To Sad Endings & New Beginnings...

When news broke earlier this week of a stress fracture in Yao Ming's foot ending his season for the zillionth time, reactions throughout the basketball community were, well, subdued. Although this was obviously a tragic setback for a star who put retirement ahead of more rehab, there was an utter lack of surprise; to some extent, we all knew this was coming. Like Greg Oden before him, we'd all seen Yao succumb to his own body too many times to expect he'd get it together.

Yao was different though, in that he had already established himself as a star in this League, and probably would've been fine if the commies running China's national team had bothered to let him rest for a few weeks during the prime of his career. Yao played in 82, 82 and 80 his first three seasons, and was becoming a dominant talent. But the second Houston's seasons ended, he was shipped back to the homeland for a busy international schedule that often had him arriving late for training camp and certainly betrayed the concept of an "offseason". As the constant pounding took its toll (remember, 350 pounds is a lot to carry around), Yao averaged an anemic 58 games over the next four seasons, before shutting it down all of last year, and now facing a similar fate.

It seems far safer to call Yao's career over, relative to Oden's. He's older, has nothing really to prove, owns his own pro team in China, and has already hinted at this being the end. It's also far more difficult; he was a much better player and a noble, gregarious global ambassador for a league that's clearly looking to grow its international influence. If this is the last we see of him - and all signs point to it being that way - what a shitty (albeit predictable) way for it all to end. Keep your head up Yao, hope that "fried chicken and beer" tastes damn good.

Only a few days of mourning passed before Yao's dilemma was sidetracked by the season's first blockbuster(s), which dramatically overhauled the floundering Orlando Magic. Their first deal shipped Vincent Lamar to Phoenix, along with Mickael Pietrus and Marcin Gortat, in exchange for Jason Richardson, Earl Clark and the ghost of Hedo Turkoglu. As though that weren't enough of a dice roll, the Magic then shipped Rashard Lewis to Washington for Gilbert Arenas, setting a new Guinness record for "shitty NBA contracts traded in a single day".

Phoenix, caught in that awkward no-mans-land between contending and rebuilding, now at least has a more functional team. While they shed two of their 90 small forwards, they gained a legitimate centre and probably the only defensive-minded player on their roster. Gortat will allow Channing Frye and Robin Lopez to spend more time at the 4 (where both of them should be more effective), helping to shore up the league's worst-rebounding team. The jury's still out on whether Vince can provide any positive effect, but I can already envision Steve Nash becoming frustrated with him and freezing him out of the offense. In about two weeks. Ultimately, these Suns, (read:Nash) have made offensive contributors out of anyone they've plugged in, so the versatility they gained should outweigh the firepower they lost.

Washington, meanwhile, made a dubious decision. Trading Gilbert was an obvious move; after last season's handgun mishap and John Wall's drafting, he made (Agent) Zero sense for them. What made even less sense (I know it's mathematically impossible, but work with me here) was for them to take on what's very likely, dollar-for-dollar, the worst contract in the NBA in return. Lewis' monster of a deal comes off the books a year later than Gilbert's, forcing a rebuilding team that's losing money even more than easy games into deeper financial commitment. Although Wall will have a much more freedom now, the team as a whole might've just enslaved themselves.

...Which brings us to Orlando; the centrepiece of these blockbusters and the team with, far and away, the most to lose. After losing 5 of 6 and watching Boston and Miami reel off double-digit win streaks, I've heard this makeover get called everything from a panic move to a calculated gamble. The Magic gained a lot of offensive potency, picking up two bonafide scorers and returning Hedo to a city that clearly has some sort of PED-type effect on his game. Vince and Rashard were both having their worst seasons in recent memory, so getting rid of them wasn't hard, but fitting the new pieces together may be harder than it looks... (disclaimer: I'm of the firm belief that the Magic aren't done dealing yet, but let's proceed under the necessary assumption that they're going to try and win a title with this team)

First of all, this was a very expensive move for the Magic. They shed Lewis and Carter's bloated contracts, but also took on those of Arenas, Turkoglu and (to a lesser extent) Richardson, while burying JJ Redick (35$ mil this past offseason) on the bench. Obviously they're a successful team in a competitive market, but they just raised their risk profile considerably.

Defense also becomes a serious achilles heel for this team. Forget that they have Howard in the middle, the Magic have now lost their only potent wing defenders (Pietrus, and previously Matt Barnes), and given up Gortat; an excellent defender himself, and one of the NBA's best backup big men. Not that Carter or Lewis was a great defender, but all this does is increase the reliance on Howard, with more holes to patch, which will likely lead to more help-D fouls and less time on the court for their franchise player.

Orlando now possesses the weapons to be an offensive nightmare, but leaves serious doubts about its ability to succeed in the physical, halfcourt grind of the playoffs. They made it to the Finals two years ago with Dwight drawing coverage and open 3's raining from all angles, but the competition is far tougher this year. Dwight will have a much harder time dominating Boston's deep frontcourt than he did the Cavs' joke of one, and Miami's Superfriends will be much harder to match up with in an up-tempo shootout.

Orlando looks to be on Phoenix's flipside after this trade; they're certainly more talented, but perhaps less functional. In any event, it looked like a move needed to be made, and the front office certainly can't be blamed for a lack of balls. Regardless of whether this team's done shuffling, it'll be a serious adjustment for Stan Van Jeremy, D12, Jameer, hell the rest of the East's contenders. The Magic seriously shook things up here; it's gonna take a while for it to settle and see just what the payoff is. That being said, there's been an epidemic of complacency around the NBA lately when moves clearly need to be made, so Orlando should be applauded for pulling the trigger and at least rolling the dice before the season slid further.

This Week's Water Cooler

What's up everyone? Sorry I didn't get anything up this weekend; apparently you can't ignore your overdue internet bill forever. I had planned to spend most of yesterday writing a preview for some college tournament that's starting this week, but instead sacrificed about 3 hours of my life to the inefficiency of bank clearances and cable company payment processes. If this is what real life's like then I'm cool just staying in school. That's all straightened out tho and Basketball Banter's back in all its couch-surfing glory for another deep run into the NCAA Tournament. Before we dive into the Madness however, let's take a little breather from our hectic lives and chill out at the Water Cooler:

- First and foremost, the playoff races are close to over. The Ailblazers have finally strung enough healthy bodies together to put some space between themselves and the Western Conference Stragglers. Valiant efforts by the Rockets, Grizzlies and Hornets, who all battled varying degrees of injury and dysfunction to stay in the hunt, but unless the Spurs suffer a memorable meltdown (and as awful as they've been playing, who really believes this will happen?) it's time for a little high-stakes lottery. The East, while not exactly set in stone, seems to be about finished. Despite the best efforts of the Raptors, the Chicago Bulls have been sucking like a Hoover; their best two players injured, their losing streak at 7. Canadian basketball fans had better hope that's enough to seal their fate; at least with a playoff appearance Bosh might agree to a sign and trade.

- Gilbert Arenas managed to sneak out of David Stern's doghouse long enough to scribble a couple-hundred words for Esquire about - what else - what went down with his boy Javaris during that fateful locker-room mishap. His take's kind of funny, in typical Gilbert fashion, and while we can all have a good laugh in hindsight, let's not forget the monumental stupidity of what transpired here. Definitely worth checking out.

Meanwhile, Arenas also announced his intentions to change his number to 6 next season. Was there rampant speculation as to why? Reckless accusations of dishonorable motives? Nobody

seemed to care. Let's keep it that way.

- Speaking of Esquire, this might be one of the best ideas ever. Probably way behind fire but just ahead of the wheel in a historical context. Don't sleep on Adriana Lima out of the 4-seed; I still don't know what she seed in Marko Jaric, but between the massive paycheck and the supermodel wife, dude's a serious contender for Luckiest Man Alive.

- ...And the good news just keeps on coming: the NBA Jam trailer just came out. Looks sick.

- Tracy McGrady: ‘I Know I’m Not Healthy’. Amazing revelations. This is truly compelling stuff.

- The Los Angeles Clippers, speaking realistically about making a run at Lebron this summer (insert requisite punchline here), finally strayed from ineptitude by severing ties with Mike Dunleavy, the man who's become reknowned around the NBA for doing just enough not to get himself fired. Apparently not anymore. Clearly this is a step in the right direction for the Empty Clipps, but counting on them to stagger backwards soon is an even-money bet.

This weekend, the Madness will consume us all. I'll be doing live notes for most of the first round to stay tuned...

This and That

- The All-Star reserves were leaked, sorry - announced yesterday, and the A's bench bosses did a pretty respectable job of voting in the right players. Among seven first-timers will be the overdue Deron Williams, the precocious Kevin Durant, and Zach Randolph, the guy whose career had been on such a vicious downswing prior to this year that he couldn't even cop a spot on the fan ballots. Damn. 21/11 happens and suddenly the once-written-off Grizzlies are holding down a playoff spot. If only Comeback Player of the Year existed. My only serious beefs are with Josh Smith and David Lee's exclusions. Smith's been an all-around monster for a Hawks team that's carved a niche among the East's top-tier team thanks in part to his aggressive slashing, reluctance to launch jumpers and general defensive brilliance. Speaking of the Hawks, Al Horford's having a nice year, but he's the third-best player on his team and the Daily Double's grinding out huge numbers for a not-so-unbearable Knicks squad. This was a tragic example of a deserving player's crappy team robbing him of an All-Star berth. Oh well. They'll be better with Lebron next year...

- The looming uncertainty surrounding Gilbert Arenas' suspension was cleared up Wednesday as the Sternbot laid down the expected season-long ban on Agent Zero....and some guy named Javaris Crittenton. Although Arenas is expected to avoid jail time, and therefore legal grounds for his contract to be voided, he's lost 70% of his salary and countless millions in endorsements. He's played roughly half a season's worth of basketball over the past three and although his suspension's been etched in stone, that's about all that's certain about Gilbert's future. If and when he returns to the NBA, he'll have to be a shell of his former self on and off-court; any team that he suits up for will have him on a leash shorter than Earl Boykins. We've witnessed the tragic demise of one of basketball's most entertaining personalities, at the hands of his own excess. Let us never forget him.

(And in related news, apparently Kobe's on the same tip. Bad time for the editor to be freebasing.)

- Another event on the cluttered NBA horizon is the impending trade deadline, which for a plethora of reasons could be among the busiest in recent history. The Suns are openly shopping Amare, the Jazz have long intended to part ways with Carlos Loozer, and names like Monta Ellis, Chris Bosh, David West and Andre Iguodala are popping up in rumors frequently enough to imply the possibility of several blockbusters. While it's all speculation at this point, the old saying "where there's smoke there's fire" took root for a reason, and very rarely have this many big names been drifting around trade talk, especially in a volatile climate for GM's under pressure to shed salaries while remaining above water in a brutally competitive league. We could be looking at a much-changed landscape in a couple weeks, let's hope all the excitement isn't for nothing.

- Meanwhile, back on the court, several teams that got off to shaky starts are seriously hitting their stride as the season comes into form. The Chicago Bulls were an absolute fucking disaster in November, losing unfathomably and leaving fans and analysts alike calling for Vinny D's head. The Utah Jazz struggled to find a consistent rhythm amongst their talented lineup, frustrating even the un-fazeable Jerry Sloan. The Memphis Grizzlies were mired in the Allen Iverson mishap and one of the A's worst starts; they seemed destined to fulfill their expected status as doormats. Two weeks ago, all three of these teams were on the outside looking at the playoff party, which they all have since crashed with 8-2 runs over the last ten. Also cruising at slightly lower altitudes are the Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs, both of whom faltered early and are stringing impressive victories together as they begin to play to their potential.

To find out exactly where all these teams fit in the whole scheme of the Association, tune in early next week for February's Power Rankings. Have a good weekend everyone, peace.

Arenas Kicks off the New Year with a Bang

Happy New Year (decade) everyone; hope the Holidays were everything they were supposed to be. As we embark upon the 2010's, the Association's top cheese and legions of fans are no doubt all praying for the next ten years to be a shade less turbulent than the last have been. PR (public and player) problems stole the spotlight from some amazing basketball too often in 2000's, but unfortunately, if primacy is any indication, we're in for more of the same:

As you all know by now, Gilbert Arenas, whether influenced by his Halo obsession or general stupidity, decided to stash a trio of handguns in his locker at the Verizon Center. Furthering his idiocy, Arenas turned the guns over to Wizards officials, claiming that he "didn't know how to dispose of them after his child was born", figuring that this wouldn't raise any eyebrows.

When the Wizards inevitably saw a problem with his weapons cache and the news became public, an NBA probe into the incident revealed a much more troubling incident: that Arenas and little-used teammate Javaris Crittenton had pulled guns on each other in a locker-room dispute that stemmed from a gambling debt. While details are still surfacing and being obscured by Arenas' very public and equally vague interpretations of what went down, it's apparent that these players were not only strapped in an NBA arena, but flaunted the weapons in a crowded locker room.

Arenas has since tried to dismiss the incident as being a "friendly confrontation", saying that it's been "blown out of proportion", but his indscretion's going to cause a lot of problems for a League that's been relentlessly trying to clean up its image.

The perceived need for pro athletes to protect themselves is debatable. For every stupid incident like this and Plaxico's Cheddar Bob moment, there are multiple robberies, assaults and murders of stars who, understandably, might feel targeted. If an athlete feels the need to pack heat, let's say, when at home with family or driving alone late-night, then that's their constitutionally-protected right and nothing for us to question. But deep inside the confines of a heavily-fortified NBA property, it no longer remains an issue of protection, but one of excess and poor judgement. Surrounded by friends, teammates, media and security personnel, Arenas and Crittenton had no logical reason to fear for their safety, and demonstrated even less logic in their decision to bring guns with them. That they whipped them out in the locker room, regardless of context, is beyond derogatory adjectives.

Even if we choose to give Arenas the benefit of the doubt and chalk this up as a joke between teammates, it's impossible to call the incident "harmless". The NBA spent the second half of the 2000's dealing with a multitude of image issues stemming from incidents like this , this, and this. While gun fueds between buddies might be all fun and games for them, explaining this seemingly irrational logic to legions of fans who've become disillusioned by the NBA's love affair with violence is difficult. Guns are a sensitive issue; they take thousands of innocent lives every year and spark endless debate. Arenas' exposure to gun violence has been limited to an online shoot-em-up, and his lax attitude towards his deliquency might not sit well with fans in Camden, Compton, Baltimore, or other violent cities plagued by gang violence.

As the investigation continues, suspensions, fines and God knows what else lay in wait for Arenas, who it seemed couldn't be having a worse year before this fell out. Now disgracing himself with his actions both on and off the court, the NBA's class clown might have to just chill at the front of the class and rest his head for a bit; his brand of humor might be wearing thin.