In our Trade Spin, it doesn’t matter which NBA team wins or loses a deal, it’s about taking advantage either way in your league(s). The usual format, with info and opinions on each game before (and after) they are played, is on hold for a couple of days. Klay Thompson is already on fire as the new SG for the Warriors, with three triples and 26 points in over 40 minutes last night. Monta Ellis should maintain his fantasy value with
Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio’s compelling rookie season is over, ended by a torn anterior-cruciate knee ligament that ends his season, a team source said this afternoon. Minneapolis Star-Tribune On the Howard front, the Magic clearly need to make the decision to trade him or risk losing him in free agency. League sources maintain the Magic will hold out and not deal if they see any glimmer of hope Howard will choose to remain with them. But with the Nets suddenly feeling a renewed
Wednesday’s column mentioned a handful of players who need to be traded by the March 15 deadline. Apparently, NBA GMs are feeling the same way. No less than three players mentioned – Michael Beasley, Monta Ellis and Stephen Jackson – saw their names dotting the interwebs as Wednesday became Thursday and February became March. There is some significance to that calendar observation. March 1 is the first day players signed to free agent contracts in the abbreviated offseason can be traded. So that
There’s still more than two weeks until the March 15 trading deadline, but the rumor mill already is churning. Most of the buzz is around Dwight Howard, whom the Orlando Magic don’t have to trade. Really. However, there are a handful of players who have to be traded for the greater good of their teams. Whether it be removing a problem, creating financial flexibility or moving someone one year early rather than one year late, some big names will be changing teams
We are going to learn a lot about the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Clippers in the month ahead, especially in the week ahead. What we learned last night is that the Wolves are a lot deeper than many give them credit for. After trailing for most of the first three quarters, reserves Michael Beasley and Derrick Williams led the way the as the Timberwolves made their first 10 shots of the fourth quarter and rallied to defeat the Clippers 109-97
Nobody saw that coming. In L.A., the Timberwolves clipped the Clippers, behind a career night from rookie Derrick Williams: 9-10 (including 4-4 from deep) for 27 points. Almost as surprising was Michael Beasley getting 30 minutes and scoring 27 of his own. That’s the good news. The bad is, Kevin Love left the game with sore ribs. He says nothing is broken and will try to play tonight, but we’ll see. Tuesday Reflections BOS @ CLE: Despite an 0-6 shooting night from
With fantasy leagues on hold during the all-star break, here’s a quick trip through the rumor mill. There’s interest from multiple teams in Jose Calderon and Leandro Barbosa. The Lakers may have already signed Rasheed Wallace, covet Michael Beasley and have been linked to Raymond Felton. Non-stop speculation about Dwight Howard will continue. A few fantasy VIP — very important players — are expected to return soon: Joe Johnson, Zach Randolph, Danilo Gallinari, Elton Brand and Manu Ginobili. Other useful
It was an odd time for a players-only meeting — minutes after a blowout victory over Portland — but the Los Angeles Lakers felt they needed to clear the air. So, according to sources, team leaders Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher gathered everyone together in the Lakers’ locker room Monday night and tried to set the tone for the second half of the season. ESPN.com Their message was clear: Trade rumors do not matter; your feelings about management or the coaching staff don’t