Basketball Blog

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed free agent guard Derek Fisher it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak. Per team policy terms of the contract were not released.

Fisher is now the best point guard option the Lakers have. This despite his lack of real point guard skills. Fisher can bang home open shots and dig down on defense, but otherwise is pretty limited.
 
 “In evaluating our team at the end of last season, we said we needed help in the back court, primarily a veteran ball-handling guard” said Kupchak. “As we began looking at free agents, we never imagined that Derek would be available. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the opportunity to sign him became an option and we are pleased we were able to do so.”
 
 “With Derek, we’ve added a veteran player that is familiar with the offense we run and who has had great success in doing so,” said Kupchak. “He will also be able to mentor and help our young players develop. He brings leadership and stability both on and off the court and is a consummate professional in all that he does. I am very happy to welcome him back to the Los Angeles Lakers.”
 
 “The Lakers are thrilled to get back a key member of our three-time championship team in Derek Fisher,” said Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson. “Derek has been one of the clutch players for our team and I anticipate that he’ll have many more chances to contribute to our successes.”
 
 Fisher, who began his career in Los   Angeles, most recently played for the Utah Jazz where he helped lead the team to the 2007 Western Conference Finals before losing to the San Antonio Spurs. The 6-1 guard, who played in all 82 games last season, had averages of 10.1 points, 3.3 assists and 1.8 rebounds. Prior to his stint with the Jazz, Fisher played two seasons for the Golden State Warriors.
 
 Originally selected by the Lakers in the first round (24th overall) of the 1996 NBA Draft, Fisher spent eight years (1996-2004) with Los Angeles before signing with the Warriors as a free agent in 2004. During his tenure with the Lakers, Fisher was a starter on the Lakers 2000, 2001 and 2002 NBA Championship teams as well as a member of the 2004 Lakers team that advanced to the NBA Finals before being defeated by the Detroit Pistons. The eleven- year NBA veteran has career averages of 8.7 points, 3.3 assists and 2.2 rebounds.

The Phoenix Suns today traded center Kurt Thomas and two future first-round draft picks to the Seattle SuperSonics for a future conditional second-round pick. In addition to salary cap relief, the trade leaves Phoenix with an $8 million trade exception for their use in future dealings.
 
 “We are doing everything we can to keep our core group together. Sometimes in doing so, you have difficult decisions to make,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Steve Kerr.
 
 “We feel good going forward having our core group of players under contract for several years, including the recent addition of free-agent Grant Hill. The bottom line is there are tough decisions to make, but we have flexibility and our core together. We really like the group of players we’ve assembled and feel we can make a legitimate run for an NBA championship next season.”
 
 Phoenix will send Seattle its own 2008 and 2010 first-round picks. The Suns will receive a conditional 2008 second-round pick from Seattle (via Orlando).
 
  Thomas, a 12-year NBA veteran, spent the last two seasons with the Suns after he was acquired from the New York Knicks on June 28, 2005 along with the draft rights to Dijon Thompson (54th overall pick in 2005 NBA Draft) for Quentin Richardson and the draft rights to Nate Robinson (21st overall). The 6-9, 235-pound center averaged 6.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 21.8 minutes in 120 games (63 starts) with Phoenix.
 
 Most recently, Thomas, 34, averaged 4.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 18.0 minutes in 67 games (13 starts) with the Suns last season, including 7.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 19.3 minutes in 11 games (five starts) in the 2007 NBA Playoffs.
 
  Originally the 10th overall selection in the first round of the 1995 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat, Thomas owns career averages of 10.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 27.8 minutes in 747 games (526 starts) with four teams (Miami, Dallas, New York, Phoenix).

The Los Angeles Lakers have resigned free agent center Chris Mihm, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.
 
 Mihm, 28, missed all of last season while recovering from surgery on his right ankle. Originally injuring the ankle in the closing seconds of the Lakers March 12, 2006 contest versus Seattle after tallying 20 points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots, Mihm missed the remainder of the 2005-06 season, with the exception of a brief appearance in the team’s season finale, and was forced to sit out the Lakers First Round playoff series against Phoenix,
 
 In 59 games (56 starts) during the 2005-06 campaign, Mihm averaged a career-best 10.2 points on 50.1 percent shooting from the field while averaging 6.3 rebounds and 1.24 blocks in a career-high 26.1 minutes. On the year, Mihm recorded seven double-doubles while leading the team in scoring once and in rebounding on 16 occasions.
 
 Finishing his collegiate career as the University of Texas’ all-time leader in blocks (264) while ranking second in rebounds (945), second in double-doubles (47) and 13th in scoring (1,404), Mihm was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the seventh overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft and was named to the 1999-2000 Schick NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
 
 In six NBA seasons, Mihm has posted career averages of 8.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.07 blocks in 395 games (251 starts).
 
 In two seasons with the Lakers, Mihm is averaging 10.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.35 blocks.

LeBron James was a millionaire even before he signed his first pro contract. At the age of 18, even before James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers, he signed a 7-year, 90 plus million dollar deal with Nike, including a 10 million dollar signing bonus. He already has four signature shoes with another one on the way, including his own apparel line. He is being paid to chew Bubblicious, drink Sprite, and even has his own PowerAde flavor. When you can dominate your sport, chances are companies will be coming at you with big money endorsement deals to wear or use a certain brand and appear in commercials or print ads with their products.

Reports this week have Kevin Durant signing the second-largest rookie deal in basketball next to LeBron James, a seven-year, $60 million endorsement deal with Nike that includes a $10 million signing bonus. Adidas supposedly offered $70 million but Durant chose to go with the swoosh brand because he has a history dating to eighth grade with Nike. Durant may have a short reign though with the second-largest rookie deal because O.J. Mayo is expected to be one and done at USC.

Mayo will soon have the multi billion dollar companies knocking on his door. Shoe companies like Nike, Reebok, and Adidas will be major players for Mayo’s services. Although forbidden to sign any deals until out of college, shoe companies can and do start early, as evident by Durant’s loyalty. They host tournaments featuring the top high school players. They endorse schools and AAU teams. Reebok gives Mayo’s AAU team, the D-I Greyhounds, a reported $75,000 a year. Mayo will be attending USC this year which is a Nike sponsored school.

Experts and analyst say Mayo could command up to $10 million per year on a sneaker deal with an additional $10-20 million on other potential sponsorship deals. “He has charisma. He walks in a room, you know he’s there. There may be other people who may be as talented him, but he carries himself like he’s special,” said Chris Rivers, vice president of grassroots basketball for Reebok.

Another thing Mayo has going for him is his name. When someone says “LeBron” or “Kobe”, everyone already knows who they are talking about. The same will be true with “O.J.” It would be silly for orange juice companies, like Tropicana or Minute Maid, not to notice his initials. His last name makes him a natural to endorse a mayonnaise manufacturer. Or any foods that taste good with mayo. Or anything that even looks like mayo.

O.J. Mayo not only has the talent to be a household name but he has the marketability companies want. He may not be the best basketball player coming out of next year’s draft but he will be the highest paid one. Only two high school players have had so much hype and the big name. The first was LeBron and O.J is the other. In a few years, don’t be surprised if you see Mayo’s million dollar smile when you are getting a glass of orange juice or spreading mayonnaise on your sandwich, all while watching him dominate the basketball court, in his sponsored sneakers of course.

New York Newsday wrote a terrific article on the work of InsideHoops.com’s JD Walsh, who runs JDbasketball.com. Jason Molinet wrote:

“Making the world a better place through basketball” isn’t just some deep-thought mission statement that sits atop the Internet site: www.jdbasketball.com. It is the daily mantra of hoops guru J.D. Walsh.

After stints as the varsity boys basketball coach at Roslyn (1998-99) and St. John the Baptist (1999-2004), Walsh stepped away from the high school level to focus on his growing business: J.D. Walsh Basketball School.

But this Long Island entrepreneur has done something very grass roots this summer. Walsh, 34, has traveled from one troubled part of the planet to another to spread hope and the game he loves.

“I am intrigued with the idea of basketball becoming a dialogue for mankind and I hope to use the game to promote world peace,” Walsh told Newsday via email from his latest stop, Taipei, Taiwan.

Walsh, who has traveled overseas to run basketball clinics since 2001, has run youth clinics this summer in Israel, India, Kashmir and Taiwan.

To read more of the article, click here.

By Bobby Ciafardini

Think you have what it takes to be the “Last Man Standing”? Think again.

Madison Square Garden’s Last Man Standing One-on-One Basketball Tournament, presented by McDonalds, returned to the streets of New York City Friday afternoon. As always, the competition was fierce. Fifty of the area’s top players took to the asphalt in McDonald’s parking lot at 125^th Street and Broadway in Harlem, vying for a chance to advance to next round, and ultimately, play for the championship at the World’s Most Famous Arena on Aug. 18.

InsideHoops.com was on the scene to check out the action. Friday’s winners advanced to the next round, which will be held on July 28 at McDonald’s (Vauxhall McDonald’s Parkway N Ex. 141) in Union, NJ, from 1 to 6 p.m. The winner of the championship will be crowned “Last Man Standing,” and will win a workout session with pro scouts at MSG, in addition to $5,000 cash and a championship ring. The champ will also receive four tickets to an MSG basketball event.

There were some scrub sightings, but the better ballplayers, as always, prevailed. Streetball newcomer “Problem Child” advanced and was one of the top performers in the early afternoon. The multi-talented Bobbito Garcia, who hosts MSG’s Summerball (StreetballNY) television series, even got in on the action, suiting up for the one-on-one tournament. He put down the microphone and played well with the rock in hand.

Corey “Homicide” Williams, better known as “Murder by Numbers” at the Hoops in the Sun Roundball Classic in the Bronx, won the event last year. He has since moved on to win an NBDL championship this season, and is currently playing in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. In fact, the Bronx native and streetball legend, dropped 13 points and six assists Saturday night forGolden State against the New York Knicks. Hopefully, Williams will make the Warriors. It would be a good look for streetball.

The same could be said about whoever wins the Last Man Standing Tournament this year. All the players are chasing the dream on one day playing professional basketball. They are also looking for some street credibility. The tournament has already had showcases in the Bronx and Brooklyn. Daryl Massey, also known as “Kobe,” another Hoops in the Sun alum, won the Bronx event this year and will participate in New Jersey in two weeks for the right to play in the finals at MSG in August.

Overall, 600 players have registered for the tournament, but only one will be crowned the king of the one-on-one circuit. The second and third place finishers will also take home cash prizes.

Dan Gladstone, director of field marketing and community relations for the Knicks, is an organizer for the event. He was pleased with the turnout and the competition. “The fans keep coming out, and we are happy to have them,” he said. “It’s a great tournament for the crowds and the players. Some of these ballplayers will have a chance to fulfill a dream of playing in the Garden, and one will walk away a champ.”

Bernard Bowen, another organizer for the event, said the tournament’s popularity keeps on growing, because “it’s a battle of wills. Which competitor has what it takes to defeat each player in a game of one-on-one with the world watching? That’s what the fans come out to see.”

For those in attendance Friday, they were also treated to celebrity sightings. Streetball legend and former Syracuse University great Dwayne “Pearl” Washington and former New York Knicks star Larry Johnson appeared at the tournament. It was Johnson’s first appearance in New York since he retired from the NBA all too early in his career due to nagging injuries.

Who could forget Johnson’s four-point play against Indiana in the ’99 playoffs. Good times.

But Friday wasn’t just about appearances and some of the best basketball action in the city. The New York Knicks Groove Truck was on hand, along with some of the Knick City Dancers. The Groove Truck featured a host of games and prizes for fans.

I must admit, I took in a round of free-throw shooting for prizes at the Groove Truck, but didn’t look sharp early on. I finally found my rhythm and walked away with a life size Nate Robinson poster.

It was a great day of hoops. Now, we’ll see who has what it takes to be the Last Man Standing.

Ira Newble is a seven-year veteran of three NBA teams. The casual NBA fan has no idea who he is. On a Cleveland Cavs team that features LeBron James, Newble is just an afterthought. Last season he averaged 3.1 points and played in only 15 games. The year before, he averaged 1.3 points in 36 games. He will be making $3.4 million next season, most likely spending the majority of the time on the bench or on the injured reserve list. He is what others may call “overpaid”, “bench warmer” or even a “scrub”.

Even without the notoriety, just being a professional athlete gives players like Newble power that an everyday person could not get.

Take for instance the release of the highly popular Apple iPhone. A first hand account from someone waiting at a downtown Celevland AT&T store with 60-70 others during the release saw Newble use his power to get into the store before everyone that had waited in line, some camping out the night before, and purchase “at least 4-6 total” iPhones.

At 5:55pm, A NBA Player by the name of IRA Newbie (no joke google him) appeared with 3 bodyguards and the AT&T employees just let him in. He came out with two bags of filled iPhones (there was at least 4-6 total)!! All of us were totally pissed off!!

An abuse of power? Probably. But in Newble’s case, I’ll give him a break. He made headlines in May when he wrote an open letter to the Chinese government concerning its support for Sudan in its ongoing genocide in Darfur and has been getting NBA players to sign it. Could the average joe off the street have that much influence? Probably not. But what if Newble was an All-Star player? I’m sure their would be even more publicity and awareness. NBA players (and sports figures) have a lot of power that can help influence the world we live in, but only a few choose to use it. Ira Newble may be overpaid as a basketball player but not in the game of life.

It’s being reported (by the Racine Journal Times) that the Bucks may be close to signing Desmond Mason again. Which leads to the question: what does this mean for Yi Jianlian?

With the re-signing of Mo Williams, the Bucks could have a core roster featuring Michael Redd, Mo Williams, Andrew Bogut, Charlie Villanueva, and Desmond Mason. The front court will also have a returning Bobby Simmons, Dan Gadzuric and David Noel, who showed much improvement in the summer league, averaging 11.4 points and 5 rebounds.

What kind of minutes could Yi expect on this Bucks team with this signing? Will this cause his agent to want him traded even more?

As posted on the InsideHoops.com front page, the Denver Nuggets have signed free agent point guard Chucky Atkins.

“Chucky will be a great addition to our team,” said team Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien. “He is a proven veteran who can really shoot the basketball. Our owner, Stan Kroenke, has once again demonstrated his commitment to winning.”

Atkins is one of the league’s best backup point guards.

The Seattle Supersonics just drafted two up and comers in the June draft and have a great foundation to build their future. The best news for them came when Rashard Lewis opted out of his deal and decided to retire in Florida.

Lewis is a unique talent in the NBA and many people are measuring up new Sonic Kevin Durant to be a long lost twin of his as they both have similar size, frame and game. But the Orlando Magic, who have not been making smart trades since Tracy McGrady’s departure (bringing in Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley, then separating the two love birds when Mobley was traded for aging guard Doug Christie), are hoping Lewis is a move in the right direction.

Now the Magic opened up their purse for Lewis, but it wasn’t enough for the 6’10 tweener. Lewis’ agent somehow convinced the Magic to give up a conditional 2nd round pick to add another year and higher annual pay increases (10% versus 8%) . Let’s examine what the Magic are receiving.

The Good
Before anyone blasts me, I think Lewis is a remarkable NBA player. Instantly, Lewis makes the Magic a contender in the Eastern Conference and, if they add more bulk to their front court, they could be serious favorites to win the East.

What Lewis gives the Magic are match-up problems across the board. With his height, he can shoot over most perimeter defenders and has the quickness to drive past bigger forwards to collect his points in the paint. With the young core in Orlando, Lewis will only be 28 at the season’s start and can grow with the Magic.

Lewis is also a great athlete and can fit into a running offense if new coach Stan Van Gundy chooses to unleash his hounds. His athleticism and the range on his jump shot allows him to play the three in most offenses, while his height can allow Orlando to go big and play him down low at the four. He could even run at center if Howard is on the bench and Van Gundy goes with a quick line-up.

The most promising aspect is giving the Magic a devastating line-up with Howard dominating the paint. Lewis should draw more attention away from Howard and this could help Howard develop his offensive game. Orlando also has some great shooters on the team and they have the potential to be a top scoring team in the East.

The Bad
There are several aspects about Rashard Lewis that would scare off a few suitors. For one, he is a one-tool player. He does one thing well and everything else is somewhat mediocre. Lewis will score 20+ points per game but he’ll still have problems matching-up with premier defensive players. Long, quick guards can give Lewis problems because he has a tendency to take what the defense is giving him. If there isn’t much room to create, he takes a bad shot.

The most troubling aspect is that for a 6’10 forward who played several years on a Seattle team with no dominant big man, he only pulled down about six rebounds per game. He isn’t a good rebounder on either end of the floor and his defense is non-existent. When you are labeled as a tweener, it may be attractive for the offensive end, but it could kill you defensively. Lewis is an athletic forward but isn’t quick enough to guard most small forwards and, while Lewis is a long forward as well, he is not capable of being immovable on the block against big bangers playing the four.

He is not a shotblocker, he is not a player who roams the passing lanes and he is not a presence of the defensive end. Whether he will be a player to be reckoned with in Orlando remains to be seen.

The Ugly
The last time a contract like this was made, Kevin Garnett received $126 million and the league’s owners forced a lockout. Since then, there have been several $100 million dollar deals for some of the league’s best and brightest stars. But Lewis is, as some would put it, a “Robin” type player and not “Batman.” The best he has shown is playing second fiddle to more prominent stars like Ray Allen and Gary Payton.

Lewis is a nice player who was already making a sum of money that defines his worth, but for him to be given max money like he was a top-10 player in the league is ridiculous. If Orlando would have gone through with their original 5-year, $75 million dollar deal, there would not be as much criticism. The sign-and-trade
nearly destroyed their cap status and will hinder them from getting involved with next season’s free agency period, that promises to be a beauty.

In the short term, Orlando will threaten for the Southeast division title and hope to make headlines in the playoffs. And they should, this is a team that can compete to make the finals and that is whats important in the NBA. The long term implications are troublesome and Magic GM Otis Smith better hope he didn’t strike enough fear into the NBA’s league of owners to cause an uproar with the same impact as Garnett’s mega deal years ago.

Darko going to Graceland

Darko Milicic is moving in with Elvis and Pau Gasol after agreeing to a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. Basketball wise, this is a smart decision for both parties because Darko has the ability to shoot, block shots and run the floor for new coach Marc Iavaroni, a disciple of Phoenix coach Mike D’Antoni’s run and gun offense the Suns execute. You know the Grizzlies with Mike Conley Jr., Rudy Gay and Hakim Warrick are going to sprint on every possession and Darko fits in with that.

The southpaw is still an enigma as a ball player in the NBA and has made strides since getting out of Detroit. But his price tag, reportedly more than the $5.3 mid-level exception tag, is a bit high for a player who has yet to prove he can grow to even be a valuable role player in the league.

If Darko excels in Memphis, he will have come relatively cheap in the process but that is a question that can only be answered on the basketball court.

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