With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, rumors have been rampant around the league throughout the day. Can Cleveland find a taker for Luol Deng? How serious is Sacramento about moving MIP candidate Isaiah Thomas? Will the New York Knicks finally trade Iman Shumpert? Those are some of the many burning questions as general managers try to determine what will be the best course of action for their respective franchises. Some minor deals have already gone down on Wednesday, and plenty more
How did the trade deadline frenzy begin? A coast-to-coast our-garbage-for-your-garbage deal. The Brooklyn Nets got rid of two players they weren’t getting much from, sending Jason Terry and Reggie Evans to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday for once-promising shooting guard Marcus Thornton. Why did the Kings do it? They get rid of the second-highest paid player on their team – and an unproductive one at that – and get out from Thornton’s $8.4 million salary next season, cutting their 2014-15 payroll commitment
There could only be one reason for a single game NBA schedule on a Sunday in February: the Super Bowl. So, like every other American and plenty around the world, NBA players were more than happy to spend a rare day off watching the biggest event of the year. The Seattle Seahawks absolutely thumped the Denver Broncos 43-8 in the most lopsided Super Bowl in league history. Peyton Manning threw for only 280 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in his second
The Brooklyn Nets wanted to improve on both sides of the ball after ending 2013 with a disappointing 10-21 record. Unlike most people’s new year’s resolutions, they’ve stuck to it. With All-Star center Brook Lopez out for the season, head coach Jason Kidd thought going with a smaller starting lineup would benefit the team going forward and afford the team versatility in many respects. It worked. Big time. [Read more…]
Amid its myriad injuries, its dozen teams below .500 and its 44-98 record against the Western Conference, there is a looming question regarding the Eastern Conference: Can the East even field an All-Star team? A year ago, Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Tyson Chandler, Kyrie Irving, Brook Lopez and Jrue Holiday were among the East’s All-Stars. You can make the argument – irrefutable in some cases, strong in others – that none of those players should be invited back
Can money buy happiness? If you’re the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks, the answer is no. The Nets have the league’s highest payroll, while the Knicks rank second. The combined exorbitant payroll has produced a deflating 18-38 record and proven any championship aspirations were merely a pipe dream. Ironically, speaking of the pipe, J.R. Smith was the first Knick to panic back when the team was only 3-8 at the time. Now, it appears Smith’s anxiety was warranted. Thanks to injuries, a lack
It’s been an unexpected season of sorts for the Brooklyn Nets. That is to say, they have been one of the worst teams in the entire league rather than one of the best as many expected them to be prior to the season. They were supposed to challenge the Miami Heat and match up very well against the Indiana Pacers. Both notions are seemingly laughable at this point. [Read more…]
Kevin Garnett accurately described what everyone thought after he and Paul Pierce battled his former coach, Doc Rivers. “It was a bit weird,” said Garnett. You know what’s even more weird? Watching Pierce come off the bench in back-to-back games for the first time in his career and Garnett on a minutes restriction comparable to a role player. [Read more…]