A sports blog by and for Midwest Sports Fans
After weeks of reports and rumors swirled, suggesting that Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and others had a reasonable chance of being traded, the first blockbuster trade has been finalized:
Chris Paul has been sent to the LA Clippers, while the New Orleans Hornets will receive Chris Kaman, Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu, Minnesota’s 2012 unprotected first-round draft pick, and two 2015 second-round picks from the Clips.
So now what?
The lengths to which David Stern has gone to keep Chris Paul in New Orleans inspired this David Stern/Chris Paul/Kathy Bates/James Caan mash-up (which I created in lieu of writing my weekly “Things We Learned This Weekend” column).
Watch it now. If there’s any truth to this report, it could be moot by later this week.
What a past couple of days for the NBA, eh fans?
We have rumors flying about just about every single team in the league, we have David Stern showing us why he is going to win the Dictator Of the Year award, and we have a lot of awkwardness inside NBA training camps (more specifically the Lakers).
You can be assured I am on top of things, and I have a few more juicy rumors and details that you guys might want to hear.
In one of the most bizarre cases in sports history, the NBA decided to overrule a trade involving the Lakers, Rockets, and Hornets last night for “basketball reasons.”
At about 6:30 ET, Marc Stein announced the trade:
Less than an hour later, the NBA stepped in…and stepped in it.
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig is famous — or infamous, depending upon your stance — for often stating that baseball is currently in “another Golden Age.”
To this, even I, a baseball ‘apologist’ who’s preferred the sport far more than any other his entire life, would perhaps snicker; but on the other hand, when Selig says baseball is “as popular as ever,” I maintain he is correct.
And one of the prime reasons, believe it or not, is the great parity in today’s game.
A few days ago, I received the following email:
admittedly i am a bit slow, but my target date for riley to replace spoelestra is christmas day. come on did we not see this coming from day 1?
seriously, christmas day heat @ lakers… riley back in LA… you pretending i am stupid.
again, NBA = WWF. lebron is too dumb to know he is playing the role of villain akin to iron sheik/undertaker.
jerod, start the countdown clock on the website…
With all of the turmoil surrounding Erik Spoelstra and his job security in Miami, this certainly is an intriguing thought and possibility.
And because I had so much success with this particular friend’s emails/message board posts in the past – yes, it was the same guy who inspired me to write this - I decided that we should indeed start the countdown clock here on “the website” (It has a name, you jackwagon!). Of course, we don’t really do countdown clocks here at MIDWEST SPORTS FANS, so instead I decided to create a photo story that shows how and why this eminently plausible Riley takeover on Christmas might happen.
I bet it’s not exactly how you’re thinking.
David Stern.
You know the guy. Short little white guy, with the glasses? The one who shakes the hands of the the newcomers in the NBA Draft? The guy who has been running the league we love dearly since 1984?
Yeah that guy. How can you not love the guy? He made the NBA Playoffs “Amazing” again, he showed us how the “NBA Cares”, he’s made the league’s athletes look like they belong on GQ, rather than on the streets. Yes, David Stern is an iconic figure in American sports.
But this just in…David Stern is turning more and more into a dictator during in these NBA playoffs.
NBA commissioner David A. Stern, has officially announced that Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas will be suspended for the remainder of the 2009-10 NBA season.
Arenas, who was convicted of bringing in guns to the team’s locker room last month, has been continually harassed and ambushed by media outlets, fans and many alike searching for an answer.
Who? What? When? Where? and Why?
Well Stern has answered one question to the whole Arenas mess, and that is his NBA consequence. (can’t wait to hear how long he’ll spend in the slammer).
Commissioner David Stern casually walks up to the microphone and announces “With the Number 1 pick in the 2008-09 draft, the Bull pick Derrick Rose, from the Memphis Tigers.â€
Meanwhile back at the Friendly Confines (no wait that’s another sport), I mean the United Center, the fans that were on the edge of their seats jumped up in unison as their eyes were glued to the screen above the scoreboard at center court.
“It means a lot to play at home. The Bulls had great players like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman,” said an elated Rose minutes after pulling the token Chicago Bulls cap snuggly on his head while holding up the #1 jersey that was given him as he made his way to the podium. “Just knowing that I can be a part of that history, it’s amazing.” 
Downstairs in the War room coaches, scouts, and General Manager John Paxson drew a heavy sigh of relief after weeks and months of agonizing decisions that would hopefully lead the Bulls back to the Promised Land. The Bulls proved that this might be their year (umm…wrong sport again?) by pulling off one of the biggest upsets in the brief history of the NBA Lottery with the ping pong ball bouncing Chicago’s way. The Bulls had a slim 1.7 percent chance off pulling off a miracle, but the Brass must have rubbed Michael Jordan’s head before the airing.
Then the most important debate began since the 1984 NBA draft where the Bulls got some guy from North Carolina dropped in their lap as the third pick overall. Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie went number one and two respectfully, and we all know how that turned out.
by Nicholas Gerlach
Save for a couple of moves by Golden State, Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Clippers (who are currently trying their hardest to supplant the Knicks for the title of “Worst Front Office in the NBA”) the 2008 NBA free agent signing period has been duller than Renee Zellwegger. So dull, in fact, that people are already talking about 2010 when the LeBron sweepstakes begins. LeBron’s contract goes through 2010-2011 but he could opt out after the 2010 season. There is a good chance that Cleveland won’t be able to afford him and he will jet for Brooklyn to play for the Nets and be even closer to his beloved New York Yankees. But WAIT…….Greek team Olympiakos has indicated that they are considering making a run at James in 2010.
This is the same team that signed Josh Childress to a three-year $20 million “net” (most taxes and living expenses are paid by the team in situations like this) contract. What are the Aggelopoulos brothers, the billionaire owners of Olympiakos, willing to give King James? There have been reports of $40 million a year “net”. LeBron James has reportedly indicated that he would listen if they were to offer around $50 million annum. He has said in the past that he wants to be the first billionaire athlete and this would be a huge step in that direction due to the international exposure.
