The OtherArena

jdw · Site Admin Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 12620

Mark Jackson reportedly blackmailed by ex-stripper with nude photos

Jackson, Warriors issue statements on affair, extortion case

The affair is an old (non-public) issue from six-years back. The blackmail coming from it popped up this year. Not as massive of a story as folks might run with, but stupid.

John

Rian · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 1783

Much ado about nothing.

jdw · Site Admin Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 12620

Yep... that was the general point of my post. :)

John

Rian · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 1783

Lillard and Leonard for Portland...betting Lillard is traded for somebody (could be Kyle Lowry from Houston).

Leonard needs to go on an eating binge with fat Shawn Kemp, damn he's skinny!

corrado · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2752 Location: LI

Garnett is returning to the Celts. a 3 year/34 million deal. This is good for the Celts. Garnett can still go. And he could be a good mentor to this years froshes.

JAG · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 1377

So Portland offered Roy Hibber the max. Finances may make it impossible for Indy to match. Also, Minny hot on the trails of Batum, may offer him 4/$50M.

Somehow, Billy King is still making the decisions in Brooklyn and so far he's verbaled 4/$40M to Gerald Wallace and is in talks with Atlanta to trade for the most untradeable contract in the NBA, which belongs to Joe Johnson at 4/$89M left.

Those would be in addition to Deron Williams getting 5/$100M, so bye-bye Dwight aspirations. Apparently, the Russian wants the playoffs next year.

Also, Dwight, that loon, is trying to get the union to reverse the ETO he signed away and demanded another trade to Brooklyn. Orlando is now shopping him and there is no fucking way they trade him where he wants. He's accusing them of blackmailing him. So the Lakers are still in it, and by default, one of the favorites.

I'll post the other Lakers stuff there.

Jagdip

jdw · Site Admin Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 12620

The Howard stuff has just gone batshit crazy. :)

John

corrado · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2752 Location: LI

Two big possible moves on the first day of free agency.

1. The Rockets will sign former Bull Omer Asik to a 3 year/25 mil deal. This could be bad for the Bulls who need Asik to spell Noah and Boozer.

2. Portland is rumored to be the frontrunner for Roy Hibbert of the Pacers. his could be one of the mores surprising moves this year. Hibbert is very valuable to Indiana and if the Pacers want to be like the 10-11 dallas Mavericks, they need to match the offer sheet of Hibbert. Theyre one of the rising teams in the league and gave the Heat lots of problems. No Hibbert would mean they need to scramble to get a Big man.

Rian · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 1783

Hibbert is a huge pickup for Portland if it happens. Was thinking he could have been a great pickup for the Spurs too.

Bob Morris · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 1909 Location: New Mexico

Dwight tells Wojo at Yahoo Sports that there's only one team he'll sign a long-term deal with and, if he isn't traded to that team, "I'll play the season out and explore my free agency after that."

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--dwight-howard--i-ll-only-re-sign-with-one-team.html

The story goes on to say that sources believes Howard will only sign a long-term deal with the Nets.

I wonder if Howard is insistent on playing for a team in a big market in which he gets to be the undisputed star.

I don't think this keeps the Lakers or Rockets from putting together a trade offer with the Magic, though -- but it might make them hesitant to offer a lot in trade if they suspect Howard is dead set on going to the Nets in a year's time.

JAG · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 1377

How's he going to the Nets next summer when they're about blow their cap space now?

Ditto with Dallas.

Dwight's going to leave the LAKERS for less money next summer?

I'll believe that shit when I see it. Pull the trigger, Mitch.

Jagdip

corrado · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2752 Location: LI

The Joe Johnson to the Nets trade is all but done. Its pending due to the fact that it depends on if D-Will remains a Net.

The trade is for a whole bunch of expiring contracts and a first-round pick. Basically half the team is going to be gutted. For Joe Johnson.

More importantly, this would mean that the Nets would be out of the Howard race. Which is big because the Nets are the only team he would play for.

if that happens, I think a certain team in Cali is going to be "bigger" next year.

jdw · Site Admin Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 12620

Reports are that the Johnson deal *isn't* contingent on D-Will getting extended. The Nets are tired of waiting for Howard, and there were reports from ESPN that the Magic over the weekend showed zero interest in trading Howard to the Nets.

It does take the Nets out of the picture, especially with that nutso Wallace deal.

What options are there for Howard other than the Lakers?

Pray D-Will goes to the Mavs, that the Mavs set up to have enough cap room to sign him after 2013, and take less there than he could get by resigning with whoever the Magic trade him to.

Other than that?

I can't think of anyone. The Celts look like they're going to lock themselves into some multi-year deals: KG already, and they are floating an offer to Allen. Those deals would be cheaper than their prior deals, but when you mix in Pierce and Rondo's contracts, along with whoever else they sign to fill out their current roster, they're not going to have enough space for Howard in 2014.

Options are very narrow.

John

JAG · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 1377

Atlanta.

Ferry had an amazing Monday, getting rid of Johnson and Marvin Williams.

Could offer Horford+Teague+picks for Howard and force him to leave his hometown as a free agent.

But that's high-stakes poker, we'll see if Atlanta's ownership has the stomach for it.

Jagdip