Category: Rumors & Gossip (Page 186 of 225)

      Mo Williams upset about All-Star snub

      January 30, 2009 /

      The All-Star reserves were announced last night and Mo Williams’ name was not on the list. And he’s none too happy about it.

      The Magic will get three All-Stars—Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis now as well as starting center Dwight Howard—but the Cavs, despite having the best record in the NBA, will only send LeBron James.

      Really, it came down to Nelson or Williams, and Mo first and foremost didn’t want to take anything away from his colleague.

      “Congratulations to him,” Williams said with a smile. “He deserves it, but there’s only a certain amount of players that can play.”

      “You want me to tell you like it is?” Williams chuckled. “Then I’ll tell it like it is. It’s a tragedy. How many players get into the game, and how many players did the Magic get in? They’ve got three players, and we’ve got the best record. Not just in the Eastern Conference, but in the whole league… Best team in the world, and we got one player.”

      The guy’s got a point, and [Ben] Wallace’s got his back.

      “He took us from a team that was on the verge of competing for a championship to making us a legit championship contender,” Wallace added.

      I disagree with Wallace that Williams is the main reason that the Cavs are playing as well as they are (or were, before getting trounced by the Magic last night). LeBron has returned from his stint with Team USA with a focus on defense, and that has translated to the rest of the team. He even has Williams gaining a rep for being a decent defender, which is something that has plagued him throughout his career.

      Here are the YTD stats for Williams and Nelson:

      Williams: 16.92 PER (#16 PG), 17.0 p, 4.1 a, 3.3 r, 0.8 s, 47% FG, 38% 3PT, 94% FT

      Nelson: 20.94 PER (#4 PG), 16.9 p, 5.3 a, 3.4 r, 1.2 s, 51% FG, 45% 3PT, 88% FT

      The two players are essentially the same in points and rebounds. Mo has an advantage in free throw percentage, but Jameer has a big advantage in assists, steals, FG% and three-point accuracy. Moreover, Williams plays an extra two minutes per game, so he has more time to post stats. Clearly, from the Player Efficiency Rating, Nelson is the far more productive and efficient player.

      Williams has also come up fairly small in the Cavs’ three “marquee” games this season. He shot 6-16 in a bad loss against the Lakers on Jan. 19 and posted just 13 points and one assist against the Celtics on Jan. 9. That trend continued after the reserves were announced when he shot just 4-15 from the field against the Magic last night.

      So this comes down to how many players elite teams should get on the All-Star team. I actually think that Mo is more deserving than Rashard Lewis, but that Nelson is more deserving than Williams. But this probably has to do more with LeBron than anything. He is viewed as a one-man wrecking crew and that will automatically discount the contributions of his teammates. Throw in the fact that Allen Iverson was voted in by the fans and it was obvious that someone was going to get screwed. It happens every year.

      Williams has a gripe, but Jameer Nelson deserves to be an All-Star, there’s no doubt about that.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      Why can’t readers comment on columns by Bill Simmons or Rick Reilly?

      January 29, 2009 /

      Regular readers know that there are times when Anthony Stalter and I get hammered for our opinions here at The Scores Report. And that’s fine. It’s the nature of the sports blog and online writing in general. But over at ESPN, there are two writers that are held above the fray — Bill Simmons and Rick Reilly. Want to comment on something Bill or Rick said? Tough luck.

      This (justifiably) irks CBS SPiN columnist Cameron Martin, so he asked an ESPN spokesperson, Paul Melvin, why ESPN treats these two differently than any of its other writers.

      At CBSSports.com and FoxSports.com, readers can comment directly on every article without exception. Consequently, writers like Gregg Doyel and Jason Whitlock cannot present a false image of universal public adoration.

      At ESPN.com, readers can comment on every columnist except two — Bill Simmons and Rick Reilly, two front-page columnists. So, what makes these humps so special? I couldn’t think of a good reason, so I decided to ask Paul Melvin, ESPN spokesman. Here’s our e-mail exchange:

      Me: “Paul, I had a question about ESPN columnists that I was going to address in my CBS column on Monday: Why can’t readers comment on Rick Reilly and Bill Simmons columns? And why is it only them? Is it to protect the idea that these two columnists are universally loved? Jemele Hill and DJ Gallo and Scoop Jackson and Gene W get hammered by some readers. Why isn’t that same courtesy extended to Bill and Rick? Seems disingenuous. Thanks, Cameron Martin.”

      ESPN: “Cameron, Bill and Rick’s accessibility to fans has always been part of their style, and they both have developed long-standing practices of engaging their fans. Bill has a history of using his interaction with his readers as part of his voice and has, through the years, developed a regular, robust ‘mailbag’ style column that is a favorite of readers. Rick’s connection to the personal stories of people in all walks of life has helped give him his signature voice. With respect to those traditions, we’ve chosen to continue to present their interaction with readers through those avenues.”

      (As non-answers go, that’s pretty good. Unfortunately I wasn’t looking for a non-answer.)

      Me: “Paul, thanks for the reply. Quick follow-up: In this new era of change, transparency and accountability, isn’t it a bit antiquated and un-American to try to control feedback from the public? What if President Obama wanted to comment directly on one of Rick Reilly’s stories? Shouldn’t he be able to announce to the world, ‘Rick, you’re an inspiration to millions everywhere’?”

      ESPN: “Hi Cameron. Appreciate the follow up, but I think our earlier comment is all we’re going to have to offer here. Paul Melvin.”

      Got that, sports fans? If you want to tell me I suck, you can go to the bottom of this article. If you want to tell Rick Reilly he sucks, you can go to hell.

      So there you have it, folks. ESPN has said all that it will on this matter, at least for now.

      Humor, Rumors & Gossip

      Carter-for-Szczerbiak swap still a possibility?

      January 28, 2009 /

      ‘Tis the season for NBA trade speculation. With the the contenders separated (for the most part, at least) from the pretenders, and the trade deadline fast approaching, the rumors are flying fast and furious. Chad Ford goes down the list of wings that might be on the move.

      Here are a couple of interesting names:

      Wally Szczerbiak, Cavs
      There are a lot of expiring contracts out there, but none gets more attention than Szczerbiak’s. The Cavs aren’t interested in cap room right now. They want a championship.

      Everyone in Cleveland is crossing their fingers that some desperate GM will pull a Chris Wallace and give away an All-Star for cap relief and late first-round picks. More often than not, it doesn’t happen. But with the economy turning sour and a scrum of teams trying to get under the cap in 2010, the Cavs might be able to pull it off.

      Chance of trade: 60 percent

      Vince Carter, Nets
      Going into the season, no one predicted that Carter, at the age of 32, would put up All-Star numbers on a rebuilding team. But he has played his heart out and, with Devin Harris, has made the Nets respectable. Which means it’s the perfect time for Rod Thorn and Kiki Vandeweghe to throw him a farewell party.

      Carter has garnered plenty of interest from a few championship contenders like Cleveland and Houston who see him as a nice veteran addition. The Nets should jump on any deal that gets them a combination of cap relief and picks. Getting the last three years and $51 million of his contract off their books has to be a priority right now.

      Chance of trade: 45 percent

      If the Nets want to get out from under Carter’s contract (which runs two more years at the tune of $33.6 million) now is the time to move him. He is playing All-Star caliber ball and, along with Devin Harris, has kept the Nets in the playoff hunt. The tough part about trading Carter is his age (32) and the fact that his contract extends through the 2010-11 season, so he’s not going to be attractive to teams looking to make a splash in the summer of 2010. Another big thing standing in the way for the Nets is the fact that they are very much in the playoff hunt. Do they want to throw the towel in on this season for future salary cap flexibility?

      A potential Szczerbiak-for-Carter swap is interesting on a couple of fronts. The Cavs’ biggest weakness right now is shooting guard (though they could use another young big man as well). They have Szczerbiak, Delonte West (who is injured) and Daniel Gibson (who is shooting under 40% from the field). Some might say that Carter will be a distraction, but at this point in his career, he seems to be willing to put aside his ego (and stats) to win a championship and LeBron James is one of those players whose stature creates an environment that makes it easy for guys to fall in line. Just look at Mo Williams. He and Michael Redd clashed last year in Milwaukee, but we haven’t heard any complaints out of him this season.

      Granted, winning solves everything, but that’s why the Carter trade might work. If the Cavs add Vinsanity and they break through and win a title (or at least make it to the Finals), the franchise is far more likely to retain LeBron next summer. But they run the risk of the trade not working and squandering their chance to sign a second big-name free agent in 2010 (assuming they’re able to re-sign LeBron). It’s sort of a Catch-22.

      Word out of Cleveland is that they are happy with the status quo, but if they can make a Pau Gasol-type trade and acquire a great player for an expiring contract and a late first round draft pick or two, they’ll pull the trigger. And with the way Carter is playing, a Szczerbiak-for-Carter is in that ballpark.

      But I don’t think the two teams will make a deal unless the Nets believe that the Cavs’ acquisition of Carter will ultimately backfire. Since New Jersey is one of the potential suitors for LeBron it behooves them to do everything they can to keep the Cavs from winning a title in the next two seasons. Do they believe that Carter will help or hinder LeBron’s quest?

      I think we may very well see Szczerbiak on the move, but probably not to the Nets. After all, the Nets already rejected the offer once, and since then Carter looks better and Wally looks worse.

      It would be surprising if the Cavs don’t move Szczerbiak at all. Right now, I don’t think they’d be favored if they faced the Lakers in the Finals or maybe even the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. If they can find a good player who doesn’t have major character issues and whose contract does not run into the 2010-11 season, they should pull the trigger.

      NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      Is Elton Brand on the trading block?

      January 28, 2009 /

      The answer is yes, according to Chad Ford’s sources. Here’s exactly what Ford said in a recent chat.

      …from what my sources around the league are saying, Brand is available. The question is, given how poorly he’s played this year and his huge contract, does anyone want him?

      When asked a different question (about the Heat), Ford also mentioned Brand.

      I think they have to see whether they can pry Boozer or Elton Brand for Marion. I think both are possible and both are better long term fits than O’Neal. The one positive for O’Neal is that he’s off the books in 2010. That gives the Heat LOTS of cap space in the summer of 2010. Of all the markets trying to clear cap … Miami is one of the most desirable for NBA free agents. The fact that Wade and Michael Beasley are there won’t hurt recruiting either.

      The Heat have seemingly moved away from signing a power forward like Boozer or Brand because they think that it is Beasley’s natural position. Offensively, he can play either forward position, but defensively, he’s going to have a tough time covering opposing small forwards. So that would seem to cross Miami off a list of possible destinations for Brand though the two sides have had a long romance. Brand signed an offer sheet with the Heat when he first became a restricted free agent and the Clippers matched.

      Given the way that Brand has played this season (PER: 14.63, #33 amongst power forwards), I’m sure teams are hesitant to take on the four years and $66 million remaining on his contract. The main problem is his accuracy from the field. Brand is a career 50% shooter, yet he has only made 45% of his shots this season. His blocks are down as well, so one wonders if he has lost some of his athleticism. Of course, he’s been injured so he has only appeared in 25 games and the Sixers have been playing pretty well without him.

      It will be interesting to see if Philly moves him before the trade deadline. If they do, it will be a 180-degree shift from last offseason when everyone (including me) was praising the franchise for acquiring Brand. For the record, after his Achilles injury, I didn’t see Brand as a “max” player, but the Sixers needed to pony up to pry him away from the Clippers and the Warriors. It looks like they took a risk and it hasn’t paid off, at least not yet.

      Now the question is — will someone else roll the dice on Elton?

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      Report: Tom Brady throwing passes

      January 28, 2009 /

      According to the Boston Globe, Tom Brady’s recovery from ACL and MCL surgery is on track for the 2009 season opener and he’s even started to throw passes.

      Tom BradyWhile the Patriots obviously want Brady, the 2007 NFL MVP, back for the start of the 2009 season, the greater concern is how strong the knee will be when he returns, how long the knee will hold up, and how it will affect his play.

      Brady, who turns 32 in August, and the Patriots likely will not have definitive answers to those questions until this summer, when the quarterback can test himself in game-like situations at training camp.

      All the more reason for the Patriots to place the franchise tag on backup quarterback Matt Cassel, who proved a more than capable starter while filling in for Brady. The Patriots can’t franchise Cassel, preventing the QB from becoming an unrestricted free agent, until Feb. 5.

      Still, the latest reports on Brady’s knee seem more encouraging than a month ago, when an NBCSports.com report said both the ACL and MCL were loose and a second reconstructive surgery would be required to repair the problem.

      The report said the second surgery could cost Brady the 2009 season.

      The Pats must franchise Cassel to protect themselves if Brady doesn’t recover. Sure, a lot of cap space will be eaten up at the quarterback position next year if they do tag Cassel, but it’s better to have him as a security blanket so if Brady goes down again, their entire season doesn’t go down the drain because they don’t have an experienced backup.

      Tagging Cassel buys the Pats one year to figure out what they want to do long-term.

      NFL, Rumors & Gossip

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