The NBA – Where 365 Days Of Entertainment Happens

As the 2009 NBA playoffs wrapped up, fans began pondering about life without basketball – if only for a few months. Luckily with emergence of social media and the overwhelming NBA presence on these platforms there has been no “off-season”. Fans went straight from playoffs to mock drafts, to free agent frenzy to what I call “Marketing Season”. I’m not sure its been all positive, but you can’t deny that it’s kept the game relevant even though the shot clock is off.

Here are some of the highlights along with some link love…

D Wade is the “Worst Rapper”?

Looks like Baron Davis has recruited Wade to start up a contest on I Beat You (a business venture of Baron’s) Previously we have seen the likes of Steve Nash and Chris Bosh take part in contests but this one has the potential of being great if they can get Shaq and Ron Ron to enter.
Check out the Flash show of his skills on the mic – Rap 1 Rap 2
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Shaq steps into the ring

Sir Charles in Charge: Shaquille O’Neal On Raw (…)
Talk Hoops: Shaq Fu Part 2
Waiting For Next Year: While We’re Waiting… Shaquille O’Neal on Raw
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Shaq gets “blocked”

D.C. Sports Bog: Shaq Denied Entrance to White House
True Hoop: Shaquille O’Neal vs. the Secret Service
Binary Basketball: Shaq’s White House Marketing 101
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Shaq steps into reality

BDL: Shaq to face Phelps, Pujols and De La Hoya in new reality show
Awful Announcing: Shaq To Take On Various Athletes In New Reality Show
King James Gospel: The Big Diesel vs. Big Ben?
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Dwight Howard – Hey Wooorrrrld!

Right now Dwight Howard has pretty much set himself up to take over the most loveable big man title. He is everywhere – Twitter, Facebook, uSTREAM. His blog is updated on the regular giving his fans access like never before.
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Stephon Marbury has escaped from the BOX

For your enjoyment – Here you can find an MP3 of one of the famous quotes from #marburython and RedsArmy has a t-shirt ready to go

J.A Adande (ESPN): Streaming Steph is a sad, sad show
NBA Musings: When eccentric stops being fun
Empty the Bench: What’s Your Favorite Quote from Steph’s Live Stream?
Hoops Manifesto: He Blew His Mind Out
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The Race to 50K – CB4 v/s CV31

I wrote on the subject earlier in the month on HoH

Bleacher Report: An interview with Charlie Villanueva
Raptors Republic: The #50k Fail
Red’s Army: Villanueva, Bosh race to 50K on Twitter
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Ron Artest pays tribute to Michael Jackson

World Star Hip Hop: click here for the full version (H/T RoShine)
NBA Fanhouse: Ron Artest’s Tribute to Michael Jackson
Lake Show Life:Ron Artest’s Michael Jackson Rap Crap
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Ron Artest – Live in Concert

Sharapova’s Thigh: Ron Artest Rapping in China
The Faster Times: Ron Artest Brings the Hood to China
That NBA Lottery Pick: Ron Artest Rap Tour hits China
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UPDATE: Ron Artest Reflects – THE BRAWL

Had to throw this in. Ron Artest who has been touring China hopped onto twitter and posted the video along with the tweet: @96TruwarierQB Shin Shin wanted to know so I told her
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If I’m missing any stories… put in ’em in the comments

Raptor Report: Heels on the Airwaves

I haven’t had a chance to put out my thoughts on the Jarrett Jack signing but plan to get to that sometime today. I did though, get a chance to be a guest on the Fan590 last night to talk about the Raptors.

Firstly, I would like to thank Zack Cooper (@ZCooperstown) for having me as a guest on his show. He was a great host and led me into the questions with ease. We got a chance to cover everything from Summer League to Jarrett Jack and his impact on Bosh staying past next season.

The segment aired while most of Toronto was asleep so for those who missed it you can listen to it right here. Please excuse my rookie mistakes – This is my first time doing anything of the sort. Gotta admit, I was nervous going into it but had a blast and hope to get an opportunity to do more of these in the future.

Raptor Rant – Never Underestimate an Athletes Will to Win (Race to 50K)

V/S

These are the dog days of summer when it comes to the NBA. You are trying to get excited about next season and summer league ball just isn’t cutting it.

Enter twitter…

I joined twitter about a year ago (@Nat77) and used it primarily to connect with other sports bloggers and fans. It was different from facebook because it lends itself to discussions. Slowly it began replacing my RSS reader and before I knew it I was addicted. Twitter has become a primary platform for athletes to connect with their fans and several athletes on twitter have echoed my sentiment, admitting the addiction.

Sometime last week, Charlie V(@cv31) challenged Chris Bosh(@chrisbosh) to see who could amass 50 thousand followers first. It’s not uncommon to see athletes conversing over twitter and this was a chance for fans to take part. The wager was that the loser would have to star in the winners video on Youtube. CV wanted Bosh to do the Shane Mercado and Bosh left it up to his “twitter army” to decide CV’s fate if he came out on the losing end of this. Bosh started off the challenge behind Charlie by about 2k followers but with the help of some major twitter spam, live chats and a entire country backing him – he managed to take the lead. The two started pulling out all the stops. Bosh pulled out the free stuff card and CV raised using the charity card.

This was all meant to be in good fun but at some point along the way it started to annoy the diehards. These guys were straight up begging – Charlie V even offered up $3100 worth of diamonds if he won! At any given time my entire twitter feed was taken over by the two, lost in the mix were tweets from people that were actually offering up intelligent material to ponder over. It came to a point I just wanted one of them to win quickly so my twitter could return back to normal. I found it amusing at times to see these athletes showing how bad they wanted to win even though this duel wasn’t going to be settled on a basketball court. No one likes to lose, especially two guys who play a sport for a living – winning is everything.

Late Tuesday night,  Bosh was down about 500 followers with under 1000 to go. It was the 4th quarter, it was go time and for a change Bosh came through in the clutch. He thanked his fans, CV gave him a virtual pat on the back and the world was spinning again.

In other news…

Lets NBA! – Trading away Jawai and Humphries suddenly left the Raptors lacking depth at the 5 spot. It has been widely rumored that the team is interested in bringing back Rasho Nesterovic using their bi-annual exception ($1.9M) Rasho has openly stated that he has always loved the city and the feeling is the team would welcome him back with open arms. The reunion will happen, the only question remains is – when?

Jacked Up – We are at the halfway point regarding the waiting period to see if the Pacers are going to match the offer sheet signed by Jarrett Jack to join the Raptors next season. Multiple sources have mentioned they don’t believe that Indiana is in a position to match but as we have seen this summer (See: Marcin Gortat) it ain’t over till the clock strikes 12. For what its worth, Bosh did have Jack as a guest on one of his live chats where the two spoke about Jack coming up to Toronto soon to find a place to stay – that is if bosh doesn’t plan to set up the bunk beds in his home. The two were roommates in college and from listening in on the chat, they seem to have maintained a solid friendship. I wanted the team to draft this guy in place of Joey Graham in 2005 and getting him now with the experience under his belt would be so much sweeter.

D Squared – The heir apparent in Toronto coming through “As Advertised” at NBA summer league. In 4 games, he has averaged 16.3PPG and 4.5RB (DD stats) He has been aggressive in all the games, his jump shot has been falling and aside from the production at the FT line, DeMar DeRozan is already proving to be just what this team needs. He has not shied away from having the ball in his hands in late game situations and the coaching staff have trusted him to make the correct decisions on the floor. With just 1 game left to go, he knows what he has to work on for the rest of the summer. There has been nothing but praise about this guy from the day he got drafted – check out this interview by Holly MacKenzie from the score – and we are still a few months from seeing him take the court in Toronto, but I believe this rookie will be in ROY conversations by mid January.

Delfino – $5 million? Apparently that’s what its going to take to get the former Raptor to return to the ACC. News came out yesterday that he was offered $4million a season and he was none to thrilled by that number. Personally, $4 million is still too much for a guy who didn’t show us enough the first time around and I would be hesitant to bet the bank on him. Sure he fills in some of the leaky spots in the rotation but I would much rather have Jack split time at the 1 and 2 and sign a Matt Barnes or Linus Klieza to fill the holes at the backup 3 spot. Either way we probably wont see any movement on this issue until the Jarrett Jack deal is finalized.

Heyyyy Wooorrrrld! Dwight Howard owns shirts with sleeves

Shoulders or Cantaloupes?

While most people were getting some shut eye last night, Dwight Howard decided he wanted to chat with the fans and fired up UStream. He had just arrived in LA, settled into his hotel room and turned on his computer (no Playboy mansion for the man). After some technical difficulties – which prompted him to call room service at 1:00AM PST – he let out a big “HEY WOOORRRRLLLDDD!!” Viewers were greeted with the infamous smile and surprisingly a fully clothed Howard. To sum up the hour long chat he did some impresonations, showed us his candy stash, ate fries while answering fan questions and even busted out some MC Hammer when he got a shout out from the rapper himself.

With the explosion of twitter and facebook, Dwight has completely embraced his fans. He spent an entire plane ride replying to people until twitter told him he has exceeded their post limit. This is a guy who is on the cover of NBA Live, has won an Olympic gold medal and was playing in the NBA finals last month. As a fan of the game, I can only appreciate that he is taking time to do this and I hope that other athletes look to him as an example. You may not be as funny but everything you can give back to the fans will keep them wanting more.

If you aren’t one of the 500,000+ already following Dwight on twitter you should do so @DwightHoward – You can follow me too while you are at it @Nat77

If you have an hour to kill you can watch the recorded video from last night UStream (Video) or click the screen caps below to get a glimpse of what you missed.

Shoulders or Cantaloupes?

Free Agency – Match me if you Can

Jarrett Jack: The Raptors addressed a major need earlier in the week by announcing the signing of Hedo Turkoglu but they didn’t stop there. Word came out over the weekend that the team has signed Jarrett Jack of the Indiana Pacers to an offer sheet for 4 years $20M. Though they have Jose Calderon signed long term as their primary PG, Jack would fill the role of backup while possessing the ability to slide over to the SG position when needed. He is a typical Colangelo guy – does a bit of everything. He would be a major upgrade for the team and though they have multiple players who can play the point, none seem to be candidates for the job over the course of a 82 game season. Indiana was already flirting with the tax limit and may be handcuffed at this point unable to match the offer. The Pacers did try the tandem PG strategy with Jack and TJ Ford (a scenario that had played out in Toronto previously with Ford & Calderon) and by seasons end Jack had won the starting spot. Going forward though, seeing that they have a ton of money tied up with Ford and Tinsley, it’s very unlikely they pony up the cash to keep Jack in Indiana.

Marcin Gortat: The Orlando Magic lost Hedo and gained Vince. Over the weekend they added another front court player in Brandon Bass. When the Mavericks signed Marcin Gortat to an offer sheet, all signs pointed to Orlando letting him walk. Over the weekend, rumblings were that Otis Smith has changed his tune and the team is now expected to match the Dallas offer. They will essentially be paying $6M per year for a guy who will remain in the shadows of Dwight Howard. My stance? FREE THE POLISH HAMMER! Gortat has been a project for the Magic and has slowly been developing under the tutelage of Patrick Ewing. Bottom line though, he will never get much playing time on that team, where as in Dallas he had the chance to be their starting center sending Dampier to the bench or out of Texas. From this Fanhouse interview it seems Gortat is actually bummed at the idea that Orlando wants to keep him and Dallas may have to turn to plan B.

Paul Millsap: The Utah Jazz are in a serious bind. They need to find a trade partner for Carlos Boozer which will then make it possible for them to match the offer sheet and retain the services of Millsap. They gave Okur a contract extension, but with Boozer picking up the option of his his final year @ $12.7M, they would have to go over the luxury tax to sign Millsap. The Blazers already got burned once in the free agent frenzy (See: Hedo Turkoglu) and are not taking chances this time around. Their offer sheet is structure to pay a signing bonus of $5.6M and most of the first years salary upfront. This means if Utah or any team would want to partake in this, they would have to sign over a check of roughly $10M right off the bat. The likelihood of that happening is slim with the times the way they are and this being the first major decision being made by the Miller family (who now run the Jazz since the passing of owner Larry Miller). The total amount for the contract on the offer sheet is 4 years $32M and unless the Jazz can find some trading partners real soon, it looks like Portland may have one more piece to their puzzle. Only problem is they are still lacking that play maker to play alongside Brandon Roy.

Other notable moves:

Grant Hill (Phoenix Suns) – After being courted by New York and Boston, Hill opted for the desert heat of Arizona. Phoenix gave him a chance to revive his career and repaid them by sticking around. The deal is said to be for $6M over 2 years with the second year being a player option.

Brandon Bass (Orlando Magic) – The Orlando Magic were oh so close, making it to the NBA finals in 2009 and adding a player like Brandon Bass is a great move for a team lacking a true PF. With Bass joining the team, Rashard Lewis can move over to his natural SF position. The deal is for 4 years worth $18M.

Antonio McDyess (San Antonio Spurs) – The Spurs are giving the Celtics a run for their money when it comes to sporting the “over 30” lineup. The addition of McDyess is a solid one for a team whose window is closing fast. The 3 year contract starts at the full MLE which should keep him in Black and silver for the remainder of his career barring a trade.

Channing Frye (Phoenix Suns) – The Suns seemed to be blowing this thing up but now with re-signing Hill and talks of a Nash contract extension, the plans may have been altered. Channing Frye was lost in the mix in Portland and will get more playing time here but he is not a game changer and neither is his new contract which is said to be for 2 years @ $2M /yr.

Anthony Parker (Cleveland Cavaliers) – One of the classiest guys in the NBA, as a Raptor fan I am saddened by his departure. The Cavaliers may have lost out in the Artest, Ariza sweepstakes but they landed a solid guy who may not partake in the pre-game antics with Lebron and co, but for 2 years @ $3M/yr,  he will bring it every night on both ends of the floor.

Dahntay Jones (Indiana Pacers) – He was playing for the Nuggets on the cheap, defended Kobe in the playoffs and now has landed himself a 4 yr $11M contract in Indiana. A tough loss, Jones had become the defensive go to guy for Denver and a fan favorite. He will get more playing time and an elevated role in Indy as he continues to develop his game.

Zaza Pachulia (Atlanta Hawks) – 4yrs $18M is what it took to keep ZaZa in the ATL. The Hawks signed him just a day after re-signing Bibby to a multi-year contact and it is widely rumored they will be doing the same for Marvin Williams in the upcoming days.

Anderson Varejao (Clevland Cavaliers) – It seems that everything that went wrong with their negotiations a couple years back is water under the bridge as the Cavaliers dished out big time to keep Andy in Cleveland. 6 year deal worth $50M – overpaying much?

Mehmet Okur (Utah Jazz) – With the possibilities of losing Millsap and trying to trade Boozer the Jazz wanted to take no chances with Okur it seems. The two parties agreed on a 2 yr contract extension worth approx. $21M.