It seems pretty simple when Chuck says it…
Tag: 2009-10 NBA season (Page 19 of 61)
Ginobili still has some hops!
As the #1 overall pick in the 2005 draft, Andrew Bogut has had his share of ups and downs in his career. Lofty draft status means heightened expectations, and when the seven-foot Australian missed most of last season with a back injury, a friend of mine declared that he was a bust.
While my buddy was no doubt just trying to tweak me — I’m a longtime Bucks fan — he did have something of a point. Deron Williams and Chris Paul went #3 and #4 in the same draft, and they were both already playing at an All-Star level. To that point, Bogut’s best season was his third, where he averaged 14-10 with 1.7 blocks in 35 minutes of playing time. He certainly wasn’t a bust, though he hadn’t lived up to his lofty expectations, either.
But Bogut has undergone something of a transformation over the last 12 months. His fine play this season — 16-11 on 53% shooting, 2.3 blocks (2nd in the league) — can be attributed to a few factors. First, Michael Redd is now out for the season after trying to come back from knee surgery, so head coach Scott Skiles has asked Bogut to carry a bigger load offensively. He has developed a terrific left hand hook, which has made him one of the league’s few “go-to” post players.
The Celtics led 56-48 at haltfime, but were outscored 60-32 in the final two periods, resulting in a 20-point Cleveland win in Boston. LeBron James (36-7-9) had his usual stellar stat line, but it was Mo Williams who keyed the Cavs’ run in the second half, scoring 16 of his 19 points in the last two quarters.
Shaquille O’Neal left the game with an injured thumb and did not return. Anderson Varejao filled in admirably with 14 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.
Cleveland has struggled of late, so even though Paul Pierce missed the game due to injury, this should be a big confidence builder for the Cavs.
Gene Wojciechowski makes a strong case that this summer’s three biggest free agents should put their salaries aside and team up in NYC.
But if James, Wade and Bosh truly want to make history, they could do the unthinkable and split the Knicks’ $33 million three ways. It would cost them salary money, but can you imagine how much they’d make on the back end if they started reeling in NBA titles? In New York?
Whatever they’d lose on their paycheck stubs, they’d make up in endorsements. And it’s not as if they’re filing simple federal tax returns these days. According to a 2009 Forbes analysis, LeBron earned about $42.4 million in salary and endorsements — more than Britney Spears, Jay-Z or Tom Cruise and almost as much as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie combined.
Wade was No. 12 on Sports Illustrated’s 2009 Fortunate 50, earning $26.4 million in salary and endorsements. Bosh didn’t make the top 50, but he is making $15.7 million from the Raptors this season.
Anyway, they all can afford to do something daring. Just think: James, Wade and Bosh at Madison Square Garden.
Seriously, who would touch them? Wade at guard. LeBron at point forward. Bosh in the post or on the wing. Three good guys who could handle the New York media. Three seven-year veterans who understand you get only so many chances to hug the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Three singular players who know careers are defined by championships, not just checkbooks.
It’s fun to think about, but does anyone believe this is actually going to happen? Will these three NBA superstars put their egos aside and take $5-$6 million less per season to team up in New York? Wojciechowski’s point that they’d make even more in endorsements is completely valid, but leaving $30-$35 million on the table is a tough pill to swallow.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
FOLLOW US!
CATEGORIES
© 2026 The Scores Report – The National Sports Blog
Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑