[The Daywalker]

I agree with Cuban.

[ROCKSTAR]

Originally posted by General Jiang Wei: <STRONG>I agree with Cuban.</STRONG>

Yeah. He's got a point.

[Chi159]

I understand what Mark Cuban is saying, and even agree with him to a point, but I think some of his comments were very inappropriate. The fact that he compared the Kobe case to the media attention of the Lacey Peterson case disgusts me. Those are two completely different incidents that are incomparable. He should have never brought that up. It shows a total lack of sympathy and respect for the grieving family. But, I guess his main point is that Kobe’s legal problems have drawn a lot of media attention to the NBA in general? That, I agree with. However, I don’t necessarily think that’s a good thing since the league has developed enough of a thug identity as it is. I don’t think it’s in the NBA’s best interests to have its superstar players being accused of serious crimes. They represent the face of the league. Who wants to be associated with that?

Originally posted by Shaolin: <STRONG> Here's a question: Who do you think is going to be the suprise team next year? </STRONG>

Hmm...tough question. If it’s going to be any team, I would think it would be a team from the East. I don’t want to sound like a homer, but I think the Chicago Bulls have a good chance of surprising people IF they learn how to win games on the road. I can only imagine how much better their record would have been last year had they won those close games, especially knowing how good their home record was. They definitely would have made the playoffs.

[E Gro]

Biggest surprise team: I like Philly. *So tempting to say Houston (who picked up Adrian Griffin today)* And Minnesota, even though people think theyre gonna do good, I dont think anyone expects them to get to the western conference finals!

[Jordan23]

Some NBA news:


McGrady: 'If you're married, stick with your wife'

Assault charge dropped against Wizards' Stackhouse


Can't wait.. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
NBA preseason to close with Lakers-Kings showdown

He went out on top.... [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]
Spurs' Kerr retires, will become TV analyst

Judge refuses to dismiss Jayson Williams indictment

[Milt Palacio]

Originally posted by General Jiang Wei: <STRONG>I agree with Cuban.</STRONG>

Cuban's always right. People just take him out of context and are looking to pick fights. Keep fighting the good fight, Mark!

-Will

[Chi159]

Keon Clark to Utah? [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img]

Talk about being sent to basketball hell! Not a bad move by the Utah Jazz. They only had to give up a second-round pick, I believe. This was purely a salary dumping move by Sacramento, and the Jazz have more than enough $ to take on Clark’s salary. This trade weakens the Kings’ bench a little, as Clark was a valuable 4/5.

Other news:

Kenyon Martin Asks to Be Traded

Cheap move by K-Mart! I think he has a lot of talent and potential, but no way is he worth the max. salary. I don’t think the Nets are low-balling him with that offer. That’s just about par with his performance. Let’s face it, Martin is not on the same level with the likes of Garnett, Duncan, etc. He’s disappeared in the NBA Finals the last two years and has good, not great, numbers. He should put things into perspective a little. If he has a stellar year this upcoming season, then I could possibly see him asking for that type of money, but not right now.

[Shaolin]

Here's a shocker:

Kenyon wants out of N.J.: Nets mull swapping him for Rasheed

You'd think New Jersey would want to keep the core of Kidd, Martin, and Jefferson together, but it seems they want to keep their options open and try to land KG next off-season. Kidd and KG in the East would be deadly! Although, I doubt KG would want to leave Minnesota now with all the talent they have. But you never know.

[Shaolin]

Originally posted by Chi159: <STRONG>Keon Clark to Utah? [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img]</STRONG>

Poor Keon! [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img] It'd suck even more if the Kings go on to win the title while he's sitting in the cellar in Utah. Didn't Keon pick up a player option on his contract? He should have opted out and gone with a team out East. But then again, he probably didn't think the Kings would deal him.

[E Gro]

wow, i never even heard of that stackhouse case. Keon Clark going to the Jazz is good for all cuz hes a great player, but the kings now have Brad Miller so they dont need him anymore, and it gets them salary cap room. And Keon Clark will probably start on the Jazz, George Clooney could start on the Jazz. And Kmart for Sheed, that would be bad for Portland. I know, Rasheed Wallace IS one of the most overrated bball players ever, but I'm one of those people who overrate him.

Goodbye Posey [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

[Jordan23]

I'm surprised Martin wants out of NJ...I liked the chemistry he along w/ Kidd and Jefferson had. But I guess he wanted the big bucks like Kidd and Mourning got too. [img]smilies/look.gif[/img]

Iverson talks about practice but not Kobe NEW YORK -- Larry Brown called in his players to conclude Team USA's first practice, motioning for a huddle at the free-throw line. Only one of those players could be seen and heard clapping loudly as he marched into the scrum. It's the same guy who isn't supposed to love Brown's practices. It's Allen Iverson, and you could say he was definitely ready for this one. On the floor, Iverson sported a pair of high-tops with an American flag stitched onto each tongue. As soon as he got off the floor, Iverson covered his head with a Stars-and-Stripes doo rag. He was clearly thrilled and moved to be representing his country, and he was likewise ready to scoff at the first suggestion that there would be some tension or awkwardness playing for Brown, now that Iverson will no longer be playing for Brown in Philadelphia. "Everybody was making such a big deal over it, thinking it was going to be a big deal," Iverson said. "But it wasn't." Iverson also tossed out the words "fun" and "easy," and his first practice as a member of his country's senior national team -- the team that awarded a roster slot to Mike Bibby before AI got his invite -- was indeed rather comfy. From Iverson's perspective, there was just one source of irritation about this practice, and it came after practice, when someone asked him about Kobe Bryant. "It's just something I don't like to discuss or want to discuss, because I've been through that in my own life," Iverson said. "You have people speculating on what they think happened, and everybody is talking about it. It's a big media circus, and it takes away from the realness of what went on. You turn it into a comedy show instead of something real. It's just unfair to speak on it and say what I think. I just wouldn't do it. I got respect for Kobe and I got respect for the alleged victim, and I won't do that." He wasn't done answering, either. "I feel, in a situation like this, people should be quiet until something happens," Iverson continued. "But everybody just keeps yapping and yapping and yapping and (nobody knows) what happened but the two people that were involved. I hope (Bryant doesn't) have planes flying over his house and people camping out in front of his house all day and taking pictures of his dog, his kids and all that. ... I just hope he's not going through those types of things, because it's not right. If he's innocent, that's terrible. If he's guilty, then, hey ... but if he's innocent, I feel so bad. Because that's going to scar him for the rest of his life." It was just last summer that Iverson, accused of threatening two men with a gun, found himself facing a similar glare to what shadows Bryant today. All charges against the NBA's 2000-01 MVP were eventually dropped, but not before swarms of reporters and photographers camped outside Iverson's mansion in the days before he turned himself in. That was more of a Philly frenzy. The rape charges against Bryant, widely considered as wholesome of a superstar as the NBA has, have sparked a worldwide media watch with seemingly no time constraints. That's why, if there was any surprise Sunday at John Jay College, it's that Iverson didn't have to field a Kobe question until the end of a half-hour interview session. The sheer volume of Kobe-related coverage so far suggested that there would be waves of Kobe questions, for every member of Team USA. Especially with its training camp sprouting in the reporter-laden borough of Manhattan, before Brown's squad proceeds to Olympic qualifying in Puerto Rico from Aug. 20-31. Even Brown gave a nod last week to the story that threatens to hang over the league all season, saying last week that it was "absolutely" important "in light of what's gone on this summer" for the Yanks to not only dominate the qualifier but to also do so in the most sporting manner possible. Of course, since Bryant was supposed to be on this team -- before shoulder and knee surgeries ruled him out under any circumstances -- these are the guys who will be asked to react to anything that happens in the Bryant case for the rest of the month. It's a story that threatens to hang over the league all season, and certainly longer if Bryant is ever convicted, and New Jersey's Jason Kidd conceded that the players will inevitably be discussing the case amongst themselves before long. "We just hope everything works out," said Kidd, who has rehabilitated his image remarkably in the wake of a domestic-assault arrest in early 2001. Said Tracy McGrady: "Kobe has been my man since I came into the league, but we're going to stay from it (publicly). We're trying not to get caught up in that." The leader of that movement? You guessed it. Answer: Iverson. Because of his contentious history with Brown ... and a few brushes with the law before last summer ... and even because of his well-known aversion to practice ... because of all that and more, Iverson was one of the last players to make this roster. The selection committee reasoned that Bibby, a better shooter and more willing passer, would fit in better. No one is saying so now. Not until the games start will Iverson convince folks he's willing to embrace a complementary role in this starry environment, with Brown bound to be harder on him than anyone, but he's oozing more than patriotism. Underneath all the flags, Iverson says it "means everything to me" that he was finally selected, whenever and however it happened, without USA Basketball forcing him to "cut my hair off and laser my tattoos off and wear a suit." As a result, an inspired Iverson wants to spend his next two summers representing all the people in all the countries who "have flaws and have made mistakes." Another big job for the little man. But he likes big jobs. Iverson likes this one so much that he was really clapping on the practice floor Sunday, and not because the session was over.

[Milt Palacio]

I don't think K-Mart is worth the max, either. But I do really like his game.

I don't know why he would want to leave New Jersey, I think it's the perfect situation for him. He needs to play with an uptempo, athletic team and he has the best point guard in the world feeding him the ball.

-Will

[NikNak]

Martin is being greedy and he really isn't worth it.

[Chi159]

No, he's definitely not.

K-Mart talks a big game and stands out mainly because he plays in a very weak conference. His numbers (which aren't spectacular to begin with) aren't worthy of the type of money he wants. He has to prove something first.

[E Gro]

If he wants to be good, he can be good, but he doesnt deserve it. Unless he played with 100% of his talent 100% of the time. Then I would think he's worth it. Richard Jefferson isnt worth a penny, I would let him go when his contract goes up. And K-mart will sign somewhere else, Lucious Harris will retire, Mutombo will retire. Things not lookin too good for NJ's future.