Crunch Time - NBA Update
May 27, 2008 – 8:07 pm
In our neverending quest to limit the number of posts on this blog, we announce another weekly segment called “Crunch Time”. This segment will focus on the news in the NBA over the previous week. With the playoffs going on right now, a majority of this update will be of the ‘off the court’ nature.
We kick off the first edition of ‘Crunch Time’ with the latest NBA Draft rumors. Most of the talk over the past week has centered on what the Bulls and Heat are going to do with the first two selections in the draft. Many draft pundits have the Bulls taking Kansas State forward Michael Beasley with the first pick ahead of Memphis guard Derrick Rose, which has caused some to wonder if Beasley is the second coming of Andrew Bogut. Yes, Rose has great potential, and I think the Bulls should take him, but Beasley will be a better pro than Bogut…I mean, come on now! Then again, some Chicago writers want the Bulls to trade the pick. Comments like these prove yet again why organizations should never listen to the media…or bloggers for that matter!
As for the second pick in the draft, owned by the Miami Heat, Pat Riley was talking trade early last week. Rumors have also surfaced that if the Bulls do go with Derrick Rose, then the Heat will pass on Beasley and go with O.J. Mayo instead. There’s been a lot of hype surrounding Mayo, but Beasley is the more proven player if you ask me. I don’t pass on him if I’m the Heat. Of course, as Antone at Hip 2 Da Game points out, if Miami does pass on him that means Al Jefferson and Michael Beasley pair up in Minnesota.
In other draft news, it looks like Atlantic 10 stars Will Daniels and Josh Duncan will both go undrafted. And Memphis guard Antonio Anderson has decided to withdraw from the draft. All this means is that John Calipari gets at least one player back from last year’s team.
In coaching news, Jeff Hornacek is pining for the Suns’ job. The guy he’s looking to replace, Mike D’Antoni, who’s now the head coach of the New York Knicks, got some flak from Bulls’ owner Jerry Reisndorf who thinks D’Antoni went to the Knicks because ‘defense scares him’. I’m not sure what to make of those comments. On a positive note, New Orleans Hornets coach Byron Scott expects to get an extension from the team. Scott is one of the league’s better coaches, and deserves this after getting run out of town in New Jersey after taking the team to two straight NBA Finals.
Speaking of New Jersey, it appears the Nets are going to be active this off-season. Rumors are swirling around Toronto and Andrea Bargnani, as well as Phoenix and Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa. It also looks like the Bucks might be trying to move Michael Redd. Of course, what promises to be the hottest rumor this off-season is Baron Davis to the New York Knicks. Davis has an opt-out clause in his contract and is rumored to have contacted the Knicks to guage their interest. How the Knicks could add anybody with their current salary cap situation is beyond me. I don’t expect anything to come out of this rumor.
On to the police blotter, the Bulls’ Joakim Noah was busted in Gainesville on Sunday for possession of marijuana. This is no surprise….Noah has weed head written all over him. Of course, this is what happens when you head back to college for some Gator pussy. Noah should take some lessons from Charles Barkley as far as letting go of vices. Barkley announced earlier this week after word broke of a $400,000 gambling debt, that he was quitting gambling for a year or two. No word on if he convinced MJ to join him.
We wrap this week up with an interesting post on how Detroit’s Bad Boys got their nickname.
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