Archive for July, 2011

Now that FIBA has cleared the way for locked out NBA players to take their talents overseas there remains but the formality of negotiating. There has been plenty of speculation as to whether or not Kobe Bryant will be among those that seek a European pay check should the lockout threaten the regular season. Today could be the day Bryant officially takes the Euro plunge. Bryant is scheduled to meet with team officials from Turkish club Besiktas today. Currently Bryant’s chances of playing in Turkey are reported to be 50-50. But that could all change today.

As the NBA Lockout lingers players are finding ways to keep in shape, stay active and most importantly remain relevant. We already know about all the European speculation. But that is so last week. It might be early in the lockout process but guys are already finding more creative ways to stay active. Kobe Bryant has already made a trip to the Philippines and is considering a tour of China plus a potential extended stay in Turkey. However the latter options are in the distant future. Right here and now Kobe needs to find some activity to stay busy.

If you don’t think the times are changing in Laker Land then consider the following to be either your first warning or a significant sign of the impeding apocalypse. Currently the Minnesota Timberwovles are looking for a new head coach. Nothing shocking there, you can set your watch to that process occurring every other year since Flip Saunders left. What is eye opening is that David Kahn is involving Kevin Love in the process, seeking the input of his best player. Again, nothing too shocking as that is a common courtesy most competent franchises extend. Well…most competent franchises expect our [...]

When he’s not asking where his statute is or lamenting over being ignored for all of his greatness, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is writing. Today he put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard as it were) for an article published on ESPN.com. In his piece Cap comments on the current state of the NBA, giving some insight into what he feels plagues the modern game. Never one to mince words, Kareem takes the NBA owners to task for their idiotic model for revenue sharing. Unless there can be some type of adjustment to the league’s revenue-sharing arrangement worked out by the [...]

Phil Jackson’s brilliance has always been subtle. He never invented an offensive or defensive scheme that changed the game. He rarely made in-game adjustments that changed the entire dynamic of a contest. According to those who have played for PJ his true hoops acumen was on display mostly in practice. All that being said the true measure of what made Phil so effective was revealed in how his players performed in key moments. Phil’s faith in his roster was paramount in filling both his hands with championship rings. Most recently this exact quality was on display during the title run [...]

Dr. Jerry Buss has never been shy about spending money on his franchise. His willingness to go to whatever lengths necessary to win has helped to maintain the winning tradition of the Lakers while constantly creating heightened expectations. That’s why the NBA’s 2010-11 audit is so painful to the best owner in basketball. The Lakers are among three teams that will pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $20-million in luxury taxes for exceeding the salary cap threshold. It’s one thing when Dr. Buss is cutting a check that size on the heels of a victory parade through downtown. Quite another [...]

Aside from his phenomenal ability, tireless work ethic, worldwide recognition and numerous accomplishments Kobe Bryant isn’t that different from you or I. Just like us he has a job (though he’s not allowed to step foot in his workplace at the moment). Just like us he gets compensation for his labor. And just like us KB24 wants fair compensation and the right working environment when he considers an employer. With the speed at which Deron Williams and his representation moved to ink a deal with Turkish club Besiktas many began to speculate other locked out NBAers would quickly follow suit. [...]

These are troubling times for the Los Angeles Lakers. Like the many collagen enhanced women that dot the beaches in SoCal, all is not as it appears. On the court the Lakers are a franchise that has epitomized greatness. Many of the best to ever play and coach the game of basketball have been members of the Purple and Gold family. The same can be said for those that work tirelessly in the front office. While the Lakers have long been viewed as a class organization there are telling signs of a classless regime taking over. From the dismantling of [...]

Reason #178 why the NBA lockout appears almost certain to doom the 2011-12 NBA season: Kobe Bryant is reported to be in talks with a club whose bank accounts have been frozen due to a match-fixing scandal. To be fair, said scandal does not involve Turkish basketball club Besiktas but instead relates to the soccer club bearing the same name. None the less, KB24’s management is said to be in discussions with the Turkish team. ESPN cites Ergin Ataman, head coach of the Besiktas ball club, stating that Bryant’s management has contacted him in hopes of opening a negotiating dialog. [...]

Yep, the NBA lockout is already doing damage. Forget about all the posturing of players potentially playing overseas. That is old news. Catching Andrew Bynum disrespecting handicapped parking like Johnny Knoxville in The Ringer is far more salacious. We’re officially that bored. NBC4 continues to be the watchdog of all things Los Angeles. As the entire city stayed inside amid Carmaggedon fears, NBC4 was there with round-the-clock overage of empty streets. Now they’ve turned their omnipresent cameras to the parking habits of Bynum. Where would L.A. be without you, Channel 4? To be sure I’m not sticking up for Baby [...]