Michael Jordan answered a question about who he’d rather have between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, from John Brannen of Houston Chronicle: “Kobe Bryant versus LeBron James is the basketball debate that just won’t go away. In an interview with NBA TV, Michael Jordan said he would choose the 34-year-old Laker over the Miami Heat superstar. “If you had to pick between the two, that would be a tough choice,” Jordan said in the interview. “But five beats one every time I look at it.”
- Here’s LeBron’s reaction to the comment: “It doesn’t matter to me. If you take Kobe one and I go second, it doesn’t matter. I don’t get too involved in what guys say about me or if you take Kobe or if you take LeBron. As long as I’m on the floor and I make plays for my teammates, I don’t do what I do for other people’s approval.”
Jerry Buss may be on the brink due to cancer, according to Mike Bresnahan of Los Angeles Times: “Lakers owner Jerry Buss has been hospitalized because of an undisclosed form of cancer, spending time in the intensive care unit at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, according to multiple team personnel. A Lakers spokesman declined to comment on his condition. Several current and former Lakers players have visited Buss, including Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Buss, 79, has been in the hospital numerous times over the last two years… A report Thursday from radaronline.com said that players were visiting Buss because of “what they expect to be his final days.”
Metta World Peace discussed how Mike D’Antoni goes about his business on the defensive end, from Ryan Wallerson of SLAM: “SLAM: You being a defensive player in your career, how do you find defense under D’Antoni? MWP: His main thing is effort. He has a system in place, he has coverages. He also knows that defense starts with effort. Even though he doesn’t talk about defense too much, he understands that it needs to be played hard, he demands us to play hard, defensively. You know some coaches are all defensive-minded, and don’t focus on offense, and so you have teams that play great defense but can’t play any offense. There are coaches that are great on both sides. I think Mike D’Antoni is definitely a great offensive mind, and he’s definitely decent on defense.”
Although Eric Gordon is unlikely to be traded, the Hornets may actually be considering the idea of it, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN (via Rob Mahoney of SI): “I’m told a Gordon trade this season is highly unlikely, with one source with knowledge of the situation telling ESPN.com this week that, as things stand, there’s “less than a 10 percent chance” New Orleans would move Gordon before the deadline. Still, the fact that the Hornets made calls around the league implies that they are at least warming up to the idea of moving him at some point. Word is Dallas, Houston and Golden State are among the teams that have inquired about him. Houston envisions playing him alongside James Harden and Jeremy Lin in its fast-paced system, with Harden at small forward.”
The Pacers may be willing to deal Tyler Hansbrough, D.J. Augustin and Gerald Green, from Broussard: “I’m told they offered up the names of Hansbrough and Augustin when trying to pry J.J. Redick out of Orlando. But the Magic aren’t interested in a move like that. Orlando might yet keep Redick, who wants to stay in Orlando, but only if the sharp-shooting backup settles for less than he might get on the open market this summer. Despite Redick’s name being one of the most prominent in trade rumors, some executives are beginning to believe the Magic will not move him.”
- DeAndre Jordan took the worst free throw attempt anyone has seen in quite some time against the Lakers:
The Hornets should really trade Gordon asap, he clearly doesn’t want to be there and they aren’t a contending team. They are building something good with Anthony Davis, and if they can trade Gordon for other young players (That want to be there) along with picks, that could give them a better structure and excitement to the future Pelicans.
He irritates me.
Regarding Josh Smith, there are all sorts of quotes out there from different GMs.
Truth is that many people don’t fully know the CBA rules.
There is no longer an advantage to do a S&T since can only get same deal as a free agent.
Therefore ATL would likely lose Smith to a team like Houston in free agency and even if there was a S&T, they couldn’t expect much in return.
Meanwhile a team like Nets have more assets than are being reported to be available to Hawks. It will get interesting next week. Another factor is whether Houston will make an attempt at Smith via trade. If Houston got Smith, they might not have space to get Howard over the summer, as his dissatisfaction with LAL keeps growing.
Regarding Gordon, I read that a former reporter with knowledge stated that the source for the initial trade interest (3 weeks ago) was his own agent. It makes sense that it was his agent this time time. That would mean that this latest incident was a deliberate attempt to get out of Charlotte. He wants to be traded somewhere. Nets have interest in Gordon as part of a 3 way deal that could send Humphries to Charlotte and Gordon to the team with a desirable PF, along with lots of other assets from Nets. Nets are NOT going to waste Humphries, soon to be expiring contract on an even trade for Gordon, when he would be an expiring this summer. Humps’ value is low at moment because he doesn’t play much. If Nets took Gordon, then they would have a log jam in the backcourt, with Gordon, MarShon, Bogans and Watson. Hump has been a good boy and the team, not complaining about his name in trade rumors all the time. They don’t need a trouble maker in Gordon.
Regarding Josh Smith, there are all sorts of stories out there from
RE: Howard-Gay, I don’t think Rudy was on Raps when they played the Lakers. Do you guys bother checking that stuff?
Probably true that it didn’t happen exactly as stated but I don’t doubt that the quote from Howard is correct. However, Howard may have been half joking or else he would be delusional. Nets would no longer trade Lopez for Howard, now that he is injured this season. I would love though to see LAL beg Nets for that trade and have Billy King reply – “not at this time, but do you want Hump instead of Brook (for Dwight)?”