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      Boozer headed to Chicago?

      July 9, 2009 /

      There is a possible three-team trade brewing…

      Sources stressed to ESPN.com that no deal was imminent Thursday and that both Portland and Utah are still evaluating multiple trade scenarios. But two sources with knowledge of the three-team proposal confirmed that there have been substantive talks regarding a trade that would land Boozer in Chicago, Hinrich in Portland and Tyrus Thomas in Utah.

      A deal featuring those main components would deliver the elite low-post scorer that the Bulls have been chasing for years in Boozer and furnish Portland with a lead guard in Hinrich that the Blazers are known to rate highly as a potential backcourt mate for Brandon Roy. It’s possible that other players would be added to balance out the transaction from a salary-cap perspective if the three teams elect to take these talks further.

      It’s not clear whom the Blazers would have to give up to land Hinrich, but they have cap space so they have some flexibility with regard to how the salaries match up. For the Bulls, this looks like a decent deal depending on whether or not anyone comes over with Boozer. Hinrich and Thomas for Boozer sounds about right.

      The Jazz would like to move Boozer, but want to get something in return, and in this case that’s the up-and-coming Thomas. He’s more of a face up forward, so his game should compliment Paul Millsap’s pretty well.

      As for the Blazers, they’ve long been rumored to be interested in Hinrich, who can initiate the offense and is a good enough shooter to create space for Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge. More importantly, he’s a pesky defender that can cover the other team’s best guard, allowing Roy to get a breather on defense. The Blazers need a point but they don’t really want to go too young at the position. They need veteran leadership and Hinrich fits the bill.

      NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

      Ellis: ‘Ware took himself out of games so I could play.’

      July 9, 2009 /

      Appearing on Michael Irvin’s radio show, former Cowboys linebacker Greg Ellis said that DeMarcus Ware used to hide from coaches in order to help get Ellis onto the field last season.

      According to Ellis, one of his prominent former teammates was so frustrated by the veteran’s diminished role that he’d hide from coaches during games to force them to put Ellis on the field.

      “It’s a disgrace when DeMarcus Ware comes off the field just so I can get in the game and when the coaches tell him to come on the field, he tries to hide so I can play,” Ellis said during an appearance on ESPN 103.3’s Michael Irvin Show. “And you’re telling me we’re trying to win the Super Bowl?”

      Ware, the weak side outside linebacker who threatened the NFL’s season sacks record during his third consecutive Pro Bowl campaign, could not immediately be reached for comment. Ware rarely sat out a defensive snap with the exception of late in the Thanksgiving win over the Seahawks, when he suffered a knee injury.

      Irvin, the Hall of Fame former Cowboys receiver, asked for clarification that Ware would take himself out of games to force the coaches to play Ellis.

      “On his own,” Ellis said. “He would say, ‘G, come on.’ And I would tell him, ‘No, DeMarcus, go ahead, man. You’re coming up on your contract year. Don’t mess that stuff up. Go ahead and do you, and we’re just going to do what the coaches, or whoever the powers that be, what they want to do.'”

      Riiiight. I’m not saying this didn’t happen because it’s a little too bizarre for Ellis to make up, but he’s his comments are rather unclear. Did this happen several times throughout the course of the season? Did it happen once a game? Twice a game? Or did this just happen once throughout the entire 16-game schedule? Because if it was only once, then this isn’t a big deal at all.

      Either way, Ellis isn’t helping his buddy score a new contract here. Ware is the midst of trying to get a new contract from the Cowboys and Ellis doesn’t really help him out by saying that Ware used to hide from coaches on the sidelines when they wanted him to go in.

      What a weird story.

      NFL

      Getting better or getting worse?

      July 9, 2009 /



      The NBA offseason is about getting better. Players are (or should be) in the gym, working on their games, getting stronger, running faster, whatever. Meanwhile, general managers try to draft well and make some moves in free agency that will help their respective teams make that jump to the next level.

      There’s an old Beatles song, “Getting Better,” that goes…

      I’ve got to admit it’s getting better
      A little better all the time (It can’t get no worse)
      I have to admit it’s getting better
      It’s getting better since you’ve been mine

      Now Paul McCartney and John Lennon were talking about a girl, but those lyrics could easily be applied to an NBA team during the summer. With that in mind, here are three teams that are getting better and three that are getting worse. (And, by the way, just because a team is adding talent, it doesn’t mean that they’re making the right moves.)

      GETTING BETTER

      San Antonio Spurs
      The Spurs’ willingness to take on salary to improve their roster resulted in the acquisition of All-Star-caliber forward Richard Jefferson from the Bucks, who were looking to dump salary. To add Jefferson, they only had to give up Kurt Thomas, Bruce Bowen and Fabricio Oberto. RJ is a good all-around wing that can score and defend. The Spurs also added Antonio McDyess with a three-year, mid-level deal. McDyess is 34, but his PER of 16.63 last season is still well above average. To top it all off, San Antonio benefited from DeJuan Blair’s free fall on draft night. Blair is arguably the best rebounder in this year’s draft class and he’ll provide immediate toughness on the inside. Really, at the cost of a second rounder, do the Spurs care if his knees break down in three or four years? If San Antonio has everyone healthy come playoff time, they have a great shot of upending the Lakers in the West.

      Continue reading »

      NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

      Report: Pirates pushing hard to deal Freddy Sanchez

      July 9, 2009 /

      One of the more intriguing names on the trade market is Pirates second baseman Freddy Sanchez, who is currently batting .316 with six dingers and 33 RBI. And as the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting, the Bucs are pushing hard to deal him before the trade deadline.

      Two teams that covet the second baseman are the Giants and Rockies, each of whom are battling it out behind the Dodgers in the NL West and are in the thick of things for the NL Wild Card. Sanchez would be a nice catch for either team, although something for both clubs to consider is his salary. The All-Star makes $6.1 million this year and will make $8 million in 2010 if he picks up another 271 plate appearances before the end of the season.

      Colorado might hold an edge over San Fran in the Sanchez sweepstakes because Pittsburgh is reportedly gaga over Rockies’ minor leaguer Eric Young. The 24-year-old has 23 extra base hits, 37 walks and a whopping 47 steals so far in the minors and if the Rox are willing to part with him, they could have Sanchez in uniform sooner rather than later.

      That said, the Giants always have an abundance of pitching, but whether or not they’re willing to give any of it up remains to be scene. Madison Bumgarner and Tim Alderson are certainly out of the question, but GM Brian Sabean could still put a decent package together with the likes of Jonathan Sanchez or Kevin Pucetas, coupled with a couple of offensive prospects. (Sabean would probably be willing to throw Fred Lewis into the mix as well, although who knows if the Bucs would even want the struggling 28-year-old outfielder.)

      It’ll be interesting to see which team eventually winds up making a move for Sanchez. Either way, it appears that his days in Pittsburgh are numbered.

      MLB, Rumors & Gossip

      Judge blocks Williams Wall suspension, but will it hurt Vikings in the end?

      July 9, 2009 /

      The AP is reporting that a district judge has granted Vikings’ defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams a block against their four-game suspensions for using a banned substance. The “Williams Wall” now has a temporary restraining order against the NFL and the judge has also scheduled a July 22 hearing to consider whether or not he’ll put a hold on state court proceedings.

      This could be construed as either good or a bad for the Vikings. Sure, Minnesota could have the Williams Wall for Week 1 against the Browns, but what happens if the NFL wins this battle and suspends the pair during a critical point during the season?

      If the Williams Wall is truly innocent or victims are victims in some way, then nobody should blame them for fighting their suspensions. But the NFL isn’t going to give up here, especially considering it doesn’t want to take on an image that its players are using banned substances to help them compete on the field (a la Major League Baseball).

      Last year, the Williams Wall avoided a four-game suspension during a critical stretch in the season and they helped the Vikings make the playoffs. If they serve their four game suspension over the course of the first four weeks of this season, they’ll miss games against the Browns, 49ers, Lions and Packers. Granted, no win is guaranteed in the NFL, but the Vikings certainly have a much easier schedule at the start of the year than the middle and end.

      Again, if the Williams Wall is innocent, then they shouldn’t back down. But if the two think that they’re going to sneak one past the NFL with this judge’s help, then they probably have another thing coming and could wind up missing crucial games during the middle or end of the season. Everybody (i.e. the Williams Wall and the Vikings) seems to be playing with fire here.

      NFL

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