The Magic are looking to deal Arron Afflalo for Eric Bledsoe to make room for Ben McLemore, from Chris Mannix of SI: “A source confirmed an ESPN.com report that McLemore has looked sluggish in recent workouts but, the source said, “That doesn’t take away from the year he had last season.” Several executives believe that the prototypical 2-guard has “All-Star potential.” The Magic have been talking with the Clippers about a deal that would send Eric Bledsoe to Orlando for a package headlined by Arron Afflalo, but Los Angeles prefers to keep Bledsoe for now in hopes of landing a bigger offer, a source said. Afflalo has three years and $23 million left on his contract, but it will be difficult for the Magic to pass on McLemore, a Ray Allen-type shooter with superior athleticism.”
Jerry Sloan has earned a job with the Utah Jazz, from Ben Golliver of SI: “The Jazz announced Wednesday that former coach Jerry Sloan has been hired to serve as a senior basketball adviser. “The basketball knowledge and experience that Jerry brings is invaluable, and his insights will help in our pursuit of becoming a championship-caliber team,” Jazz president Randy Rigby said in a statement. “We are pleased to formally welcome Jerry back into the organization as an adviser.”… According to the Jazz, Sloan will provide support to the organization’s basketball operations department and coaching staff by providing player evaluations throughout the year. He will also run a yearly coaching clinic. “In my new role with the Jazz franchise, I hope to help the basketball operations staff and [coach Tyrone Corbin] in any way that I can to achieve their goals,” Sloan said.”
Chris Bosh blasted Heat fans that left Game 6 prematurely, from Ryan Wolstat of Toronto SuN: “Chris Bosh sounded a message loud and clear for some Heat fans. “For all those guys that left, make sure they don’t come to Game 7, we only need the guys who stayed in the building for the whole game,” Bosh said Wednesday, drawing laughs from the media on hand. The rare occurrence of a star athlete taking his own team’s supporters to task, prompted a firestorm of support via Twitter for Bosh, many, even from disgruntled Raptors fans who don’t care much for the former Toronto all-star. Hundreds of fans fled American Airlines Arena late in the fourth quarter of Game 6 Tuesday when the Spurs appeared to be closing in on the title. “You never give up, they can stay where they are and watch the game (seven) at home,” he continued. Bosh said those aren’t the real Heat fans, the ones that support the team to the bitter end. “You can’t get let back in, hell, I know that, I’ve been to games. That’s protocol,” he said.”
Kobe Bryant stressed the importance of re-signing Dwight Howard, from Eric Pincus of Los Angeles Times: “Those guys are hard to find, they don’t grow on trees,” Bryant said on 710 ESPN Los Angeles. “When you have someone like that with his talent level, you have to be able to keep him and lock him in with this franchise.” Howard is expected to talk with other teams, such as the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, andAtlanta Hawks (among others), before signing a four- or five-year deal. “I’ve spoken to him maybe a couple of weeks ago, just to check in with him,” said Bryant. “I haven’t spoken to him since. I know he’s got a big decision to make and I’m sure he’ll take the visits and talk to the players on the teams he’s considering. We’ll touch base a lot more.” Bryant said it’s important as a free agent to make the decision from a business perspective while finding the best chance to win a championship. “It’s hard because a lot of times those two things don’t align,” he said. “With the history that this franchise has of having great centers, this would, in my opinion, be the perfect spot for him.”
Like many in the NBA Finals, LeBron James’ body is hurting, from Tzvi Twersky of SLAM Online: “I’m blessed, man,” says James. “I don’t even know how I got here. I wasn’t supposed to be in the NBA, if you go by statistics and things of me growing up where I grew up. “Every time I go into my locker room and see the JAMES on the back of an NBA jersey, I’m like, Wow. No criticism can deter me from playing this game because of that. I’m not supposed to be here. The fact that I’m doing what I’m doing and doing it for my teammates, it’s all that matters.” Game 7 is set to tip at 9:10 p.m., on Thursday night, at AmericanAirlines Arena. James, like many other players in the Finals, limped out of the Arena after Game 6. And just like the other players, plus some hefty expectations, James says he’ll be ready to go for the series’ deciding game. “Nobody’s body is feeling great at this point from both teams,” says James. “But for me it’s all about—it’s more mind over matter, man. I’m hurting. But it doesn’t matter. It’s the last game of the season, so it’s whatever.”
- Dwyane Wade’s knee acted up during Game 6, from J.A. Adande of ESPN:
Dwyane Wade said his knee swelled up, needing extra treatment at halftime, which was why he missed start of second half.
— J.A. Adande (@jadande) June 19, 2013
Here’s something wild from Game 6. Tim Duncan played the final 5.2 seconds of regulation, but he wasn’t supposed to. Details from Ken Berger of CBS Sports: “Duncan, who’d been subbed into the game following an official play stoppage for a replay review of Ray Allen’s game-tying 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left, shouldn’t have been on the floor. The league office confirmed Wednesday that Duncan had been substituted into the game illegally after the replay stoppage. What does this mean? Since the Spurs didn’t score on that possession and ultimately lost 103-100 in overtime, it doesn’t mean much. A mistake was made, a rule was misapplied, but it didn’t affect the outcome of the game. But what if it had? If the Spurs had scored on the final possession of regulation and won the championship on that play, all holy hell would’ve broken loose. The Heat could’ve — and presumably would’ve — filed a protest with the league office over the Duncan substitution. Under the league’s protest guidelines, there would’ve been an expedited ruling from commissioner David Stern.”
Thanks for posting about this, I would love to read more about this topic. James I hope you keep writing more blogs like this one. Nice work James.
garnett is THIRTY-SEVEN years old; rivers is a coach. i don’t get why anyone would give up more than a 2nd round pick for a coach, and very much for a THIRTY-SEVEN year old (see e.g., how things are working out for lakers with nash)
Clippers should do the Garnett deal first, while interviewing all the potential coaches for a second time. That should be enough for CP3 to re-sign.
However, once KG is gone, Pierce would be gone too, by June 30.
At that point Rivers will not want to return to the Celtics.
If Ainge doesn’t have an unhappy Doc, he will have no choice but to allow him to go to Clippers, without compensation.
If Pierce clears waivers, he too could sign with the Clippers for the mini-MLE.