There is a sneaky, devious way that the Los Angeles Lakers can re-sign Dwight Howard, continue to pay Kobe Bryant the NBA’s highest salary and create even more cap room for this summer and next summer. Use the amnesty provision on Bryant. Yes, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak said in the days after Bryant tore his Achilles tendon that using the one-time provision – which 15 teams still have at their disposal – on the face of the franchise was not under consideration.
SH Blog: Kupchak “optimistic” of keeping Howard; Mavs interested in Rondo; Nets want Korver?
The draft is officially over, and by now you’ve heard about how crazy it was. For some recap, check out Chris Sheridan’s breakdown of the winners and losers, including my homeland up north with Anthony Bennett and Kelly Olynyk going in the lottery, and Andrew Wiggins coming up next year. When it comes time for the international competitions, some of the European powers might have to look out. It’s not going to be Steve Nash and a bunch of scrubs
SH Blog: Management calls George Karl unbearable, Ray Allen feels vindication for choosing Miami
Remember how delighted and emotional Denver Nuggets coach George Karl was to win his first-ever Coach of the Year award just a month ago? That sure didn’t last long. Despite being recognized by the league as one of the better coaches around, he was shockingly fired by the team on Thursday. Management felt he became “unbearable” due to his constant demand of a new contract. Here is what Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida and NBA insider Peter Vecsey dug up from
Bernucca: Future murky for Lakers, biggest underachievers in NBA history
Before Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs, the Los Angeles Lakers handed out white towels to fans at the Staples Center. Apparently, someone in the marketing department didn’t understand symbolism. By halftime, those towels had become flags of surrender for the Lakers, the biggest underachieving team in the history of the NBA. Dwight Howard offered his own symbolism, figuratively throwing in the towel midway through the third quarter. Unwilling to grit his teeth and bang
SH Blog: League announces stronger flopping policy, Gortat says Suns are mentally weak
There’s nothing quite like the intensity and importance of playoff basketball. We’re all craving for it all to begin after having to watch a countless number of meaningless games over the last couple of weeks, where teams decide to sit their main players to rest for postseason action. Unfortunately, we’re still a couple of days away from seeing any of it, as the first set of games don’t start until Saturday afternoon. If you’re wondering how things will play out in
SH Blog: Wade didn’t want the life of a superstar anymore, Howard’s back still bothering him
“Not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven.” Those are the infamous words by LeBron James when he first became a Miami Heat that people will always remember. It was obviously a huge deal at the time due to its cockiness and the fact that it was said before the newly formed trio ever played a single game together on the court. When he said it, we all assumed that James was speaking for himself as well
SH Blog: Amnestying Kobe “not something we’ve discussed,” says Kupchak; Dwight new Lakers leader
We’ve still got a handful of games that really matter in the NBA regular season, and maybe the biggest is tonight, with the Spurs heading into Staples Center to face the Lakers. [Read more…]
SH Blog: Grizzlies surge into Miami; Bynum may miss entire season; Kings to stay in Sacramento?
For the second time this year, Memphis Grizzlies’ head coach Lionel Hollins has been named the Western Conference Coach of the Month. Once with star forward Rudy Gay and a steady, familiar bench, and once without. [Read more…]