Day: March 13, 2007

Moss to Packers heats up again

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is reporting that a source “familiar with the inner workings of both organizations” has confirmed Green Bay and Oakland are still actively in talks about Randy Moss. Apparently the Raiders want nothing to do with Aaron Rodgers (which is really saying something considering Andrew Walter was their starting quarterback last year), instead targeting Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila or Corey Williams.

Forget Moss’s baggage for a moment and think about this from the Packers point of view. At this point, Gbaja-Biamila is an overpaid pass-rush specialist and is less valued with the re-signing of Cullen Jenkins. Williams is actually more valuable at this point because he’s younger and will defend the run. I’m sure Oakland would want more, but Gbaja-Biamila for Moss straight up is enticing, especially with Green Bay having the cap space and in need of a primary target for Brett Favre.

I still think the Packers should take a pass on this one with the reciever position being deep in the draft. Their backfield is still ultra thin and would be better off trying to trade picks to move up for California’s Marshawn Lynch. Unless Moss is willing to restructure his deal (highly unlikely), his potential production probably isn’t worth his paycheck.

The Knicks extend Zeke

Knicks owner James Dolan said last summer that Isiah Thomas was on notice and that he wanted to see considerable improvement this season or changes would be made. Apparently, a 29-34 record – currently good enough for the #8 seed in the lowly East – represents enough progress, so much so that Dolan decided to extend Thomas to a non-disclosed, multi-year deal.

More than the record, Dolan praised Thomas for getting the team to play together and for the improvement in the Knicks’ young players. Second-year forward David Lee has become one of the NBA’s best sixth men, and Eddy Curry has turned into one of the top centers in the East.

“I think every player has done well under Isiah,” Dolan said. “I think we have a great future.”

Thomas is certainly a better coach than he is a GM, but since he’s been scientifically proven to be the worst GM in the NBA, that isn’t saying a whole hell of a lot. Virtually every trade he has made has backfired in one way or another, and the team is in horrible shape in relation to the salary cap. But after this season, an astounding $52 M will come off the payroll, as the salaries of Allan Houston, Jalen Rose, Maurice Taylor, Shandon Anderson and Jerome Williams will be erased from the books. To put that $52 M into perspective, it’s more than the total payroll of the Hawks and the Bobcats.

This extension brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “rewarding mediocrity.”