Yardbarker: Detroit Pistons

Keep Your Picks: Blazers vs. Pistons (Round Two, Game Eight)

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:22:49 -0500

The Detroit Pistons will have their first matchup of the Keep Your Picks playoff, but it will be a tough one. The Trail Blazers have shown themselves to be a very talented squad, despite their youth. Look for another good, tight game, but the edge may have go to Portland, due to their talent, youth and depth. Expert Picks Pickard: Portland Trail Blazers Estimated Game Time: Thursday August 7 (6 PM EST)

TNT Releases Their Full NBA Slate Of 2008-2009 Games

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:03:16 -0500

It must be schedule release day today. I'm pretty sure this is a sign that the slow summer is over and thank goodness for that right? Football is almost back and now we have our first look at the television schedules for the upcoming NBA season in August. Hey why not? October is right around the corner. TNT is up first, but ESPN/ABC's will follow this post.

TNT's got a total of 53 games for you this year including doubleheaders on Thanksgiving and Christmas and a tripleheader on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It looks like the winner of the Thursday Night lottery this year are the Cavs, Lakers and Suns with ten appearances each. The Celtics are a close second with a total of nine games on the network including the opener on October 28th which will also include their Championship Ring Ceremony. The biggest surprises in the schedule are Portland getting eight games (not a bad thing though), and the Hornets only receiving a total of three.

Here's the rest and feel free to pick it apart in the comments....

Tuesday, October 28

NBA Tip-Off '08 – Celtics Ring Ceremony (7pm)
Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics (8pm)
Portland Trailblazers at LA Lakers (10:30pm)

Thursday, October 30

Houston Rockets at Dallas Mavericks (8pm)
New Orleans Hornets at Phoenix Suns (10:30pm)

Thursday, November 6

Philadelphia 76ers at Orlando Magic (8pm)
Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers (10:30pm)

Thursday, November 13

Denver Nuggets at Cleveland Cavaliers (7pm)
Dallas Mavericks at Chicago Bulls (9:30pm)

Thursday, November 20

Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics (8pm)
L.A. Lakers at Phoenix Suns (10:30pm)

Thursday, November 27

Orlando Magic at Washington Wizards (8pm)
New Orleans Hornets at Denver Nuggets (10:30pm)

Thursday, December 4

Phoenix Suns at Dallas Mavericks (8pm)
San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets (10:30pm)

Thursday, December 11

Boston Celtics at Washington Wizards (8pm)
Portland Trail Blazers at Utah Jazz (10:30pm)

Thursday, December 18

San Antonio Spurs at Orlando Magic (8pm)
Phoenix Suns at Portland Trail Blazers (10:30pm)

Thursday, December 25

Washington Wizards at Cleveland Cavaliers (8pm)
Dallas Mavericks at Portland Trail Blazers (10:30pm)

Thursday, January 15

Cleveland Cavaliers at Chicago Bulls (8pm)
Phoenix Suns at Denver Nuggets (10:30pm)

Monday, January 19

Detroit Pistons at Memphis Grizzlies (5:30pm)
Phoenix Suns at Boston Celtics (8pm)
Cleveland Cavaliers at L.A. Lakers (10:30pm)

Thursday, January 22

Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic (8pm)
Washington Wizards at L.A. Lakers (10:30pm)

Thursday, January 29

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Orlando Magic (8pm)
San Antonio Spurs @ Phoenix Suns (10:30pm)

Thursday, February 5

L.A. Lakers @ Boston Celtics (8pm)
Dallas Mavericks @ Utah Jazz (10:30pm)

Thursday, February 12

Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls (7pm)
Boston Celtics @ Dallas Mavericks (9:30pm)
________________________

NBA ALL STAR WEEKEND

Friday, February 13

NBA Rookie Challenge

Saturday, February 14

NBA All-Star Saturday (Dunk Contest, 3 Point Shootout, Shooting Stars, Skills)

Sunday, February 15

2009 NBA All-Star Game from Phoenix, Arizona
_________________________

Thursday, February 19

San Antonio Spurs at Detroit Pistons (8pm)
Boston Celtics at Utah Jazz (10:30pm)

Thursday, February 26

Cleveland Cavaliers at Houston Rockets (8pm)
Phoenix Suns at L.A. Lakers (10:30pm)

Thursday, March 5

Dallas Mavericks at New Orleans Hornets (8pm)
Portland Trail Blazers at Denver Nuggets (10:30pm)

Thursday, March 12

L.A. Lakers at San Antonio Spurs (8pm)
Cleveland Cavaliers at Phoenix Suns (10:30pm)

Thursday, March 19

Portland Trail Blazers at Cleveland Cavaliers (8pm)
Golden State Warriors at L.A. Lakers (10:30pm)

Tuesday, March 24

Detroit Pistons at Chicago Bulls (8pm)
Houston Rockets at Utah Jazz (10:30pm)

Thursday, March 26

Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls (8pm)
Phoenix Suns @ Portland Trail Blazers (10:30pm)

Thursday, April 2

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Washington Wizards (8pm)
Utah Jazz @ Denver Nuggets (10:30pm)

Thursday, April 9

Philadelphia 76ers @ Chicago Bulls (8pm)
Denver Nuggets @ L.A. Lakers (10:30pm)

Thursday, April 14

Boston Celtics @ Philadelphia 76ers (8pm)
Utah Jazz @ L.A. Lakers (10:30pm)

(ESPN/ABC's schedule is up next)

USA Redeem Team - Threat Level Report

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:58:30 -0500

The story is the same. I thought maybe things had changed, but while doing my homework and research to write this piece, I found out that nothing has changed. It is still talent and athleticism (USA) versus activity level, physicality and cohesion (Spain, Argentina and Greece). On talent alone, the USA will always be favorites, and the chemistry is supposedly better than in years past, but Spain, Argentina and Greece will have something to say about that. The United States is more explosive and athletic, but Spain, Argentina and Greece bring the fight all night long. I was reminded that in the past, Team USA not only got outplayed in the basketball sense, but that they also got their behinds kicked physically. All three threats are capable of turning missed shots and turnovers into easy fast break points, so it will be a treat to see how the competition will turn out in Beijing. ( Full report after the jump )

LeBron would consider European offer of $50M a year or more

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:26:56 -0500

Jay-Z and the New Jersey Nets? Mike D'Antoni and the New York Knicks? Heck, the Cleveland Cavaliers' strongest competition for LeBron James' long-term services could be the deep-pocketed new kid on the block -- Europe. A person close to James said Tuesday that the Cavaliers' superstar would strongly consider playing overseas if he was offered a salary of "around $50 million a year." James' current contract expires after the 2009-10 season, and while several NBA teams are working to create salary cap space for his impending free agency, none could offer a contract beginning at even $20 million a year. The Russian team CSKA Moscow and the Greek team Olympiacos, which recently gave Josh Childress a contract approaching $30 million over three years, have already contacted James, according to the person close to him. The person added, however, that no monetary or contractual discussions have taken place. While $50 million a year seems outlandish, it is within the realm of possibility, considering the reported $250 million contract David Beckham received two years ago to join Major League Soccer, the $33 million Michael Jordan was paid by the Chicago Bulls for the 1997-98 season, the strength of the euro in comparison to the dollar, and the fact that European clubs are not bound by a salary cap. While several NBA players have left the league this summer for more lucrative contracts in Europe, no stars have done so -- or even considered it. Joel Litvin, the NBA's president of league and basketball operations, said the league is not concerned about this developing trend. "I don't want to say it's much ado about nothing, but we think it's overblown a bit," Litvin said. "It's not something we're losing sleep over. " But losing a player of James' magnitude would be nothing short of a nightmare for the NBA. "For the most part, the league considers the players to be fungible products," an official from the National Basketball Players Association said. "But LeBron is one of the three or four players the league would definitely hate to lose. If a team lost him or Kobe [Bryant] to Europe, it would lose its mind. It would be devastating." But both Litvin and the NBPA official said they don't foresee anything -- even the loss of a superstar -- leading the NBA to eliminate the salary cap and thereby compete financially with the European teams. "It would be disappointing to lose one of our star players, but I have no concern at all about the best players playing anywhere but in the NBA for a long time to come," Litvin said. "I'd be surprised if one of our top players chose to go to Europe but if it did happen, there are many players who would step up and fill the void." The source close to James said LeBron would play in Europe only for a year or two before returning to the NBA. He said James would view it as an opportunity to popularize the game and himself overseas. He added that James would not consider himself to be playing in the "minor leagues." "Not at all," the person said. "He believes those guys are pros also." The entire scenario falls in line with James' stated goals of becoming a billionaire and "global icon." But the representative from the players' association will have to see James in a European uniform before he believes it. "First of all, we don't know that there's going to be a $50 million offer," the official said. "And secondly, he wouldn't be able to accomplish over there the things that he wants to do over here, which are to win NBA championships, MVP awards, etc." But he could become filthy rich and a global icon.

Film Session: USA 87, Australia 76

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:47:43 -0500

Yes, Team USA is mortal. This team can and may lose. Shocked? Don't be. This team has never been unbeatable. That said, it's going to be really fricking hard to beat them. And I say that after watching the half-court offense get completely dismantled in the last two games. Sheridan says that if the Americans play like this against Spain, we'd lose by 20. Though I think we'd probably lose, I say 8-10 would be more realistic. The one thing about Spain that favors the Americans heavily is experienced. I'm sure you've heard about Spain's assortment of NBA-level talent: Calderon, the brothers Gasol, Navarro, Garbajosa, etc. While this definitely means that Spain is the most talented team outside of the US, it also means...[continued]

Kwame Brown Prefers Low Expectations

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 03:09:51 -0500

Former overall number one pick Kwame Brown has had a terrible start to his NBA career. Brown has been traded twice, and this season he’ll suit up for his fourth team in seven years. Kwame’s potential has been a gift and a curse. He finds teams that believe in his game only to eventually disappoint [...]

Bucks Advance

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:00:36 -0500

In the "Keep Your Picks" Playoff, the Milwaukee Bucks have defeated the Phoenix Suns 95-88. PF Dirk Nowitzki was named MVP of the game. The Bucks will play the winner of the Blazers/Pistons game in round three. For complete game stats, check out the NBA DraftNation page.

Kwame Brown: The Most Underrated Defender or the most dissapointing 1st overall selection ever?

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:47:18 -0500

When referring to the fact that he's been traded multiple times during his brief NBA career Kwame Brown said ""This is the life of a professional athlete." No Kwame, this is the life of the most disappointing 1st overall selection since the Kandi Man! I know he doesn't think before he makes a move with the rock in his hands, but doesn't he think before he speaks in public FOR THE FIRST TIME AS A PISTON? Congratulations to the Detroit Pistons for throwing away 4 million on a guy who has been cursed by Michael Jordan and who thinks he's actually underrated. Ha!

Reason #1 to hate the NFL exhibition season: Tape delayed broadcasts

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:01:54 -0500

The Lions take on the New York Giants 7pm Thursday night a Ford Field in their preseason exhibition opener. I know it's only an exhibition, but it's the first we've seen of the Lions on the field since January. I'm actually looking forward to seeing the "new" Lions. I was planning on doing something on SLR that night, be it a live blog or a continually updated post with my running commentary. (which was my style of choice last year on TWFE) Unfortunately, thanks to the NFL and their draconian broadcast policies, the local carrier for Lions exhibition season in Detroit, WWJ-TV, channel 62, as per NFL policy, is covering the game on a tape delay basis, starting at 9 PM. Come on, it's 2008, not 1958…Though I'm sure there are more than a few old, white, curmudgeon NFL owners who wish it still were 1958. I realize the NFL's backward thinking ways requires no local game came be broadcast live unless it is a sellout. In their cloistered world, NFL owners still believe blackouts and tape delayed broadcasts will force fans to to attend the games in person. There is not a bigger waste of cash on this planet than paying prices set by the robberbaron NFL owners to attend an exhibition. I don't care how good a team may end up being during the regular season, in the bmonth of August you are going to be subjected to sub-par football being played by never-gonna-be's who have no chance in Hell of making the opening day roster. Considering the often ugly and mistake filled nature of exhibition football, wouldn't the NFL be better off throwing their fans a bone, and televising those games live to the home city? Talk about being penny wise and pound foolish. They would rather wring every last penny out of what will be half empty stadiums than build up a little goodwill by allwoing the home team fans to watch in real time. Blackouts and tape delays are a moronic policy. If such backward policies really worked, the NBA, NHL and MLB would never have sellouts, and I wouldn't be able to watch every single game, both home and away, of the Tigers, Red Wings, and Pistons. I'm going to clue the NFL owners in. You know what will make fans attend games? GOOD TEAMS! Really, that's all. It won't make a whit of difference if the games are televised, people will turn out in droves to watch a good team. I have a feeling this is the start of an issue we local Lions fans are going to have to deal with all season. Ford Field has had sellouts every year of it's existence. Thanks to fans feeling burned after Detroit's 1-7 finish in 2007, that sellout streak is going to end in 2008. So will the Sunday Lions broadcasts in Detroit. If the streak ends, it's going to make following and blogging about the Lions a God damn nightmare. It starts Thursday, where I'll have to make a choice. Either listen to the radio broadcast and follow live, taking all the fun out of a live blog, or go into a media blackout till 9 PM, which is a pain in the ass. Thank you soooo much, NFL.

Superstar Theory Revisited

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:13:03 -0500

Robert McChesney (also known as Elrod Enchilada on RealGM) has championed a Superstar Theory for years now. The theory is pretty simple: You only win Championships with superstar players in their prime. The only recent exception to the rule was the Detroit Pistons. Other than that, you can rattle off the names and each is either in the Hall or has a place already roped off in Springfield. (Duncan, Wade, O'Neal, Jordan, Olajuwon, etc.) Since McChesney is a big Celtics fan, he couldn't help but roll out the Theory once again with a 3 part mega series on NBADraft.net Superstar Theory Part 1: Revisited and Supercharged (http://www.nbadraft.net/mcchesney005.html) Superstar Theory Part 2: Who are the Best Players on Championship and Contending Teams? (http://www.nbadraft.net/mcchesney006.html) Superstar Theory Part 3: The Superstar Thesis Going Forward (http://www.nbadraft.net/mcchesney007.html) A sample: What did Ainge understand? What did Ainge do? He understood that the basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar. There are only a few in the game at any time so they are almost impossible to get. But he went and got one. He did so by carefully developing young players – aside...

Mavs To Do List: Shop Josh Howard

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:30:17 -0500

In April (During the NBA Playoffs), Josh Howard held a well publicized radio interview with Michael Irvin, condoning the use of marijuana and in that same interview said other players in the league use it also. On that same night, Howard suited up to play in Game 3 of the Mavs-Hornets series and after its conclusion, distributed flyers to his birthday bash. Mark Cuban addressed these issues and Josh apologized knowing that his reputation had taken a major hit. www.rawsportsblog.com

The Underrated Paul Pierce

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 05:55:25 -0500

I'm joining the brouhaha about Paul Pierce's interview in Spain regarding his comment that he's the best player in the world (see marca.com and english version here at Red's Army) earlier this week. Pierce further clarified yesterday (see today's Sunday Globe): "That's what I said. I am a confident player and a lot of people might look at it like, 'Oh, another cocky attitude,' but I don't look at it that way. I have an opinion, I have a right to have one, and that's the way I feel. I felt I've played against the best over the years and felt right now that I'm the best player in the world."

Sunday Morning NBA Headlines

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 07:22:24 -0500

Earl Boykins may be the next NBA player to jump to Europe. Montegranaro is looking at bringing over the Mavs' Gerald Green. The Orlando Magic have re-signed C Adonal Foyle. Detroit re-signed backup SF Walter Herrmann. For specific links, check out the NBA DraftNation page.

Team Preview #2: Detroit Pistons

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 05:23:25 -0500

Let's go to Detroit for #2. LAST SEASON The Pistons advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for an impressive 6th year in a row, but they lost there for the 3rd year in a row and Flip Saunders got fired as a result. Joe Dumars has done an incredible job crafting this team, and they will continue to contend in the East thanks to their emerging young talent. Their Pace Factor of 87.3 was dead last, but they still managed to rank 17th in ppg. OFFSEASON MOVES Key Additions: Kwame Brown, Walter Sharpe, Will Bynum Key Losses: Jarvis Hayes, Theo Ratliff, Lindsey Hunter In a surprising (and somewhat disturbing) move, Dumars decided to sign current #1 bust Kwame Brown to a 2 year, $8 million contract. I can understand a team wanting to sign him as their backup center, but not Detroit, and not for 8 million dollars (if you can make any sense of this move, please contact me). Will Bynum had a cup of coffee with the Warriors a few years ago, and now he'll try to replace Lindsey Hunter as their #3 PG. I don't know anything about Walter Sharpe, other than that he's NOT a 3-point shooter, which is what Detroit lost when Hayes signed with New Jersey. ROTATION / PLAYING TIME Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton will be holding down Detroit's backcourt for the 7th year in a row. Last year however, their minutes hovered around 32-33 mpg instead of the 36-37 mpg they averaged the year before. They got more rest than usual because youngsters Rodney Stuckey (19.0 mpg) and Arron Afflalo (12.9 mpg) proved to be more than capable backups. There have been rumors about Billups being moved to open up more PT for Stuckey, but it looks like they'll keep the former Finals MVP around for now. So expect the veterans to play 30+ minutes once again while Stuckey's minutes get bumped up to 22-24 and Afflalo plays 14-16. At small forward, Tayshaun Prince's minutes (32.9) were down and his fantasy stats were very mediocre. However, I'm expecting Prince's minutes to shoot back up to 34-35 now that Hayes is gone. Antonio McDyess (29.3 mpg) started 78 games at power forward last season, but there's a lot of young talent behind him waiting to steal his minutes. For starters, Jason Maxiell (21.5 mpg) is an athletic beast who I'm expecting him to take over the starting PF spot this season (more on that below). Amir Johnson and Walter Herrmann are also very skilled players, and despite having power forward size, one or the other might actually backup Prince at SF this season. Rasheed Wallace's 30.5 mpg in '07-08 was his lowest average in 9 years. Surprisingly, his stats were almost identical to the year before, but he'll have trouble duplicating them again if his minutes fall any more. Maxiell is strong enough to guard centers, Kwame Brown is good for 6 fouls, and Cheick Samb is a talented shot-blocker, so the Pistons have plenty of big men at the moment. DON'T SLEEP ON: Jason Maxiell & Walter Herrmann Maxiell stands just 6-feet-6 with shoes on, but there are plenty of things to like about him. Let's start with his 7-3 wingspan, excellent leaping ability, and surprising quickness for such a beefcake. He gets off the floor in a hurry to block shots and he attacks the rim with a vengeance that few players possess. Maxiell is more than just a physical specimen tho, as his midrange jumper has improved drastically and his low post moves are pretty solid as well. Want more? He's entering his prime (25 years old) and he posted Detroit's 3rd best Roland Rating in last year's playoffs (while shooting 62.5% FG). His playing time (and thus, fantasy value) was limited in '07-08, but I'm expecting a breakout season of sorts for Mad Max. Walter Herrmann was everyone's favorite "sleeper pick" in 2007, but after averaging just 8.2 minutes and 3.4 points per game, none of those people are gonna go near the guy in 2008. At least, not until he starts playing big minutes and dropping threes left and right. Which is more likely to happen than you think. Jarvis Hayes cramped his style last year, but Hayes is no longer in Detroit, which means that Tayshaun has no clear-cut backup. With Juan Dixon and Lindsey Hunter likely gone as well, that's a lot of 3-point shooting to replace. Stuckey & Afflalo are going to play more this season, but they combined to shoot just 20.3% from beyond the arc last year (ouch). Enter: the finger rolling Fabio. Herrmann has proven that he can knock down threes, and if Prince ever gets hurt, he could have serious value. People are going to be sleeping on this guy, but I suggest you watch him closely. BE CAREFUL OF: Antonio McDyess & Rodney Stuckey I've always been a fan of the Dice Man, but not this year (at least fantasy-wise). He turns 34 in September and the statistics indicate that his production is rapidly declining. After posting a solid 18.1 PER in '06-07, that number plummeted to just 14.1 in '07-08. Additionally, his -3.2 regular season Roland Rating was actually the WORST among all Piston regulars last year. To top it off, his 10.8 points and .8 blocks per 36 minutes were the lowest marks of his career. Someone in your league is going to draft him based on his 8.5 boards per game, but McDyess is going to be a fringe fantasy player at best in '08-09. It feels weird to warn people about Stuckey, because the guy is clearly a future star in the making. Unfortunately, some fantasy sites are hyping this guy up WAY too much. I'll tell you right now, if you target him in the "early-middle rounds" then you're asking for trouble. For starters, Stuckey is a guard with limited 3-point range. His senior in college, he made 1.5 treys per game, but he shot just 26.7% 3P (very poor). As a rookie, he attempted just 16 threes (making only 3) in 1,081 total minutes. For non-three-point-making guards to have serious fantasy value, they must either get a ton of assists (Andre Miller) or a lot of steals and shoot an excellent % from the field (Monta Ellis). Sure, Stuckey is capable of racking up steals and assists, but that's pretty tough to do in under 30 minutes per game, which is where his minutes will likely be unless Billups gets traded. I have no problem swooping up Stuckey with a late round pick, but if you're using an "early-middle round" pick on someone based on the assumption that the guy ahead of him will be traded, well… good luck with that. ROUND BY ROUND TARGETS (Where you should draft these guys in an 8-cat Roto league with 12 teams and 14 man rosters) Billups: Late 3rd Hamilton: 6th - 7th Wallace: 6th - 7th Prince: 10th - 11th Stuckey: 12th - 14th Maxiell: 13th - 14th McDyess: Don't draft (I told you to be careful) Herrmann: Don't draft (but pickup if Prince goes down) Johnson: Don't draft (but watch if you need blocks)

Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Nellie Beats Cuban Edition

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:35:54 -0500

The Cavaliers were interested in Sixers free agent Louis Williams but on Thursday, Williams signed a 5 year contract that is worth a reported $25 million with the Sixers. Williams has come a long way since he was picked No. 45 overall pick in the 2005 draft as he became the first high school player selected by the Sixers since they chose Darryl Dawkins at No. 5 in 1975. Jason Williams is talking to several NBA Teams but Maccabi Tel Aviv has reportedly offered him a contract to play overseas that he is seriously considering accepting. But word out of Israel from at least one source familiar with Tel Aviv's negotiations is that Williams is seeking a deal with an annual salary of at least $3 million. The Israeli team is thinking closer to $1.5, which is similar to what any NBA suitor might offer. Former Celtic, Sam Vincent, had a very short lived coaching job with the Charlotte Bobcats as he coached just one year before being replaced by the vagabond Coach Larry Brown. Less than three months after Vincent was dismissed by Jordan, who has a history of sticking with coaches for just one season, Vincent was named the new head coach of the D-League Anaheim Arsenal. The new Oklahoma City team is still making news as it was announced that they will become the 3rd NBA team to own their own D-League team. The Oklahoma City team is in the process of purchasing the Tulsa 66ers. Clay Bennett, the majority owner of the Oklahoma City team, said that by purchasing the D-League team, Oklahoma City will be able to better develop Oklahoma City's younger players who are sent there. Lakers center Andrew Bynum's continues his rehabilitation with a lot of running, lifting weights and jumping. He hasn't yet been cleared for any contact drills, so he is not allowed to play in any pickup basketball games. He hasn't played any basketball for 6 months now, but Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak is hopeful that Bynum will be 100% by training camp. The Lakers are counting on a front court of Bynum, Gasol and Odom will be dominant and lead them to a championship. I am not so certain. It may be enough to conquer the West, but even when Bynum was healthy and playing, Kendrick Perkins totally owned him. The legal battle between Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and former coach Don Nelson is finally over. Nelson, a Celtics legend, as well as current Golden State coach, won about $6.3 million Thursday in his arbitration case against Cuban. The suit centered on Nelson's claim that the Mavericks owed him more than $6 million in deferred salary from when Ross Perot Jr. owned the team. Things got even nastier between the two when Cuban filed a counterclaim in 2007 alleging that Nelson used inside information to lead Golden State past the Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs. Gee, I wonder what excuse Cuban used last year? Several teams, including the Pistons, Bulls and Jazz have said that they are no longer looking at free agents but that they would consider a trade. This may leave some good free agents looking for the minimum salary at the end of the off season. We may also see some interesting trades with possible big names changing teams. The Los Angeles Clippers signed free agent forward Brian Skinner on Thursday. Skinner was originally selected by the Clippers as the 22nd pick in the 1998 draft. He played last season with the Suns. He gives them both size and depth in the middle," The Bulls are still reported to be far apart on negotiations with Ben Gordon on a new contract. Gordon wants more than Deng is getting since he has been the Bulls leading scorer for the past several seasons. The Bulls are offering him much less. According to sources, the Bulls are offering an average salary around $8 million while Gordon is looking for something in the $12 million range which would be slightly more than Deng's deal that averages $11.8 million. The Bulls are seriously looking at trades and Andres Nocioni has been mentioned in trade talks. On Thursday, they also released JamesOn Curry, who spent most of last season in the D-League. Celtics got a look at their second round draft pick on Thursday as Team USA played the Turkish National Team with starting center Semih Erden. He looked pretty good in spite of shooting just 1-7 from the field. He finished with 5 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and just 1 turnover. Danny Ainge said in today's Globe that he may sign another free agent late in the summer if someone doesn't get what he wants but he is not chasing anyone. So, it looks like the excitement for Celtics' fans is pretty much over for this summer. Danny still needs to sign the assistant coaches and the two draft picks but the team may be pretty much set for now. But then again, there was that bit that Danny was offering a sign and trade for Delonte. You never know.