State Warriors and mad-scientist sideline boss Don Nelson. Then, like ‘Radio Raheem’ in Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing, the 'love became hate' and Jackson split from the Warriors and ‘Nellie’.

Of course, there’s another party in this relationship, the Bobcats. Jackson will become available if the club falls from the playoff race or if Jordan opts for long-term financial flexibility.

And Jackson's happiness won’t matter. Not one bit.

--Oly Sandor.

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

The Charlotte Bobcats have discussed a trade to send forward Gerald Wallace to the Cleveland Cavaliers, a league source told Yahoo! Sports.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The Cleveland Cavaliers must do something. And fast.

Earlier in the week, Team Dan Gilbert was routed by the world champion Los Angeles Lakers. In fact, routed doesn’t do the score justice: the Cavs’ scored 57 points, while the purple-and-gold had 112.

It’s time for change. After all, this is the NBA. Pro basketball teams aren’t supposed to double each other.

Is Charlotte’s Gerald Wallace the answer, though?

Sure, the swingman defends, hustles, and stuffs the stat sheet, but he also carries a big ticket – Wallace has two more years at $22 million on his contract – and isn’t a superstar.

This, however, may be a deal driven by both ownership groups.

Michael Jordan, the new Don of the Bobcats, needs to shed payroll until a new Collective Bargaining Agreement can be ironed out. Sending Wallace to Ohio will cut costs and appease owner Dan Gilbert, who’s Cavaliers haven’t done anything significant since losing LeBron James.

So this trade may be about the men in control of the Bobcats and Cavaliers: Jordan and Gilbert. And not the basketball court.

--Oly Sandor?

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

Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan was interested in making an offer to acquire Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets until, sources said, the All-Star forward informed Jordan through a representative that he had no interest in playing for the struggling Bobcats or signing a contract extension with them.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: As a player, Michael Jordan had influence. As an owner, he doesn’t have the same pull.

For instance, controversial forward Carmelo Anthony has politely said thanks but no thanks to joining Jordan’s Charlotte Bobcats.

The star forward recently told The GOAT he had no interest in signing a long-term extension in small market Charlotte and becoming the Bobcats’ saviour, so Jordan shouldn’t bother trying to acquire him from the Denver Nuggets.

Fair enough.

So Jordan has created a quagmire in Charlotte. As owner and head of basketball operations, he seems either unable or unwilling to draft and develop players.

This means he must build his squad through trades and free agency –which is problematic. For instance, superstars and top talent, like Anthony, prefer major markets with filthy rich owners to Jordan’s poorer, small market Bobcats.

Unfortunately, Jordan is again learning the hard way that owning and running a team is very different than starring for one.

--Oly Sandor.

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

Charlotte Bobcats Chairman and CEO Michael Jordan announced today that, effective immediately, Larry Brown is stepping down as head coach of the team.

"I met with Coach Brown two weeks ago about the team’s performance and what we could do to improve it,” said Jordan. “We met again this morning after practice. The team has clearly not lived up to either of our expectations and we both agreed that a change was necessary.

“This was a difficult decision for both of us, but one that needed to be made. I want to thank Larry for everything he has done for our team. He has played a key role in this organization’s development, including coaching us to our first playoff appearance last season. Larry will continue to be a valuable advisor to me regarding the team. The search for a successor will begin immediately.”

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HoopsVibe’s very Quick Call: Forever the nomad.

Larry Brown is out as coach of the lowly Charlotte Bobcats, who have failed to meet expectations after a fine 2010 season.

Brown's departure hardly comes as a surprise. He has never stayed with an organization for long and, despite being under contract with the Bobcats, had interest in openings with the L.A. Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers last summer.

Team Jordan is also terrible, losing by 30 points last night to the John Wall-less Washington Wizards.

Brown had seen enough. On to the next coaching gig for Mr. 'Play The Right Way' –wherever that may be.

--Oly Sandor.

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

Popular opinion may be decidedly against LeBron James and his decision to hook up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in some kind of Super Friends situation in Miami. Not Oakley.

“I love it. I think in the old days, you don’t win unless you get some right players to win with. You can say this and that about LeBron but Magic had Kareem, James Worthy, he had three or four hall of famers. Bird had three or four hall of famers. M.J. probably just had him and Scottie but when it was all said and done, you had great players around you to win.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: They don’t make them like Charles Oakley anymore.

He was an original; a one of a kind tough guy at the four-spot, who handled his business on-and-off court.

No modern player would slap their ‘union brother’ to collect a gambling debt or stake out another team’s practice to confront a certain point guard about disrespecting his lady friend. (Isn’t that right Tyrone Hill and Jeff McInnis?)

That’s old school. That’s Oak’.

He also speaks the truth. For instance, LeBron James deserved criticism for how he handled free agency. The Decision was disgusting.

However, King James did not deserve criticism for leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to sign with Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and the Miami Heat, especially from past greats like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan.

These Hall of Famers conveniently forgot about their supporting casts. Reading their condemnation of James, you’d think Larry-Legend, Magic, and Mike won all fourteen 
NBA Titles by themselves.

As Oakley points out, they had help. Lots of it.

Bird played with three Hall of Famers: Denis Johnson, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parrish. He also had Danny Ainge, Cedric Maxwell, and Bill Walton made a one season cameo as sixth-man.

Johnson teamed with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the game’s all-time leading scorer. ‘Big Game’ James Worthy is in the Hall of Fame. Michael Cooper, Kurt Rambis, Byron Scott, and Mychal Thompson didn’t hurt.    

This, of course, brings us to Jordan.

Jordan’s partner in crime was only Scottie Pippen, arguably the greatest wing-man in the history of pro basketball and a top fifty player of all time.

Then there was the dude with the bad hair, tattoos, and wedding dress. Dennis Rodman - despite his run on Dr. Drew's Celebrity Rehab - is regarded as the most prolific rebounder to ever put on a pair of high tops.

Throughout his career, ‘His Airness’ also played with useful pieces like BJ Armstrong, Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, Steve Kerr, and John Paxson.

The Celtics, Lakers, and Bulls weren’t one-man bands. Bird, Magic, and Jordan had stacked supporting cast.

Who did James have in Cleveland?

Well, there was Candace Parker’s brother. Don’t forget Daniel Gibson –better known as Keyshia Cole’s baby daddy. Jamario Moon was once a Harlem Globetrotter.

Veterans Antwan Jamison and Shaquille O’Neal were past their prime, while Mo Williams is undersized, streaky, and 'emo-tional'.

In South Beach, he has a once-in-a-generation talent in Wade. When The King and Flash get bored, they’ll toss the ball inside to CB4.   

Credit Oakley for speaking the truth: James made a smart basketball decision by signing with Miami. And he’ll likely get rewarded with championships. 

--Oly Sandor.

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It's not my call. That's on them," Jennings said. "But if you want to get technical about it and you really want to look at it, half of the guys there are Nike guys. I'm not saying it's a Nike thing, but Nike is kind of running a lot of things right now. To have a guy like myself on the USA team that's flashy and really outgoing, you don't want Under Armour to get all that [publicity]. "I'm just telling you how it is." 

Trade talks involving Bobcats center Erick Dampier are expected to increase beginning Monday. Dampier has a unique, voidable $13 million expiring contract.

A team can trade for Dampier and then waive him without having to absorb any of his salary.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Starting Monday, it’s on.

The Charlotte Bobcats - a small market, cap conscious team with dreams of heading back to the playoffs – will listen to offers for Erick Dampier. And Dampier will be in demand, just not for his on-court skill.

Beginning tomorrow, the veteran’s contract can be voided without penalty. A team could acquire him, waive him, and be off the hook for the final year of his $13 million contract.

In today’s economy, this is an in valuable asset. In fact, the Bobcats could trade him to a team looking to cut salary and get back a quality player.

Depending on the Bobcats’ finances, owner Michael Jordan could also release Dampier and re-sign him for less or release him and sign a cheaper post. This would help the team get under the luxury tax.

So Erick Dampier will be the focus of much speculation, and it’s all because of the business of basketball.

--Oly Sandor.

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Ira Winderman: Pat Riley says Chalmers likely ready for camp, but not Butler. Hints strongly at casting Wade or LeBron at point guard.(Twitter)

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Of course, the Miami Heat should use LeBron James and/or Dwyane Wade at point guard.

After all, James and Wade are two of the NBA’s premier players, meaning the ball will mostly be in their hands to run the offense and make key decisions.

The smart money is on James actually shifting from wing to lead-guard. Now The King can score. In fact, he can score at will. However, James excels when facilitating for teammates.

James has always been more Magic Johnson than Michael Jordan. But his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, needed him to score. So he did.

In South Beach, he’ll involve others. At 6-8 and 260 pounds, he’ll have a size and strength advantage over opposing point guards, creating mismatches on both ends of the floor.  

Look for the Heat to use James and Wade at point guard. The results shouldl impress.

-Oly Sandor.

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

I hate to see two great, great players -- in my mind, two of the top three in the league with he and Wade -- join up. I like seeing them go against each other. We're not going to see the greatness of each player on a nightly basis like we're accustomed to seeing. That's disappointing. But I can't blame LeBron because you're ultimately judged by the number of NBA rings on your finger, and that team is going to be one of the favorites.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: LeBron James and Dwyane Wade’s stature won’t decrease because they’re together with the Miami Heat.

If anything, it’s the opposite. Their greatness will increase.

Instead of being a one-man show, instead of making-do with sub-par co-stars, instead of bowing out prematurely in the playoffs year-after-year, James and Wade will play relevant basketball in May and June.

Great players need each other. And great players should bring out the best in each other.

Consider the past. Magic Johnson had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Larry Bird had Dennis Johnson, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parrish. Isiah Thomas had Joe Dumars. Or vice-versa. And Tim Duncan had David Robinson.

There’s a misconception a great player is only great if he’s leading ‘His Team’. One superstar is the general with eleven other players following.

What a crock.

Even the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan, had considerable help. During their championship run, Scottie Pippen was arguably the second best player in the NBA.

Pippen is a top fifty player of all-time. He’s in the Hall of Fame. He could pass, score, rebound, and finish in the open-court. His athleticism and ability to defend all five positions made him invaluable.

Expect James and Wade to excel together. They’re friends. They engineered this situation. And they’ll bring out the greatness in each other.

--Oly Sandor.

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

Jordan's 19-year-old son Marcus Jordan tweeted Aug. 20 about spending $35,000 at Haze at Aria Resort & Casino. "Last night was stupid... 35K at Haze," the University of Central Florida sophomore guard said. "Totals 50K something the whole day."

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The odometer keeps rolling. Now that Kobe Bryant's turned 32, how much of a decline can we expect in his game over the next few seasons? [When Michael] Jordan returned to the Chicago Bulls late in the 94-95 season -- at 32 -- he'd played only 778 NBA regular season and playoff games. By comparison, Kobe Bryant has already played a whopping 1,219 games, 57% more than Jordan at the same age. Kobe is clearly the NBA version of a Ferrari with high mileage. ... Bryant's stats have also dipped in several categories in the last five seasons: --Scoring per game: 35.4, 31.6, 28.3, 26.8, to 27.0 last season. --Free throw attempts per game: 10.2, 10.0, 9.0, 6.9, 7.4. --Minutes per game: 41.0, 40.8, 38.9, 36.1, 38.8.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: His numbers don't matter. Their numbers do.

The days of measuring Kobe Bryant's greatness by individual statistics are done. Instead, Black Mamba should be measured by championships he wins with the L.A. Lakers.

Nothing more.

The great ones, the creme de la creme of NBA talent, worry about one thing: the Larry O'Brien trophy.

Like it or not, Bryant's five championships put him on par with Magic Johnson. Another championship means he's in the conversation with Michael Jordan.

And when it's all said and done, total championships - not scoring, free throw attempts, and/or minutes - will be the real indicator of Bryant's greatness.

--Oly Sandor.

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

The Bobcats have agreed to terms on a contract with Kwame Brown. Brown will earn the league-minimum under a one-year deal that will reunite him with Michael Jordan, who drafted him first overall in Washington.

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``If Lebron is taking mental notes of everyone who is taking shots at him this summer, put me on top of your list!  I thought the one hour decision was a punk move.   I thought the dance in Miami was a punk move and I was very disappointed that he left Cleveland to join D.Wade's team."  (quote from Mike Greenberg`s ESPN morning show)

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Charles Barkley, how do you really feel?

The TNT broadcaster and Hall of Fame power forward has been rather outspoken in his criticism of LeBron James. Barkley didn’t like that James left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat. He also didn’t like how he left.

The Round Mound of Rebound’s latest comments came in response to James tweeting that he’s taking ‘mental notes’ on all his enemies, and wants revenge.

Two points are worth noting.

First, Barkley, a former regular season MVP, is wrong to knock James for joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in South beach.

James is at his best when facilitating instead of averaging 30 points per night. He’s more Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen, and Oscar Robertson than, say, Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan. As a facilitator, he needs great players like Wade and Bosh.

At least, James will sacrifice to win. Years ago, a certain four-man’s ego forced Pippen off Hakeem Olajuwon’s Houston squad, and compromised the Rockets’ chances of winning another NBA Title.

Sound familiar Chuck?

That said, there’s no excuse for how James left Cleveland. There’s no justification for him treating the folks who raised, loved, and supported him so badly.

Second, this again proves that The Decision created The Backlash. The ‘heat’ James is taking is self-induced. His tweet about ‘taking mental notes’ forced Barkley to comment.

Just like The Decision - his hour long ESPN special where he broke up with Cleveland for Miami - prompted the state of Ohio to burn his jerseys, while the rest of America named him public enemy number one.

If The Decision doesn’t happen, The Backlash doesn’t happen.

Perhaps James should take his mental notes silently. Perhaps Barkley should just be silent. Unfortunately, there’s zero chance of either happening.

--Oly Sandor.

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

Michael Jordan will present Scottie Pippen for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday.

Each inductee is presented by a current Hall of Famer.

"I can't think of a better person to do it," Pippen said.

"Michael is someone I shared my career with, accomplishing most of what I have accomplished thus far. He was a great teammate, teacher and admirer. I'm excited to have an opportunity to be the first person that he has presented into the Hall of Fame. I figure if anyone deserves to be on the stage with me, it's him."

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Ah Scottie, do you really want Michael Jordan presenting you for induction?

On the one hand, Pippen's decision is perfect. He and Jordan were the NBA's greatest all-time duo. They were Batman and Robin, Riggs and Murtaugh, and Andre 3000 and Big Boi.

Together, they won six NBA championships in eight years with the Chicago Bulls. They set the single-season win mark with 72. And they were tremendous on both ends of the floor.

On the other hand, Jordan's previous appearance at the HOF offended some. For the record, I had no issue with MJ's controversial acceptance speech.

Sure, he took shots at foes like Isiah Thomas and his grade ten coach. However, that was Jordan. Always competing; never letting go of past slights.

Of course, it's Pippen's night. He can pick whoever he likes to present him. Let's hope Jordan remembers this, too.

--Oly Sandor.

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

Bulls point guard Derrick Rose has no plans of ever leaving Chicago. "I'm never [leaving]," he said, before punctuating that statement. "Never."

Add Magic Johnson's voice to fellow Hall of Famer Michael Jordan's: Neither ever thought of combining forces the way LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh did earlier this month with the Miami Heat.

"We didn't think about it 'cause that's not what we were about," Johnson said at Baruch College in New York, according to Bloomberg News. "From college, I was trying to figure out how to beat Larry Bird."

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan 'didn't have to think about it' because they had help.

Loads of it.

Frankly, LeBron James doesn't leave Cleveland if he has Dennis Johnson, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parrish, or Horace Grant/Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen, or, like Magic, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, A.C. Green, Byron Scott, and James Worthy.

Who did James have with the Cavaliers? Anderson Varejao? Candace Parker's brother? Last year there was the old and overweight Shaquille O'Neal, who may soon be out the NBA.

Worst of all for James, this would never change because no star would come to Cleveland.

The creme de la creme of NBA prefer palm trees to Ohio winters. They prefer Malibu and South Beach to parka jackets and winter boots. They prefer major markets to blue-collar cities.

But James allowed Bird, Johnson, and Jordan to omit, alter, and twist reality with his free agent drama. The Decision' made him a target. And his spectacular failure in the second round of the NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics didn't help.

Now everyone is taking shots. Only championships will silence James' critics and even that may not be enough.

--Oly Sandor.

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

Michael Jordan talked about the decision made by LeBron James to sign with the Heat, joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

"There's no way, with hindsight, I would've ever called up Larry (Bird), called up Magic (Johnson) and said, 'Hey, look, let's get together and play on one team,'" Jordan said on Sunday. "But that's ... things are different. I can't say that's a bad thing. It's an opportunity these kids have today. In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys."

Chris Paul as a Charlotte Bobcat isn't crazy. I'm told it's a twinkle in the eyes of this team's decision-makers. There are a handful of places Paul would want to relocate in a trade, and Charlotte - near his suburban Winston-Salem home and possessing a Hall-of-Fame coach - should be among the viable candidates.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It’s a nice thought. Really, it is.

Superstar gets traded to his hometown. Superstar finds mentors in a Hall of Fame coach and retired superstar turned owner. Hall of Fame coach and retired superstar turned owner take the current superstar under their wing. The current superstar then leads his hometown to greatness.

Now for reality.

Chris Paul is not leaving small market New Orleans for small market Charlotte. It doesn’t matter that the Bobcats play near his home in Winston-Salem. Or that Larry Brown, for now, runs the sideline. Or that Michael Jordan is the majority owner.

Paul is about one thing: winning. 

The Bobcats would be too similar to New Orleans. They wouldn’t generate enough revenue to pay top talent and compete for a championship in the polarized, have-have not world of the NBA.

Paul knows this, so he’ll lobby for a trade to a major market like New York, New Jersey, or Miami. If his efforts for a trade fail, he’ll play out his contract and pick his new club as an unrestricted free agent in 2012.

And that – hometown or not – won’t be Charlotte.

--Oly Sandor.

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

The Timberwolves are close to signing free-agent point guard Luke Ridnour to a multiyear deal, according to league sources. The Minneapolis Star Tribune is reporting that the contract is worth $16 million over four years.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Luke Ridnour is in. Ramon Sessions is apparently out.

Reports indicate the Minnesota Timberwolves are on the verge of signing Ridnour, a veteran table-setter who'd make an ideal mentor and back-up to Jonny Flynn and Ricky Rubio -provided the Spaniard ever arrives in The Frozen Tundra of 'Sota.

Landing Ridnour is a solid move; however, it's surprising how quickly the Wolves soured on Sessions. One year ago he also signed a four-year, $16 million deal to serve as the club's reserve point guard.

Something changed last season. And now something else has to change before next season.

Expect Minnesota to shop Sessions, and the Charlotte Bobcats - who wisely backed out of a deal with the Toronto Raptors for Jose Calderon - will have interest.

After all, Charlotte executive Michael Jordan has a hole to fill at the one-spot after Ray Felton signed with the New York Knicks.

So the Ridnour signing won't be the last of the Wolves' busy off-season.

--Oly Sandor.

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

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: He’s still the OG of all-time greats. And he still wields tremendous clout.

For instance, Michael Jordan, the owner of the Charlotte Bobcats and the NBA’s all-time greatest player, was recently asked at his basketball camp who he’d take: Kobe Bryant or LeBron James?

His one word answer sends a hundred ten year old campers into a frenzy of epic proportion and nearly causes an adolescent, Agent Cody Banks style riot.

Watch the video and get at us with thoughts on Jordan’s answer to Kobe or LeBron.

--Oly Sandor.

"No One ...  And I mean NO ONE should ever com par kobe Bryant to my dad an say that he is anywhere near close to my dad."

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Perhaps, Jordan's son - a member of Florida Central's University basketball team - was feeling sentimental because of Father's Day.

Of course, the younger Jordan is going to have his old man's back. However, he's wrong about not being able to make a comparison between the two greats.

Kobe has five championships, a gold medal, two playoff MVPs and a regular season MVP, while MJ has six championships, a gold medal, and 6 playoff MVPs to go with recognition as the game's best player during the regular season.

Sure, Bryant's numbers aren't superior to Jordan's, but - after the Lakers 2010 NBA Title - you can now have a legitimate conversation about who's better.

And while Jordan's extra championship and Defensive Player of the Year award gives him a slight edge, Bryant's career is far from over.

Got thoughts on Bryant vs. Jordan?

The Lakers have the best player, but Boston's depth of big-time playmakers will prevail in a game like this. I count eight Celtics -- the four current or former All-Stars in their starting lineup, plus Rasheed Wallace, Glen Davis, Nate Robinson’s and little-used Michael Finley, a three-point shooter with the potential to become this game's Steve Kerr -- who have it in them to make the big shot. The absence of Kendrick Perkins may create more offense for the Celtics, and they'll make up for his rebounding with a team effort led by Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo. Anticipate nothing less than a tightly wound classic played to a tempo that suits Boston.

Click here for Ian Thomsen's official game seven prediction and more analysis from the CNNSI crew.

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: The Boston Celtics are deserving of respect.

Consider their road to the NBA Finals. First, they took out Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat -despite some questionable tactics from Kevin Garnett. They made the Cleveland Cavaliers – the NBA’s best team in the regular season – implode, which, unfortunately, gave us an extra month of The LeBron Watch. They then coolly took out the Orlando Magic, the reigning Eastern Conference champions, in six games.

This was a most improbable run for a club that was supposedly dead, gone, and over at mid-season. Clearly, they saved their best for last, though.

The green-and-white have now pushed the defending champion and heavily favoured Lakers to the limit. The secret to Boston’s success: inspired team play on the defensive end.

Look at the NBA Finals: they’ve mostly contained Ron Artest and Lamar Odom; they’ve battled superstar Pau Gasol; and they’ve made the immortal Kobe Bryant look surprisingly mortal.

Doc Rivers’ crew is an all-time great defensive team. They can hang with any of Phil Jackson’s Chicago teams that had notable defenders like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Horace Grant/Dennis Rodman. And they hold their own against Detroit’s Bad Boys and any of Pat Riley’s squads in Los Angeles or New York.

Offensively, somebody different carries the load each night. For instance, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo have all had moments.

Of course, reserves Glen Davis and Nate Robinson – also known as Shrek and Donkey - won game four of the NBA Finals. And the defending Sprite Slam Dunk Champion went off in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals, too.

That said, the Lakers have the edge in the decisive game-seven. Here’s why:

1) Home-court matters: The purple-and-gold is a different team at home. They’re confident. They’re nasty. And they’re arrogant.     

2) No Perk’: The Celtics will miss Kendrick Perkins. They lack the size to win the paint, and contain Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol.

3) Kobe Bryant: He’s the best player on either team. He’s the best player in the NBA. And he understands tonight is a legacy game.

Bryant – if he wants to be considered an all-time great – can’t afford a loss. After all, five championships are far better than four. And two losses to the arch rival Celtics in the NBA Finals would be devastating.

Expect Bryant to drop a Jordan-like effort. And HoopsVibe News expects the Lakers to win.

Prediction for game-seven of the 2010 NBA Finals: Lakers 95, Boston 88.

Got thoughts? What is your prediction for game-seven of the NBA Finals?  

Danny Ferry is out as general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers, choosing not to re-sign his contract that was set to expire in June. The decision comes as a surprise but was made days ago, and complicates the most important offseason in team history.

Ferry's departure Friday after five seasons occurred two weeks after the club fired coach Mike Brown following the team's second-round loss to the Boston Celtics in the NBA playoffs. It also comes as the team is making plans to try to re-sign two-time MVP LeBron James, who will be a free agent next month.

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HoopsVibe's Quick Call: It's official. The inmate, LeBron James, is running the asylum -even if he has a foot out the free agent door.

Ferry's firing comes as a surprise because days ago reports indicated the retired forward and owner Dan Gilbert had essentially agreed on an extension.

Apparently, the stumbling block was authority. Ferry rightfully thought a GM needed control over basketball operations. He wasn't prepared to deal with Gilbert or James meddling in personnel decisions.

So he left.

Assistant GM Chris Grant will slide into the big chair in the executive suite. However, it remains to be seen how much authority Grant will have as the new GM.

Expect Gilbert to be very involved this summer. If James resigns, Gilbert and Grant will likely let the superstar pick the new coach and have a large say in all basketball related decisions.

This isn't the way to run a winning organization. For instance, Tim Duncan always defers to coach Gregg Popovich and executive R.C. Buford. The Los Angeles Lakers started winning when Kobe Bryant quit commenting to random fans outside of strip malls about swapping Andrew Bynum for Jason Kidd and focused on basketball. And even the great Michael Jordan had little say in the happenings of the Chicago Bulls.

So Gilbert, who doesn't have James' name on a new deal, is taking a risk in re-structuring his entire organization to suit his free agent superstar.

Got thoughts on Ferry leaving the Cavaliers? Let us know in the comment box below.

Kobe Byrant may be better than Michael Jordan, but the public may not ever let him believe it. The unfortunate truth for Kobe is he can never be Michael because he isn't thought of as likable as Jordan, also the greatest commercial pitchman ever for an athlete. ... "Let's say he does get two more rings," Tim Legler, the former player and now an ESPN analyst, said recently in a telephone interview. "Even if he doesn't win any more MVP awards, he will probably approach Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record. You absolutely can make a valid argument for Kobe being the greatest ever when that happens. "But he will never be revered like Michael Jordan will be revered," Legler added.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Michael Jordan was a hero. Kobe Bryant is the anti-hero.

Jordan was one of a kind; an athlete who appealed to men and women, and transcended the NBA. He parlayed that appeal and likeability into a multi-million dollar fortune from sponsors.

Bryant is also unique. Fair or not, he's the villian. He's the 'bad guy' at the end of the movie, a select few cheer for, but most cheer against.

It's always been this way with Bryant. His fate was sealed at seventeen when he declared himself NBA ready at a press conference, where he donned Bono-esque shades on top of his dome. Months later, he made headlines by ditching his longtime girlfriend to take Moesha/Brandy to the prom. 

Of course, we've all made mistakes and exercised poor judgement. Problem is, Bryant being in the public eye made himself a target. And by developing into the game's greatest player, he's become its greatest villain, too.

Is Bryant the NBA's anti-hero or villain? Get at us with thoughts in the comment box below. 

Usually in professional sports, the coach is selling the free agent player on his team as a potential destination. The Los Angeles Clippers are prepared to take a different approach. As the only team without a coach that doesn't appear to be looking, reports say that the Clippers are prepared to offer big-name free agents something in addition to the maximum contract: pick your own coach. That's right, the plan in Los Angeles might be to use the coaching vacancy as an additional draw to free agents like Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and even Lebron James. They all know they will get the maximum salary, but where else can they pick their coach?

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HoopsVibe Call: It's why the Clippers are the Clippers. And it's why they'll remain a league laughingstock.

Despite having talented players, coaches, and executives, Los Angeles' other team can't get their act together. Allowing star free agents like Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and even Dwyane Wade to pick their next coach is another example of their lunacy.

Good organizations don't let the inmates - regardless of how talented Bosh, James, and Wade are - run the asylum. For instance, in San Antonio, Tim Duncan has always deferred to coach Gregg Popovich, which forces his teammates to listen to the veteran sideline boss.

Across town, Kobe Bryant, like it or not, follows Laker coach Phil Jackson -even though he oftens seems more like the duplicitous Machiavelli than the peaceful Zen-Master. And Michael Jordan also followed Jackson when they won six NBA Titles with the Chicago Bulls.

Having a player - regardless of how great he is - select their next coach makes that coach a subordinate. And this is a recipe for disaster. Of course, leave it to the Clippers, one of the worst organizations in pro sport, to make this blunder.

Should Bosh, James, or Wade get to pick the Clippers' next coach? Should any player get to pick his coach? Get at us in the comment box below with thoughts.     

LeBron James has had a lot of power in Cleveland, according to ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher.

Sources told Bucher that James vetoed trades he didn't like for the Cavaliers, while pushing other deals through that he thought would help the team.

Any team that signs LeBron will likely have to set a basis for how much power he'll have in the front office.

Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf never gave that type of power to Michael Jordan, so it's doubtful he'd give it to James.

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“One time we played in Washington. We played a five game series against the Bulls. It was the year they won 72 games. We lose all three games by a total of seven points. I saw Michael Jordan come into our locker room with a cigar, while it was lit, and said, ‘Who’s going to check me tonight?’ And we looked at Calbert Cheaney and we were laughing like little school kids knowing that Calbert Cheaney was going to get him, we knew it wasn’t a game for Mike. He was going to be there and he was going to be playing like he said. Game Three we get off the bus and Juwan (Howard) is from Chicago and used to workout there. I’ll never forget, Jordan was sitting on his Ferrari and Pippen was right there and they have a cigar lit. We get off the bus and we have to pass them with a lit cigar. You want to talk about posturing? Forget Phil Jackson. You got Michael Jordan there behind the scenes smoking a cigar before the game, letting us know that he’s the Red Auerbach before the game even started. It was almost like, ‘I lit the cigar. I’m celebrating already. This is just a formality, you guys getting on the court tonight.” 

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Van Gundy says that fans and media "view players primarily as scorers … and view most everything else as secondary," meaning they overlook Van Gundy's guy, Dwight Howard, the favorite to repeat as defensive player of the year.

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"We were playing Michael (expletive) Jordan tonight, the way he was getting the whistle," Garnett said in a post-game news conference. "Durant damn near shot more free throws than our whole team. That's the game." 

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