Yardbarker: Brandon Roy

Big-L, Little-a, Marcus

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:29:13 -0500

I feel like this should be an open letter to the rest of the Association. See, while everyone (including Portland Trailblazer's hype machinists) is so focused on the continued ascension of BRoy, the debut of Gregor Oden, the arrival of Rudy F. Baby and Jerryd Bayless, I can't help but feel like that Longhorn alum, Texas native, and 2006 Big 12 Defensive player of the year, LaMarcus Aldridge gets lost in the hustle and bustle. Make no mistake, Portland fans appreciate this man. We appreciate the crap out of him, because for about 8 years we watched, loved… tolerated Rasheed Wallace. He was an All-Star for us. He led us to a Western Conference Finals, and within 1 quarter of the NBA Finals and ultimately an NBA Championship. Most of us really didn't even care that he accumulated Technical Fouls at a clip that would make Dennis Rodman blush. Little-a, is our Rasheed Wallace redux. Only this time we get a star that has all the tools to be an All-Star sans the baggage. And LA's numbers in his second year are already better than Sheed's in either of his 2x All-Star years here in Portland. Everyone who has been around Aldridge recognizes his work ethic and determination to improve. His college coach Rick Barnes noted that he's never seen a player work so hard to becoming better. (*Side note: LaMarcus Aldrige is probably the first athlete from UT at Austin to work hard… it is a resort there, and I think sports stars weren't meant to apply themselves extracurricularly) And it clearly worked, he went from a season ending injury as a freshman to leading the 'Horns to the Elite Eight the following year, a spot as a 3rd team All-American, and the aforementioned Conference Defensive Player of the Year. His roll hasn't slowed since joining the pro ranks. My boy on the inside with the Blazers expects LA to have a Monster year. He's been a beast in the offseason every year, and is determined to help his team win, but also to joining his teammates with some acclaim on the national level. I don't doubt that he will continue to improve on his numbers. From season 1 to season 2, his stats received significant increases: points +8.8, assists +1.2, rebounds +2.6, and almost a half a steal more per game. The presence of a dominant Oden in the pivot only serves to improve LA's opportunities, and Little-a says he stretched out his range to the arch, so you can expect him to not only increase his % numbers, but to help open up the middle for Oden as much as Oden will sink defenses to free up LA. Little-a was already a horse. Brought an all-around game that arguably made him the most valuable Blazer. He could very well have rested on his laurels. Many professionals do. What many pro's don't do is be this good and this versatile this early, many don't go out and get better every day. So while one might say that Blaze Nation has too many young talented players, what we also have is a consistent, reliable, and quiet rising star. Take notice everyone. LaMarcus Aldrige is rolling, he's going to bring his team and whole Upper Left Coast with him, and he doesn't look like he's slowing down. p.s. Ask Sean Williams how he feels about trying to stop LA.

2008-2009 Top 10 Shooting Guards

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:05:45 -0500

A list of the top 10 shooting guards in the NBA as they are expected to perform in the 2008-2009 season.

RotoEvil's exclusive 1+ Three, 47% FG club (Draft Guide sample #1)

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:55:20 -0500

When you attempt a lot of threes, your FG% usually pays the price. This is especially true in fantasy hoops, which is why I created the 1+ Three, 47% FG club. In '07-08, only 13 players made the cut. The year before, there were only 12. To qualify, a player must play in 40+ games, average 1+ three, and shoot 47% or better from the field. By targeting some of these players, you will achieve a superb balance between threes & FG%, immediately gaining an advantage over your opponents. If you want to dominate your league, plus find out what Steve Nash, Brent Barry, and Mike Miller have done that no one else in NBA history has, then just click on the link...

KP what are you thinking?

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 22:15:56 -0500

Well of course a rumor around Blazer Town right now is that the Blazers are in the front running for Shawn Livingston. What is the Blazers facisination with knee injuries or injuries period? Greg Oden, Darius Miles now we may have Shawn Livingston. Let's examine some facts first. He's 18 months removed from the devastating injury he suffered. Anyone see the footage of that freak accident? If not go to youtube. Anways, he tore his anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and lateral meniscus. He also dislocated his patella. That sounds about as bad as Darius's Knee injury but he somehow tricked the Celtics to sign him. I wonder if it had something to do with Ainge trying to get back at KP someway for that Brandon Roy-Sebastian Telfair trade. But, I digress Livingston says he's at 75-85%. Penn, McMillan and Pritchard probably thought enough of what Livingston's Agent had to say to go see him workout in Arizona. Then, the talk was that they came away impressed enough to have talk about signing him to our last roster spot. He is just 23, and could come back to have the same explosiveness that he once had in the league. Plus with him being a 6'7" point gaurd, he has great court vision something the blazers really need and have lacked at that position in recent years. The Blazers are loaded at the back court position. But If I'm KP, I'm not completely sold on our point gaurds. Blake is very good distributing point gaurd but at times he gets overpowered by bigger point gaurds and isn't much of a scoring threat besides the occasional three. That said I really like Blake and I hope we keep him (he is a cheap backup option.) Then, we have Bayless the rookie. Who looks like an absolute speedy crossover scoring machine. Reminds me of A.I. or Monta Ellis but there are doubts about how he can run the team, which he will learn with time. Then we have Sergio "the Spanish Laxative" Rodriguez blah get the hell out of the league you mooch. We already have Rudy Fernandez over here, we don't need you anymore. All I'm saying is that if he doesn't improve ALOT by this year you need to go back to Europe muchacho no hard feelings. When you look at the big picture signing Shawn Livingston doesn't seem all that bad. So with the Blazers 15th roster spot I pick Shawn Livingston your a genius KP.

2008 Fantasy Hoops Rankings: Shooting Guards

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 22:50:50 -0500

FIO and TalkHoops.net staff writer Zach Harper breaks down the Top 25 shooting guards heading into fantasy basketball drafts this season, including in-depth analysis about the Top 10 and some notes about the remaining players on the list.

Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Players Coming Back Edition

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:25:35 -0500

Luke Walton Walton underwent surgery in July to remove bone spurs and scar tissue from his right ankle. He is hoping to get medical clearance today to begin workouts and hopes to be 100% by mid October. Of course, I expect Kobe to make an announcement that he will make an announcement that he still plans to play in pain and not get surgery. He can't let someone else get the headlines. Speaking of the Lakers, they signed guard Brandon Heath, who played last season in France, averaging 12 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 25 games. He played with the Clippers summer league team in Las Vegas and averaged 5.6 points in five games. He probably won't make the team, but will get a chance to show the team why he should in training camp. Last October, the Bobcats' Sean May had micro-fracture surgery to correct a chronic bone bruise that caused him to miss much of his first 3 seasons. May looks to be in great shape and is ready to get on with the rest of his career, hopefully injury free. He has gotten his weight down between between 265 and 270 pounds. He's playing pickup ball every day at the Charlotte Bobcats training facility, and says he's pain-free from the right knee injury that cost him most of his first three pro seasons. Another Bobcat who has missed a lot of time due to injuries is Adam Morrison. Morrison missed last season with a torn ACL in his left knee. He is now playing without a brace or pain. As Celtics fans know from their experience with Tony Allen's recovery from an ACL tear, one of the biggest challenges is restoring confidence in the knee on a day to day basis in making the moves he will need to be effective on the court. The Celtics have 4 players on their team now who have overcome serious knee injuries and come back: Leon Powe (3 surgeries), Bill Walker (3 surgeries), Tony Allen (2 surgeries), and Darius Miles (career ending injury). The Bobcats have always had a young and athletic team and they appear ready to have a strong season this year if May and Morrison are both healthy. The Bobcats' athleticism has always given the Celtics problems and for some reason they have had the Celtics' number. Like the Wolves and Nets, the Bobcats are getting an early start on the season. With three weeks to go until training camp, all but four players under contract were working out and playing in the team's practice facility. They have a new coach and have some great young players and may surprise a lot of teams, not just the Celtics, this season. There was speculation that Patrick Ewing, Jr would wear his dad's #33 for the Knicks. But now we learn that Ewing Jr. will wear No. 6 when he plays for the Knicks rather than his famous father's 33. Patrick Sr's #33 was retired but had given permission for his son to wear 33 as he did at Georgetown. But, wisely, Jr is going to forge his own path with his own number in the pros and #33 will always belong to his dad. Deron Washington. the third of the Pistons' three second-round picks, impressed the Pistons' management in Las Vegas with his athleticism and tenacity. He opened more eyes in August when he was working out with the other young Pistons at the practice facility. But, Washington won't be playing with the Pistons this season. He signed a contract to play with Hapoel Holon of the Israeli Premier League and continue to develop his game in Europe. Another of the Pistons' second round picks, Trent Plaisted, signed in July with Angelico Biella of the Italian league. The Celtics had considered letting their second round pick, Bill Walker, play in Europe this season but were so impressed by his workouts in Boston this summer that they decided to keep him with the team. With the furor over Monta Ellis' accident fading now that he has told his team the truth about how he was injured, the Warriors are back to the business of getting ready for training camp. They signed three undrafted free agents, guard DeMarcus Nelson of Duke, swingman Dion Dowell of Houston, and forward Rob Kurz of Notre Dame. This gives the Warriors 18 players under contract, 3 over the league maximum to start the season. Shaquille O'Neal has slowed down considerably from his peak as a player, and now he has announced his plans for retirement. He intends to play out the remaining 2 years of his contract with the Suns and then call it quits. His plans after basketball include include going into law enforcement. He has already served as a deputy both in Miami and Phoenix in his off time and he would like to enter some form of law enforcement full time after his career is over. Sam Cassell has also announced his plans and they took many Celtics fans by surprise. He stated in the Baltimore Sun that he plans to play one more year and will sign a contract next week and then become an assistant coach for the Celtics after the 2008-09 season. The Celtics declined comment on the subject but the team already has 15 players under contract, all of which seem to have a future with the club. Unless Danny has a 2 for 1 trade in the works or maybe Darius Miles isn't really in the plans, or possibly Scal and his remaining 2 years will be cut, but I just don't see Sam fitting on this team right now. Brandon Roy is looking good after having surgery a month ago. Reports are that you can't even tell that he had surgery. He is shooting jumpers and making some very light cuts, seemingly pain-free. His shot looks to be improved this season. I like the way the Celtics ended up last season and Ratliff's contract was crucial in bringing KG to Boston, but there will always be the thought of what if the Celtics had taken Brandon Roy with that pick instead of making the trade. What if they had continued to build with youth. We'll never know for sure, but I think it could have worked just not as quickly.

Keep Your Picks Final: Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:41:32 -0500

The championship game of DraftNation's Keep Your Picks tournament has arrived. Each team has shown their star power and strong benches on their road to the final game, but now they must slug it out so in the big one so we can crown a champion. Kevin Garnett earned his championship ring this year and LeBron earned a gold medal -- but now the title they both truly want (or maybe not so much): Keep Your Picks champion. This should be a close contest, and Zach Bowers and BJ Pickard are here to sort out the details and let you know who will have the advantage.

Wrapping Up the 2008 Draft and Looking Forward to 2009

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 17:49:17 -0500

Honestly, this was the first draft in years that I wasn't that excited to watch. In fact, I left my house half way through the first round to go play basketball with some friends for a few hours. I love Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, OJ Mayo, Derrick Rose and Michael

The Top NBA Player Marketing Figures for 2008

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 17:49:16 -0500

A few months back I made a call for the creation of an NBA marketing database. Places like Draft Express

Blazers 2008-09 Season Preview

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:57:44 -0500

2007-08 Finish - 41 wins, 41 losses, 3rd place in the NW Division, 9 games out of the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Projected Starters: PG-Steve Blake SG-Brandon Roy SF-Martell Webster PF-LaMarcus Aldridge C-Greg Oden Key Reserves: SF-Travis Outlaw PG/SG-Jerryd Bayless SG-Rudy Fernandez C-Joel Przybilla PF/C-Channing Frye Bottom 4: PF-Ike Diogu-energy guy (think Turiaf-lite) that won't get much PT. SF-Nicolas Batum-Very young, very raw. I'm seeing some D-League in your future, young man. PG-Sergio Rodriguez-Get your resume updated ASAP. I'd start here then work towards this after a few years of experience. You're welcome. Practice Dummy: SF-Luke Jackson-The rumor of his preseason/practice signing has not been confirmed by the Blazers' Brass yet, but either way, i cant really say much about playing 73 games in 5 years of NBA contracts as the #7 pick in the draft...other than he has a career .357% FG percentage. Maybe he failed a drug test? You know, he did go to a nationaly recognized school after all. Season outlook, thoughts, and things to look for in 2008-09: If you've seen the schedule for the upcoming season then you understand getting off to a great start will be difficult. Portland's first 5 games are @LA, SA at home then @PHX the next night, @Utah, then home against Houston. Starting 0-5 isn't out of the question. Oh, and 16 of Portland's first 24 games are on the road. Take that, season ticket holders. With that said... I expect Portland to come out of the games slow and would have said that even with an easier looking schedule. the reason is that the Blazers will have three rookies who will want and need to be playing prominant roles next year and for years to come. Greg, Jerryd, and Rudy all look to be important pieces to the puzzle and look even more important as B-Roy continues his streak of injuries. A .500 record for the first 24 games would be great considering only 8 of them will be at home and of course learning to play with one another. Portland will have growing pains but i expect them to finish the year strong and make some noise in the western conference playoff picture. With some of the lesser teams getting better i doubt it will take 50 wins to get in the playoffs next year but it will still likely take 46-49. If Portland starts 12-12 then can go 13-12 on the road the rest of the way, the Blazers could be in the thick of things given their home success. This is where I project them finishing and can really see this happening after playing with each other for a couple months. But, what will the 8 seed get you in the West? A series with the Lakers. How fun would that series be? Blazers/Lakers games have been heated since the turn of the century, this one would be no different. Side note: A Blazers-Lakers round 1 playoff series is very possible this year. If Portland's current roster is the one that will get them to the playoffs and beyond, one of two things will absolutely need to happen in my mind and I feel the second on this list most important (and very attainable). First, Travis Outlaw needs to build off his breakout season and become comfortable in the 6th man role. What does he need to work on? He needs to rebound better and slash more from the perimeter if Portland is intending on giving him many more minutes at the 3 as they said they would do early this summer. The Blazers really need a defender on the wing so Travis would have to develop defensively if he wants to be part of the big 3. In reality, Travis looks to be best suited as a guy who comes off the bench and provides a spark as we seen him do last year (just ask fans in Atlanta, Memphis, and Toronto how they feel about TO). This is a roll he's been good at in the NBA and I think his ceiling isn't much higher then last season. Blazer fans, this is a good thing - he won't command more dollars then Portland is willing to pay him. 6th men are very important in this league and finding one who is able to take and make game changing shots is very limited. Some TO highlights for your viewing pleasure to follow... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzckjCIzlO4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzq4ozGwoOM Second, Martell Webster. We've all been waiting for Martell's breakout season since he was drafted #6 overall in 2005. What do the Blazers need out of Martell for him to keep his starting spot and role as the 4th/5th best player in the starting unit? Three things; the ability to hit the open jumper, be Portland's best perimeter defender, and continue slashing like he did towards the end of last season. I see no reason he can't do these things on a more consistent basis, especially knowing he will only see 25-35 minutes of court time on a given night. We've all seen him shoot the rock, we know he can do that (see below). We also know he has the ability to attack the rim. What we haven't seen is enough ability to consistently be our top perimeter defender. Because we watched flashes of this last year I think a breakout year is on the brink. I have a feeling Martell will turn out to be the 3 that Portland needs to compete at the next level. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMVXnJDBtnI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Anm3JEG6B2E The new additions: Oden, Bayless, Fernandez Greg Oden's health is obviously a major concern at this point. While nobody in their right mind doubts his abilities when healthy, taking a year off of basketball activity must be incredibly hard to overcome (ask D Miles). But, this is something that can be done (ask Amare Stoudamire). With how this surgery is progressing in just the last few years I'm optimistic Greg will be back and the knee will be as good as Amare's. If so, you can expect Oden to be a huge part of Portland's success. It's very possible that he averages over 12 and 10 with a block in his rookie season. That is, if he can manage to stay on the court (no Greg, fouling 9.5 times a game during the summer league is no longer okay). Early, and I mean real early, reports are that Greg and his knee look fantastic. I'm almost as pumped as I was when I seen B-Roy standing there after winning the lottery. What the Blazers need Greg to bring to the table in his rookie season is defense, a resemblance of an offensive game, and toughness. I think Joel should be able to take care of the latter during training camp. Jerryd Bayless looked great in summer league, winning MVP honors in Las Vegas. He proved he can score, slash, get to the rim with the ball, and play with intensity. The only problem with summer league performance is that summer league is home of rookies, D-leaguers, and scrubs (Yes, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah, you're both scrubs). White I fully expect Bayless to contribute from day one with his speed and shooting ability alone, I expect it to take awhile for him to be able to run the point effectively and learn to defer to proven players on the team with NBA experience. In crunch time JB should develop into being the perfect complement to Roy. When you need a bucket late in the 4th quarter a lineup of Bayless, Roy, TO, Aldridge, and Oden sounds pretty potent. Bayless won't give you nightmares as a defender but his speed and lateral quickness should allow him to at least stay in front of most point guards in the NBA as the year goes on. Bayless should get both backup PG and SG minutes and his role will grow as the year goes on. Something like 8, 4, and 3 feels about right in his first year if given minutes. His scoring will be sporadic as he adjusts his not-so-fast jump shot release but will still make an impact on the offensive end. Rudy Fernandez has looked both great and questionable at times during the 2008 summer Olympics. I won't break down his play by play as i've seen on some sites but i will give my opinions about what I have seen so far. He gambles on defense. Against teams other then team USA his gambling usually leads to a steal and dunk or assist. Now, i'm not saying every team in the NBA is better then all the teams in the Olympics but, I would say all the teams that made the playoffs in the west would win this tournament (excluding team USA). Like Bayless, Rudy can stroke the ball from anywhere on the court and at times, unfortunately, he knows this too. A few shots he has taken are questionable at best and at times i think he gets caught up in the moment so much that he feels he's got to take that off balance three. One thing he has done really well is pass the ball - and not just passing it to pass it, but passing the ball with a purpose to the right spot at the right time. This has been pleasantly surprising. I've loved watching his feistiness and can't wait to see him in the NBA. We've all watched the you-tube videos of Rudy dunking, passing, and shooting and understand that he is a special player. But, will he stay in the USA? Will he stay with the Blazers with the growing talent at their disposal to spell B-Roy at the 2? I hope so. Stats similar to Bayless' sound about right during his rookie season. Let's play ball The only thing we can be certain about is what what Roy, LMA, Joel and Steve Blake bring to the table. These rolls won't change other than small changes in minutes per game. The question is how will the new comers gel and how will the Blazers veterans respond to their new roles? Can Martell be the guy on the perimeter that Portland needs? Only time will tell. Healthy knees permitting, the future looks brighter then ever in Portland an I for one will be there to watch. Article originally posted on August 21st, 2008

Keep Your Picks: Bucks vs. Timberwolves (Semifinals, Game Two)

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:06:52 -0500

This is a matchup of two very evenly matched teams. Can the threesome of Bogut, Nowitzki and Redd successful take on Roy, Allen and Garnett? This semifinal game is sure to be one of the marquee matchups of the entire KYP playoff, with the winner taking on the red hot Cleveland Cavaliers in the championship game next week. Expert Picks Pickard: Milwaukee Bucks Estimated Game Time: Thursday August 28 (5 PM EST)

Team USA 2010, The Future

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:51:20 -0500

The Redeem Team came out with gold at the Olympics in Beijing. With the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Turkey less than 2 years away, Henry Abott from TrueHoop takes a look at who will be coming back and who might make their Team USA debut, including a certain Yardbarker from the Blazers we know.

Larry Brown Exclusive

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 06:13:34 -0500

Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Hornets' New Look Edition

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:56:06 -0500

The Timberwolves aren't the only team who will have new uniforms this season, the Hornets unveiled their new look uniforms on Wednesday. They will not only have new uniforms this coming season, but also new colors, a new logo, and a new floor, which will be unveiled Friday. And, let's not forget that they have a new player with a new championship ring in James Posey. Oklahoma City has waived 14 year veteran Donyell Marshall. Marshall is in the final year of a contract that would have paid him $5.9 million. Oklahoma City must pay Marshall the remainder of his guaranteed salary and it will count against the team's salary this season, but it opens up a roster spot for him. Including restricted free agent center Robert Swift, who they haven't signed yet, Oklahoma City will have 14 players under contract when they sign their two rookies. Devean George and the Dallas Mavericks have reached an agreement on a new two-year contract worth approximately $4 million. George's refusal to be included in the trade for Jason Kidd almost prevented Kidd from becoming a Maverick. George's refusal cost Mavs owner Mark Cuban more than $11 million last season in additional payroll and luxury-tax payments. It seemed as though his days in Dallas were numbered but new coach Rick Carlisle was eager to keep him with the team and now he will remain with the team for another 2 years/ The Miami Heat and forward Dorell Wright have agreed to terms on a two-year deal. It is expected to be finalized this week. A restricted free agent, Wright had been given a qualifying offer of $2.9 million for 2008-09. His new contract will start at roughly the $2.9 qualifying offer. This gives the Heat 13 players under contract for next season. The Heat are also in talks with Jamaal Magloire who postponed his visit to Miami because of Tropical Storm Fay. Magloire would definitely be an upgrade over Mark (I'll get the rebound if I don't have to work for it) Blount. Heat free agent center Earl Barron agreed to a one-year deal with Fortitudo Bologna of the Italian League. The Heat had not attempted to re-sign Barron, who will make close to $2 million in Europe. Shaun Livingston's rehab is progressing. Reports are that he has been playing five-on-five, for at least the past week and a half, at fitness trainer Tim Grover's facility in Chicago. It was also confirmed Wednesday that Livingston has progressed to playing full-scale, full-court pickup games with the contingent of 20 or so NBA players that work out regularly at Grover's site. He is an unrestricted free agent and if healthy, could become one of the league's top point guards and a top defender. Some team is going to take a chance on him and be rewarded big time if he gets back to pre-injury playing form. Team USA will play Argentina for the gold I guess it is fitting that the two teams with the most NBA players should be still playing at the end. Argentina has Luis Scola, Manu Ginobili, Fabricio Oberto, Carlos Delfino and Andres Nocioni and may give the US more of a challenge than any of the others they might have faced in the gold medal round. NBA teams always hold their breath when they have key players on the Olympics teams because there is always the chance of an injury. Pau Gasol comes to mind as he broke his foot playing on the Spanish National Team a couple of years back. In their last game against the United States, Andrew Bogut injured his ankle and that has to have the Bucks wringing their hands. He said that it popped and that can't be a good thing. The Raptors' Jose Calderon was also injured in Spain's win over Croatia. It was described as a strained adductor. I can see why an NBA team would try to discourage players from participating in the Olympics. I know it is an honor to play for their country, but it has to take a lot out of them even if there isn't an injury. Brandon Roy is anxious to play basketball again. Six days after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, Brandon Roy arrived at the Blazers' practice facility without crutches or any noticeable limp. He says that he will definitely be ready for training camp. Bill Walker had a similar surgery and has been working out in Boston since his surgery. The Celtics haven't signed him yet, but I think they will because Danny went out of his way to get him from Washington. I think he will be able to contribute this season if given the opportunity. The Sixers have officially signed Theo Ratliff to a veteran's minimum contract. They needed another big man when their second year center Jason Smith went down with an ACL injury. Ratliff's agent said that the former Celtic passed on 2 more lucrative offers to sign for the veteran's minimum as a backup center. He said that he chose Philly because he wants to help win the Eastern Conference. I wonder if that means that he harbors some kind of ill will toward the Celtics. He played only 2 games for the Celtics before he and his expiring contract were shipped to Minnesota for Kevin Garnett. He said that he also liked Philly because he knows coach Mo Cheeks and knows the city and he believes that the team is going to be good. I think they are going to be good too. Philly should give the Celtics a run for the division title. With new point guard TJ Ford in Indiana, Larry Bird is still hoping to trade Jamaal Tinsley but so far hasn't has much luck. Bird said earlier this week that he thinks things will pick back up after Labor Day because a lot of league officials are either on vacation or at the Olympics in Beijing. Ford is expected to workout with teammates Mikebu Dunleavy and Troy Murphy this week. The Suns finally have their point guard in their second round pick, Goran Dragic whose contract will be worth close to $8 million over four years. His deal will start at about $1.8 million with at least $1 million of that going to his Tau Ceramica buyout. If he is as good as they are saying he is, they may have a steal. Although, I expect the bigger steal in the draft will be Bill Walker who was grabbed by the Celtics at #49. Guard D.J. Strawberry's status is still in flux for the coming season. The Suns have until Oct. 31 to exercise his option for a $711,517 salary, $200,000 of which is guaranteed once he makes the opening night roster. Without him, the Suns would need to sign a 13th player. The US Women's team advanced to the finals by beating Becky Hammon and the Russian team in a hard fought contest. They fell behind early but pulled ahead in the second half. There were several hard fouls that resulted in technical free throws and the game was much closer than any they have played so far but the Americans pulled it out 67-52 in the end. They will play on Saturday for the Gold Medal.