ducks
07-10-2005, 04:13 PM
Etc.
July 10, 2005
Swift decision?Here's an interesting what if: In the 2004 NBA Draft, the Suns let it be known that their No. 7 pick was available. The Bulls and Celtics offered a No. 1 for the choice and Phoenix decided to accept Chicago's offer because it felt the Bulls would have a worse record in 2004-05 and, thus, a better draft pick. That looked pretty astute when Chicago got off to an 0-9 start. But the Bulls finished with a better record than Boston and the Suns ended up with pick No. 21 (which they traded anyway) rather than No. 18. But had Phoenix accepted Boston's offer, what would Danny Ainge have done with the No. 7 pick. The Bulls took Luol Deng. Would Ainge have jumped at Robert Swift? Big Al Jefferson? Or someone else? We'll never know, but he's still smitten with Swift.
A developing situation Another wrinkle of the new CBA is that teams can send first- and second-year players to the NBDL for minutes and instruction. A former MVP of the developmental league, Matt Carroll, said he had no problem with the new proposal. Carroll said he had been told two years ago by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich (for whom he played three games at the end of the 2003-04 season) that he needed to find more playing time. The NBDL's Roanoke Dazzle provided that opportunity and the Charlotte Bobcats signed him last February. (He is a free agent, but will inevitably be re-signed by Charlotte.) ''Me playing in the NBDL was awesome," Carroll told Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. ''You're playing 35 minutes a game. You're in the best shape of your life. As far as the young kids, 19 or 20 years old, it does nothing but help them, I think." Carroll said he can understand why players would prefer the NBA lifestyle, even if it means sitting on the bench. ''There's not a lot of glory down there [in the NBDL]. It's buses, living in different hotels than the NBA," Carroll said. ''But it's not about that. It's about getting better. If you look at the other sports, like baseball, how many guys drafted right out of high school go right to the major leagues? Not many. Everyone starts low and builds up."
Deal with itSo what about the possible inclusion of a provision in the new CBA to prevent teams from trading players and then re-signing them (wink, wink) once the guy clears waivers? The Pistons did that with Lindsey Hunter in 2004 (trading him to Boston, where he never bothered to go) and both the Celtics (Gary Payton) and the Mavericks (Alan Henderson) did it this year. There was talk that there might be a rule preventing these deals, but, as of late last week, NBA communications guru Tim Frank reported that the matter still is under discussion.
Short conversation The Clippers may or not have offered Corey Maggette to the Celtics -- one team official said it never happened -- but we do know this much: The Celtics were interested in a certain Clipper named Shaun Livingston. The discussion went something like this -- Boston: What would it take to get Shaun Livingston? Clippers: Click.
Finally got their man The Celtics finally got Brian Scalabrine. It's a good signing; he's a hustle player who won't ever hurt you and he has shooting range and is unafraid to mix it up. Interestingly, when Scalabrine came out of Southern Cal in 2001, the Celtics gave him serious consideration with their third first-round pick, No. 21 overall. They went with Joseph Forte instead -- you already know that story -- and Scalabrine ended up going to the Nets in the second round, No. 35 overall. Scalabrine will earn more in one season (a reported average of $3 million) with the Celtics than he earned in his last two seasons ($1.65 million) with the Nets.
Material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.
© Copyright 2005 Globe Newspaper Company.
July 10, 2005
Swift decision?Here's an interesting what if: In the 2004 NBA Draft, the Suns let it be known that their No. 7 pick was available. The Bulls and Celtics offered a No. 1 for the choice and Phoenix decided to accept Chicago's offer because it felt the Bulls would have a worse record in 2004-05 and, thus, a better draft pick. That looked pretty astute when Chicago got off to an 0-9 start. But the Bulls finished with a better record than Boston and the Suns ended up with pick No. 21 (which they traded anyway) rather than No. 18. But had Phoenix accepted Boston's offer, what would Danny Ainge have done with the No. 7 pick. The Bulls took Luol Deng. Would Ainge have jumped at Robert Swift? Big Al Jefferson? Or someone else? We'll never know, but he's still smitten with Swift.
A developing situation Another wrinkle of the new CBA is that teams can send first- and second-year players to the NBDL for minutes and instruction. A former MVP of the developmental league, Matt Carroll, said he had no problem with the new proposal. Carroll said he had been told two years ago by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich (for whom he played three games at the end of the 2003-04 season) that he needed to find more playing time. The NBDL's Roanoke Dazzle provided that opportunity and the Charlotte Bobcats signed him last February. (He is a free agent, but will inevitably be re-signed by Charlotte.) ''Me playing in the NBDL was awesome," Carroll told Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. ''You're playing 35 minutes a game. You're in the best shape of your life. As far as the young kids, 19 or 20 years old, it does nothing but help them, I think." Carroll said he can understand why players would prefer the NBA lifestyle, even if it means sitting on the bench. ''There's not a lot of glory down there [in the NBDL]. It's buses, living in different hotels than the NBA," Carroll said. ''But it's not about that. It's about getting better. If you look at the other sports, like baseball, how many guys drafted right out of high school go right to the major leagues? Not many. Everyone starts low and builds up."
Deal with itSo what about the possible inclusion of a provision in the new CBA to prevent teams from trading players and then re-signing them (wink, wink) once the guy clears waivers? The Pistons did that with Lindsey Hunter in 2004 (trading him to Boston, where he never bothered to go) and both the Celtics (Gary Payton) and the Mavericks (Alan Henderson) did it this year. There was talk that there might be a rule preventing these deals, but, as of late last week, NBA communications guru Tim Frank reported that the matter still is under discussion.
Short conversation The Clippers may or not have offered Corey Maggette to the Celtics -- one team official said it never happened -- but we do know this much: The Celtics were interested in a certain Clipper named Shaun Livingston. The discussion went something like this -- Boston: What would it take to get Shaun Livingston? Clippers: Click.
Finally got their man The Celtics finally got Brian Scalabrine. It's a good signing; he's a hustle player who won't ever hurt you and he has shooting range and is unafraid to mix it up. Interestingly, when Scalabrine came out of Southern Cal in 2001, the Celtics gave him serious consideration with their third first-round pick, No. 21 overall. They went with Joseph Forte instead -- you already know that story -- and Scalabrine ended up going to the Nets in the second round, No. 35 overall. Scalabrine will earn more in one season (a reported average of $3 million) with the Celtics than he earned in his last two seasons ($1.65 million) with the Nets.
Material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.
© Copyright 2005 Globe Newspaper Company.