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      Should the Sixers pass on Evan Turner?

      May 20, 2010 /

      Sixers beat writer Bob Ford thinks so, assuming they don’t trade Andre Iguodala:

      If you believe the mock drafts, Ohio State swingman Evan Turner is going to fall to the Sixers after the Wizards take Kentucky’s John Wall. That’s fine, except the Sixers already have Evan Turner, and his name is Andre Iguodala.

      If Stefanski can trade Iguodala and the four years and $56 million he has coming to him, then Turner is fine. If not, the Sixers would be better off dropping down to get Georgia Tech’s 6-foot-10 Derrick Favors and bump Brand out of the low post.

      This isn’t a team that will be fixed by one player, anyway. It took years to get into this mess, and it will take years to get out.

      This is a clear case of NBA-ready versus potential. Evan Turner is ready to contribute immediately, but the Sixers don’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon, and in order to make way, they would have to trade away their best player. Andre Iguodala may be a bit overpaid, but he does a lot of different things, and is excellent on the defensive end of the court.

      Derrick Favors is 6’10” and doesn’t turn 19 until mid-July. (Turner turns 22 in October, so he’s essentially two years older.) This is what DraftExpress has to say about Favors:

      He’s incredibly gifted from a physical standpoint, showing a combination of length and athleticism that is simply unparalleled at the college level. He runs the floor like a deer, is outrageously explosive around the rim, and is a fantastic target for entry-passes thanks to his terrific hands and the amazing extension he gets around the basket.

      The more wide open style of the NBA game should benefit him in this regard, both in transition (where he truly excels) and as a pick and roll finisher in the half-court—especially with more talented shot-creating guards alongside him.

      Offensively, Favors is fairly limited as a shot-creator in the half-court, showing raw footwork and little in the ways of a go-to move, struggling to finish with his left hand and being fairly turnover prone when forced to put the ball on the floor.

      So he’s extremely athletic and struggles on the block because he’s raw. Sounds a little like Tyrus Thomas, but Favors doesn’t seem to have the attitude issues that plagued Thomas, at least while he was in Chicago.

      Favors struggled early in the season, largely due to the makeup of the Georgia Tech team, but he finished strong, averaging 16-9 over the last 11 games. Let’s not forget that Gani Lawal brought many of the same things to the table. (In other words, Favors could have helped himself by picking a different school to play for.)

      Anyway, looking ahead, as Favors develops on the block, he and current Sixer Marreese Speights could make a formidable high-low duo. Elton Brand’s best days are clearly behind him and Samuel Dalembert is entering the final year of his contract. The Sixers could build around Favors, Jrue Holiday and Speights.

      In the end, the Sixers need to draft the player they think has the best chance to be a star or superstar in four or five years, because that’s how long it’s going to take to rebuild this team into a serious contender.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, Fantasy Basketball, NBA, NBA Draft

      Titans unlikely to re-do Chris Johnson’s contract this year

      May 20, 2010 /

      Chris Johnson wants to be the highest paid offensive player in the league, but based on recent comments made by Titans’ GM Mike Reinfeldt, CJ is going to have to wait a little longer before reaching his big payday.

      From the Tennessean:

      “Given the circumstances, I don’t think there’s the likelihood anything is going to happen,” Reinfeldt said. “You’re asking me definitely if he’s not going to get (a new contract). I’m not making any definitive statements. I just think he’s a pro and we expect him to honor his contract. Chris has always been a pro, and we expect that to continue.”

      Reinfeldt again cited the 30 percent rule, but said the fact that Johnson is just two years into the five-year, $12 million contract he signed in 2008 is also an issue. The Titans haven’t made a habit of re-doing contracts after just two seasons.

      The 30 percent rule, a byproduct of the league’s labor issues, stipulates a 30 percent maximum raise of the previous year’s base salary. Because the base salary would be restricted each year in a new contract, the Titans would be forced to pay Johnson guaranteed signing bonus money in the $40 million to $50 million range as part of a market-rate extension.

      “There’s limitations on what we can do,” Reinfeldt said. “So it’s definitely an issue.”

      Just based on comments made by Reinfeldt and Johnson’s teammates, it doesn’t appear that this will be a big issue. Johnson may wind up holding out until training camp, but you get the impression that he’ll show up later this summer as a sign of good faith.

      But sooner or later, the Titans will have to pony up and pay their best player, who is highly underpaid by the way. They may wait to see if there’s a lockout in 2011, but at some point Johnson’s contract will be addressed.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Ramirez apologizes to his teammates, but has he learned anything?

      May 20, 2010 /

      You know when you’re a kid and you get into trouble and your parents threaten to take something away from you (TV, video games, play time, etc.) as punishment until you apologize? Then, even though you don’t mean it, you apologize because you just want your Nintendo 64 back?

      That’s what I feel just happened with Hanley Ramirez. He wanted back into the lineup after skipper Fredi Gonzalez benched him on Monday for not hustling after a ball that he booted into right field, so he apologized to his teammates and now he wants to move on.

      Here are the comments he made following his 3-for-5 performance at the plate last night in a win over the Marlins (via the Miami Herald):

      “I just came back in the lineup and got a lot of motivation from my teammates,” Ramirez said. “We get along. Things are going to happen. 162 games. But I think you put those things on the side and keep moving forward.”

      When asked what he told teammates before Wednesday’s game, Ramirez replied: “I just apologized to everybody. So it’s in the past. I talked to my family, wife and kids, and they’re happy.”

      When asked if he was glad the saga was now behind him, he responded: “We’re just going to try to win the series (with a win Thursday). I’m happy to be in the lineup.”

      Now, the apology was meant to be a private manner between him and his teammates, so I get that he might not divulge a lot of details to the media. But does anyone else get the sense that he’s just trying to brush this situation under the rug? At some point we in the media have to let this story die and move on (it’s not like he killed somebody and tried to bury them under Sun Life Stadium), but I don’t know, I expected more from him in light of the apology.

      Maybe that’s because I don’t believe that he believes that he did anything wrong. He said as much on Tuesday when he was questioned about the benching. So is he really sorry for potentially screwing his team out of a win or is he just sorry enough to get back into the lineup?

      We’ll see. This isn’t the first time Ramirez has had run-ins with a coach or teammate and if it’s the last, I’ll be shocked. But at least the Marlins can put the situation behind them for now. For now.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, MLB

      Report: Santana Moss was one of Galea’s clients

      May 20, 2010 /

      According to a report by the Buffalo News, Redskins receiver Santana Moss was one of the professional athletes who allegedly received treatment from Dr. Anthony Galea, who has been charged with smuggling muscle-building drugs into the U.S. But as the article points out, Moss isn’t in any trouble, nor is he being accused of taking performance-enhancing drugs.

      “At this juncture, any of the persons who are alleged to have used these substances are considered witnesses, and not targets, of this investigation,” Hochul told The Buffalo News.

      “Officials of the NFL and other sports organizations can sleep soundly tonight, because there is nothing he did with these athletes to help them with performance enhancement,” Mahoney said Wednesday.

      “[Galea] strictly provided treatment for injuries. If any athlete got [human growth hormone], it was injected directly into injured tissue, in very small amounts, for purposes of healing.”

      In a day and age where PEDs are the most controversial subject in sports, it’s too bad that Moss’ name is being tied in with the “Steroid Doctor.” But at least those conducting the trial are going out of their way to make sure the media knows that Moss hasn’t done anything wrong.

      Update: I spoke too soon. The Washington Post is now reporting that Moss could be suspended for HGH. I’ll stay on top of the story and post more as news develops.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      How much power does LeBron need?

      May 20, 2010 /

      In an ESPN Insider column, Ric Bucher writes that one factor prospective teams will have to weigh is whether or not to give LeBron the kind of power that he’s enjoyed with the Cavs over the last seven years.

      Just know that the Cavs are where they are — capped out with a modicum of trading chips — because the team power structure supposedly has looked like this: owner Dan Gilbert, GM Danny Ferry and head coach Mike Brown.

      With James standing just below Gilbert and just above Ferry.

      Multiple league sources say that the Cleveland Cavaliers, in their attempt to keep James since drafting him with the No. 1 pick seven years ago, have done just that. Two opposing GMs, without citing specific examples, said they know James has vetoed deals Ferry would have made over the past few years.

      Meanwhile, the acquisitions of Larry Hughes, Mo Williams, Shaquille O’Neal and Antawn Jamison all have been made at James’ behest, sources say. And whether it’s by James’ hand or the Cavaliers’, the team has been constructed on the presumption that he is Michael Jordan, a scorer and finisher, rather than Magic Johnson, a playmaker who needed a go-to closer alongside him to win titles. “They tried to make him Michael,” says one league executive. “He’s not.”

      Hmm. That makes me wonder what this team would look like had Ferry had his way on those aforementioned (undisclosed) trades. Players are notoriously bad at player personnel because like most things in life, it’s difficult to see the forest for the trees.

      Also, with this kind of power, LeBron has to (or should) take a lot of responsibility for the failures of this hand-picked group of players over the past few years. Does he look at it that way or does he blame the game plan and player rotations? Only he and his boys know.

      It has to be tempting for a team to offer LeBron this kind of power. Without it, they probably don’t sign him and they’re left to several more years of mediocrity. With him on the roster, barring injury, they’re basically guaranteed that they’ll make the playoffs every year, and who knows, if his personnel decisions finally work out, maybe they win a title.

      That said, the Bulls don’t appear to be one of those teams. They didn’t give Michael Jordan that power so it’s doubtful that they’ll hand it over to LeBron.

      External Sports, Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip

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