The PI reports that Brook Lopez and Kevin Love, both fans of the Pacific Northwest, would rather play in Seattle than Oklahoma City. Eric Gordon, however, comes out in favor of the second largest city in the continental US:
"One of the few players who is more fond of Oklahoma City than Seattle is Indiana guard Eric Gordon. 'That would be a better spot (Oklahoma City) than being all the way up there in Seattle,' Gordon said."
Maybe someone should ask Eric Gordon why he thinks he might be taken "way up there" at the 4th pick.
Jackass.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Ichiro: Smart or scared?
Ichiro is a great defensive outfielder. The seven Gold Gloves are not a fluke. He has a cannon for an arm and most teams don't even run on him anymore because they don't want to end up like this. (Might take a second, but it's worth it.) Ichiro tracks balls with ease and makes difficult plays look routine.
That's why it was so surprising to see Ichiro badly misplay a ball like he did on Sunday against the Yankees. It was ruled a double (not an error), but Ichiro makes that difficult play 99 times out of 100. Unfortunately for Ichiro, the play became another example of how the Mariners find new and creative ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
It's always been Ichiro's contention that crashing into walls or laying out does not help his team because he might get injured. Fair enough. No one wants to see Jeremy Reed or Willie Bloomquist patrolling center field. Ichiro's point of view is completely logical and, yet, thoroughly unsatisfying. Fans want to see the players go all out. Crash into a wall if you have to. That's why it was so great to see Ichiro make this catch on Monday.
Here's how he explained it.
"For some reason, some people thought I should have caught the ball (Sunday), and that really ticked me off," he said to the Seattle Post Intelligencer. "So today I thought to myself, 'I'm going to go for this ball, no matter what. I don't care if I get injured or anything.' I had a lot of stress piled up from yesterday."
I always thought that Ichiro's risk-averse play in center field came from his Japanese baseball upbringing. Players in Japan tend to be very sound defensively and they almost never lay out. Why? If they lay out, miss the ball and it goes by them, they would have to answer to one pissed-off manager who would accuse the player of trying to show off and letting the team down. I always thought this was so ingrained in Ichiro's brain that he became risk averse as a result.
Now, I'm not so sure. Could it be that he was just afraid? Did it take some embarrassment to force him to put aside his fears? Look at his quote again.
That's why it was so surprising to see Ichiro badly misplay a ball like he did on Sunday against the Yankees. It was ruled a double (not an error), but Ichiro makes that difficult play 99 times out of 100. Unfortunately for Ichiro, the play became another example of how the Mariners find new and creative ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
It's always been Ichiro's contention that crashing into walls or laying out does not help his team because he might get injured. Fair enough. No one wants to see Jeremy Reed or Willie Bloomquist patrolling center field. Ichiro's point of view is completely logical and, yet, thoroughly unsatisfying. Fans want to see the players go all out. Crash into a wall if you have to. That's why it was so great to see Ichiro make this catch on Monday.
Here's how he explained it.
"For some reason, some people thought I should have caught the ball (Sunday), and that really ticked me off," he said to the Seattle Post Intelligencer. "So today I thought to myself, 'I'm going to go for this ball, no matter what. I don't care if I get injured or anything.' I had a lot of stress piled up from yesterday."
I always thought that Ichiro's risk-averse play in center field came from his Japanese baseball upbringing. Players in Japan tend to be very sound defensively and they almost never lay out. Why? If they lay out, miss the ball and it goes by them, they would have to answer to one pissed-off manager who would accuse the player of trying to show off and letting the team down. I always thought this was so ingrained in Ichiro's brain that he became risk averse as a result.
Now, I'm not so sure. Could it be that he was just afraid? Did it take some embarrassment to force him to put aside his fears? Look at his quote again.
I'm not sure anymore. Smart or scared?
So today I thought to myself, 'I'm going to go for this ball, no matter what. I don't care if I get injured or anything.' I had a lot of stress piled up from yesterday.
Too Early to Think Deadline Deals?
As I type, the Mariners are winning, 3-0, which suggests that tonight's loss will be more the come-from-behind heartbreaking kind than the humiliating annihilation kind. Hope springs eternal, of course--and it's only May--but let's face it: at 18-34, the M's hope already lies in 2009.
The good news is that the M's are stocked--not with talent, but with plenty of untalented guys whom contending teams with GMs who lack courage and imagination will trade for talent. Bavasi is not the only stupid one. So if the M's fire him soon enough, they have the resources to fleece the marginally smarter peers he'll leave behind.
So, what are the options?
The guys who should generate some interest are Adrian, Batista, Raul, and Washburn.
Adrian is tough. On the one hand, he'll get a real blue chip prospect in return. He's a legitimate star, and he's under (relatively cheap) contract for just one more year. On the other hand, he's only 29, so he'll be in his prime over the life of his next contract, and he can help anchor a rebuilding team. It depends, then, on some factors we can only speculate about: Does he want to re-sign with the M's, and how much will it cost them?
No reason to consider keeping the other guys.
I love Raul as much as anybody, but he's 36 and ready to start sucking. Unlike Beltre, he can't be a part of a winning formula over the next five years. And his fielding is a goddamn disgrace that makes me want to papercut my eyelids so I can't see it through the blood. Besides, Raul's a free agent after the season, so the M's can try to re-sign him. He's not going to fetch the kind of talent that Beltre would, but he's on his usual .280/25/100 pace, and that'll look good to a team that needs a bat.
Batista and Washburn are classic deadline deal fodder: midding pitchers with the potential to be middling-plus, each signed to relatively reasonable contracts for just one more year. Neither one is a star, but the key to doing well at the deadline is prying good prospects from pitching-desperate teams for the likes of Jeff Suppan (Freddy Sanchez).
If you keep Beltre and ship Raul, Batista, and Washburn at the deadline, you save $17 million for next year and you get three or four serviceable players, and maybe one or two that could make a real impression. You have to fill out the back of the rotation next off-season, but Batista and Washburn aren't a part of anybody's future plans (unless their future plans are to suck), so why not try out some youngsters?
In other exciting news for 2009, No. More. Richie. Sexson.
The good news is that the M's are stocked--not with talent, but with plenty of untalented guys whom contending teams with GMs who lack courage and imagination will trade for talent. Bavasi is not the only stupid one. So if the M's fire him soon enough, they have the resources to fleece the marginally smarter peers he'll leave behind.
So, what are the options?
The guys who should generate some interest are Adrian, Batista, Raul, and Washburn.
Adrian is tough. On the one hand, he'll get a real blue chip prospect in return. He's a legitimate star, and he's under (relatively cheap) contract for just one more year. On the other hand, he's only 29, so he'll be in his prime over the life of his next contract, and he can help anchor a rebuilding team. It depends, then, on some factors we can only speculate about: Does he want to re-sign with the M's, and how much will it cost them?
No reason to consider keeping the other guys.
I love Raul as much as anybody, but he's 36 and ready to start sucking. Unlike Beltre, he can't be a part of a winning formula over the next five years. And his fielding is a goddamn disgrace that makes me want to papercut my eyelids so I can't see it through the blood. Besides, Raul's a free agent after the season, so the M's can try to re-sign him. He's not going to fetch the kind of talent that Beltre would, but he's on his usual .280/25/100 pace, and that'll look good to a team that needs a bat.
Batista and Washburn are classic deadline deal fodder: midding pitchers with the potential to be middling-plus, each signed to relatively reasonable contracts for just one more year. Neither one is a star, but the key to doing well at the deadline is prying good prospects from pitching-desperate teams for the likes of Jeff Suppan (Freddy Sanchez).
If you keep Beltre and ship Raul, Batista, and Washburn at the deadline, you save $17 million for next year and you get three or four serviceable players, and maybe one or two that could make a real impression. You have to fill out the back of the rotation next off-season, but Batista and Washburn aren't a part of anybody's future plans (unless their future plans are to suck), so why not try out some youngsters?
In other exciting news for 2009, No. More. Richie. Sexson.
Friday, May 23, 2008
M's to Sonics: We Suck More!
Mrs. Lieutenant Daniels and I go to about half of the Sonics' home games every year. No one was more bummed about the team they put on the floor this year. But -- court proceedings aside -- I'm starting to feel better about them. Why? At least they're not the Mariners!
Yes, they finished with the second-worst record in the NBA. But they have a couple of good players who could turn into great ones, a zillion draft picks, and a decent position vis-a-vis the salary cap.
The Mariners, meanwhile, have assembled a crew of overpaid, overaged guys who can't hit or pitch. As of this morning, they're a sorry 18-30, and if the Padres just get a night off, the M's will most likely match them for the worst record in the major leagues.
Who'd have thought, at the beginning of the season, that the M's would look like the more inept team?
So, for you baseball guys out there -- Yuniesky Airmails It, I'm talking to you -- what do you do? I wouldn't be sorry to see McLaren go, but who's waiting in the wings? Firing Bavasi in the middle of the season doesn't really get you anything, unless there's some great trade out there waiting to happen.
And on the NBA - Chad Ford at ESPN.com says that if the Bulls take Beasley, the Heat might be willing to trade down because they're falling for O.J. Mayo. Anyone think it's a bad idea to give up the #4 and #24 picks, plus whatever players it takes, to move up and take Rose?
Yes, they finished with the second-worst record in the NBA. But they have a couple of good players who could turn into great ones, a zillion draft picks, and a decent position vis-a-vis the salary cap.
The Mariners, meanwhile, have assembled a crew of overpaid, overaged guys who can't hit or pitch. As of this morning, they're a sorry 18-30, and if the Padres just get a night off, the M's will most likely match them for the worst record in the major leagues.
Who'd have thought, at the beginning of the season, that the M's would look like the more inept team?
So, for you baseball guys out there -- Yuniesky Airmails It, I'm talking to you -- what do you do? I wouldn't be sorry to see McLaren go, but who's waiting in the wings? Firing Bavasi in the middle of the season doesn't really get you anything, unless there's some great trade out there waiting to happen.
And on the NBA - Chad Ford at ESPN.com says that if the Bulls take Beasley, the Heat might be willing to trade down because they're falling for O.J. Mayo. Anyone think it's a bad idea to give up the #4 and #24 picks, plus whatever players it takes, to move up and take Rose?
Thursday, May 22, 2008
R.I.P. Ray Allen
Anybody got a fork lying around?
If you do, feel free to stick it in Ray Allen. Dude is done. Dead as a dial-up connection.
Oh, he might snap out of his current shooting slump and find his way back into double figures in scoring -- something he's failed to do five times in these playoffs -- but Jesus Shuttlesworth isn't going to resurrect his All-Star status again. The biggest difference right now between Allen and Wally Szczerbiak is that Wally will be making more than $10 million for only one more season. You're on the hook for two more years with Allen.
Which means that Sam Presti deserves a tip of the cap. He got out from under Ray Allen's deal while the getting was good. He did it when he could even get an asset for him, the fifth pick used to take Jeff Green. You probably couldn't get a bag of hammers in exchange for Ray Allen at this point given how much money he's going to make in the next two seasons.
Presti wriggled the Sonics free of what would have been the No. 1 thing holding back this franchise in the future: Dead money. Every NBA team's got someone whose paycheck vastly outweighs his production and basically creates a situation that has the franchise in a full-nelson. Sometimes, the player becomes a nagging hangnail (See: Fortson, Danny). Sometimes, he becomes an infection that must be excised (See: Baker, Vin). In either case, an NBA team faces three options:
a) Bite the bullet, and keep the player until the contract runs out, then flush him and hope he doesn't leave skid marks.
b) Trade him, but because this is the NBA and trades require the salaries to match up, well, you get the option of taking either worse players or a larger outstanding salary balance. Seattle was able to trade Baker only because they accepted Kenny Anderson, Vitaly Potapenko and Joseph Forte in return.
That's why the timing of trading Allen was so important for the Sonics. Seattle was able to acquire an asset (the No. 5 pick) and a player with a lower outstanding balance (Szczerbiak). A year later, there's no way Boston could get either one of those things in exchange for Allen.
If you do, feel free to stick it in Ray Allen. Dude is done. Dead as a dial-up connection.
Oh, he might snap out of his current shooting slump and find his way back into double figures in scoring -- something he's failed to do five times in these playoffs -- but Jesus Shuttlesworth isn't going to resurrect his All-Star status again. The biggest difference right now between Allen and Wally Szczerbiak is that Wally will be making more than $10 million for only one more season. You're on the hook for two more years with Allen.
Which means that Sam Presti deserves a tip of the cap. He got out from under Ray Allen's deal while the getting was good. He did it when he could even get an asset for him, the fifth pick used to take Jeff Green. You probably couldn't get a bag of hammers in exchange for Ray Allen at this point given how much money he's going to make in the next two seasons.
Presti wriggled the Sonics free of what would have been the No. 1 thing holding back this franchise in the future: Dead money. Every NBA team's got someone whose paycheck vastly outweighs his production and basically creates a situation that has the franchise in a full-nelson. Sometimes, the player becomes a nagging hangnail (See: Fortson, Danny). Sometimes, he becomes an infection that must be excised (See: Baker, Vin). In either case, an NBA team faces three options:
a) Bite the bullet, and keep the player until the contract runs out, then flush him and hope he doesn't leave skid marks.
b) Trade him, but because this is the NBA and trades require the salaries to match up, well, you get the option of taking either worse players or a larger outstanding salary balance. Seattle was able to trade Baker only because they accepted Kenny Anderson, Vitaly Potapenko and Joseph Forte in return.
That's why the timing of trading Allen was so important for the Sonics. Seattle was able to acquire an asset (the No. 5 pick) and a player with a lower outstanding balance (Szczerbiak). A year later, there's no way Boston could get either one of those things in exchange for Allen.
Troubled by JET's inside sources
Jason Terry, current Dallas Maverick, native Seattlite (he has a "206" tattoo on his chest) and former Franklin High alum, talks to Ball Don't Lie about the Sonics:
BDL: You brought up Seattle, so I got to ask. You were born and raised there. What’s your take, or how do you feel about the Sonics possibly leaving town?
JET: You know what, I play for the Mavericks, I’m an NBA player, but I still root for the Sonics when I’m not playing against them. They’re dear to my heart, and it would be tough seeing basketball not in Seattle. Growing up in Seattle, my P.E. teacher was an ex-Sonic player, Slick Watts. I’ve always loved the Seattle SuperSonics. Sneaking into the arena with my mom at four years old to watch a playoff game was unbelievable. So, to see them leave the city of Seattle would be disappointing, but if they do, hopefully they can get another team back there soon.
BDL: If the Sonics do leave town, has there been any talk in the Terry household of maybe rounding up the ten siblings and forming a new franchise?
JET: (laughs) Hey, that’s funny you say that. Naw, I’ve heard from inside sources though that there’s a group getting some funds together, trying to build a new arena, and hopefully enticing a team to come up that way. We’ll see what happens.
Here's what troubles me: why aren't these inside sources working on keeping the team we have? Have we already given up? Should I give up? Should I get a 206 tattoo on my chest?
BDL: You brought up Seattle, so I got to ask. You were born and raised there. What’s your take, or how do you feel about the Sonics possibly leaving town?
JET: You know what, I play for the Mavericks, I’m an NBA player, but I still root for the Sonics when I’m not playing against them. They’re dear to my heart, and it would be tough seeing basketball not in Seattle. Growing up in Seattle, my P.E. teacher was an ex-Sonic player, Slick Watts. I’ve always loved the Seattle SuperSonics. Sneaking into the arena with my mom at four years old to watch a playoff game was unbelievable. So, to see them leave the city of Seattle would be disappointing, but if they do, hopefully they can get another team back there soon.
BDL: If the Sonics do leave town, has there been any talk in the Terry household of maybe rounding up the ten siblings and forming a new franchise?
JET: (laughs) Hey, that’s funny you say that. Naw, I’ve heard from inside sources though that there’s a group getting some funds together, trying to build a new arena, and hopefully enticing a team to come up that way. We’ll see what happens.
Here's what troubles me: why aren't these inside sources working on keeping the team we have? Have we already given up? Should I give up? Should I get a 206 tattoo on my chest?
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the 4th Pick
If the past is any indication, the Sonics could land some talent at fourth pick. Some 4th overall picks of note include Chris Bosh (2003), Antawn Jamison (1998) and Rasheed Wallace (1995). Last time the Sonics were at 4, they picked the X-man (1985), so I'm encouraged. Of course, for every Michael Ray Richardson (1978), you have a Bill Garnett (averaged 5-4-1 in 4 seasons).
The good, the bad and the ugly of some recent 4th overall picks:
The good (Chris Paul playoff averages: 24-5-11):
The bad (Marcus Fizer, hooping it up somewhere overseas):
The ugly (weak stomachs might want to skip this one):
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Sonics' Draft-day Dilemma
David Stern found another way to screw the Sonics. After basketball's Napoleon tampered with the draft order, the Sonics ended up at four, robbing the team of its rightful number-two pick and a legitimate shot at Derrick Rose from Memphis. Number four means no Rose and certainly no Michael Beasley from K-State.
So who do the Sonics take? Let's rule out center. Brooke Lopez from Stanford is talented and entertaining -- his voice could one day top Dikembe Mutombo for funniest of all-time -- but the Sonics can't draft another 7-footer. The few remaining fans would revolt and the Sonics are maxed out on the NBDL cap for 7-footers. Oh yeah, and he may be gone anyway.
The NBA is also a different league these days. It's a guard's league. The Sonics should be set at two-guard for the next decade, but the team desperately needs a point guard. Anyone who has watched the Sonics more than once knows that the team desperately needs a better option than the dynamic duo of Earl Watson/Luke Ridnour.
In fact, the more I think about it, the team has to draft a point guard. There is no other alternative. The main options at point guard seem to be Russell Westbrook from UCLA, Jerryd Bayless from Arizona, DJ Augustin from Texas and, perhaps, Ty Lawson from North Carolina.
I saw all four of these guys play this year. Let's eliminate Augustin and Lawson right away. They're just not good enough to be the #4 pick in the draft. Augustin strikes me as a poor man's Damon Stoudamire -- bad decision maker and undersized. Lawson can't shoot even though he may be the quickest of all the guards.
The two Pac-10 guards are more interesting. Bayless is an undersized combo guard who can really light it up. He shoots well, explodes to the basket and scored at will at Arizona. Unfortunately, he plays almost no defense. (The backcourt of Durant and Bayless could set a defensive record for points allowed.) He is also a shoot-first point guard. The Sonics already have one of those.
My choice? Westbrook. He's 19, an explosive athlete, played on two Final Four teams and plays nasty D. Sure, his offense isn't as good as Bayless, but he's got the athleticism and work ethic to become a legitimate scoring threat in time. Any guy who plays defense like Westbook will get better, because as any good CYO coach will tell you, defense is about heart. Defense is about wanting it more than your opponent. He wants to be great. I can feel it. For some undefinable reason, I love Westbrook. NBA comparison? A more athletic Andre Miller.
So who do the Sonics take? Let's rule out center. Brooke Lopez from Stanford is talented and entertaining -- his voice could one day top Dikembe Mutombo for funniest of all-time -- but the Sonics can't draft another 7-footer. The few remaining fans would revolt and the Sonics are maxed out on the NBDL cap for 7-footers. Oh yeah, and he may be gone anyway.
The NBA is also a different league these days. It's a guard's league. The Sonics should be set at two-guard for the next decade, but the team desperately needs a point guard. Anyone who has watched the Sonics more than once knows that the team desperately needs a better option than the dynamic duo of Earl Watson/Luke Ridnour.
In fact, the more I think about it, the team has to draft a point guard. There is no other alternative. The main options at point guard seem to be Russell Westbrook from UCLA, Jerryd Bayless from Arizona, DJ Augustin from Texas and, perhaps, Ty Lawson from North Carolina.
I saw all four of these guys play this year. Let's eliminate Augustin and Lawson right away. They're just not good enough to be the #4 pick in the draft. Augustin strikes me as a poor man's Damon Stoudamire -- bad decision maker and undersized. Lawson can't shoot even though he may be the quickest of all the guards.
The two Pac-10 guards are more interesting. Bayless is an undersized combo guard who can really light it up. He shoots well, explodes to the basket and scored at will at Arizona. Unfortunately, he plays almost no defense. (The backcourt of Durant and Bayless could set a defensive record for points allowed.) He is also a shoot-first point guard. The Sonics already have one of those.
My choice? Westbrook. He's 19, an explosive athlete, played on two Final Four teams and plays nasty D. Sure, his offense isn't as good as Bayless, but he's got the athleticism and work ethic to become a legitimate scoring threat in time. Any guy who plays defense like Westbook will get better, because as any good CYO coach will tell you, defense is about heart. Defense is about wanting it more than your opponent. He wants to be great. I can feel it. For some undefinable reason, I love Westbrook. NBA comparison? A more athletic Andre Miller.
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