Javale Mcgee Knows No Fear

One of the many highlights of League Pass this season has been getting to watch Javale Mcgee on a regular basis. Washington's highly athletic, highly inconsistent starting centre is truly unique. He's versatile; comfortable both posting and facing up far from the basket, where his go-to move is typically an unconscious dribble in the general area of the hoop, followed by a long-jump-style leap into an awkward floater over 3 defenders, while Andray Blatche and Al Thornton stand wide open in disgust. It's absolutely hilarious. (Every now and then, when he's motivated, he turns into a one-man shot-blocking production line, sending anything that comes near the net into the 20th row, but back to the point...)

Last week, the Wiz were being completely waxed by the Kings in a mundane affair that obviously left Mcgee craving more excitement. In the game's waning moments, he found himself on a wide open break, decided to attempt a free-throw line dunk, and missed it as horribly and awkwardly as humanly possible (...and believe me, I know a thing or two about embarrassing missed dunks).

Evidently, the jeers from the crowd, the laughs from his teammates, and the dubious internet stardom (his shank was featured on Yahoo's homepage, among other places) haven't phased him. A few nights later, well...if you haven't seen this already, you really need to just take it in and come up with your own ridiculous adjective for it; the title says it well. This guy might be my new favourite player in the league.

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.

It's Deadline Time!

...And things promised to be a especially hectic this year, as the sinking luxury tax threshold and anticipation of July's impending free-agent exodus added other dimensions to the usual clamor to improve contenders, re-build disasters and move disgruntled stars. Not to disappoint, several blockbuster deals stood out amongst a flurry of moves made with a wide variety of motivations. Let's break down the important deals and see who came out on top:

Mavericks get: Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, Deshawn Stevenson

Wizards get: Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, box of spare pistol ammunition

This deal, announced over the weekend, kicked off the madness and signaled the beginning of Washington's voluntary implosion. Here, they were lowballed for their best player and although they gained some long-term flexibility by shedding Stevenson and Haywood's, this franchise - given their preseason aspirations - is at rock bottom. Dallas meanwhile, is loving this trade. They added a slasher to their perimeter scorers in Butler, who also becomes their best and toughest defender. Haywood can rebound, block shots and be much more of a distraction down low on both ends than Erick Dampier, and Stevenson? Well, his weird beard can raise morale as locker-room joke fodder. They got significantly better, and could potentially become the biggest threat to the Lakeshow. Who wins? 80% Mavs, 20% Wizards

Blazers get: Marcus Camby

Clippers get: Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw, ca$h money

Great move for the Blazers. Down two centers to season-long injury, Portland went out and nabbed maybe the best rent-a-center they could've by landing the former DPOY. Assuming Camby himself doesn't revert to his injury-prone ways (and Brandon Roy comes back), he'll solidify the middle for a playoff run and come off the books for about $11 mil in June. They give up a guard they didn't need and an injured swingman they likely couldn't afford to re-sign. The Clippers get to shave a little more money off the cap next year, knowing that their season was going nowhere and Camby was going anywhere else. Who wins? 70% Blazers, 30% Clippers

Bobcats get: Tyrus Thomas

Bulls get: Flip Murray, Acie Law, future 1st rounder

Thomas' departure was inevitable; his inconsistent play and apparently shitty attitude endeared him little to Vinny D kept his teammates constantly guessing; will he make this play?...Will he make the team flight? This seems like addition by subtraction for Chicago, who also boost their scoring punch and backcourt depth with their new players. Meanwhile, Charlotte's painfully thin frontcourt gets bolstered by Thomas' addition; regardless of his disposition he can become an impact player if he keeps his head on straight. Maybe a change of scenery was what he needed, but he'll fill a serious void on a team that relies on their small forward for almost 12 boards every game. Bonus points to Charlotte for pilfering a potential stud, whose name has been floated in rumors for awhile, when his value was at an all-time low. Who wins? 50% Bulls, 50% Bobcats

Bucks get: John Salmons

Bulls get: Hakim Warrick, Joe Alexander

The Bulls quietly dumped Salmons' $6 million salary for two expiring deals. This will do little to help their playoff cause (not that it'll amount to anything beyond a swift first-round exit), but methinks Chicago might be cleaning house to make a run at a hometown kid who's looking less and less at home down in Miami. If we're to take Wade's recent encouraging comments about playing in Chi-Town seriously (and why woulnd't we?), then this would be a worthwhile venture. The Bucks pick up some backcourt competency in the trade, probably not enough to dodge the lottery though. The expiring deals they give up limit the flexibility of a team that needs to rebuild regardless of Michael Redd's status, and picked up only a serviceable swingman. Who wins? 60% Bulls, 40% Bucks

Celtics get: Nate Robinson, unknown player (as of Thursday afternoon)

Knicks get: Eddie House, Bill Walker's corpse, JR Giddens

The Knicks made another payroll have, acquiring a bunch of soon-to-be-null contracts and getting rid of a player who had clearly fallen out of favor with Mike D'Antoni and hardly played anyway. The Celtics traded an erratic, undersized shooting guard for an erratic, undersized point guard who won't match House's playoff experience or be effective unless he's dominating the ball on a team of very good players. Robinson's a better player talent-wise, but I worry about his ability to contribute to a contender. Who wins? 65% Knicks, 35% Celtics

Knicks get: Tracy McGrady, Sergio Rodriguez

Rockets get: Kevin Martin, Jordan Hill, Jared Jeffries

Kings get: Carl Landry, Joey Dorsey and...sigh..Larry Hughes

In the most complex deadline deal, the Kings decided Kevin Martin wasn't fitting into their scheme (in all honesty, they played much better without him) and shipped Houston exactly what they needed: first an elite scorer, then working New York into the deal to add a legit 7-foot prospect (of which Houston currently has none) and a great defender in Jeffries, while doing right by Tracy McGrady (for some reason) and sending him to a preferred destination. T-Mac gets a chance to revive his career in a high-octane offense under the bright lights of MSG, and if things don't work out, his league-high $23 million price tag comes off the books in a few months. Despite his recent ineptitude, McGrady - having been almost voted an All-Star starter - is clearly still one of the most popular players in the League and will give fans something to care about as the Knicks grind to another lottery season. The Kings pick up maybe the A's most underrated player in Landry, who will be a nice, consistent piece on a team that's had little stability this season. You have to think a top-tier scorer like Martin, whose trade value hadn't been slandered at all, could've netted more. Who wins? 50% Rockets, 40% Knicks, 10% Kings

Cavaliers get: Antawn Jamison, The Artist Formerly Known As Sebastien Telfair

Wizards get: Zydrunas Ilgauskas' contract, Al Thornton

Clippers get: Drew Gooden

The Wizards firesale/complete fucking meltdown spread yesterday, consuming their other All-Star calibre forward and sending him to the (record-wise) best team in the conference. We know that Washington's trying to cut costs like ties to Gilbert Arenas, and the Clippers needed to shore up their thin front line (although I sincerely doubt they've found the answer), but what this does for Cleveland is significant. It's a shame that Lebron and Amar'e won't be joining forces, but I like this trade for a couple reasons. Not only will Jamison spread the floor better and likely fit very well into Cleveland's offensive scheme, but the Cavs were able to hold onto JJ Hickson, who would've been included in any deal with Phoenix and is becoming a serious beast. Jamison's proven highly effective as a role player; this former 6th Man of the Year wanted to be traded to a contender to help win a title and might be the difference in deciding who brings it home in June. Meanwhile, Big Z's likely going to be bought out, in which case his re-signing with the Cavs for the minimum would be a sure bet. Adding a would've-been All-Star for nothing? That's the kind of shrewd move that'll instill confidence in Lebron and convey the organization's commitment to winning now. Who wins? 90% Cavs, 10% Wizards, Clippers?...well...you got Drew Gooden.

In related news, the Jazz saved some luxury money by shipping Ronnie Brewer to the Grizz for a first-rounder, the Bucks and 76ers exchanged Gatorade coolers for practice balls and Darko Milicic was traded again, but who really cares about him anymore?

I'll be back in a few days to ramble on about some of the trades that didn't happen, why, and what it could mean for the teams involved. 'Til then, 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.

The Tipping Point

Disappointment's been contagious this year. As the All-Star Break inches closer and the 2008-09 NBA season takes a firmer form, there's plenty of teams that are far from where they envisioned themselves before the season, and losing precious time to regain ground. While some squads are so screwed that major personnel changes and minor miracles are their only hope at redemption, others find themselves still in the mix, with the possibility of salvaging this season. Here's a look at a few teams who are stuck up shit's creek (giving a pass to injury-crippled Utah, the rejuvenated 76ers and the Pistons, who should've simply just kept Chauncey) and where they might want to look for a paddle:

Washington Wizards
The Wiz had dreams of contending in the East this season; dreams that have crashed and burned, leaving injury-plagued Washington lying in the smoldering ashes of league's worst record...inexplicably with the same roster that got them to the 5th seed last spring. While having their best player and starting center relegated to the sideline all season has been a primary cause, the answer might lie there as well. Brendan Haywood's injury has given rise to young stud Andray Blatche, who is still raw but has shown considerable progress since being drafted out of high school. Just 22, he's far from his ceiling and should become more consistent with more experience and maturity. Meanwhile, Gilbert Arenas is indicating he might not suit up at all this year, after just 13 appearances in 07-08. He's still revered as one of the deadliest scorers in the league, but has been the league's highest-paid cheerleader for almost two seasons, and had many heads saying last season that the Wizards were playing better without him. Dealing their walking wounded might be a good way for Washington to shake up a rotation that's never gotten them out of the first round; one that badly needs a fresh start.

Toronto Raptors
Another team that once thought they could run with the East's best, the Raptors have been rudely awakened to the reality that they're still soft, shoot too many jumpers, and have a weak killer instinct that belies their name. Needless to say that Jermaine O'Neal's presence on the low block hasn't opened up the court for more wing penetration and Chris Bosh high-post domination like they'd hoped, and now sit further out of the playoff picture than they've been in years. Trading O'Neal might be premature, especially for Shawn Marion (as rumored), a guy who doesn't address the team's immediate needs and will likely walk in July. This season might be a lost cause if Toronto can't toughen up, and the sad reality is that this team, saddled by O'Neal's unappealing contract, is a few moves away from redemption and has a 18 months until Bosh inevitably bounces for greener pastures. They need more post bangers (Andrea Bargnani doesn't fit the bill) and a slashing swingman to attack defenses, but securing those assets in time to convince Bosh to stay might be too much to ask.

Chicago Bulls
This team's lost. Owner Jerry Reinsdorf's "disaster" stamp on the season was a little harsh (considering they're the prime candidates to snatch the 8th seed out East when Michael Redd-less Milwaukee inevitably loses it), but the Bulls aren't headed anywhere significant. They have no post presence on offense, a glut of underachieving forwards and their best scorer can shoot them out of games just as easily as back into them (I won't even start ranting about the presence of Larry Hughes). This core was supposed to take them to the top of the conference last year, and has proved that Scott Skiles wasn't necessarily the problem; they're incompatible and too young. Trade for size and experience, let Rose continue to blossom and condense the talent on a roster with too many mediocre players fighting for minutes.

Houston Rockets
Another year of West Crown ambitions, another year as middle men well below the cusp of elite status. Sure it's been tough for them to stay healthy (it's cliche at this point), but this team needs to trade T-Mac while he's still considered an All-Star calibre talent, which he's looking less and less like every day. I know, I know, wasn't I just waxing about T-Mac ressurrecting his career just last week? Sure, I hope for his sake he does so his career isn't branded a tease like Vince before him...but it's also not very likely. If I'm Houston, I'm working the phones to find a guy who will stay healthy, play within the offense and, if he's a volume shooter, at least break the .400 barrier. If Mac's value hasn't plummeted as low as I'm guessing, maybe even snag a backup center in the deal and give yourself some bodies that may be a downgrade in talent, but a serious upgrade in funtionality.

Phoenix Suns
Terry Porter's hiring was a mistake. He's forced them to play a slower, almost shackled game, especially in contrast to D'Antoni's system. His emphasis on defense has spelled the Suns' minor implosion this season for two main reasons: 1) After several years of playing the most amusing, trigger-happy basketball the league's seen in ages, nobody on Phoenix's roster wants to buy into a defensive grind. Sure Shaq slows them down, they can't run as much, but their offensive sets are reminiscent of Porter's stagnant and inept Milwaukee teams; they're too talented to be this reined in. 2) Stressing D doesn't play to the Suns' skills. Steve Nash? Can't guard a D-league bench warmer. Amar'e Stoudemire? Foul-prone and easily frustrated. Jason Richardson? Twice the scorer he is a defender. Porter's approach evidently hasn't been popular with his players, especially Stoudemire who needs to be appeased or traded. Scuba Steve Kerr will have a much easier time canning a disliked coach than explaining to everyone why he got lowballed for his franchise player. In two summers, Stoudemire will likely be tempted by an offer to play alongside Lebron James or Dwyane Wade (there's several teams with that much cash to throw), so don't give him more reasons to walk.

Los Angeles Clippers
They have several tradeable assets, so the Clippers need to do something drastic, anything to shake things up. No one should be considered untouchable on this roster; they're talented but still are tied for the league's worst record. Like the Bulls, they're a team without a real identity, but with enough talent to make a serious splash at the trade deadline. Their team's been bogged down in a losing culture since their inception, and why they're continuing to struggle so mightily this year is seriously beyond me. Something needs to give though, that something being either Marcus Camby or Chris Kaman, which could fetch a nice return at the deadline and give DeAndre Jordan a chance to get some burn. They need more role players and perimeter defenders as a start, but they won't right the ship for a few years, and this being the Clippers, probably not at all.