Just when you thought Gilbert Arenas' gun troubles were over, they get just a little bit worse. This time, it's Gil's woes aren't due to gun possession but, unusually, non-possession. You see, it turns out that the former All-Star and current felon dropped some dough in the February of 2006 to expand his prolific gun collection.
When Gilbert Arenas returns to the Washington Wizards next year-- if he returns to the Wizards next year-- he'll be wearing a new number. The man who wore the number zero because it was the number of minutes his detractors predicted he would play during his freshman year at Arizona will instead don the number six.
"Flip is definitely doing his job," Blatche said. "I just don't feel like guys are listening and following behind what he says and what he wants us to do." Never a good sign, eight games into the season.
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Andray Blatche will never learn. Ever.
For years, the Washington Wizards have hoped the talented forward would grow up and mature. That, however, seems unlikely.
Blatche's latest infraction: telling reporters the team has tuned-out veteran coach Flip Saunders.
This, of course, could be true, but nothing is gained by going public with such declarations. Saunders looks like a lame-duck sideline boss; Blatche's splotchy reputation takes another hit; and the Wizards once again look dysfunctional.
Bottom line: the Wizards are a miserable 0-8, so changes are coming. It's a when and a who, not an if.
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In his first proper interview with the media since the gun fiasco that saw him suspended for the season Gilbert Arenas opens up on all manner of matters. The full interview with Esquire is interesting, but in particular the detail that he once owned 400-500 guns that he bought from a collector in his seventies is striking. Here's the excerpt:
“He probably was talking about me for the simple fact that I said I need the ball in the paint to be effective,” Blatche said. “You can’t keep having me pick and pop and shooting jumpshots. Gimme the ball in the paint. That’s where I’m most effiective at. I’ve been saying that since training camp. I need the ball in the paint. I don’t wand to be the pick-and-pop guy I used to be because it’s not working for me.”
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It would be oh-so easy to criticize Andray Blatche’s comments, especially when considering his track record.
After all, Blatche, a talented post with the Washington Wizards, has a track record. Consider the following:
1) When he first entered the league, veterans mocked his poor professionalism. 2) He openly feuded with coach Flip Saunders over playing time. 3) He got angry at a teammate for grabbing a rebound that fell in his hands and prevented him from registering a triple-double. 4) And he fought teammate JaValee McGee outside the club.
This time it‘s different, though. Blatche is making sense.
When asked about Coach Flip Saunders’ comments following the Washington Wizards’ season opener, the young forward explained he wanted the ball in the post to balance the offense.
And he’s right. Blatche's ability to attract double-teams in the paint would provide open looks for young point guard John Wall and shooting guards Jordan Crawford and Nick Young.
The Wizards’ perimeter players - like Wall, a former first overall pick trying to make his mark in the NBA - wouldn’t have to force shots down the stretch.
Credit Blatche for taking a measured tone. Perhaps after years of struggles, he's learning.
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People are really serious about John Wall. He’s really going to be the next GOAT (Greatest Of All Time). In his prime, he will average 32 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals. That’s what the streets are saying. Wall surpasses Magic Johnson and LeBron James. He’s also a certified lock for Hall of Fame. John will accumulate 6 MVP awards and 7 rings. That’s what the streets are saying; you know what I’m saying?
Rumors that Gilbert Arenas would be making his merry way down to Central Florida have lingered for months , but that mahoosive contract of his had evidently been a deterrent for the Magic. The word on the wires now, however, is that Otis Smith, whose close relationship with Hibachi is said to be a factor, has finally agreed to, ahem, pull the trigger on a deal that would bring Gilbert Arenas to the Orlando Magic.
The regular has ended some time ago and it’s time to touch on the players and moments that made this season memorable. The playoffs just started and it is going to take awhile to determine the champion, but I’d like take this time to look back at stuff that impacted the season and future to come. Hold up. There will be some moments that did not impact the season. It was just funny to point out. Dwight Howard wins another Defensive Player of the Year, Scott Brooks wins Coach of the Year, and Aaron Brooks won Most Improved Player. We can safely assume that LeBron James won Most Valuable Player.
Metta World Peace says his childhood hero Michael Jordan left the NBA players high and dry in the never-ending lockout drama -- by forgetting he was once one of them ... and acting like every other stubborn owner. Jordan -- the Charlotte Bobcats' big cheese -- is among a group of NBA owners who are taking a hard line with the players in the lockout negotiations. According to MWP, the players don't hate His Airness ... they just feel like, "he didn't support us when we most needed him."
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It’s fair criticism. Especially considering it came from a man who prefers Metta World Peace to his government name.
Ron Artest, who recently changed his name to Metta World Peace, believes Michael Jordan should have done far more to bridge the gap in CBA negotiations between players and owners.
Jordan, of course, was the superstar many current NBA players grew up watching and following. And Jordan, of course, was the reason many of them make the money they do today.
And Jordan, of course, was dedicated to the Players Union, once telling former Washington owner Abe Pollin he should sell the Wizards if couldn’t make a profit.
That’s a distant memory.
The same Jordan is now a Hawk. He owns the small market Charlotte Bobcats. More than any owner, he’s pushing to destroy the Players Union in negotiations.
Winning isn’t enough. He wants total victory; to destroy the same Players Union he benefited from by 50 points.
For instance, Jordan wants the owners to have a 53% share of Basketball Related Income and won’t concede on system issues like a hard-cap.
Instead of using his unique experiences to bring players and owners together, Jordan’s stinginess, hypocrisy, and hard-line approach is driving the two sides apart.
Once again, The Greatest of all Time is showing his true colours. And current players aren`t impressed with what they`re seeing.
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A group of between 10 and 14 owners, led by Michael Jordan, is promising to oppose any deal that gives players more than 50 percent of revenue. This group of owners wants the players' share of BRI not to exceed 47 percent and was upset when the NBA proposed a 50-50 split.
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The Jordan Rules live on.
Years ago, Sam Smith, the legendary beat writer for the Chicago Bulls, wrote a best-selling book called The Jordan Rules, detailing how Michael Jordan was, a hypocrite.
Yes, he was the greatest ever. And yes, he was the most recognized person in the world.
He had flaws, though. According to Smith, Jordan worried more about scoring than winning, struggled with teammates, and operated by his rules.
Smith’s view was reinforced during the lockout of 1998 when Jordan told Washington Wizards’ owner Abe Pollin to sell his team if he can’t profit.
Of course, Jordan became an owner a few years later -with Pollin’s Wizards, too!
Today, Jordan has a controlling share of the struggling Charlotte Bobcats. The man who told Pollin to sell if he can’t make money is the league’s greatest Hawk, refusing to compromise in negotiations.
Jordan is opposed to a 50-50 split of Basketball Related Income. He, and other small market owners, want a 53% share.
Why is Jordan such a hardliner? Like Pollin, he can’t profit.
However, Jordan the owner won’t listen to Jordan the player and sell. Different rules still exist when you're The Greatest of all Time.
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"When I'm done playing, I don't want people to say, Michael Jordan is the best player. I want that to be me. That's how I am. That's how I was built." And he's got some support in his opinion. "I feel like I'm better than him, anyway," he said. "My mom is going to say I'm better than him."
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Jordan Crawford, I wish you luck. You’ll need it.
The Washington Wizards combo guard recently declared that he believes he can surpass the great Michael Jordan in basketball prowess.
Translation: he doesn’t want to Be Like Mike. He thinks he can Be Better Than Mike.
I’m all for ambition, however, Crawford’s statements are ludicrous, bizarre, and unattainable. There is one ‘MJ’. And Crawford, while talented and engaging, will never match the career of perhaps the greatest player of all time.
Worst of all, Crawford ignored the reporter, who gave him the opportunity to clarify his comments, and made things worse by continuing to boast.
Now the media will focus on Wizards` young and somewhat certifiable talent.
--Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
“It’s very sad, but everybody knows it’s not our fault,” the Chicago Bulls point guard and reigning NBA most valuable player said Saturday. “If it was up to us we’d be out there playing. I think that is wrong and I know they could easily take care of it.”
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: I don’t think the players or their union get it. Fault doesn’t matter. Leverage does.
Currently, the owners have leverage in negotiations and intend on using it to right and correct the league’s habit of overpaying their middle class.
The list of mistakes is long and dubious. However, three stand out:
1) Eddy Curry. The puffy post received $33 million from the New York Knicks to play in just 33 games over the last three seasons.
2) Gilbert Arenas. Despite having few suitors, an eccentric personality, and creaky knees, The Hibachi was give a six-year, $111 million contract courtesy of the Washington Wizards.
It’s worth noting this was at least $20 million more than any other team was willing to pay and Arenas claims he left money on the table with the Wizards.
3) Rashard Lewis. Most teams would like a stretch four who can produce 12-15 points per game, however, they wouldn’t want to pay him over $20 million per season.
The Orlando Magic and they got one good season for Lewis before trading him to Washington for, wait for it, Arenas.
There are dozens of other mistakes. Of course, this, like Rose says, is on the owners for misjudging talent and empowering their executives to pay players like the money was endless.
It isn’t.
The economy has changed. Many - especially in smaller, have-not markets - feel the NBA isn’t worth their disposable income, so owners must have a full scale correction.
This means a 50-50 split of Basketball Related Income. This means a re-do of system issues. And this means the pendulum swings back in favour of the owners.
Fault doesn’t matter in such a charged climate. Only leverage does. And the players, who have none, are learning this the hard way.
--O. Sandor.
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In a news conference later, union President Derek Fisher didn’t appear to be ruffled by what McGee said. “The person that spent the least amount of time in the room can’t make that statement,” Fisher said. “He’s in no position to make that statement on behalf of the group.”
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Remember the ribbing JaVale McGee took when his mum smooched with judges at the Slam Dunk Contest?
Or, the criticism he took for fighting Washington Wizards teammate Andray Blatche outside a DC nightclub?
Well, that’s nothing.
The Wizards forward is facing heat for comments he made that some NBA players were prepared to fold, take the owners’ current offer, and end the work stoppage.
His union brethren responded rather viscously, saying McGee was in no position to make such comments.
This brings up an interesting aside: as this dispute drags on certain players, like McGee, will speak out of turn.
Will they face a backlash on-court from their peers when the work dispute is solved? And how will they be received by teammates in their own locker room?
Certainly McGee is being made an example of. The message is clear: keep quiet or face consequences.
--O.Sandor.
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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: John Wall, the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, had an up-and-down rookie season with the Washington Wizards.
For what it’s worth, Wall has impressed during the Pro-Am series. Click the video, watch the highlights of Wall, and get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
O.Sandor
“You sign me to a deal, you think I’m going to say, ‘No, I deserve $50 [million] instead of $80 [million]?’ I’m like, ‘Hell, yeah.’ I’m not going to turn it down. You can’t blame the players. If anything, we don’t negotiate the deal. We’ve got agents that negotiate the deals with the team. Y’all need to go talk to the teams and the agents.”
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Two words for Rashard Lewis. Save it.
The stretch four-man for the Washington Wizards may have a point about the owners' spending habits, however, the ‘Average Joe’ has little time, interest, or sympathy in millionaire players and billionaire owners point the figure and blame each other.
What they want is a season. And now.
Lewis needs to step outside his bubble, consider the American economy, and reflect on what a fan must think hearing him complain.
After all, Lewis is an overrated and overpaid. He’s a decent scorer raking in superstar money and could be the poster boy for the NBA's current state of fiscal mismanagement.
The league’s middle class makes too much. The list of decent-to-average players earning tens of millions of dollars is a problem.
So the owners have decided they’ll get cost certainty with a hard cap and better split of Basketball Related Income, which, by the way, still guarantees Lewis a luxurious life.
--Oly Sandor.
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“I’m 25 years old,” said Blatche, who celebrated his birthday last month with John Wall, Hamady Ndiaye, Josh Howard and Trevor Booker in South Beach. “I’ve been in the league six years now. I know my goal. I want to be an all-star. And to be an all-star, I have to make changes, and those are the changes that I have to make now.
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: His actions will speak louder than his words.
Andray Blatche can talk about changing his lifestyle and cutting out the negative influences, however, only he can realize his goal of becoming an NBA All-Star.
For that to happen he must put his team, the Washington Wizards, first -which means he stops fighting with coach Flip Saunders, stops fighting teammates for statistics to get a triple-double, and stops fighting teammates in nightclubs.
Amongst all the drama is a world of talent. Blatche is a stretch-four, with a wonderful skill-set and flair for the game.
Now is the time. Blatche is in the first year of a multi-year deal for $35 million, so there are expectations.
It seems only he and the Wizards have faith it will happen.
--Oly Sandor
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Javaris Crittenton has been charged with murder after a woman was shot on an Atlanta street. Jullian Jones was shot and killed on August 19th. Police spokesman Carlos Campos said a murder warrant for the arrest of Crittenton had been issued and that he was not in custody.
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Many felt Javaris Crittenton’s incident with Gilbert Arenas twenty months ago was unfortunate.
But nobody was hurt when Crittenton and Arenas brought guns into the Washington Wizards’ locker room and put them on a table when a dispute unfolded between the two guards.
How would the same people feel about reports Crittenton is wanted in the murder of an Atlanta mother of four?
One word: tragic.
A life is lost. And Crittenton, who claimed to have learned from the incident with Arenas, has made an awful mistake.
--Oly Sandor.
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Finally, NBA Commissioner David Stern could not take it anymore. “All right, you want to go tit for tat, I’ll go tit for tat,” Stern said, according to the participants. “I’ll see you J.J. Barea and raise you Eddy Curry.” A shot to the gut, just like that.
HoopsVibe`s Very Quick Call: Touché David Stern.
Players and owners met last June during the Finals to discuss the state of the NBA’s finances, and the two sides, as expected, argued over the amount owners were paying players.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban complained that a former player, Tariq Abdul-Wahad, didn’t do much of anything after signing a multi-year deal for $40 million.
The players countered by saying Cuban was getting a deal by paying combo guard J.J. Barea a relatively low annual salary of $1 million.
Then Commissioner Stern ended the conversation by mentioning Eddy Curry, who earned an appalling $33 million for playing in 31 games over the last three years.
He's right. NBA players are overpaid, specifically the very well-to-do middle class. And the list of players stealing money is in the dozens.
Here’s the question: is this the players fault?
Last I checked the owners signed the checks. Last I checked the owners hired general managers, who were supposed to have the ability to pass on bad contracts.
For instance, nobody forced Abe Pollin and the Washington Wizards to bid against themselves and sign Gilbert Arenas to a six-year, $111 million contract.
Arenas was coming off several knee surgeries. No team was willing to give the combo guard anything close to $111 million. Except, of course, Pollin.
Since signing his mega-deal, Arenas has been suspended for bringing guns into the team’s locker room and was shipped to Orlando, where he rarely played. And the Wizards haven’t been the same since.
So Stern is right. Players earn too much. He should look, in part, to the owners he represents, and not just the players.
However, we doubt Stern will will raise this point when owners and players finally meet next week to start negotiating the new collective bargaining agreement.
--Oly Sandor.
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Heard a had a lot of booo's and haters out there tonite...but thanks y'all give me more motivation to keep workin...Thanks
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: At least John Wall didn’t push a fan in the face.
Recently John Wall dominated a run in his home state of North Carolina, however, winning the game and scoring 36 points didn't sit well with the locals.
Wall was booed. Again and again. And for no good reason.
Thankfully, the Washington Wizards combo guard didn’t overreact. He did react like a star in the viral age, taking a shot or two at ‘the haters’ via twitter.
Fair enough.
It would be nice if Wall didn’t tweet a thing, though. His team won. He was the best player.
What else is there to say? What else matters?
Anyway, watch the video of Wall tearing up the NC Pro-Am and get at HoopsVibe News with thoughts in the comment box below.
--Oly Sandor.
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Anything Kevin Durant can do, Nick Young can do better.
Well, almost.
Durant obviously trumps Young, however, the Washington Wizards swing dropped a Durant-like 60 points in summer action with the Drew League.
(Quick aside: Durant had a mere 41 points yesterday at the Nike Pro City game.)
Anyway, click the link, watch the video, and get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
--Oly Sandor.
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I have seen this process firsthand. When I coached for the Clippers, I had to deal with Michael Olowokandi, a player who perfectly fit the description "talented but uncoachable." At practice, I would attempt to point out Mr. Olowokandi's faults to him, ones he constantly repeated and resulted in lost possessions for the team or personal fouls that sent him to the bench. His reaction to my attempts to correct his bad habits was to take my input as a personal insult and embarrassment. He told me point-blank that he would not be criticized in front of the team. He stuck to his word and, as a result, had very few successful moments on the court playing the way he wanted to play. He took his place on the list of athletically gifted washouts who have been in and out of the league in the past 10 years.
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is right. Michael Olowokandi is one of many ‘athletically, gifted washouts’.
The problems start with the team. Not the players. Too many owners, executives, and coaches pay based on potential.
For instance, how many bigs, like Olowokandi, get $8-10 million per season because they’re big? That’s it. They’ve done nothing. They’ve achieved nothing. But they’re seven-feet, which makes them worthy of a contract that should offend.
Except it doesn’t offend. It’s the norm. Nobody blinks when Andrea Bargnani, Calvin Booth, Kwame Brown, Eddy Curry, Brendan Haywood, Kenyon Martin, Bryant Reeves, Tyrus Thomas, and dozens of other stiffs get theirs.
Or, how about the Washington Wizards bidding against themselves and doling out $111 million over six-years to combo guard Gilbert Arenas, despite The Hibachi having undergone three surgeries on his brittle knees?
There are other absurd contracts. The money, of course, creates entitlement. It’s why Olowokandi believes he's above being coached, even when that coach is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, a former master in the paint, a world champion, and league MVP.
The ‘Skyhook’ is right. The ‘washout’ era needs to end. Hopefully, the new financial system changes the money and power teams give unproven and undeserving players.
--Oly Sandor.
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The Mavericks closed out the series on Sunday night with a 105-95 win in Game 6 before taking to South Beach club LIV to celebrate with the Larry O'Brien trophy. On Monday, the Mavericks flew home to Dallas, where Stevenson was spotted wearing a Mavericks blue and white t-shirt with lettering that read: "Hey LeBron! How's my Dirk taste?"
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: To the victors go the spoils. It also means they get the last laugh.
Take DeShawn Stevenson, the controversial and outspoken guard for the world champion Dallas Mavericks. Stevenson, whose beef with LeBron James goes back to their days with the Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers, was unusually quiet during the NBA Finals.
Perhaps he didn’t want to make James mad. Perhaps he didn’t want to create a distraction. Perhaps he wanted to focus on winning.
Well, the Finals is over. The Mavericks won. And Stevenson is making up for lost time.
First, he called the Heat ‘classless’. Then he sported a t-shirt saying ‘Hey LeBron! How's my Dirk taste?’. The best part of his ‘t-shirt’: it had an HDTV logo on it, the company Mavericks owner Mark Cuban founded.
For now, Stevenson has bragging rights. And he's enjoying it.
--Oly Sandor.
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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It’s one thing to miss a dunk. It’s another thing to miss a dunk and celebrate prematurely. It’s even worse to miss a dunk, celebrate prematurely, and inadvertently cause your teammate to travel.
The Boston Celtics’ Von Wafer did all three on one play against the Washington Wizards. Click the video below and get at HoopsVibe News with thoughts.
--Oly Sandor.
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: JaVale McGee finally got a taste of his own medicine. For months, he's been leading the league in highlight reel blocks.
Yesterday, the tables were turned. The Charlotte Bobcats’ Dominic McGuire swatted the you-know-what out of McGee’s dunk attempt.
Like Chris Gatling with Shawn Kemp so many years ago (click here and see dunk #5) , the Washington Wizards’ post held no grudge and showed McGuire love.
--Oly Sandor.
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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Boys will be boys, I guess.
Tonight’s Miami Heat-Washington Wizards game was full of piss-and-vinegar due to a second quarter skirmish between first overall pick John Wall and veteran Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
Wall, who was clearly in the wrong, got ejected. Big ‘Z’ was also sent to the showers for his role in things.
This, however, wasn’t the interesting part.
JaVale McGee and Juwan Howard both rushed to defend teammates Wall and Ilgauskas. They engaged in a shoving match before being separated. Amazingly, the referees ejected Howard, but McGee escaped with only a technical foul.
How does this work? Did McGee’s mother give the zebras pecks on the cheek before the game like the recent Slam Dunk Contest?
Anyway, the rest of the game was competitive, full of testosterone, and highly entertaining. If you’re wondering, the Heat won 123-107 –much to the chagrin of a sold out Verizon Centre.
Watch the clip of Wednesday’s donnybrook and get at us with thoughts in the comment box below.
--Oly Sandor.
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Revenge is best served cold. Or with a deadly swat.
About a month ago, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin topped the Washington Wizards’ JaVale McGee to win the Slam Dunk Contest.
Griffin won the competition with his memorable car leap, neutralizing McGee’s effort, which included having his mother give cheek pecks (and a little something more to Dr. J) to the judges.
Last night McGee got revenge. Well, sort of. He swatted the you-know-what out of a Griffin shot attempt.
Of course, Griffin’s Clippers beat McGee’s Wizards in triple overtime. And the sure-fire Rookie of the Year candidate also dropped a triple-double in the victory.
McGee had his moment, though. Watch the clip and get at us with thoughts on his incredible block in the comment box below.
--Oly Sandor.
“I got a triple-double,” McGee said. “Who can say they got a triple-double? I’m not really worried about it.”
McGee said, if anything, he was upset that some tried to discredit his accomplishment by comparing it to other failed triple-double quests — such as the one eight years ago by Ricky Davis, who was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers when he attempted to rebound his own miss on his basket in order to get a triple-double in a win against Utah. Davis finished with 26 points, 12 assists, and 9 rebounds.
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It wasn’t as bad as Andray Blatche or Ricky Davis. It was close, however.
This week, JaVale McGee got a triple-double. Sadly, the young post showed too much emotion when he achieved his statistical feat, especially since his Washington Wizards were getting blown out by the Chicago Bulls.
Clearly, there’s a problem with the working environment of the Wizards. Their young building blocks like Blatche and McGee seem overly concerned with ‘getting there’s’.
They seem to be suffering from what Pat Riley calls me-disease, spending too much time on individual goals like minutes, points, blocks and rebounds.
While winning, the only number that should matter in basketball, is an afterthought.
Worst of all, McGee is defiant. He doesn’t see the error of his ways. And he won’t admit to getting carried away or lost in the moment.
With players like Blatche and McGee, the Wizards will be hard pressed to turn things around.
--Oly Sandor.
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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.
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: What’s worse? To get your ankles broken by an aging veteran or to have your teammates taunt you for it?
Welcome to J.J. Redick’s world. The former Duke star was mocked by his Orlando Magic brethren for getting crossed over by the Washington Wizards’ Kirk Hinrich.
While Hinrich isn’t exactly And1 material, Redick could still do without Jameer Nelson recreating the play –even if the Magic were up by 25 in the third quarter.
--Oly Sandor.
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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It was nasty, even by youtube, poster-job standards.
Yesterday, Washington Wizards three-man Al Thornton, you may remember him from his days with the L.A. Clippers, threw down a vicious tomahawk jam over the Atlanta Hawks Zaza Pachulia.
Thornton’s jam drew an incredible reaction from the Verizon Centre fans and the Wizards bench. So watch the clip, form your own reaction, and get at us with thoughts in the comment box below.
(Even the stoic Yi is laughing!)
--Oly Sandor.
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The block was nice. The autograph was better.
What am I talking about? Well, click the link, and watch Washington Wizards post Javale McGee reject Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose and then sign the ball.
--Oly Sandor.
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"We'll still find ways to get better in some spots," Magic President of Basketball Operations Otis Smith said. "Losing the backup center is big. So, you need a little size for about probably five teams. That's really what it comes down to, so we'll probably address that over the next month or so."
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The wheeling-and-dealing will continue.
On Saturday, the Orlando Magic overhauled their roster in separate trades with the Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards.
The Magic dealt Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, and Mickael Pietrus to the Suns for Earl Clark, Jason Richardson, and Hedo Turkoglu. Then they sent Rashard Lewis to the Wizards for Gilbert Arenas.
The Magic improved on the wing, but – after dealing Gortat – need a five-man to relieve superstar Dwight Howard.
Howard, despite winning The Defensive Player of the Year award, is prone to foul trouble. Things were so bad last year teammates nicknamed him ‘Foul On You’.
The Magic need a reserve center to bail Howard out when he's overzealous in the paint. A back-up for Howard will also help them compete with bigger contenders like the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Lakers.
Fortunately, the Magic have spare assets. Acquiring Arenas, Richardson, and Turkoglu has made wings J.J. Redick and ‘Q’ Richardson expendable.
A market exists for Redick, even though he’s having an off year and is on the books for an additional two seasons at a combined $12 million.
Richardson can defend and hit the three. Best of all, the veteran is signed through 2014 at a reasonable $2.5 million per annum.
Last weekend was just the beginning for the Magic. More moves are coming. If they’re serious about a championship, they’ll trade a wing for a post.
--Oly Sandor.
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The Orlando Magic, already in serious trade talks with the Washington Wizards about acquiring Gilbert Arenas, have agreed to a deal in principle with the Phoenix Suns, according to league sources.
After the Wizards lost to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, Arenas privately told people that a deal could possibly be in the works with either Orlando or Charlotte. Word started to spread throughout Verizon Center that evening, but the talk initially was shut down by multiple league sources. The Magic realizes they have to make a move. They have to do something,`` said the source.
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The NBA is a superstar’s league and the rest of us are living in it.
For instance, Dwight Howard, the Orlando Magic’s MVP candidate, wants changes to the roster. The big post knows his team isn’t in the same class as the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat, so he’s pressing executive Otis Smith to make a trade.
Being a superstar’s league, Smith must appease. Currently, he’s scouring the trade market for something, anything to keep Howard happy.
And Gilbert Arenas’ name keeps popping up.
Yes, the guy with a rep’ for being more high maintenance than one of those housewives of Orange County. Yes, the brittle combo guard with one of the worst contracts in pro sports. Yes, the Washington Wizards want to part with their former superstar who has a history of injuries, hooliganism, and shenanigans.
Sure, Arenas can score. And sure, he has a relationship with Smith. But The Superstar Formerly Known As The Hibachi has never toned down his shot-first mentality for others.
In fact, Arenas has to be The Guy. He knows nothing else. It’s option one status or broke. Such a mentality and approach isn’t what Howard and the Magic need.
Smith needs to look for the best deal possible. With Arenas, he’d be making a deal for the sake of making a deal.
--Oly Sandor.
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According to sources, talks have resurfaced between the Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards regarding a potential trade for guard Gilbert Arenas.
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Like Anthony Robbins, the NBA is all about personal power -or the power of personal relationships.
The Orlando Magic is the only team interested in controversial Washington Wizards’ guard Gilbert Arenas. The reason: Magic GM Otis Smith is a friend, mentor, and confidante to Arenas.
In short, he still believes. Smith thinks Arenas, in the right circumstance, can recapture his past form and excel as a co-star next to super-post Dwight Howard.
Perhaps he’s right. New scenery can do wonders.
However, Arenas has taken a great physical and emotional pounding. The knee surgeries have changed him. So has the fallout and suspension from bringing guns into the Wizards locker room.
A new team, even one with a chance at a championship, may not be enough.
But the Magic may have no other choice. Howard needs help if they are to compete with the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and San Antonio Spurs for a championship.
Friendship may result in Smith gambling on Arenas.
--Oly Sandor.
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Adam Morrison, whom Jordan selected with the third pick in 2006, has accepted a training camp invitation on a make-good contract with the Wizards, according to two league sources.
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Forget the ‘Three Kings’ joining forces with the Miami Heat. Forget the Boston Celtics inking Shaquille O’Neal. And forget Amar’e Stoudemire signing with the New York Knicks.
Here’s the real news: Brian Cardinal and Adam Morrison have received training camp invites from the Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards.
Cardinal may or may not make the Mavericks; however, Morrison – while he will never live up to the hype of being the third overall pick in the 2006 Draft - can still salvage his career. He's hoping to start over with the Washington Wizards.
The Moustache was a pure scorer in college. He also went against Kobe Bryant in practice. Anything is possible.
--Oly Sandor.
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The Wizards recently made a call to the Nuggets to check on the availability of Carmelo Anthony, according to a league source. The source added that the same phone call was made by "29 teams. Carmelo is pretty good."
Yahoo! Sports reported Thursday that following a conversation with Denver management, Anthony made it clear that he wants to be traded.
The Wizards will re-sign forward Josh Howard, according to a source. Washington acquired Howard along with Drew Gooden, James Singleton and Quinton Ross in a February trade with Dallas.
Howard will sign a one-year worth close to $4 million deal with the Wizards, Howard's consultant Derek Lafayette told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.