Be back tomorrow

Very busy, will be back around tomorrow.

Draft Day 2007

- One of the deepest, most anticipated NBA drafts is upon us tonight. Getting almost as much hype are the constant rumors of blockbuster deals involving current stars in the league. Let's get right to it...........






- Check out this CNNSI.com article from 9 years ago.

With the 1998 NBA Draft quickly approaching, CNN/SI takes a position-by-position look at the top prospects. Below, Dan Shanoff and Albert Lin each pick their favorite power forward, and then give you five others to watch.


SIZE MATTERS


ROBERT TRAYLOR
6'8", 300, Michigan


Why he's The Man: Despite his ample frame, Traylor—a.k.a. "The Tractor"—showed throughout his Michigan career that sweet hands and near-perfect footwork can exist independently of an expanding waistline. A center in college, Traylor will have to make the transition to power forward in the NBA, where he'll not only set one of the widest picks in the game but also shock opponents with his deceptive speed, touch and leaping ability. There are whispers that Traylor has shed weight furiously, reportedly dropping down to 284 pounds—the lightest he's been since his early teens. Hope not, because it would be great to see his husky frame pirouetting through the paint.


At best, he's the next: Charles Barkley


And if I'm wrong, he's: Take your pick of two ex-players with girth and nicknames: John "Hot Plate" Williams or "Dinner Bell" Mel Turpin.


—D.S.



THE ENIGMA


DIRK NOWITZKI
6'11", 237, Würzburg, Germany


Why he's The Man: This virtually unknown European exploded onto the scene at the Nike Hoop Summit during Final Four weekend in San Antonio. He dominated the game with 33 points (6-12 FG, 2-3 3-pt. FG, 19-23 FT) and 14 rebounds in a 104-99 International Select Team victory. Initially was thought headed to college (he visited Cal and Kentucky), but instead entered the draft; wavered the last few of weeks but did not withdraw his name. Nowitzki has an extremely aggressive, versatile offensive game. He can score inside or step out and hit the three. A good ballhandler, he can take it to the hole (as evidenced by free throw total at Hoop Summit). Very polished in all facets. Will have teams ruing the day they bypassed him. Fellow German Detlef Schrempf was called the best import since the Volkswagen; Nowitzki's coach says, "Here comes the Porsche."

At best, he's the next: Keith Van Horn.

And if I'm wrong, he's: Cherokee Parks.

—A.L.




- Devin Harris to Milwaukee for the #6 pick? According to Eddie Sefko, could be a possibility

From e-mail: The Mavericks have been kind of boring the last few years on draft day. Any chance the try to make a little magic happen like in the early Nelson years?

Eddie Sefko: The hottest rumor going around right now has them trying to move up to No. 6 in the draft by trading Devin Harris to Milwaukee. This came from Eastern Conference contacts, so take it for what it's worth. The guess here is that the Mavs would try to pry something out of the Bucks beyond No. 6, which would either be Mike Conley or Yi Jianlian, most likely. But the bottom line is they aren't looking to go crazy. When you have a 67-win team, even one that disappointed in the playoffs, it's prudent to think you're still going to be pretty good next season.



- The latest KG rumor once again shot down. Just get it over with already. Sick of this crap.

The Minnesota Timberwolves' attempts to get a great deal for Kevin Garnett hit a major roadblock on Wednesday afternoon, sources told ESPN.com.

According to multiple sources, the Timberwolves have been talking to multiple teams about finding a third team to help facilitate a Garnett trade.

As ESPN.com reported on Tuesday evening, Minnesota was looking to acquire Atlanta's No. 3 and No. 11 picks in the draft along with several cap-friendly contracts from the Hawks and Phoenix Suns. To participate, Atlanta wanted Amare Stoudemire from Phoenix.

On Wednesday, sources say one of the Hawks owners vetoed a hypothetical deal for Stoudemire.

The Suns claim to have never had any direct contact with the Hawks about a deal. While they have shown strong interest in acquiring Garnett, the deal never reached a stage where they were asked by either team to give up Stoudemire and never offered him in a trade.

While teams like the Lakers and Suns will continue to pursue Garnett, and the Wolves seem intent on trading him, sources say that it's unlikely a deal goes down by the time of the draft.

The latest drama in the KG saga shows some of the perils of dealing with the Hawks -- arguably the most dysfunctional franchise in the league.

The Hawks ownership group, Atlanta Spirit LLC, is embroiled in a nasty lawsuit with former partner Steve Belkin. Belkin won a lawsuit against Atlanta Spirit LLC last summer and a judge ruled that he could buy out the owners of Atlanta Spirit and gain full ownership of the team. Atlanta Spirit is currently appealing the ruling.

In the meantime, Belkin holds some authority over the team. He can veto any trade or free agent signing that takes the team above the NBA salary cap. Several sources suggested that it was Belkin who vetoed the trade.

This fiasco isn't the only situation the Hawks are dealing with. Sources said that Hawks general manager Billy Knight is in a dispute with some of the Hawks owners over who to take at No. 3. Knight prefers Florida's Al Horford. Some in the Hawks ownership, including influential owner Michael Gearon Jr., want to draft Yi Jianlian out of China.




- ESPN announces College Gameday will be in Blacksburg for Va Tech's opening game. Pretty classy move, should be pretty emotional. On the subject of Gameday, when's this D-bag going to get the axe? He's become senile, has taken a few cool things he used to do every once in a while back in the day and started shoving them down our throats every Saturday (The pencil thing, the noises, the mascot heads, etc.) He definitely thinks everyone tunes in to watch him now. What a tool.










- Sam McGuffie, the internet legend from Cy Fair has Nebraska high on his list. Check the video below.

As the No. 1 All-Purpose running back in the country according to the latest Rivals.com rankings, Cy Fair's Sam McGuffie has found himself on the wish lists of schools all over the country. Although he is seemingly adding written offers by the day, it was another piece of mail that had the 6-foot, 190 pound McGuffie excited recently.

"I just got my ACT scores back," said McGuffie. "My dad called me to tell me they came in the mail and I asked him what I had gotten. He told me that he was waiting for me to get home to open it but I couldn't wait that long to find out.

"I got a 22 on it. I wasn't too worried about it, but it was still kind of stressful to have to just wonder for awhile until the results come in. I had actually sat down with guidance counselor this past semester and looked at my core GPA for the NCAA and I had a 3.2 or something like that. I think I only needed like a 14 or something on the test but it's still a relief to get it out of the way."

With McGuffie all but guaranteed to be qualified academically after his senior season, he is now concentrating on speeding up his recruiting process.

"I've been to Texas A&M a bunch of times already this past spring and this summer," he said. "I'm sure I'll make it up to College Station a few more times as well. It's close and it's easy to get there. I like all the people there and my teammate, Chris Lathrop, is committed there so we'll probably visit together at some point."

The Rivals250 running back has also scheduled a trip in the not-so-distant future to a school that's a little further away from his Houston, Texas home.

"I'm headed up to Michigan this weekend," said McGuffie. "I'm going to check out the Big House and see what that's about. I'm gonna see some family while I'm up there too."

While he has never been to the Ann Arbor campus before, McGuffie will see some familiar faces on his visit.

"I'm going to be up there Thursday through Monday," he said. "I know that (2007 Michigan signees and fellow Houston-area products) Brandon Herron and Troy Woolfolk will be up there. Also, I talked to Ryan Mallett a couple of days ago and he's going to try and make it up there this weekend too. Right now he's in San Antonio but he's supposed to be back in Michigan on Sunday or Saturday night."

While McGuffie has no timetable set for making a commitment, he did admit that he is somewhat looking forward to ending the recruiting process.

"I'm just sitting back and looking at everything with an open mind right now," he said. "I'm just trying to take everything one step at a time. But, at the same time, it's starting to wear on me a little bit."

Though he says that he still remains open to every school that is recruiting him, McGuffie does have a few schools that are standing out at the moment.

"If I did have a top five I'm not sure who all would be in it, but Michigan and A&M would both be for sure," he said. "I like Nebraska, Oklahoma State – Oklahoma State only has two running backs on scholarship and I like that. Nebraska's cool cause they have (Blaine) Gabbert and Bryce Givens. I actually stayed with Bryce when I went to the NIKE Camp in Colorado."






- Guess I can't take my flask into the Rose Bowl or at the Nebraska-Texas game.......

Court OKs searches at football games

A federal appeals court cleared the way for pat-down searches to resume at Tampa Bay Buccaneers home games, rejecting a fan's contention that they violate his constitutional protection against unreasonable searches.

High school teacher Gordon Johnston successfully challenged the frisking of fans entering Raymond James Stadium in three lower courts, but a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned those rulings Tuesday - saying Johnston forfeited his right to challenge the constitutionality of the pat-downs when he consented to them.

The court also said Johnston doesn't have a constitutional right to watch a football game, that he was aware of the search policy before entering the stadium and that the Bucs can revoke game tickets for any reason.

"Considering Johnston's ticket was only a revocable license to attend games, there is in the court's opinion at least a question concerning whether Johnston had a constitutional right to pass voluntarily through the stadium gates without being subjected to a pat-down search, even if he had not consented to one," the court wrote.

At three games in 2005, Johnston accepted the pat-down searches but told security officials he did not consent.

NFL officials have contended such searches, which began in 2005, provide an essential layer of security in an age of constant terrorism threats.

The 61-year-old Johnston said Wednesday that he was talking to his attorneys to determine his next move. He could ask the panel to reconsider its decision, request a review by all 12 judges of the 11th Circuit or appeal to the Supreme Court.

"I don't want to give up on it," said Johnston, who vowed to get rid of his season tickets if pat-downs resume. "Being a government teacher and knowing the Constitution, I think it's the wrong decision."

Rick Zabak, an attorney for the Tampa Sports Authority that runs the stadium, said he's trying to determine whether the court's decision allows the searches to automatically resume at the Buccaneers' first preseason game Aug. 10 or if he has to ask a court to reinstate them.

The NFL lauded the ruling.

"Pat-downs are an important part of our comprehensive security procedures, including secure facility perimeters and bag searches," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said. "These limited, consensual security screenings are designed to enhance the protection and safety of our fans."

Tampa is the only NFL city where the pat-downs had been successfully challenged in court, although lawsuits also have been filed in Chicago, Seattle and San Francisco.



- One of my most lasting, vivid memories of Zac Taylor. I hope I can look back someday when Callahan is winning big and say that Taylor saved Callahan's job those first 3 years. That will amplify what kind of contribution Taylor made, I don't think people realize what he did to further the program and how much time he bought Callahan to implement his system.




- Back when Oklahoma-Nebraska meant something, Switzer and the jail birds broke many hearts each Thanksgiving. Sooner Magic was alive and well, especially with Keith Jackson.







- Picks O' the day

Yesterday - 6-4
YTD - 26-22

As always, take home underdogs, as well as:

Oakland +105 - Paul Byrd on the mound. Use this theory, if they're over 38 and throw 85 mph fastballs, bet against them. Plus, the Oakland pitcher is 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in his last 3.
Toronto -105 - AJ Burnett on the mound, enough said.
St. Louis +175 - Good payout, Wainwright is 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA in his last 3.
TEXAS +185 - Upset pick of the day, goes with my old man pitcher theory discussed above, and Millwood seems to be turning it around, and Texas just seems to play good in Detroit.

This year's GMJ?

- Excuse the picture above, couldn't find a Marlon Byrd shot.

- Is there anything Byrd can't do these days? After Aki gives up 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th, the Rangers go back ahead on Byrd's 2 run triple. And if I'm a Tiger fan, I have to be wondering what management has been seeing in Todd Jones for the past 2-3 years. The guy throws 85 mph heat and looks like he should be delivering Miller Lite to the stadium.

Rangers rally, win 9-6. How much more fun is it to watch this team when they're playing like this? Tell that prick Teixeira to take his sweet time getting healthy.


DETROIT – Marlon Byrd hit a tiebreaking triple in the ninth inning and the Texas Rangers beat the Detroit Tigers 9-6 on Tuesday night after blowing a three-run lead in the eighth.

Brad Wilkerson hit a three-run homer and Sammy Sosa had two RBIs for the last-place Rangers, who won for the sixth time in seven games and beat AL Central-leading Detroit for the second consecutive night. Byrd knocked in three runs during an 8-3 victory Monday.

Tigers closer Todd Jones (1-4) retired the first two batters in the ninth, but Michael Young walked and Sosa singled before Byrd hit a sharp liner to right that got by Magglio Ordonez and scored both runners. Ramon Vazquez followed with an RBI single, knocking Jones out of the game.

Akinori Otsuka (2-1), who allowed three runs in the eighth, got the win. Eric Gagne pitched the ninth for his eighth save in eight chances. He struck out Ordonez, the major leagues' batting leader, with two on to end it.

Otsuka went into the eighth with a 6-3 cushion and a 10-game scoreless streak, but couldn't hold the lead.

The Tigers loaded the bases with one out, and Sean Casey's two-run single pulled Detroit within a run. Craig Monroe followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the score.

The Rangers' ninth-inning rally was their second in three innings. They took the lead with five runs in the seventh.

Jason Grilli started the inning by hitting Victor Diaz with a pitch, and Gerald Laird followed with a double. That brought Tim Byrdak into the game, but Wilkerson hit his second pitch into the tunnel beyond the right-field fence for his ninth homer.

Errors by third baseman Brandon Inge and left fielder Craig Monroe let the Rangers add a fifth run. Sosa's ground-rule double to left – his second of the game – made it 6-3.

The Tigers scored twice in the first after loading the bases on an infield single and a pair of walks.

Carlos Guillen made it 1-0 with a sacrifice fly and Casey followed with an RBI single off the glove of third baseman Travis Metcalf.

After that, Nate Robertson and Willie Eyre hooked up in a pitchers' duel until Curtis Granderson hit his 10th homer in the fifth.

Granderson became the first player since Nomar Garciaparra in 2003 to reach double figures in doubles, triples and homers before the All-Star break.

On the next pitch, Placido Polanco hit a line drive that hit Eyre in the chest. As he fell to the ground, the ball happened to land in his glove for the second out of the inning. He stayed down for several moments, but eventually walked off the field under his own power.

Eyre, who was making his first start in his 62nd major league game, allowed three runs in a career-high 4 2-3 innings.

Texas cut the margin to 3-1 in the sixth on Sosa's sacrifice fly.



- Check out this wicked rumor, not sure how much stock I put in this, but interesting nonetheless.


Mavs Talk KG
DB Scoop: 'Sexy' Deal Discussed
By Mike Fisher -- DB.com



DallasBasketball.com has learned that the Mavs have quietly laid the groundwork necessary to be bidders in the Kevin Garnett Sweepstakes, with a backup plan that could land an impact lottery-level player in Thursday’s NBA Draft.

“We know what’s going on out there,’’ Mavs president Donnie Nelson tells DB.com. “If there is a way to get something like that done, we’ll probe it.’’

From what we can gather, Dallas has done more than probe. NBA sources say Minnesota has been very clear in talks what they would require from the Mavs: A draft pick between No. 3 and No. 7 overall; a package of expiring contracts; and a future young star.

And the Mavs, we’re told, have informed the T’Wolves that “we are not scared of the money part’’ and that “we are interested.’’

Nelson would not confirm those details except to say, “A deal like this is unlikely because there are so many moving parts. It’s sexy to talk about. But that being said, we won 67 games. We were in the Finals last summer. We love our team.’’

There’s no denying that the Mavs could stand pat and remain elite. At the same time, there is so much logic (and just enough whispers) to affirm that the necessary homework is being done. For instance, some details on what we’ve learned:

* The Mavs believe they are shy in the “expiring contracts’’ department. Austin Croshere is a potential piece, as is Jerry Stackhouse. But Stack’s situation is complicated: The Mavs would prefer not to part with him. And, he’d have to agree to sign his way to a trade to Minnesota. We get strong indications that his agent would balk at that request.

DB.com's very clever David Lord tosses out a wildly creative notion: With Dallas still technically owning the rights to Keith Van Horn, can they "invent an expiring contract'' and throw him into the deal?

* There are those in the organization that visualize the acquisition of superstar Garnett happening without sacrificing Dallas’ collection of young talent. But the overriding feeling is that “we’d be awfully stripped down,’’ as one staffer put it. “It’d be Dirk and KG and a bunch of supporting guys. We’d look like LA with Kobe and KG and a bunch of guys. We might have no (quality) 1’s or 2’s or 3’s. Does that really make us better?’’

* From an X’s-and-O’s standpoint, the answer to that question seems to be, “Yes.’’ One NBA assistant tells us that “KG is like Dirk’’ in the sense that he can create for himself, so Avery Johnson’s desire for a premier and pure point guard would be lessened.

* In theory, the Mavs would be forced to part with Josh Howard and Jason Terry (and maybe Devin Harris?) if involved in a three-way deal. Part of that package would go to a lottery team in order to get a premier pick, which would be shipped to Minnesota along with the rest of the talent. We are certain the Mavs have spoken with Boston at No. 5 – but we are also told as of very late Monday night that a deal with the Celtics is “unlikely.’’

* Why? Probably because the No. 5 spot is too far down the draft to nab Florida’s Al Horford, who we have learned is the apple of the T’wolves’ eye – and the apple of the Mavs’ eye, too. Dallas sees him as the Brand/Boozer sort of power forward we’ve been clamoring for around here for years. And if a premier pick were acquired by the Mavs but then a deal with Minny not consummated, a young Brand/Boozer would be a terrific consolation prize for Dallas.

* Horford, however, will not get past Atlanta at No. 3, the Mavs believe. Therefore, we assume Dallas is in conversation with the Hawks. Meanwhile, the Mavs think highly of Chinese 7-footer Yi Jianlian. (Who, by the way, is more known by Del Harris than by another other coach on the planet.) And they do not think highly (in terms of his being a top-five guy) of Florida’s Joakim Noah. (“His hustle makes him appear to be more talented than he is,’’ says one voice. “You’d love to have him. But he’s not a difference-maker.’’) So you might be able to laugh off the rumor of Jason Terry being swapped for Noah.

* Put another way: As a Mavs staffer tells us, “We can’t just create a top-seven pick out of mid-air.’’ And in a related issue: Can Mavs rival Phoenix create something like this out of mid-air? Well, yeah. With two No. 1 picks this year and Atlanta’s No. 1 next year, the ammunition seems easier for the Suns to load up.

* One more thing about draft order (and while it might not necessarily be Mavs-related, you still get to hear it here first: Sources with knowledge of the thoughts of a variety of NBA teams swear Yi won’t get past Milwaukee at No. 6. And if Don Nelson has his way, the Warriors make a leap from No. 18 and Nellie gets himself another unique foreign talent.

* Without a doubt, the Mavs have expressed to Minnesota that they believe they can top LA’s offer of Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom. “A flimsy offer,’’ one source scoffs. Dallas knows it is more likely it’ll have to pattern its proposal after the Boston-Minnesota deal that would’ve happened had KG not vetoed the swap: Garnett to the Celtics for young forward Al Jefferson, a lottery pick, and Theo Ratliff and his expiring contract. Dallas has enough talent to handle the Jefferson-like part. But how to get a lotto pick? How to add up to Ratliff numbers? How to throw in enough other pieces to satisfy what will certainly be Minnesota’s desire to dump into the deal overpaid players like Troy Hudson?

“Mark this down,’’ says a source. “You want in on this, you’re going to be taking on some of Minnesota’s bad contracts.’’

* Maybe that what the Mavs meant when they expressed to Minnesota that they don’t care about “the money part.’’ Or maybe it’s a message to not worry about waiting until after the draft to pull the trigger. On the surface, it would seem the Mavs should hope Minnesota waits until draft night and beyond to do anything because as time goes on, a commodity like Howard becomes a “base-year’’ player (after June 30) and therefore is more financially “filling’’ when it comes to trades. Our David Lord has pieced together a workable idea: Diop, Howard, Terry, Croshere and a No. 1 for KG and change. That can happen by mid-July.

But our impression is that Mavs owner Mark Cuban is willing to examine the right deal NOW as well.

* Using very round numbers here, understand that doing Howard-for-Garnett, one-for-one, leaves the Mavs about $17.5 shy of being legal. (Updated cap info at 202pm June 26: Right now, the number that Minny would count J-Ho for is $8.67 mil, but the Mavs can only take back $1.67 mil because of poison-pill status. After June 30 the number that Minny would count him for moves to $9 mil, but the Mavs can only take back $4.5 mil. See? It’s complicated.)

Add JET, Erick Dampier and a pick and you get pretty close. Or try the Croshere/Van Horn idea as you search for whether Minny would rather have players like Terry and Damp or eventually cap room from "non-players'' Cro and KVH. ... Again. … lots of “moving parts.’’

* As one team exec puts it, “By the time real offers hit the table, the asking price is going to be outrageous. That’s the No. 1 reason I think nothing will happen: Minnesota’s going to end up wanting too much.’’

* Oh, and there’s this: One NBA staffer suggests to us that Minnesota isn’t enamored with the idea of getting Jason Terry. And apparently plenty of teams aren’t in love with the idea of acquiring Erick Dampier.

* We hate to even acknowledge the Chicago Tribune’s KG-to-Dallas angle, but we must: No, Dallas is NOT talking about getting Garnett by dumping Dirk Nowitzki. Dopes.

* It should be noted: The Mavs have no desire to lose Howard. And they still believe in Harris’ future. Terry, however, is clearly viewed as valued-but-expendable. One Mavs staffer says, “I think it’s a tough call. Jason’s a leader. He’s a chemistry guy. He’s important.’’ But, adds an NBA exec who has apparently been involved in phone conversations: “I think Avery will move him if he can.’’

* Kevin Garnett’s money comes up often. He’s got a trade kicker in his contract (we believe it's $3 million) though that could conceivably be waived. Still, the Mavs have in their minds thought of having to budget about $25 million a year for him. A 12-year vet, KG is due to make $22 mil this season and $23 mil next season, the final year of his existing deal. Oh, and Dallas can expect to be asked to give him an extension, too.

“Mark Cuban has never been scared of making the big move,’’ says one source.

And they don’t get much bigger – or much more complicated, or much more sexy – than this.



- The latest on KG from ESPN's Chad Ford

• What's happening with the Kevin Garnett four-team blockbuster? Depends on who you ask.

From what we can reconstruct, it appears that talks started when Lakers owner Jerry Buss and Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor began talking about a KG-to-the-Lakers trade between the two teams.

Once it became apparent that the Lakers didn't have a good enough package to entice the Wolves to do the deal, each team went back to an older offer.

The Lakers knew that the Pacers might take Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum for Jermaine O'Neal.

And the Wolves knew what the Celtics were offering for KG -- the No. 5 pick, Al Jefferson and Theo Ratliff.

The problem now is the Celtics aren't ready to give up the same package for O'Neal, and the Pacers reportedly never got roped back into the deal.

At least one other GM believes that Taylor isn't going to trade KG to the Lakers (aka the enemy) and eventually would have balked anyway. If that's the case, someone needs to sit him and Kevin McHale down and tell them that, at this point, getting some first-round picks and massive cap room would be a good deal for KG. If they wait much longer, he'll walk for nothing.

So, anyway ... what has to give? Either the Celtics decide to include Jefferson in the deal (very, very unlikely) or the other three teams try to find a way to sweeten the pot for Minnesota.

How about this crazy thought? Maybe the teams eliminate the Pacers from the conversation, and Boston takes back Odom and Bynum. Then Boston offers to sweeten the pot by sending the Wolves back their 2009 first-round pick that the Celtics acquired in the Wally Szczerbiak deal and the Lakers throw in a future first-round pick to boot.

I actually think getting Odom and Bynum makes more sense for Boston than getting O'Neal at this point. Put a starting lineup of Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Odom, Jefferson and Bynum on the floor with Delonte West, Tony Allen, Szczerbiak and Kendrick Perkins coming off the bench, and I think the Celtics are right back in the playoff picture in the East.

As for the Lakers, if this deal falls through, I think acquiring a player like Zach Randolph could be their backup plan.



- The latest re Sean Williams

Boston College center Sean Williams also is struggling to get a team to commit. Just about every team from No. 14 on down likes him. But they haven't gotten a chance to get close enough to him to write off their concerns about his off-court issues. That could put him in a nosedive on draft night.

Nets president Rod Thorn and GM Ed Stefanski flew to Houston on Monday to see Williams work out. They desperately need what he brings to the table -- size, athleticism and shot-blocking. We know the Nets aren't afraid of players with legal problems -- they drafted Marcus Williams last year despite his being charged with stealing laptops.

New Jersey is a pivotal place for Sean Williams. If the Nets pass at No. 17, his next stop is probably Charlotte at No. 22 or New York at No. 23. Or Detroit at No. 27. But that's a pretty big range this close to the draft. If he slips past there, he could slide into the second round.




- More JET rumors

Mavericks: Jason Terry To Be Sacrificed?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Bill Ingram
for HOOPSWORLD.com


The Dallas Mavericks need a big man, and they believe they can get one in the draft. Of course, to move into the first round, where the Mavs don't currently hold a pick, someone's going to have to be sacrificed. As much as I hate to say it, it's sounding more and more like Jason Terry is the one who will ultimately be sent out to get the piece the Mavericks feel they need to get to the next level.

It's not entirely fair to Jet, who has done everything he's been asked to do and then some. He has become as close to Avery Johnson as anyone on the team, and it's Jet who gets the fans going when the upper crust Dallas fans forget that fan participation is an important part of a team's home court advantage. The only thing Jet doesn't have is about three more inches of height to make him a true off guard.

The point guard position is going to be turned over to Devin Harris. Harris is a much better decision-maker than Terry, and though he lacks the veteran savvy of the Jet, the Mavericks feel he's ready to take the next step. That said, Terry is a proven NBA starter, and benching him simply is not an option. The choice, then, is to trade him and use his value to fill another need.

Scanning the internet rumor sheets yields a plethora of proposals for Terry. Minnesota needs another scorer in the backcourt now that they've traded Mike James. The Memphis Grizzlies are also in the market for another backcourt threat, and Terry could help tremendously as a mentor to Rudy Gay. Both of these teams have top ten picks in the draft and it's possible the Mavericks could land UNC's Brandan Wright or Florida's Joakim Noah. It's also been suggested that they might be able to get Darko Milicic from Orlando for Terry, though the Magic are very high on Milicic and it's unlikely they take a small for a big. Never mind that fact that the Mavs already have two centers on their roster and would need to move one of them to justify taking on a third while giving up a starter.

The Mavericks aren't looking to make major changes this offseason, and after winning 67 games it's tough to blame them for that approach. It could easily be argued that Jason Terry, who was a big part of those 67 wins and knows Avery's system inside and out, is more valuable than the player he might bring back in trade. But the rumors are out there, and where there's smoke there's usually fire. Jason Terry could be the one who gets sacrificed to bring in the low post scoring threat that the Mavs currently lack.



- I may be here for UCLA-Notre Dame in 3 months. Details possibly to follow in the coming months.






-Never gets old



- Bill Murray was absolute genius






- Rick Moranis playing a very underrated comedic part





- Picks O' the day

Yesterday - 3-2
YTD - 20-18

As always, home underdogs, and these:

Baltimore +135 - Bedard a very good pitcher, BALT at home, and I hate Clemens
White Sox -115 - Buerhle pitching very well, team is 9-5 in his starts
LA Dodger/Arizona Under - Webb and Lowe pitching, 2 of the premier sinker ball pitchers in the game, I wouldn't be surprised to see a 2-1 game.

Cy Young????????

- Whichever minor league coach got ahold of Kam Loe, give him a promotion and a raise. Loe wins his 3rd straight impressive start, on the road, against a division leading team. And the Rangers take down a pitcher going for his 18th straight game without a loss.

- Question: if this winning continues, will management once again stray from a definite plan of action/rebuilding for the 80th time in the past 10 years? Who knows, but they get an 8-3 win to open the killer 3 team stretch they have awaiting them.


DETROIT – The sleep-deprived Rangers may not remember much about Monday's 8-3 win over Detroit.

That's a shame. What happened had to be seen to be believed.

Just to jog their memory: Kameron Loe outpitched Jeremy Bonderman. The Rangers scored seven of their eight runs with two outs. Akinori Otsuka, throwing curveballs not many people knew he even threw, breezed through the heart of the Detroit order in the eighth inning. And the Rangers began an 11-day stretch against the teams with the three best records in baseball by snapping Detroit's seven-game win streak.

It all happened less than 24 hours after the Rangers came back from five runs to tie a game against Houston in both the eighth and ninth innings only to lose. Then they got on a plane and flew to Detroit. They didn't arrive at their hotel until about 5 a.m. Monday.

"We've been playing good baseball lately and we emphasized after [Sunday's loss] that it was just one day," said Jerry Hairston Jr., who delivered a two-out homer in the ninth for the knockout punch. "If we keep doing a good job day in and day out, we're going to get the job done more times than not."

It was something they could apparently understand, even through half-lidded eyes.

Loe was the one wide-awake Ranger. He flew ahead of the team and had a full night in Detroit to ruminate on the beating the Tigers administered him nearly three weeks ago. The nine hits and nine runs he allowed in only 2 2/3 innings June 7 were enough to convince the Rangers that Loe needed a minor league tutorial.

Circumstances, of course, intervened, and with only a single bullpen session in the minors and a new arm slot, Loe returned a changed man. He worked out of jams in the first and second innings and ended up giving the Rangers seven innings on a night when the bullpen was precariously thin.

As he did in his last two starts, Loe relied on his sinking fastball and was more willing to throw off-speed and breaking pitches. He was not nearly as predictable as he had been when the Tigers mashed him.

"You can be successful in this league if you can sink the ball and you can change speeds," manager Ron Washington said. "He did an outstanding job of that."

That's what Loe has done in all three of his starts since a torn callous on Brandon McCarthy's finger necessitated his quick return. All three have qualified as quality starts. In those starts, he's gotten 40 ground ball outs to 10 fly outs.

Loe allowed a first-inning run from a bases-loaded, one-out jam. In the second, he allowed the first two runners to reach but got a sacrifice bunt and then two grounders. The Rangers then gave him four two-out runs in the top of the third.

"I don't want to say I got lucky, but maybe I did get a little bit," Loe said. "But I definitely had some extra motivation against these guys."

Loe wasn't the only one with extra motivation.

Otsuka, who was held back from Sunday's game with Houston so he could potentially close Monday (or perhaps be showcased for Detroit) came in to face Gary Sheffield, Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen with a 4-2 lead in the eighth. He retired the terrifying trio on nine pitches. Ordonez and Guillen both made outs on curves. Otsuka has primarily used a slider for his breaking ball, but has become more aggressive with the curve.

The Rangers were able to use Otsuka in the eighth because two innings earlier Eric Gagne convinced them he could pitch a third consecutive day. That's no small feat, considering the last time he did it was Sept. 9-11, 2004, before arm and back surgeries cost him nearly two seasons. He got up and began throwing in the top of the ninth, but when the Rangers scored four runs in the inning, the team was able to use Frank Francisco instead.

"My arm felt better than it has all year," Gagne said. "It felt great."

Maybe, being sleep-deprived, he just didn't know any better.





- My plan: keep winning, but stick to the fire-sale of veterans this July, and keep starting young guys like Loe and this guy, Willie Eyre:


DETROIT – Willie Eyre has been one of the most consistent relievers in the Rangers bullpen all season.

Now, the club will see how he does as a starter.

Thanks mostly to a strong start from Kameron Loe on Monday, the Rangers did not need to use Eyre. That allows him to make tonight's start against Detroit in place of Vicente Padilla, who was placed on the disabled list Monday.

It will be the first career start for Eyre, who is 2-3 with a 3.00 ERA in 19 games for the Rangers this season. Eyre, 28, made 42 relief appearances for Minnesota last season.

The Rangers had to choose between Eyre and Triple-A Oklahoma left-hander John Koronka.

Koronka has made two starts for the Rangers this season, but has compiled a 7.84 ERA in two losses. Detroit's lineup is not made for the faint-hearted, or left-handers. The Tigers are loaded with right-handed hitters.

Koronka is allowing right-handed hitters a .400 batting average for the season and a .303 average for his career.

"You don't want to have to bring a lefty up to face these guys unless it's absolutely necessary," manager Ron Washington said. "I'd prefer to not have to do that."

Eyre could get more than just this start, too. The Rangers need a starter for Sunday at Boston. If Eyre does well tonight, he could become the top option for that game, too.




- Eric Hurley has a less than stellar Triple A debut

Hurley's debut: Eric Hurley had a brief bout of wildness in his Triple-A debut Monday and couldn't minimize the damage from it. Hurley, 21, was charged with five runs (four earned) in five innings in Oklahoma's 7-1 loss to Omaha.

Down 1-0 in the second inning, Hurley hit Angel Berroa with a pitch with two outs and a runner on second. He then allowed a run-scoring single and followed it up with a walk that loaded the bases. A two-run single gave Omaha a three-run inning.





- Mavs must make decisions soon on George and Stack. Both should come back, with Stack more likely. Losing Stack would hurt the most, losing the player with the biggest nuts on a team that lacks it most of the time. Also, trade speculation re Buckner.

For the moment, the Mavericks have Moe Ager – seldom-used and unproven as a rookie last season – penciled into their starting lineup.

That's because they don't know for sure the status of two of their swingmen – Jerry Stackhouse and Devean George.

Both of those situations will be resolved in the next week. George's agent, Mark Bartelstein, said Monday he will meet with his client in the coming days to figure out whether George will exercise his option for a second season with the Mavericks at $2.16 million. The other option is to terminate the deal and become an unrestricted free agent.

"Devean loved it in Dallas and he loved playing for Avery Johnson," Bartelstein said. "But as we all know, this is a business."
The Mavericks will wait for the decision. Early on, it was believed George wanted to come back to the Mavericks. But the lure of free agency is tough to pass up.

Stackhouse's situation is slightly clearer. The sixth man becomes an unrestricted free agent Sunday, meaning he can sign anywhere in the league.

However, only two teams will have significant money under the salary cap and neither Charlotte nor Atlanta makes much sense for Stackhouse, who can still score with the best of them but doesn't fit the profile for building or rebuilding teams like the Bobcats and Hawks.

Since it is unlikely anyone will be able to offer Stackhouse more than the mid-level salary exception (expected to be roughly $6 million), the Mavericks figure to be able to offer him more than anybody else.

Assuming neither side comes in with unrealistic expectations, a middle ground likely will be found quickly after the free-agent period opens. Teams are prohibited from discussing specific free agents until Sunday.

"There's so many free agents, plus people want to see what the cap number is and all that stuff," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. "There are a lot of variables. A lot of guys really deserve the mid-level or higher and there's not that much money to go around. So it'll be interesting to see what happens. And we're always there to scoop them up and write the checks."

It is unlikely the status of either Stackhouse or George – or any free agents the Mavs may pursue from other teams – will have an impact on Thursday's draft. The Mavericks, with three second-round picks (34, 50 and 60), are likely to take at least one and perhaps two international players who likely would play next season in Europe.

Trade winds: In advance of the draft, trade speculation is heating up and one of the names mentioned frequently is Greg Buckner. Cuban and president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson each acknowledged that numerous teams have inquired about Buckner.

It's possible the Mavericks may be considering packaging Buckner with one or more of their second rounders to move up in the draft.

"Everybody's going to be talking until the draft," Cuban said. "And once they make their decisions, they fall in love with who they think they might be able to get. Then guys fall into the second round and people are going to be making all these great offers to get No. 34 and No. 50 and even No. 60.

"That's just the way it works. Just like last year and the year before. By being patient we got guys that we never thought we could get."



- ESPN's Chad Ford has Dallas taking Arron Affalo from UCLA. Wouldn't be a bad pick, can play D and be a future 2 guard for when Stack retires/leaves. However, he has my personal favorite pick for the Mavs at #34, Big Baby going 3 spots ahead at #31. That guy is my pick for best late round value/sleeper. I think he's going to be a good player in this league and I hope the Mavs try like crazy to get this guy. Would be a perfect low scoring threat to complement Dirk. Weight issues could keep him sliding to the Mavs, or they could make a trade to get high enough to get him.


31. Seattle SuperSonics (from Memphis)

Glen Davis | PF | LSU
Sonics go big with a guy who can use his strength and skill to score in the paint. If Davis can keep the weight off, he could be the steal of the draft.

34. Dallas Mavericks (from Atlanta)

Arron Afflalo | SG | UCLA
Afflalo is a tough, physical swingman with a beautiful mid-range game and great defensive mind-set. Avery Johnson should love the grit he delivers.


- My other personal favorite who is top 10 talent but has off the court issues, Sean Williams, is driving high up draft boards lately. It's looking more and more like he won't be available unless the Mavs trade up. Chad Ford's take:

22. Charlotte
(via Toronto)

Sean Williams Position: C
Height: 6-10
Weight: 230
Age: 20
School: Boston College

(Williams' previous position: No. 17 to New Jersey)

The skinny: The Bobcats need rebounding, shot-blocking and athleticism in their frontcourt. Williams' off-court mistakes have dropped him out of the lottery, but at some point a team is going to take a chance on him because his upside is tremendous.



- KG to the Lakers?????

If the Lakers are trying to get Kobe Bryant to change his mind about leaving, they're off to a good start.

The Los Angeles Times cited league sources on Monday saying that the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves are in discussions that could bring Kevin Garnett to Los Angeles.

Trade discussions initially involved the Lakers, Wolves, Pacers and a fourth team, and sources told ESPN that that team was the Celtics. They would have gotten Jermaine O'Neal from the Pacers and sent young players to the Wolves. The Lakers would have gotten Garnett, while the Pacers would have landed Los Angeles forward Lamar Odom and center Andrew Bynum. Minnesota would also have acquired at least one of the teams' draft picks, possibly Boston's No. 5 in Thursday's draft.

Later on Monday, the Times reported that the deal in that form had fallen apart because the Celtics did not like their end of the deal. According to the newspaper, the Lakers and Timberwolves continued discussions, trying to broker a deal just between the two teams.

Sources told the Times, however, that Wolves general manager Kevin McHale is not thrilled with the idea of getting Odom and Bynum, even if they come with the Lakers' 19th pick.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press contacted Pacers CEO and president Donnie Walsh and he denied any knowledge of the trade talks.

"I haven't heard of any of this," Walsh told the paper.

According to the Times, Lakers owner Jerry Buss and Wolves owner Glen Taylor spoke on the phone for about 20 minutes on Friday. Buss then suggested that Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and McHale carry on the discussions on Monday.

Bryant repeatedly has asked for a trade over the past month, saying that he doesn't feel that the Lakers are trying hard enough to improve. After losing in the NBA Finals four years ago, the Lakers missed the playoffs in 2004-05 and were out of the postseason in the first round the past two years.

Garnett never has requested a trade publicly despite the fact that the Wolves have struggled to remain competitive in recent years. Minnesota finished with a 32-50 record last season. The Wolves haven't been to the playoffs since 2004.

With Garnett able to opt out of his contract after next season, the time might be right for the Wolves to pull the trigger on a deal. McHale said last week that he has not been actively shopping his star, but that was a bit of a departure from previous statements in which he said he would not trade Garnett.

The 12-year veteran is owed $22 million next season and $23 million in 2008-09, the final year of his contract. He has requested an extension and the Times is reporting that Buss has told Taylor he would be willing to do that.

Garnett averaged 22.4 points, 12.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists last season. He is a 10-time All-Star.

Bynum's name has come up often in any trade talks concerning the Lakers recently. He averaged 7.8 points and 5.9 rebounds last season but is only 19 years old and 7 feet tall.

Odom averaged 15.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists last season, but he did miss 26 games because of injuries. He has shoulder surgery in May but is expected to return for next season.


- One of the most well-done endings to a movie




- I love this woman





- Picks O' The Day

Yesterday's record - 3-3
YTD - 17-16

As always, take all home underdogs, and these plays:

Toronto +100 - SP pitching well in last 3, Minn starter has gotten rocked last few times out
Seattle -155 - King Felix at home, I'll take my chances
Arizona -110
Balt +145 - Pick of the day, at home vs. Pettite, SP for Balt has been lights out in his last 3 and they're at home

Viva la Silver Boot!

- The most hallowed trophy in sports is staying in North Texas for another year.
A sign of things to come? You can only lean on your bullpen for so long, these guys will wear down at some point. Rangers rally, then lose 12-9.


Ron Washington said the key to the Rangers' recent success was simple.

"Pitching, pitching, pitching, pitching, pitching."

Good starting pitching has buoyed the Rangers the last week. But bad starting pitching by Robinson Tejeda on Sunday and a meltdown by a usually reliable bullpen brought back a few of the Rangers' old demons in a 12-9 loss to the Houston Astros.

Tejeda gave up three runs on his first eight pitches, didn't take advantage of being ahead in the count on a couple of key walks and generally kept his team on the field too long.

"Pitching changes everything," Washington said before the game. "If you pitch well, you're in the dugout a lot quicker, you're off the field a lot quicker, everything continues to move."

And if you don't pitch well?

"You're behind now, and you're probably trying to do more than you should," Washington answered.

The Rangers mounted a salty comeback against the beleaguered Houston bullpen, scoring six runs in the last two innings. But bad pitching doomed Texas again. In addition to Tejeda's bad start, Eric Gagne was rocked by his standards. Gagne, who had allowed one earned run in 21 previous appearances, allowed two runs in the ninth inning. Then, after the Rangers rallied to tie the score in the ninth, C.J. Wilson allowed four hits and three runs in the 10th.

Buoyed by Ron Mahay's 3 1/3 innings of shutout relief, the bullpen pushed its scoreless streak to 13 2/3 innings while keeping the Rangers within striking distance.

Sunday's game, however, had all the feel of a textbook Rangers loss to start with. Ian Kinsler just missed making a nice defensive play to start the game. Lance Berkman followed two batters later with a three-run home run. Tejeda twice was ahead on the count with two outs in the fourth inning and walked both batters. Two runs then scored on third baseman Ramon Vazquez's throwing error.

In the mean time, the Rangers swung and missed early and often against Astros starter and former Collin College assistant baseball coach Chris Sampson.

The 28-year-old rookie left the game after seven innings with a 7-3 lead. He threw 96 pitches, 67 of them strikes.

Of course, that all changed when the Astros blew their 13th save opportunity in 25 tries. Frank Catalanotto, Marlon Byrd and Ian Kinsler ripped home runs off of reliever Dan Wheeler to send the game into extra innings at 9-9.

But as much as those home runs bailed out Gagne, Wilson continued the evening's pitching woes. Wilson, who had not allowed a hit in his previous five appearances (5 2/3 innings), surrendered a single to Morgan Ensberg, a double to Craig Biggio, a single to Hunter Pence and single to Berkman. He got one out and surrendered three runs to put the Rangers in a 12-9 hole.

Pence, the Arlington product who is the favorite for National League rookie of the year, finished the night 4-for-6 with a homerun, a double and four runs.

The loss stopped the Rangers' season-long win streak at four games but didn't cost Texas the Silver Boot. The Rangers had secured that with two earlier wins in the series.

Now comes an 11-game stretch at Detroit and Boston and back home against the Angels, the American League's top three teams. There's little doubt what the Rangers need to stay on their recent upswing.

Pitching, pitching, pitching, pitching, pitching.


- Check out this upcoming stretch. Wow.

TO THE TOP
The Rangers face a daunting 11-game stretch beginning today. They face Detroit, Boston and the Angels – the top three teams in the American League:
Opponent Dates W-L AL rk.
at Detroit Mon-Thu 45-29 3rd
at Boston Fri-July 2 48-26 2nd
vs. LA Angels July 3-5 49-27 1st



- Eddie Sefko looks at the potential Free Agent targets for the Mavs. Personally I would love to see a re-signing of Stack and get McDyess in here.

HELP WANTED: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM NBA FREE AGENTS
Staff writer Eddie Sefko looks at some free agents who make sense for the Mavericks, and some who don't. A breakdown, in alphabetical order, of who might be on the Mavs' radar when the free agency period begins Sunday. (Only unrestricted free agents and those who have made it clear they will exercise early termination options are considered).

EIGHT WHO DO SEEM TO FIT
Name '06-07 team Pos. Comment
Matt Barnes Golden St. G-F Strong all-around performer; rates slightly above teammate Mickael Pietrus, who is restricted.
P.J. Brown Chicago F-C Played younger than his age (37) in the playoffs and might be affordable.
Matt Carroll Charlotte G Deadeye shooter whose career is on the rise; Mavs in market for a gunner.
Antonio McDyess Detroit F Could be perfect backup for Dirk Nowitzki if the price is right.
Morris Peterson Toronto G-F Solid in many areas and may be the odd man out as Raptors build.
James Posey Miami G-F At 30, he still has good years left and he's a capable scorer and rebounder.
Jerry Stackhouse Dallas G This is priority No. 1 and it's never a slam-dunk until it happens.
Gerald Wallace Charlotte G-F Bobcats will overpay to keep him, but he'd be perfect in the Mavs' system.

EIGHT WHO DON'T SEEM TO FIT
Name '06-07 team Pos. Comment
Chauncey Billups Detroit G Strong point guard will command huge money; out of the Mavs' reach.
Rashard Lewis Seattle F Doesn't fit here. He plays too much like Dirk Nowitzki and isn't as good.
Desmond Mason New Orleans G-F Terrific locker room presence; lack of shooting might work against him.
Mikki Moore New Jersey F-C Played himself into big money; too much for the Mavs' taste.
Eduardo Najera Denver F Perfect glue player; unlikely to opt out of the last year of contract.
Ruben Patterson Milwaukee G-F Oodles of talent; Mav already have a better version in Josh Howard.
Luke Walton LA Lakers F As good as it would be to have him, the price might be prohibitive.
Mo Williams Milwaukee G Mavericks don't consider him a significant upgrade.


- Peter Gammons on the trade deadline and a low blow from an NL exec re the Padilla signing. ouch.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman is trying to build a warehouse of pitchers, not only because Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina are all old enough to enter the New Hampshire primary but also to avoid another round of Carl Pavanos and Jaret Wrights. Hughes was an unfortunate loss because his ceiling is so high, but the Yankees now have pitchers Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, Alan Horne and Jeffrey Marquez knocking on the door at Double-A; Ross Ohlendorf (who could end up being an important seventh- and eighth-inning pitcher for the Yanks come September); and by this time next year will have Humberto Sanchez and Andrew Brackman back from surgery and on the road to reaching the big leagues. Cashman might trade one or two of the pitching prospects to make the playoffs this season, but Hughes will not be available in any trade, including any deals involving Mark Teixeira or Alex Rios.

Boston won't trade Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz or Michael Bowden. The Dodgers also will not move Chad Billingsley. The Indians might have needs, but they won't trade Adam Miller, and the Twins won't move Matt Garza or Kevin Slowey.

"Now, more than ever, being able to evaluate your own players -- particularly pitchers -- is more important than ever," says one NL GM. "If you don't sign and develop your own, and you don't evaluate them, then you have to pay $126 million for Barry Zito or $33 million for Vicente Padilla."

So when Teixeira comes off the disabled list after the All-Star break, whether Rangers GM Jon Daniels can find an acceptable market in the three weeks leading up to the trade deadline remains to be seen. Reds GM Wayne Krivsky would love to get pitching and youth for Adam Dunn, but the market might not be enough to justify the move. White Sox GM Ken Williams likely will get a young position player for Buehrle, but will he get pitching for Jermaine Dye? Not likely.



- John Hollinger says just wait until 2008 to see some major player movement, could be the biggest name free agent class ever.


It's the summer of 2007, which means it's time to start thinking about free agents. Oh, not this year's free agents -- I took a look at them in March, and our Chris Sheridan will have much more on that gang early next week.

No, it's time to look ahead a year.

2008 is the backdrop for the 2007 free-agent season, because some teams will be using the potential free-agent crop a year from now to guide decisions on how they manage their cap space this summer. And with Washington's Gilbert Arenas announcing recently that he plans to opt out of his contract next summer, the '08 free-agent season is unofficially underway already.

Plus, next year's class is one that -- stop me if you heard this before -- could be the best ever, provided nobody signs an extension this summer and everybody who can opt out of their contract does so.

Of course, this field inevitably will be whittled down severely by the time July of 2008 rolls around. This is particularly true in the case of players on their rookie contracts who are up for extensions this offseason.

Thus, don't expect Dwight Howard, Al Jefferson, Luol Deng, Andris Biedrins, Josh Smith, Andre Iguodala, Josh Childress, Nenad Krstic, Jameer Nelson, Kevin Martin, Delonte West or Devin Harris to be changing teams next summer -- all of those players figure to ink deals with their current teams between now and the end of October to keep them in place for a half-decade or so.

But even without those players on the market, next summer's crop is still potentially awesome. The players essentially break into four different groups -- let's take a look at each.


Group I: The "Big 10" ETO candidates

These are the players with an "early termination option" in their contract, meaning they can opt to forgo the final year(s) of their deals and instead become unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2008. In most years there are two or three big stars who have this option -- in 2008 there are 10, as the provisions of recent collective bargaining agreements kick in big-time. Here's the star-studded lineup:


Tim Duncan, Spurs -- Keep dreaming. Duncan can opt out after the upcoming season, but the Spurs are going to sign him to an extension this summer that keeps him in San Antonio until at least 2011. Besides, who are we kidding here? Duncan already had the opportunity to leave once and decided to stay put instead.

He's an icon in San Antonio and prefers the laid-back pace there to a bigger city. Plus he loves playing for Gregg Popovich. He's not going anywhere.



Kevin Garnett, Timberwolves -- Garnett's option will certainly be invoked if the Wolves don't deal him in the next 12 months, but it seems the more likely scenario is that he'll be dealt to a new team and then inked to an extension upon arrival.

Obviously, his new employers need to make sure he's up for this beforehand; already, his people have signaled to the Celtics that it's a no-go. But the sheer relief of leaving the Wolves' dire situation should make him more than happy to sign on the dotted line if dealt to one of his preapproved destinations.


Elton Brand, Clippers -- The Clippers would be wise to get Brand locked up to an extension. But "Clippers" and "wise" have rarely been used in the same sentence, so stay tuned. Plus, Clippers owner Donald Sterling could revert to his cheapskate ways at the snap of a finger if he decides that it's better to win 30 games with a low payroll than 40 games with a midsized one.

With Brand, Corey Maggette, Sam Cassell and Shaun Livingston all potentially coming off the books in '08, he could go back to being the league's reigning slumlord in a nanosecond.



Gilbert Arenas, Wizards -- Unlike the top three guys, it doesn't make sense for Arenas to extend his deal because he's not making the maximum, and thus he can get better bucks as an unrestricted free agent. That's why he went ahead and told everyone he'll be opting out of his deal in the offseason.

Presuming the top three guys all sign extensions, Arenas will be the league's most coveted free agent next summer, but at the moment all signs point to him returning to Washington.


Shawn Marion, Suns -- Mentioned in trade rumors nearly as often as Garnett, The Matrix is another player who would be in line for an extension this offseason and could opt out next summer. His deal is a little trickier, however, because he'll make $17.8 million in 2008-09, and there's a good chance he might have to accept less if he became a free agent.

Thus, much like Antawn Jamison and Mike Bibby this year, he might decide to take the bird in hand and play out the final year of his deal.



Jermaine O'Neal, Pacers -- A similar, albeit more dramatic, situation to Marion's -- both in terms of trade rumors and salary.

Jermaine is pushing $20 million per annum, and his offensive performance and durability have been in decline the past couple seasons (though not his defense, which was spectacular this season). As a result, he's likely to play his deal out through 2008-09 unless he totally blows up this year.



Allen Iverson, Nuggets -- Iverson isn't the best player on this list, but in terms of gate and merchandise he's pure gold. That's why he's more likely than the others to opt out -- surely somebody would gamble on his ability to draw in hordes of customers.

The interesting part comes from Denver's end -- is it willing to fork out for an extension (and likely incur more luxury tax bills) in order to keep him in the Rockies a couple more years?



Baron Davis, Warriors -- Davis represents a difficult calculation all around. On the one hand he's as good as any point guard in the game when he's healthy and motivated. On the other hand those two events don't coincide often. When they do, as in the Warriors' playoff run, it's amazing to watch, but that doesn't mean somebody should throw a max deal his way.

All of which explains why Davis, like a few of the guys above, may decide to stand pat and play out the last year of his deal.



Corey Maggette, Clippers -- The second-biggest name in the "certain free agent" crowd, Maggette has bristled under Mike Dunleavy's yoke in L.A., and he doesn't make enough for an extension to make sense anyway.

The fact that he can easily be lured to another destination should make him a major target next summer -- if he hasn't already been traded by then.



Ron Artest, Kings -- Talk about a roll of the dice. I have no idea what other teams would bid for Artest; I imagine several would stay away even if the price was one peso. That said, there's no denying his talent, and one has to think there's a team out there with enough spine and desperation to give it a shot.

The Kings don't seem to be giving any potential suitors the impression that they will stand in their way. It makes sense for Artest to opt out too, as his contract is a pittance relative to other players of his caliber.

Other notables: In addition to the 10 stars above, five other players have ETOs in their contracts -- Raef LaFrentz of the Blazers, Juwan Howard of the Timberwolves, Kenny Thomas of the Kings, and Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis of the Knicks -- but they aren't likely to be factors in free agency since they'd be fools to give up the final years of their excessive contracts.

Meanwhile, here are five to watch with player options: Stromile Swift of the Grizzlies, Justin Reed of the Rockets, Rasho Nesterovic of the Raptors, Keith Bogans of the Magic, and most notably Trevor Ariza also of the Magic. Ariza's current salary is way below market and he's likely to earn a much bigger payday in the summer of 2008, especially if he can take over as a starter for the possibly departing Grant Hill.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Group II: The restricted free agents

I mentioned several first-round draft picks who are likely to sign extensions by opening day. However, a few second-rounders and European imports will be restricted free agents next summer, and unlike the first-rounders from the Class of 2004, their teams can't realistically sign them to an extension ahead of time. Their restricted status still makes it likely they'll stay put, but at least they'll be in play:



Monta Ellis, Warriors -- The league's Most Improved Player obviously makes for a tempting target, but one has to think the Warriors will pay what's necessary to keep him -- especially given Davis' fragility and the stinging memory of losing their last MIP winner, Gilbert Arenas, in a similar situation.

2. Jose Calderon, Raptors -- Calderon supposedly likes Toronto, but he's paid backup money and has a backup's role even though he's better than a lot of the league's starters. That should be enough to get the vultures circling, especially since the Raptors have already made a long-term commitment to T.J. Ford.



Craig Smith, Timberwolves -- The heir apparent at power forward once Garnett relocates (you were expecting Juwan Howard?), Smith should benefit nicely from Kevin McHale's penchant for grossly overpaying to retain his role players.

4. Walter Herrmann, Bobcats -- One of the league's better forwards down the stretch, Herrmann could earn himself a big payday if he follows it up with another strong season. He might be available, too, since nobody's really sure if the Bobcats know what they're doing.



Ronny Turiaf, Lakers -- I'm a little surprised the athletic French forward hasn't gotten more burn, but the Lakers had to carve out extra minutes to justify all the money they wasted on Vlad the Snow Flake. L.A.'s pain may be somebody else's gain, as Turiaf has played well in limited minutes.

6. Daniel Gibson, Cavaliers -- Teams can bid up to the midlevel exception for the unlikely hero of the Eastern Conference finals, and the Cavs will have the right to match any offer. In other words, he's probably not going anywhere.



Ryan Gomes, Celtics -- With so many young Celtics players to pay, will Gomes slip through the cracks in Boston? If so, several teams would love to have him as a role-playing combo forward.

8. Fabricio Oberto, Spurs -- Oberto can opt out of his deal this summer, but if he doesn't he'll be a restricted free agent next year. Role players on championship teams tend to draw crazy money, so he should benefit from the glow of the 2006 title run.

Other notables: Tarence Kinsey, Grizzlies; Alexander Johnson, Grizzlies; Salim Stoudamire, Hawks; Lynn Greer, Bucks; Mickael Gelabale, Sonics; Hassan Adams, Nets; Will Blalock, Pistons; Louis Williams, 76ers.



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Group III: More restricted free agents

In addition to those players above, a few first-rounders from the class of '04 are likely to become restricted free agents, as their teams are unlikely to agree to extensions due to uncertainty about injuries, playing time or general comportment:



Tony Allen, Celtics -- Allen was having a breakout year until he tore up his knee going up for a meaningless after-the-whistle dunk. Now he'll have to prove he can return to being the slashing, athletic force he was a year ago before he can sign a big-money deal.

2. J.R. Smith, Nuggets -- On talent alone, Smith is a no-brainer for an extension. But his playoff meltdown against San Antonio and subsequent offseason trouble has to give Denver's management pause. The Nuggies might wait another year to make sure Smith can keep his head on straight before they commit to him long-term.



Robert Swift, Sonics -- The Sonics still don't know exactly what they have in Swift after he missed all of last season with a knee injury. With new management in town there's no pressure to make a heavy investment in the previous regime's draft pick, so Swift will have to prove himself worthy to the new guys.

4. Carlos Delfino, Raptors -- The theory is that Delfino will play more consistently with a defined role, but the Raptors probably want to see how the theory works in practice before they put a lot of money behind it.

5. Randolph Morris, Knicks -- A contractual oddity after playing for both Kentucky and the Knicks in the same season last year, Morris' deal expires after this season. Depending on his development there could be quite a market for the young center.

Other notables: Shaun Livingston, Clippers; Sebastian Telfair, Celtics; Dorell Wright, Heat; Kris Humphries, Raptors; Beno Udrih, Spurs; David Harrison, Pacers; Sasha Vujacic, Lakers; Kirk Snyder, Rockets



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Group IV: The real, honest to goodness unrestricted free agents

Finally, we get to the guys who will be on the market with no strings attached -- at least, provided they don't sign extensions between now and then. Note that Vince Carter could also theoretically be on this list if he decides not to opt out of his contract this summer, but the odds on that are highly unlikely.

Basically, there are two players on this list worth making some effort to sign to a big-money deal. After that, you have a bunch of guys who will be in their late 30s by 2008-09, and a few decent role players.



Antawn Jamison, Wizards -- The Wizards forward declined opting out this year, but will go the unrestricted route next summer if Washington doesn't extend him. And given his age and production, it doesn't make much sense for the Wizards to give him an extension -- they can re-sign him for substantially less if they let him become a free agent. Of course, the risk of losing both Jamison and Arenas in the same summer may be more than Ernie Grunfeld is willing to contemplate.

2. Ricky Davis, Timberwolves -- Minnesota's mercurial forward might be one of the stronger unrestricted free agents next summer if none of the ETO gang sees the light of day. Davis' head isn't always in the game, but he can flat-out score and could provide a potent sixth man for the right team. Plus, he's still in his 20s -- unlike nearly everyone else on this part of the list -- and he's been extremely consistent year-to-year.



Antonio McDyess, Pistons -- He'll be 34 by the time the '08-09 seasons starts and he had a bad wheel, but McDyess has been an extremely effective sixth man since coming to Detroit and should get a nice payday if he can repeat the effort in 2007-08.

4. Alonzo Mourning, Heat -- He's still a quality player, especially when he can play short bursts off the bench, but the expectation is that he'll retire either this year or next. If he still wants to play, though, expect him to get plenty of attention due to his outstanding shot-blocking ability.



DeSagana Diop, Mavericks -- Bigs who can defend always come at a premium, regardless of their offensive talents. Diop isn't going to average double figures, but his ability to stop opposing post players and help out against penetration make him a desirable commodity.

6. Bruce Bowen, Spurs -- Bowen is one of the game's elite defenders and takes great care of himself, but he'll also be 37 next summer. One wonders how long a player dependent on quickness can keep chugging along, but several teams will be happy to give him a short-term deal to find out.



Brown7. Kwame Brown, Lakers -- Believe it or not, Brown still will only by 26 next summer, which means some other sucker out there is likely to overpay based on his alleged potential. He's big and can defend a little, so he's not devoid of value, but you can feel the moronic offers coming already.

8. Jason Williams, Heat -- Still an extremely effective player when fully healthy, even during Miami's meltdown last season, but his body broke down a year ago and he was limited in several stretches. If he gets through this season in one piece he'll zoom up the list, but at 32 next summer he can't expect a long-term deal.



Cassell9. Sam Cassell, Clippers: He can still play when he's healthy -- really, he hasn't lost much at all. But those moments became increasingly rare as last season wore on and one wonders if his body will hold up. Given his age (38 by next summer) he's probably looking at one-year deals from here on out.

10. Brevin Knight, Bobcats -- He's 5-10 and he'll be 33 the first week of the '08-09 season, which tends to be a bad combination. On the other hand, few guards distribute better or have a more active nose for the ball, and if he shows those traits again this year he should be among the more coveted point guards next summer. There's also the chance the Bobcats can waive him before July 1 and he'll be a free agent this summer.



11. Chris Duhon, Bulls -- One of the few guys on this list who isn't taking Geritol, Duhon's had his ups ands downs in Chicago. However, he will be entering his prime as a 26-year-old free agent next summer and should be a main target for teams eyeing backcourt help.

12. Michael Finley, Spurs -- Mark Cuban has already made his plea for Finley to return, and at 35 next summer the jump-shooting wingman probably will have a year or two of decent basketball left in him. He can also opt out his deal this summer, so this may be a moot point by '08.

By the way, if you're noticing a lot of Spurs on this list, it's because they only have three players under contract after next season -- Parker, Ginobili and (once he extends) Duncan. In other words, the dynasty could potentially add somebody like Brand or Marion midstream. Fans of the 29 other teams just spit up in their mouths reading that.



Brent Barry, Spurs -- Barry will be 36 next summer, but thanks to his great shooting ability and feel for the game he may be more productive in his late 30s than most. Somebody will be desperate enough for shooting to give him a new deal; if he's lucky there will be multiple years on it.

14. Kurt Thomas, Suns -- Still a desirable commodity because of his ability to defend the post, Thomas' other numbers have been steadily slipping and he'll be 36 when the '08-09 season tips off, so his best-case scenario is probably a two-year deal.

15. Bostjan Nachbar, Nets -- Bokie had a nice year off the bench in New Jersey, and if he repeats it he should be in line for a substantial raise as one of the few good shooters under 35 on the market.

Other notables: Carlos Arroyo, Magic; Robert Horry, Spurs; Gordan Giricek, Jazz; Michael Doleac, Heat; Francisco Elson, Spurs; Keyon Dooling, Magic; Quinton Ross, Clippers; Eduardo Najera, Nuggets; Fred Jones, Blazers; Juan Dixon, Raptors; Maurice Evans, Lakers; Primoz Brezec, Bobcats; Anthony Johnson, Hawks; Tyronn Lue, Hawks; Devean George, Mavericks



- Concert Review -

So I'm willing to admit, I went to the John Mayer concert Friday night. It was a free ticket, free ride, etc, so I went. A review:

1) Not that bad of a show. The guy can jam on the guitar. He's just stuck in the Soccer Mom/Frow genre/audience. But he can play some guitar and rip into some bad ass songs. He gets a bad rap I think.
2) The amount of tail at this concert was absolutely unbelievable. It was one of the reasons I had no problem going. However....
3) The amount of jail-bait present was also unbelievable. I saw some very creepy, "To Catch a Predator" types at the concert that shouldn't have been there, they must have been in heaven. I'm sure Chris Hansen wasn't far behind.
4) I won the pool for "who's going to get asked first to order a minor a beer." A drunk 19 year old behind us wouldn't leave me alone to get her a beer. And given that she wasn't pretty and kept bugging the crap out of me, she never got her beer.
5) All in all, weather was good, wasn't too hot or humid, music was surprisingly good, scenery was top notch, and the ticket was free. Give me an 8.5 out of 10 for the whole night.


- Alright, alright, alright




- What a song






Picks O' the day:

Weekend record - 5-8
YTD - 14-13


As always, take all the home underdogs, and these plays:

Oakland +130 - 15-9 vs. LHP, OAK is 11-4 in starting pitcher's starts this year
Colorado +105 - Colo very hot lately, Francis is 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA in his last 3 starts
LA Dodgers -140 - Penny pitching, team is 13-2 in his starts, he's 2-0 with a 1.25 ERA in his last 3 starts.