Monday, July 31, 2006

Summer Slowdown

The NBA grinds to a halt during the offseason. Sure, trades and rumors swirl and diehards ponder every which way of potential trades and multi-team swap sign-and-trade minimum secondary biannual exception scenarios. The salary cap has done wonders for parity in the NBA but for compelling news it does not. I'm just waiting for the offseason to be over and the training camps to start and the summer league heroes who were lighting up the benchwarmers, DLers, and undrafteds are handed their lunch by a superstar talent who's been chillin' in the Caribbean on their boat for 3 months.

There are 2 things we need to assess here: 1) The Draft. 2) Offseason moves. But there are still more of those to come, so I wait and wait and then Street & Smith's or some other delusional rag comes out and I'm all hoops hype. But in the summer I'm sluggish and slothful and feel very unbasketball-like. When I can venture out again into the outdoors because of the heat, I'll shoot some hoops and start thinking b-ball again.

For now, here is my impression of the offseason. The single biggest move of the year. Peace.



ROY, Surratt! ROY... you better draft your Bobbiecats high this year!

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Serious Playas, thy Numbas is Dwindlin'

Free Agency has come in with a bang and is still bangin' to be sure. What's going on is simply mind-boggling. Benjamin Wallace in Red? Wow. You have to be pretty happy to be a part of the Bulls organization right now. They finally rid themselves of Chandler, who after Eddie Curry and Eddie Robinson is the pox on their organization of the last half decade. The Baby Bulls were fun, but a baby that doesn't grow up is kind of weird and smelly.

For instance take a look at Nate Robinson's recent quotes to the media regarding his previous coach's attempts at coaching him: "Coach Brown is so old-school," Robinson said. "He wants everything done just like this, not getting the crowd involved. Isiah wants everyone to have fun." Isiah advocates fun because he is a total stark raving lunatic who realizes that his head is hanging ever so precariously over a basket marked "2007 #3 draft pick goes to Chicago" on one side and "Eddie Curry played in 63 games averaging 12.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in the 06-07 Season."


Young Nate Robinson shown here ignoring advice from a wise old man.

But whatever, the Knicks are no longer in the NBA. Let's talk about the Free Agency action. Chandler goes to the reinvigorated New Orleans/Oklahoma City team who also added Peja Stojakovic. I am no Peja fan, but I like the fact that he might be happy playing with Byron Scott. With these deals the Hornets become at least as good as the Bucks if not the Pacers. But I keep forgetting that the Hornets are in the Western Conference, will have to play the Suns and the Spurs and will need all the help they can get.

Speaking of the Spurs, Nazr Mohummed takes his religion-before-victories show to Detroit who try to fill the gaping hole left by Big Ben's departure. It's a shame that the Pistons couldn't hold on to B-Dub, but the fact is the Pistons are cursed and are on their slide down from the top. Darko was a huge mistake in their rearview, and firing Larry Brown was a hot-headed decision of which Joe Dumars probably regrets. Chauncey & Rip are sure to see plenty of victories next season and a playoff run, but I wouldn't be surprised if Chicago goes deeper in the playoffs. If Chicago doesn't do it this year, it ain't no thang because don't forget, the Bulls also have the right to swap first-round picks with the New York Knicks in the 2007 draft, as part of the Eddy Curry trade. With draft experts already billing the '07 crop as one of the deepest in years, Chicago could be looking at another potential nugget if the Knicks wind up in the lottery again. Also P.J. Brown, who they picked up in the unloading Chandler project, is on the last year of his contract. The Bulls are sitting on a bright future. Seeing Ben Wallace chill with Tyrus Thomas next year is going be like eating pudding on the toilet.


Looksy here, basically what I am saying is that I am a starting point guard who deserves real minutes. I am better than Tyronne Lue, that's right. What's that? The Hawks want me? Awesome. Me and the Hawks are a great fit.

I too, am happy about the Hawks, who desperately needing a starting PG turn to Speedy "I should be with Eva Longoria" Claxton. Now the Hawks can make Claxton an unquestioned starter, enabling Joe Johnson to play at his natural shooting guard position. I think Speedy will have a decent year, especially in fantasy leagues. Wink Wink, Nudge Nudge.

Marquis Daniels heads over to the East and saddles up next to Stephen Jackson. I guess the Mavs moved Daniels to free up room to re-sign Terry or potentially make a play for perenially underrated Mike James. Charlie Villenueva goes to the Bucks, while TJ Ford takes up the helm of the New Raptors. When will the madness end?


Hairless in Milwaukee! R.O.Y runner-up is set to blow-up in his sophmore campaign in the city of 1,000 beers.

What else? There is so much to go over.... Al Harrington and Flip Murry and Bonzi Wells still await trades, deals, sign and trades. I think there are still BIG trades waiting with Garnett, J. O'Neal, Iverson, Rashard Lewis, etc. It's a major off season shake up and it's good for those of us who want NBA in the news 365 days a year.

But I am not suprised that no other playas are discussing the current Free Agency moves on the blog. That's why I, the undersigned,Kloos Arnold B. Steppin' hereby proclaim that the Serious Playas moniker be placed on hold indefinitely, until it can be proved undeniably that we is dealing with Serious Playas. What we need is new blood. We need a draft for new talent. Our league is stale, lame, weak. This is critical as kritikal can be. Shaman alone does not a serious league make. We need more dedication, more style, more ability. I, the undersigned, Kloos Arnold B. Steppin' will not be stepping down, but rather stepping up the rhetoric until what's broken is fixed. Summer leagues are on. Free Agency is wild. Seriousness is not a 6 month a year game, it's a 12 month duty. I am calling for drastic measures. You have not heard the last of this. Consider yourselves warned and far from serious. The seriousness has been drained. From now on, this league will be known as Serious Playas thy Numbas is Dwindlin'. Until someone, somehow, somewhere gets serious.


Words from the various desks,
Kloos Arnold B. Steppin