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NBA: ‘Los Suns’ Statement Changes Focus
On an off day in Portland, Robert Sarver went to work with his basketball team. He put on a Suns’ T-shirt and black silk shorts. And as players mingled with the media on the main floor of the Rose Garden, Sarver began sprinting up the steps of the arena, one section at a time.
Some reporters were stunned. Was he that desperate for a workout? Or was he that desperate for attention?
Like it or not, the Suns owner has caused a huge stir this time around. His team will wear orange “Los Suns” jerseys Wednesday night in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Spurs, a maneuver designed to celebrate the NBA’s diversity and illustrate his displeasure with Arizona’s new immigration law.
“It’s two-fold,” Suns General Manager Steve Kerr said. “One, it is Cinco de Mayo. And, two, it is a political statement. We felt the law, however well intended, was not right.”
Sarver is a banker by trade, and his stance is as much about money as it is about civil rights. As a businessman, he does not want to see economic boycotts, cancelled conventions and big events removed from our region. That lowers the tide for everyone in Arizona, at a time when his basketball team is struggling to sell tickets for playoff games.
It’s also brilliant public relations. The move comes during peak visibility of the NBA season. The Suns and Spurs have all the ingredients – a history, a rivalry and a stunning contrast of styles – to guarantee great television ratings. This decision will help soften the national image of Arizona, countering all the body shots we’ve received from pundits, politicians and late-night comics.
It also will mute the scene expected outside US Airways Center before Game 2.
“We hear there will be some protesters outside the building,” Kerr said. “From what I gather, there will be a march from a local church to the arena. So there was going to be some hoopla anyway.”
Kerr said the idea occurred to Sarver during a recent road trip to Portland. The Suns quickly received an endorsement from the league, which doesn’t like anything interfering with potential customers and revenue streams.
Before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, LeBron James and other NBA players said they were going to speak out against the atrocities in Darfur, and bring attention to China’s history in human rights. The league effectively stifled that banter, reminding the players that they all had huge economic stakes in China, a market the NBA and Nike both consider an untapped gold mine.
Yet even with the NBA’s blessing, say this for Sarver: He had the good sense to ask his team for permission, and not jam it down its throat.
“They were all for it,” Kerr said. “We said, ‘Look, if this is going to be a distraction, you guys tell us and we won’t do it.’ For them, it means they answer some questions (Tuesday) and they wear orange jerseys (Wednesday night).”
To the contrary, the Suns seemed stoked to make such a bold statement. Amar’e Stoudemire said it was great to “let the Latin community know we’re behind them 100 percent.”
Then again, though most professional athletes prefer the politics of richness, the Suns are a bit different this way. Especially their point guard, who tends to care deeply about things such as global warming, human rights and gun control.
“I think it’s fantastic,” Steve Nash said. “I think the law is very misguided, and unfortunately, to the detriment of our society and our civil liberties. And I think it’s really important for us to stand up for things we believe in . . .
“It doesn’t feel good to have people around the world and around the country look at our state as less than equal, less than fair. So as a proud (resident) of this state, I want us to be held in the highest esteem. I think we have a lot of great attributes and a lot of great people, and I think we need to be very cautious in how we respect our civil liberties, and the tone we’re setting, and the precedent we’re setting going forward.”
The statement doesn’t come without risk. In his statement, Sarver called the immigration law “flawed,” and that won’t endear him to people who support the measure. And if the Suns stink up the place in Game 2, losing home-court advantage in the process, the entire organization will be criticized for distracting the great focus the team displayed in Game 1.
“Look, it’s a major issue here in Arizona,” Kerr said. “It’s much bigger than a basketball game. It doesn’t mean we’re crafting a new immigration bill. We’re not claiming to be politicians and we don’t have the answer. But there were Latino people who feel offended. A lot of people feel offended. I felt offended. I don’t think we should live in a country where you have to show papers wherever you are.”
Say this for the Suns owner: It’s a bold move. And much trickier than any of those steps he scaled in Portland.
NBA: Can Hill Stop Nash?
George Hill is going to have to pick up his defense against Steve Nash.
Or course, first he’ll have to pick up his pride, his ego and probably a considerable number of lost uniform parts that left him so very exposed out on the floor against Nash.
If the Spurs were visitors to Planet Orange for the opening game of the Western Conference semifinals, then Hill made a side trip to the village of Black-and-Blue considering the way Nash whipped and beat him in Game 1.
“I don’t know if I struggled,” Hill said.
Everyone else does.
You could tell from the shock and awe that Hill was wearing along with a bit of windburn on his face.
It was not just the 33 points and 10 assists that Nash hung up in the Suns’ 111-102 series-opening victory. It was the way that so many of them came with so easily, like a man floating down a stream while sipping an umbrella drink from a straw.
“You’ve got to make Nash work,” said Tony Parker, which is one reason that Parker and not Hill opened the second half as a part of the starting unit.
It’s early and the history of this blood feud between Phoenix and San Antonio tells us that there are at least a handful of flammable and bizarre occurrences lurking around the corner. But the first one told you that the Spurs will not be able to ultimately prevail against the Suns if Hill is not able to compete better against Nash.
Hill has been a revelation with his overall improvement and his poise from his rookie year. He’s one of the main reasons the Spurs were able to survive this season with Parker spending so much time on the shelf due to injuries. But he has got to do better than nine points on 2-for-9 shooting in 33 minutes.
“I couldn’t make a shot today,” Hill said. “That’s why it’s a seven-game series. We’ll watch film and get ready for the next one.
“Why did I struggle? I don’t know if it was a part of just struggling. I didn’t make shots. I had some open looks and that’s how it goes. I don’t think I really struggled. It just didn’t go my way.”
Things began similarly disappointing for Hill in the Spurs in the previous round in Dallas as he was victimized by Jason Kidd for 13 points and 11 assists. In the opening minutes of the second half, Hill went on a drive to the hoop and Kidd simply reached in and swiped the ball away. Mere seconds later, Hill was removed from the game and never returned. But Spurs and Hill did return in the series, which is how they wound up here in the desert seeking to advance their cause.
“He’s a great player and I felt like I let him be the aggressor instead of me being the aggressor on defense,” Hill said. “That’s something I’m going to get better at and do a better job on Wednesday. I feel like tonight he did a great job of picking us apart and being aggressive.
“He’s the head of the snake. He was phenomenal and we have to tip our hat to him.”
The Spurs will likely make more of a team-wide effort to get the ball out of Nash’s hands on offense.
“You never can do anything by yourself,” Hill said. “It’s always gonna be a team thing.”
But it will also be up to Hill to make Nash defend more by being more assertive with his own offense.
“I have to attach him a little bit more so he just don’t conserve his energy on the defensive end,” he said. We got to make him work on both ends.”
That was the message that the second-year point guard had delivered to him by the veteran Parker.
“I told George at halftime that you have to try to get Steve tired,” Parker said. “You have to attack him, go at him and that will tire him out. You can’t be letting him come down the court with all of his energy and going full speed. Steve Nash at full speed is tough and over the course of a game he’s going to get good results. George will play better. I have confidence in him.”
A question is whether Spurs coach Gregg Popovich might make a switch and put Parker back into the starting lineup.
“I’m not worried about that. I’m not thinking about that,” Hill said. “Whatever Pop decides will be the right thing and that will be fine with me.
“We’ll come back in here for Game 2 and things will be different, a lot of things ready to be better.”
Hill will be standing at the head of that line.
NBA: Oh my (Chris) Bosh: Unleashing a twitter frenzy
When you have 96,000-plus followers on Twitter . . . throwing out a provocative line or two is like tossing a lighted match on a pile of kindling.
On Friday afternoon, a prominent NBA player had a question for his group of followers.
“Been wanting to ask. Where should I go next season and why?
Why bother waiting until July 1? Silly, arbitrary date anyway. The author of the tweet happened to be the Raptors’ Chris Bosh, who will be one of the marquee free agents this summer.
Incredibly, Twitter did not collapse under the weight of frenzied responses to Bosh, seemingly dominated by tweeps from Houston and Chicago. And yes, a few Lakers fans.
Less than an hour later, Bosh spoke again:
“Ok … Let me rephrase the question. Should I stay or should I go?”
Never knew Bosh was a Clash fan.
The summer of 2010 has started. So what if it is a few weeks early?
NCAAM: Is Reebok Hitching Its Future on John Wall?
Yahoo! has a story today that likely No. 1 pick John Wall could be joining LeBron James’ marketing firm. Now the my angle: deep in the story, there’s a mention about a potential shoe deal that is likely to send a few shockwaves. First, the details:
In the short term, they’ll be negotiating a sneaker deal that promises to invigorate a stagnant market for young players. Reebok is banking that Wall can be its product’s face with the demise of Allen Iverson, and multiple sources say the company’s prepared an offer that could be worth $3 million-$4 million annually. Here’s the test for LRMR: Does it have the chops to get Wall more than the traditional shoe deal?“Wall isn’t going to be LeBron, but he’s the most-hyped player to come since him,” a rival sneaker industry official said. “And, sometimes, hype is just as important as talent.”
Shock No. 1: They’re still giving out shoe deals worth this much? The last few years made it seem like shoe deals had really dried up. Shelling out that much for John Wall would be a big change of course. Judging from Darren Rovell’s tweet, it would be risky.
Shock No. 2: LeBron is going to let Wall be a part of Reebok? Wall has been a Nike guy for a bit now. He wore Hyperdunks at Word of God in high school. He switched between Hyperdunks, Hyperizes and LeBron VIIs at Kentucky this season. Now, ultimately there’s probably some division of labor. LeBron, the person, would probably love to have Wall rocking his kicks in the NBA, but LeBron, the business man who runs a marketing firm, has a responsibility to get Wall the best deal possible.
I can’t imagine Nike would pay marquee dollars to Wall. It’s not like they’re at a loss for big hoops endorsers. But Reebok? They could use Wall. Still, it’d be strange to see a Wall sneaker deal brokered by LeBron’s marketing firm with anyone other than Nike. Oh, and let’s not forget that Reebok reportedly offered LeBron more money than any other company coming out of high school, but he spurned them.
All I’m saying is this: If Reebok does spend big bucks on Wall, the first order of business should be getting him in some sort of viral video where he jumps over the EasyTone girl and dunks. I’ll wait for my check, Reebok.
Random Links
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Congratulations to the Charlotte Bobcats cheerleaders — the Lady Cats. They just won NBA.com’s 2010 dance team bracket.
How Do His Teammates Allow This?
Florida Marlins outfielder Cameron Maybin is the early season leader for the “Worst At-Bat Song” award.
Let’s Play The Feud
A Guaranteed Laugh
TheHoopDoctors.com look at the top 10 funny/profound basketball quotes.
They’ve Come A Long Way
A few months ago, the guys from Jersey Shore were just hitting the gym, tanning and doing laundry in complete anonymity . Now, they’re doing this photoshoot with Bar Refaeli.
Videos:
Vodpod videos no longer available.
NBA: For Amar’e, Suns Tenure Could Go Either Way
The agent for Amar’e Stoudemire, Happy Walters, will meet with Suns management soon to begin discussing a potential extension for the high-octane forward, reports Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. The assumption from both outside and apparently inside is that the Suns and Stoudemire don’t have the same dollar figure in mind, and that could lead to the Suns thinking trade before the league’s February trade deadline.
Coro suggests Amar’e is looking for Pau Gasol, near max contract money. (Gasol recently signed an extension worth $57 million for three years during the Laker’s 30s.) The Suns have been so hot-and-cold on Amar’e that it’s almost assured that pricetag is too high. The gamble at that point is in betting that a free agent market focused on the ultra-stars this summer will leave Amar’e in a pickle, and will leave Phoenix open to bidding closer to their price come July. The flip side of that bet is that the team could lose its No. 2 player and No. 2 asset for nothing.
And while Coro comes off as pessimistic as to whether the trade offers which will come in February will be enough to entice Phoenix, I have no doubt they can only improve. By all accounts, Stoudemire’s defense is still problematic. But his rebounding has improved dramatically over last season’s rough campaign (he’s back to his career standard) and his scoring is still ultra-efficient. He’s a real catch, with less of the mitigating issues which sunk his value last season.
Pending Chris Bosh movement, Amar’e could also be the best chance for a non-2010 bonanza team to slip in and make a massive upgrade. Phoenix will obviously want talent in order to give up such a solid asset, but expiring contracts could also help the Suns become a minor player in this summer’s free agency. The Suns are on pace to have a payroll of $45 million if you don’t count Stoudemire’s certain-to-be-declined player option. The salary cap for 2010-11 is expected to fall somewhere around $55 million.
The question will be (should it come to this) just how much talent Phoenix wants to get back. I suppose that goes without saying, but after last year’s odd flirtation with trading Amar’e, it deserves to be mentioned.
NBA: Marbury to China
NEW YORK – Stephon Marburywill play professional basketball again.
In China.
The two-time NBA-All Star has agreed to play in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) with China’s Shanxi Club, according to a Reuters report.
Marbury, 32, hasn’t played since leaving the Boston Celtics after last year. The Shanxi team website (www.sxcba.com) said Marbury would arrive sometime next week.
“The aim of signing Marbury is to pay back our fans and try to win more games in the rest of the season,” Shanxi boss Wang Xingjiang said on the team’s website.
Wang also said that Marbury wanted to promote his “Starbury” shoes in China, the world’s most populated nation.
Former NBA player Bonzi Wells played for Shanxi last season, scoring 50 points in a game. But Wells did not return to the team after a holiday break in January.
“It was a big cultural shock to me for the first few weeks,” Wells said, according to Agence France Presse.
“Since I have been here it has been all business and I haven’t had any fun yet, so I am looking for some fun.”
Shanxi is currently 15th in the 17-team league and the arrival of Marbury is expected to boost ticket sales and the team’s prospects of making the postseason.
Marbury’s Twitter feed makes no specific mention of the China deal, but he did say, “I have some things that are brewing.”
NBA: Bargain Players Making Big Impact
Keeping Shannon Brown has turned out to be a big boost for a Lakers bench that has, generally, struggled. What’s more is that Brown didn’t put much of a dent in the Lakers’payroll — he signed for just $2 million, plus an option for next year. But several of the league’s top teams were able to pick up key contributors this summer for less than $2 million. 
1. Channing Frye, Suns. Frye came to Phoenix on a two-year contract worth just $3.8 million, but he has become one of the best longe-range shooters in the league, averaging 12.4 points with a 3-point shooting percentage of 43.3.
2. Jason Williams, Magic. Orlando brought Williams out of retirement to be the backup point guard, for just $1.3 million. Williams played well when starter Jameer Nelson went down and is averaging 6.9 points and 4.6 assists.
3. Shannon Brown, Lakers. His defense and consistency have made him a Phil Jackson favorite.
4. Marquis Daniels, Celtics. Daniels will return from thumb surgery in the coming weeks, but he showed enough in his 19 games to make clear that he will be a key producer off the bench for the Celtics in the second half. Not bad for $1.9 million.
5. Juwan Howard, Blazers. Howard signed a one-year deal for $1.3 million, and did not expect to play a whole lot this year. He certainly did not expect to be a starter. But with Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla out, Howard has had to use his veteran know-how to hold down the middle.
NBA: Gilbert Arenas Wants to Cop a Plea
Washington Wizards player Gilbert Arenas and the U.S. Attorney are negotiating a plea bargain … law enforcement sources tell TMZ.
Our sources say Arenas’ lawyer and prosecutors are discussing a plea in which Arenas would cop to misdemeanor gun charges. We’re told a deal hasn’t been struck yet, but it could come as early as today.
Sources say the filing of charges would coincide with the plea, so it would all go down quickly. We do not know what they are discussing with respect to a sentence … the prosecutor would recommend a sentence but ultimately it’s the judge’s decision.
Arenas is under investigation for felony gun charges for the locker room incident last month.
As for what a plea would do to Arenas’ status as a member of the Washington Wizards, we’re told G.M. Ernie Grunfeld and Arenas were text messaging each other shortly after the incident. In one of the text messages, Grunfeld wrote that Arenas had violated his NBA contract which prohibits players from possessing a firearm in a team or league facility. As a result Grunfeld texted the team had a right to void his contract … worth $111 million.
Report; Arenas Owned Several ‘Hundred’ Guns
File with the “should we be surprised?” pile: WTOPreports today that disgraced Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas has “owned several hundred guns,” but moved most of those firearms out of his Virginia home before he brought guns into the Verizon Center over a month ago. All of Arenas’s firearms were reportedly legally procured, but we’re not just talking about some run of the mill weaponry here: 
The guns turned over to police include a so-called ‘Dirty Harry Revolver’ and a gold-plated Desert Eagle — which is so big and has such a powerful recoil — no law enforcement agency uses them.
Yowza. Revelations like this surely can’t help Arenas while an investigation into his locker room confrontation with Javaris Crittenton is still ongoing. Sure enough, TMZ is quoting anonymous sources who say that Arenas is attempting to plead down to misdemeanor gun charges, a deal that could happen as early as today. Such charges might still carry jail time, but would certainly spare Arenas the multiple-year sentence which had been suggested after the story first broke.
NBA: NBA suspends Arenas indefinitely
NEW YORK — The NBA suspended Gilbert Arenas indefinitely on Wednesday. The Wizards star admitted to bringing four unloaded guns into the Verizon Center locker room and is under investigation by local and federal authorities.
In written statement, commissioner David Stern said
“The possession of firearms by an NBA player in an NBA arena is a matter of the utmost concern to us. I initially thought it prudent to refrain from taking immediate action because of the pendency of a criminal investigation involving the office of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia and the Metropolitan Police Department, and the consideration of this matter by a grand jury sitting in the District of Columbia. For the same reason, I directed the Wizards to refrain from taking any action. Wizards personnel continue to be interviewed by law enforcement authorities, some are scheduled for appearance before the grand jury and the investigation is proceeding with the intensity that one would expect for such a serious incident.
“Although it is clear that the actions of Mr. Arenas will ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse, his ongoing conduct has led me to conclude that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game. Accordingly, I am suspending Mr. Arenas indefinitely, without pay, effective immediately pending the completion of the investigation by the NBA.”
NBA: McGrady, Rockets agree to part ways
BOSTON — The Houston Rockets and Tracy McGrady have agreed to part ways while the Rockets attempt to trade the seven-time All-Star forward, an NBA source confirmed to SI.com. McGrady was sent home before the Rockets game against New Jersey last week after complaining about playing time. McGrady missed the first 23 games of the season while recovering from microfracture knee surgery.
McGrady averaged 3.2 points in 7.7 minutes in six games with Houston this season but is expected to be a sought after commodity because of his $23 million expiring contract, the highest salary in the NBA this season.
It is likely that McGrady will return to Chicago to work out with trainer Tim Grover, who helped McGrady rehab his knee in the offseason.
NBA: D-Wade would love to play with LeBron
“We know each other away from basketball, and I have an unbelievable respect for the person I’ve gotten to know during our seven years in the league.” Dwyane Wade served that morsel regarding his relationship with LeBron James during our scheduled sit-down last Wednesday in the Heat‘s practice gym inside American Airlines Arena . . . and that’s just an appetizer. “So,” I interrupted, “contrary to Magic Johnson’s impetuous opinion and popular belief, you and LeBron could play together?” “Contrary is the operative word,” Wade accentuated, all gleam. “We can play together.”
This was my first time interviewing Wade one-on-one, I’m embarrassed to admit. Considering the less than favorable conditions — no accrued trust, restricted (20-to-25) minutes rationed by the Heat’s publicity department, crushing my usual pre-conversation concept of foreplay — I didn’t expect he would give up much more than the predictable pabulum.
Shows how little I know Wade. Friendly and forthright, he’s the opposite of your typical programmed pin-up player who answers questions that weren’t asked with cliches.
Appreciatively, Wade doesn’t mind amplifying on sensitive subjects. There’s no shutdown after a sentence or two, no creation of awkward silence that pressures you to move on to something else. Instead, he expands with no prodding and furnishes you with more than you are entitled to know.
Not once did Wade say “off the record.”
Before we refocus on the pending possibility of LeBron and Wade patrolling the perimeter together (as they did in a gold medal-winning cause in the Beijing Olympics), let’s revisit Heat management’s premeditated determination this season to tread talent in the middle of the pool rather than contend for a championship by surpassing the luxury-tax buoy — or add any salary to next season’s $30M cap — like the Lakers, Celtics, Spurs, Magic, Mavericks, Nuggets, Hornets, Suns, Jazz, Wizards and, ahem, Cavaliers.
For owner Mickey Arison and team president Pat Riley consciously to squander Wade’s superlatives for 82 games — perhaps his last season in South Beach — and not think he would take exception to it must mean they are pretty confident they have got him on tap for 2010-11 and beyond and believe they’ve got a legit chance to recruit LeBrontosaurus.
“I do want to stay,” Wade said, repeating a mantra he’s chanted almost every day since training camp. “However, I’m open-minded. I want to win! I want that! When we got Shaq I said, ‘All right, we’re trying to win it all now.’ When he left, our direction changed.“
“I understand the business side. I would’ve wanted us to make moves for someone who’ll help us now and be here for the future, too”
“I understand the business side. I would’ve wanted us to make moves for someone who’ll help us now and be here for the future, too”
“I just want to make sure we’ll be in position to compete for a title. I just want to make sure they bring in the beef.”
“Is it frustrating at times? Yes, it is! I’m not in competition with Kobe, but then again I am. I want to be in that elite group that wins multiple titles.“
“Before we agreed to terms, LeBron and I had a couple conversations,” Wade said. “I can’t recall exactly what we said, but the gist of it was we wanted to give ourselves the flexibility and the option to play together.” 
“A lot of times in this league, players usually wind up going where they can get the most money. We’re both blessed within that area. We’ve made a lot of money. So we wanted to base our decision on two things, the organization and the ability to win a title. And that’s what we’ll do. When the season is over, we plan to sit down and talk about it.”
“I’m not saying it will happen. But I’m intrigued by the idea.”
“”I probably couldn’t have handled playing with someone like LeBron earlier in my career, but I’m older now. You’re talking about two big egos and meshing them. That’d take a lot of sacrifice on LeBron’s part and it’d take a lot of sacrifice on my part to succeed. But we would succeed because we know winning takes care of everything.“
“I’d like to play here, but I don’t mind where it is as long the organization is a good fit and it’s committed to competing for championships. The unknown has me intrigued.“
All Night Long: The Suns + Almost Famous + Lionel Richie, Music Video
The Suns + Almost Famous + Lionel Richie, Music Video.
This is another digital short from the mind of Steve Nash. The best part about this for me is that this has to be strange to Grant Hill, and I bet this is strangely normal for the Louis Amundson.
They Sing Lionel Richie’s All Night Long
NBA: Wallace calls out Bobcats teammates
It’s peer-pressure time for the Charlotte Bobcats. Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson took a cue from their coach following Saturday’s 110-102 loss to the Utah Jazz. Larry Brown had just said there are too many Bobcats with lacking effort. So Wallace and Jackson filled in the blanks. “The 4 and the 5 (Boris Diaw and Tyson Chandler) got eight rebounds,” Wallace detailed. “Individually, we’re not taking pride in defensive assignments. We’re not taking pride in helping teammates. So is there a solution to this? “Can you fix somebody’s heart?” Wallace replied. “That’s a personal thing.”
“Too many times we’re saying, ‘This is bad. Just move on to the next game.'”
The Bobcats trailed by 19 before Brown benched every starter except Wallace (30 points and 13 rebounds). A desperate-measures lineup that included center Gana Diop and rookie Gerald Henderson cut the deficit to six before the home team ran out of time.
“The energy of the last group was a lot different from the energy of the (starters),” Brown said. “I think that’s been an issue a lot.”
Wallace and Brown weren’t alone in that impression. While Jackson (18 points, four steals and four rebounds) wasn’t quite so direct in whom he meant, he backed up Wallace.
“I know I’m going to play as hard as I can and I know Gerald puts his body on the line every night,” Jackson said. “We’re all so blessed to have these jobs. We owe it to ourselves and our teammates to play hard.”
So is there a solution to this?
“Can you fix somebody’s heart?” Wallace replied. “That’s a personal thing.”
Diaw had a strange night, scoring eight points in the first quarter and none in the last three. Chandler finished with two points and five rebounds.
Brown said he had an ugly feeling, entering this game, that his team’s resolve would be severely tested. The Jazz had trailed by 32 Friday night in a loss at Atlanta.
“I knew what we’d face,” Brown said. “They got blown out last night and Jerry (Sloan) cleared his bench.”
That’s essentially what Brown did Saturday. Maybe he was sending a message, setting up tonight’s game in New York.
NBA: Robinson’s agent demands Knicks trade
Nate Robinson‘s agent revealed Saturday that he has asked the Knicks to trade his client, who has been buried on Mike D’Antoni’s bench for eight straight games. “I can’t allow Nate to rot on Mike’s bench and not do anything about it. I can’t allow this to happen to his career,” Aaron Goodwin told the Daily News in a telephone interview. “It’s clear that Mike D’Antoni doesn’t want to play him.”
Robinson’s diminished role has been a brewing controversy since D’Antoni first benched the point guard against the Magic on Dec.2, a game the Knicks lost, 118-104, in Orlando. But it may not be the only personnel problem on the coach’s hands.
“When he says that he’d play Satan to help him win, I don’t know what type of message he’s trying to convey,” Goodwin said. “But clearly this is personal.”
The 5-8 Robinson, a two-time slam dunk champion, is a fan favorite at the Garden. But some of his antics have been a source of frustration for Knicks coaches past and present. Even Chris Duhon complained after the second game of the season that players were fooling around – and even dancing – during pregame warmups. Duhon didn’t mention Robinson by name, but D’Antoni has cited Robinson for his poor preparation and silly behavior.
“I’m going to continue to try and be ready if my name is ever called, and just go from there. I’m happy we won, I’ll just leave it at that,” Curry said Saturday afternoon at the Knicks’ practice facility in Greenburgh. “Nobody is ever happy not playing at all. …I stopped trying to understand things and I just kind of roll with the punches.”
50 most influential people in Sports Business
Much like the industry itself, our ranking of the 50 most influential people in sports business evolves constantly. It’s the nature of such lists, what keeps them interesting, and what makes them still challenging six years into the process of determining who most influences the North American sports business.
Think of it as broadening the list. And we’ve done it on two fronts this year.
First, we’ve expanded the reach of the executives who make the top 50 by putting more of an international stamp on it, highlighted mostly by this year’s No. 1, Jacques Rogge of the International Olympic Committee, but also with FIFA’s Sepp Blatter cracking the list for the first time. The idea hasn’t changed, and the rankings are still North American focused. We’re simply recognizing the importance of both the Olympics and World Cup to the overall American sports landscape, no matter how internationally focused those events and their leaders are.
The world is getting smaller and smaller, and the decisions of these international executives are having a larger and larger influence on the American sports business. That, no doubt, will only increase as our rankings continue to evolve.
Secondly, and more noticeably, we’re recognizing the idea that oftentimes influence among major properties and brands is shared among more than one executive, and thus for the first time we’ve made exceptions for executive pairings with a handful of spots.
In the first five years of our 50 Most Influential list, we were adamant that the list be limited to 50 individuals, often to the detriment of one person or another among some extremely influential and powerful pairings in our industry. Charlie Denson kept making the cut from Nike, which unfortunately — if not unfairly — left little room for Mark Parker. The same could be said for the power-agent duo of Tom Condon and Ben Dogra. Condon kept making the list based on his years as one of the top agents in the NFL, despite Dogra being an equal partner in their CAA Football offices.
After years of debate — literally, considering this wasn’t a new discussion — we decided to broaden our thinking on how influence is spread across the industry. That led to 10 exceptions — so yes, that means our top 50 executives list this year actually features 60 names. That doesn’t mean next year the list will grow to 100 names.
With both of this year’s changes, it simply means we’re more accurately recognizing where the influence falls.
NBA: Lakers, Kobe talking extension
Lakers forward Pau Gasol has agreed in principle to an extension that would keep him under contract through 2013-14, and Kobe Bryant has had ever-improving discussions on a contract extension that would keep him with the Lakers for the same period.
On Friday, Gasol smiled and said, “I haven’t signed anything yet,” but it was merely semantics, the stroke of a pen probably completing his extension within a few days after the Lakers’ trip ends Sunday in Detroit, according to sources close to the negotiations but not authorized to speak publicly.
The Lakers have offered Bryant the most they can under salary-cap rules, but the sides are believed to be discussing smaller items such as whether the 11-time All-Star can get most of his annual salary at the start of each season, which has been the case throughout his current contract. Another sticking point possibly includes whether he can again have a no-trade clause, which came into play when he demanded a trade from the Lakers in May 2007.
Bryant has declined to talk about the status of his contract extension, saying most recently he wanted to “keep my business behind closed doors.”
The Lakers have been to the NBA Finals the last two seasons with Gasol and have not lost three consecutive games since acquiring him. His value was obvious earlier this season when the team went 8-3 while he was sidelined with a hamstring injury. Since his return, the Lakers have won 12 of 13 games. “It’s crazy to think it, but he’s still underrated,” Bryant said. “He’s a great, great player.”
NBA: Jerryd Bayless and the Liberation of Combo Guards
The myth of point guard purity is one of my personal voodoos, 
so excuse the bleating back pat to come. Jerryd Bayless, a so-called combo guard, a Gilbert Arenas lite, went to Portland in the 2008 draft. In fact, Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard sent valued Jarrett Jack to Indiana in order to move up a few spot in the mid-first round to grab Bayless when the top 10 drafters bypassed the Wildcat for illustrious talents like Joe Alexander.
Bayless hasn’t really paid off for Pritchard or the Blazers … until now, that is. Bayless played in only 53 games last season, averaging 12 minutes per contest. Portland has a few higher-profile point guards (Andre Miller and Steve Blake, Sergio Rodriguez last year) and a starting two-guard (Brandon Roy) who happens to dominate the ball and initiate the offense. Bayless seemed to be on a repeat path this season: pulling in only when injury, foul trouble or garbage time struck. He’s not a fit with coach Nate McMillan‘s conservative, slow system, and there is the perception that Portland alreadyhad too many mouths to feed before introducing a score-first lead guard to the mix.
But something funny happened, even with Blake and Miller and Roy all healthy. Portland has disappointed, and McMillan has gotten desperate. You can stick to religion when you exceed expectations, even if sin would add a win. To a degree, that’s a fine stance to take: in years past, it was always about the future with the club, and indoctrinating the roster in the ways of Blazer Ball served as a dominant goal.
But tomorrow is here, and the Blazers can’t get by (in the media, with the home crowd) building for the future. It’s suddenly all about this moment, this opportunity to leap into orbit, to join the Lakers, the Celtics, the Magic, the Cavaliers. That’s how the atmosphere has been all year, and Portland’s disappointing start has added a hanging smog of … well, disappointment. McMillan, as I said, is on the precipice of desperation.
Enter Bayless, who has become a smidge vocal about his lack of opportunity. McMillan the Pastor would never approve of what Bayless has done the past two games — 11 shot attempts (six FGAs, 10 FTAs) in 24 minutes against Sacramento Tuesday,21 shots (15 FGAs, 12 FTAs) in 29 minutes Thursday against the Suns. But McMillan lost his cloth when Greg Oden went down, and McMillan the Coach Facing Criticism for the First Time in a Long Time sure loves it. To wit, McMillan’s post-game comments, transcribed by Ben Golliver of Blazersedge:
What can you say? I thought he had a great game. We know Jerryd can put some points on the board. And with all the guys we have out, we need that. He’s getting the opportunity to play and he’s taking advantage of it. I’ve told him for really for the last two years ‘be patient, be patient, the opportunity is going to come. I don’t know when but it just does in the NBA.’ And that opportunity has come in the last two games. He’s shown this at times. The last two times he’s shown what he’s capable of doing with that opportunity.
Of course, Bayless scored a vital 14 against Sacramento, and a game-high 29 against Phoenix. If those shots don’t fall, if Bayless doesn’t get the whistles he did and more possessions end with a missed FGA instead of two made FTAs, then McMillan doesn’t say that, and Bayless gets no freedom. McMillan, I’d argue, doesn’t believe in Bayless, but believes in what Bayless just did, and knows that right now, with the bench suffering from the losses of Oden (bumping Joel Przybilla to the starting unit), Travis Outlaw, Nicolas Batum and Rudy Fernandez, he as a coach and manager of playing time needs to keep believing in Bayless’s work until twilight falls on the guard.
And that, perhaps, is the long-term curse of the combo guards who serve under traditional coaches: you’re like the woman on the side. When coach needs you, he’ll use you. But the minute you disappoint, or try to break out of the lopsided relationship, you’re gone, and it’s on to the new one. Combo guards deserve better treatment under the old school regime. If Dennis Johnson is the Susan B. Anthony of this movement, maybe Bayless can be the Gloria Steinem. Forward!
NBA: Rockets showcasing McGrady for trade
Tracy McGrady‘s comeback is only part of a larger plan to increase his minutes and prove his worth to a team willing to take a chance on his once-breathtaking ability to score and benefit from his $23 million expiring contract at the same time. The Rockets were 14-10 this season without Yao Ming and McGrady, and now the only question is how long they’ll have to keep up the charade until McGrady is in good enough condition to help another team.
“The plan is to increase his minutes because they’re gonna trade him,” said a person familiar with the Rockets’ plans. “I know they are. It doesn’t do them any good to have him playing eight minutes a game on that contract. They’ll find somebody, and there are plenty of teams that are interested, in spite of the contract.”
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