HUNDYSPOT.COM

Recently, former NBA role player Steve Kerr wrote a piece for Bill Simmons’ GRANTLAND sports and pop culture website http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7883540/steve-kerr-problems-age-limit-nba where he attempted to make the case for the NBA raising its current age limit of 19 to 20. The piece uses many different arguments in its attempt to convince the reader why the league, its players and fans would all be better off with the raised age limit. However, while he tries to make arguments which appeal to the reader’s sense of decency like ‘sense of team’ and ‘mentoring’, Kerr eventually drops the façade, drops these points, tramples on arguments centred around protecting players civil liberties and declares that the NBA is all about the dollar and that “The NBA should only care about running its operation the best it can.”

In this piece I will look at some of the arguments made by Kerr and of course the other half baked arguments that have become popular for raising the draft age to 20. And then categorically debunk them. The purpose of this exercise is to demonstrate that raising the draft age is not only not the best way to make the NBA as a product better, but doing so is just an exercise in futility which allows incompetent owners and team managers like Steve Kerr to continually make bad front office decisions while blaming others for their problems.  And while Steve Kerr was shown the door before he could convince management that the Boogey-Man was responsible for Phoenix’s prompt down turn upon is arrival, there are still plenty of GMs looking for scapegoats so without further ado,  to business…

Player Maturity, Player Development, Sense of Team, Mentoring, Young Players Dun Took Our Jobs etc.

Unlike Steve Kerr I don’t get paid by the letter, so I will loop together the most popular arguments on young players lacking skills and maturity if they enter the league too early and that somehow raising the age limit from 19-to-20 will cure all the underperforming headcases in the NBA into one analysis.

With respect to lacking skills, what age limit proponents forget to mention is that the game’s most popular, skilled and team leaders are all guys who entered the league after high school or one year of college. Lebron James, Zach Randolph, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudamire, Dwight Howard,  Trace McGrady, Jermaine O’Neal, Tyson Chandler, Al Harrington, Al Jefferson, Andrew Bynum, John Wall, Mike Conely, Kendrick Perkin, Monta Ellis, Josh Smith and Kobe Bryant are all players who either played no or only one year of college basketball. And you know what? THESE GUYS RULE THE LEAGUE!!!

I will never get this aspect of the age-limit argument that high school players or one year guys are somehow lacking in skills. In fact, I reviewed the list of high school players drafted into the NBA, and the majority of them have been notable players in the league, totally in line (if not superseding )the late-great-not-really-late Jerry West’s 51% wellness standard for good drafting.

In sum anyone who makes the argument that high school players or even guys who leave college after a year cannot have the same basketball skill set as other players are totally full of it, you should never buy what they are selling and if any GM truly believes this they will sooner or later surely join Steve Kerr on the unemployment line.  

With respect to the lack of maturity or sense of team absence, this argument is somewhat more plausible to buy into due to the fact that young people are for the most part less mature then older people due the latter group having more life experience and stabilized emotions. However, it is also a fact that no matter how old your players are you are never going to have an organization as large as the NBA that will ever be free from immature headcases like Ron Artest or Dennis Rodman. Furthermore, to say that people who are only one or two years older will be leaps and bounds more mature than younger counter parts is far less persuasive of an argument than to say the difference in maturity level between a 19 years old and a 20 year old would only be incrementally higher. Therefore, to me the difference in maturity level between a 19 and a 20 year old, or an 18 and 20 year old, on average, is negligible. However, even if you disagree with me, and you (like Steve Kerr) believe that players are need to be around older people and mentors at a young age for maturity purposes, what better place is there then the NBA when they can learn from older players in the league and be mentored by one of the many former players often given cushy front office jobs? Since more often than not they screw things up on the management end, if you are concerned with developing a mentor-protégé relationship (which mind you can last far longer than even 4 years with a college coach), let these former players  who are busy running franchises into the ground, take a step back and mentor these young guys. Its win-win.

Finally, while the “sense of team” might seem on the surface again might seem like a decent reason to force players to stay in college longer, the fact that young players have the opportunity to play 4 years of high school ball in addition to the obvious fact that they can build a sense of team with their new NBA teammates, which in the vast majority of cases (especially with the new CBA) will be much longer then 2 or 3 years of college. Furthermore, as for the argument that AAU teams do not adequately foster a sense of team, that is not only highly debatable, but even if people like Steve Kerr question the system, why not pen a critique or actively try and change the rules of that system instead of forcing extra unpaid and ultimately financially unfruitful years on up-and-coming players, many of whom are from impoverished backgrounds.

And speaking of financials…

Marketing Costs, Financial Costs…THE ALL MIGHTY DOLLAR $$$$$$$

In the movie Casino, Joe Pecsi’s character Nicky Santoro has a great line which encapsulates the essence of almost every thing or every “reality” we are exposed today, “it’s about the dollars. It’s always about the fucking dollars.” And of course the NBA is no different. Even after Steve Kerr and the other pro-college pundits try and pull at your heart strings by saying that the young players are missing out on college life, sense of team, acquiring maturity blah blah blah etc. they will eventually  cop to the fact that what it boils down to is money (and of course, Steve Kerr is no exception). And probe a little deeper and you will see that what it is really about, and its simply keeping fat cats fat even if that means stepping on the civil liberties and financial security of the players that are responsible for keeping these fat cats fat and giggly in the first place.

However, while we as a society have accepted the fact that those who have will always seek to keep their gravy trains running on time, there are several reasons why even from a business perspective forcing young players to remain in college is not the best way to maximize fat cat dollars, present or future.  

Astonishing you say? Well here is why…

One of the biggest problems with the current debate about the age-limit is that it allows GMs and other front office persons an excuse for doing their jobs badly when things go wrong. Steve Kerr and others who share his view postulate that having an extra year to watch kids in college will allow them to watch players for an extra year and make better decisions. However, whether or not this is true is of little consequence due to the fact that the front office brass should be able to make the same informed decisions and do the same required background research on most prospects the way past NBA executives have had to make for years. Thus the real reason brass push for the age-limit is because they want an opportunity to make their cushy jobs even more so, and have an extra year to saunter through an evaluation process that other competent executives have done for years. I’m sorry but for the money being made in front offices around the league, decisions should be made efficiently and executives should be held accountable. Obviously if some GMs are keeping their jobs for years on end some people are able to cope with the demands of the jobs and make their teams in to winners and thus  it should be survival of the fittest. In sum, keeping the current draft age-limit, or even putting it back to 18, will keep front office personnel sharp, force them to do their jobs efficiently and keep them accountable.

Building on the last point, there is also another reason why raising the draft limit will not help the NBA from a business perspective and it is because it will not help cure or help prevent the culture of nepotism and “cronism” which has infested front-offices league wide(and sadly, not just in the NBA). In fact, keeping the draft limit where it is will help put the spotlight back on NBA front office and make sure people are not just hired because of who their daddy is, what frat they belonged to and, in the case of former players who are way under-qualified from a business and sports management standpoint to be in the front office anyway, how big of a local hero they might be. Clearing house and making sure you have qualified people able to meet the demands of tighter scouting, recruiting and the resulting evaluation process will do much more for improving the NBA business as a whole then raising the draft limit ever could.

With respect to the interest generating and or marketing argument I am going to dispel that very quickly  as hogwash for the simple reason that while there was indeed tremendous anticipation for talented guys like Patrick Ewing when they entered the league, you cannot convince me or anyone that talented guys like Lebron James did not generate equally is not more interest when they entered the league (he was getting guys like Shaq to come down watch him in high school, while also appearing on the cover of SI so give me a break). Further, even if some people are willing to concede that the press might have been greater for college vets entering the league back in the day, that means nothing because again, all of the leagues best players today, the super-duper stars, the guys that move the jerseys, make the headlines and sell out the games, are mostly perp-to-pro guys or one and dones. The list is huge, so give me a break with the losing out on marketing argument.

With respect to the argument that younger players do not put up numbers right away similar to how past greats like Jordan, Magic and Bird did in their rookie years, the fact that most new players do not is a fair point. However, not only were those guys were three of the all-times greatest players ever, but  players today be they high school phenoms or college vets do not put up rookie numbers like that simply because the game has changed and the minutes are simply not there for rookies as more time is usually spent on development in the first year. However, if you take the second year numbers from some of the best players today like Kevin Durant or Lebron James for example, their numbers are as good if not better then those put up by even said Dream Team All-Stars. And what does this mean from a business stand point? Well it means that in terms of age v. production, the younger guys today are able to produce at comparable (if not better) rates much earlier then guys who would still be in college under the proposed new age limit. So really, on average GMs would be coming out ahead. Still don’t believe me, well look at the facts…

For example, Michael Jordan was 21 when he entered the NBA and, admittedly he put up fantastic numbers right away.

However, Lebron James was 18 when he entered the league and by 19 he put up similar numbers to Jordan

And it isn’t just a phenom like Lebron, the trend is also visible when you look at the end year numbers of other guys like Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant

Carmelo Anthony 2^nd year

*rookie year bonus

Kevin Durant 2^nd year

Therefore, if there were no draft limit, teams would be able to utilize these eye pop numbers and the skills of young stars right away and two to three years earlier.  And of course that added jump spike in numbers who obviously correlate to more team interest, higher ticket sales, better tv deals, increased jersey sales, sponsorship deals and eventually wins (which further multiplies everything) much sooner. Therefore, why keep your golden goose on the shelf when it is ready to lay eggs right away, or at least much sooner. 

Lastly, even if all the other reasons and examples are wrong, and bottom-lines were actually effected by players playing in college, is enacting legislation forcing them against their wills and/or civil liberties the best way to accomplish this? Won’t you just get an increasing amount of players complaining that you are treating them like property and not human being (oh wait, this is happening now? Shit)? Won’t this in turn lead to ugly, contentious, and non-interest based negotiations with the very player that make your league and put money in your pocket(oh wait, this also just happened? Double Shit)?  Aren’t you going to have to make a worse deal and suffer a longer then necessary work stoppage then you otherwise would have if these terrible feelings never existed(oh wait, this is precisely what happened? Triple Shit)?

Won’t all of these things ultimately affect your bottom line (I know, SHIT)?

Simply, put instead of trying to force your erroneous convictions about raising the draft limit on a group of players  who again, the majority of which come from impoverished background and are desperate to help their families, why not just work with the NCAA to change their rules on paying players so that players have an actually have an incentive to stay in college and have a real free choice about going to college or playing in the NBA (it is also a great and overdue business decision for the NCAA because they will be able to hang on to kids longer and avoid the scandals which seemingly give them and the college teams they represent  a different blackeye everyday). With respect to payment I am not advocating paying the players a ton of money at the college level, just a stipend amount (maybe 500-1000 dollars a month) so that they are even minimally financially compensate for their efforts and are able to develop a sense of responsibility and  self-worth early on. These feelings of fairness will help to avoid the us-against them mentality which currently exists between players and owners (not just in the NBA but in other leagues as well), and thus eliminate many of the roadblocks based on personal conflicts which hold up negotiations, and ultimately keep the gravy train from running on time.

In sum, I have prepared a point by point counterargument aimed not a just Steve Kerr, but to all those who think that a higher draft age will magically cure all of the ills plaguing the NBA. Ultimately attempting to whitewash a problem very rarely works, and in this instance with respect to the NBA it is notdifferent. The NBA is riddled with a variety of different problems keeping it from realizing its true potential both from a business and non-business standpoint, and as is often the case bad management is the problem. As a whole we are culture that shirks responsibility, than looks for excuses/the scapegoat and than the quick fix to larger underlying problems. Unfortunately, these quick fixes never work, but are merely patch jobs until the problems either rears its ugly head again or gets worse. Unless, the NBA actually looks at the root causes holding it back, only time will tell if the higher draft limit is the former or the latter.

One of the great joys in my life is watching my friend Ryan hit the ceiling with some of the outlandish things I say. He accuses me of having “Cartman’s memory”, which if you have seen the South Park episode spoofing Kanye West, is quite the indictment. However, while I might do cop to saying pretty outlandish things because I am right so often I think I am justified in the manner in which I carry myself, even if the end result is my friend Ryan having a stroke by the time he is 35.

In any event, here is a list of some of the prominent events, trends or just plain”calls” I have made over the past few years. Some of the calls I have made which have yet to come to fruition (but that I GUARANTEE will happen) I will post in coming days. The list is not complete, but I will continue to update it as time goes by/I can remember more things. Enjoy

COME TO PASS CALLS THAT I HAVE MADE

-The 2011 Giants would beat the top ranked Green Bay Packers ( I have the gambling slips to prove)

-The 2011 Giants would win the Superbowl (ditto)

-Jeremy Lin’s success was temporary (ready my entry a few months back)

-Terrence Newman was terrible and needed to be cut (I even wrote Jerry Jones an impassioned letter as a fan back in 2003 or 2004)

-The Bacehlor as a show is racist as fuck (not only does it not feature a minority in the leading role, but minorities never make it far in the competition)

-Apple Stock would blow up (made this call in 2007 before the release of the IPOD and told everybody, sadly as student I had no money to invest)

-NetFlix would blow up after hitting a low of 68 dollars a share in 2011 (although after clawing its way back to 130 the stock slipped, luckily I sold my fifty shares at around 110)

-Beats-Audio headphones would blow up

-Lady Gaga would become a huge star (called this before her Ms. Universe appearance a few years ago)

-Rhianna would be a big star (said this back in 2005 when Jay-Z introduced her along simultaneously with some other girl. I don’ t know what happened with that other chick, but I wonder sometimes).

-Mixing Rap Artists with dance beats was a winning combination

-Tiger Woods has a phoney personality, would never break Jack Nichlaus’ record for Majors and was finished after the incident with his car and his wife (despite the hackiness of sports writers who pushed his brand, he was actually finished the year before)

-Brett Favre was a phoney and the most overrated athlete ever (even my friend Ry will attest that I called this as far back as the early 2000s)

-Building a frnachise around a “Mobile” Quarterback is the stupidest decision one could ever make (both in fantasy and real life) as NFL success is dependant on pocket passing, making good decisions and staying healthy.

-Kristen Weig is the funniest woman alive and everyone will know it (called a couple years back).

-Adam Sandler is the most un-original and un-funniest person alive and his sweeping of the Razzies and string of terrible movies should attest to this (forget Stonehenge, how he still makes movies and get paid millions of dollars for it is the World’s greatest mystery).

-Will Ferrell is almost as untalented and unfunny as Adam Sandler (called this many years ago and his ranking as the most unbankable movie star in the World last year or the year before is proof positive).

-Untalented hacks like Sandler and Farrell will continue to stay current by latching on to actually funny people only to suck them down as well (Chris Rock in Grown Ups, Seth Rogan in Frunny People, John Header in Blades of Glory etc.)

-We would see a rise in movies that being at the end (or near end) of the film’s story (there was a rash of these around the time of the Hangover)

-Heath Ledger would win best supporting actor (called this months before the Dark Knight came out)

-Rosie O’Donnell sucked, was overpaid and about to be flushed out of show business

-Keith Oberman (see Rosie Above)

-Peyton Manning was done in Indy (called this right when it was announced he was gone for the season and the Colts were tanking)

-Conan O’Brien would fail miserably  in his role as Tonight Show host

-Jay Leno despite his detractors would return as the King of Late Night (rating don’t lie Ryan)

-The Tim Tebow fad would not last

-The Playboy Club would fail miserably

-SNL despite its recent bout with losing cast members would return to prominence due to its case being one of the best of all time (With Kristen Weig’s impending departure though this might not remain true. Plus the writing has gone to shit recently).

-The Miami Heat would not win the title in 2011

-The Jonas Brothers would not last long in the music business (I know I know, who are the Jonas broehters right?)

-Amy Winehouse dies (everyone called this I guess)

-Whitney Houston dies (again a sad ditto)

-Anna Nicole Smith dies (ok this is getting sad)

-Martin Bashear is responsible for the Death of Michael Jackson (not much debate here, he underhandedly pushed a weak man over the edge)

-Sandra Bullock was an idiot to marry a scumbag like Jesse James

-Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johanssen’s marriage would not last

-Ashton Kutcher’s marriage to Demi Moore would never last (anyone who thought they would be parried past her turning 55 is mentally ill)

-Kim Kardashian and Blake Griffen’s  Kris Humphris’ marriage would never last (I didn’t see 70 something days though)

-Jennifer Aniston will continue to ride public sympathy into far more fame and movie roles then she deserves (I didn’t think all her movies be this terrible though)

-Taylor Swift will continue to ride public sympathy into far more fame and music albums then she deserves (I didn’t think all her songs would sound the same though)

-Boxing despite seeing a resurgence in popularity would continue to be ignored by the sports media who would rather push a real sport like golf on us  (Floyd’s numbers this weekend both in terms of record setting guaranteed purse and pay-per-views buys are proof positive of this sad trend/call).

-Lebron James being able to call himself the King without actually winning any titles could only last so long (I have no idea how he lasted 7 years in the league

-Avatar was going to be one of the biggest movies ever (despite several media outlets and my friend Ry betting against it).

-Inception would be a massive hit (I also called in the theatre that his ring indicates what is real and what is dream)

-2011 would be one of the worst summer for movies ever (called this before it kicked off, but the audience is only to blame. Unless we stop going to see trash like Grown Ups, Jack and Jill, cash grab sequels, cash grab comic book sequels and super-cash grab movies which are deliberately broken in two just to squeeze out every last drop from movie goers (Harry Potter Deathly Hallows and Breaking Dawn) we will only continue to be inundated with terrible selection and awful movies).

-Despite movies being terrible of late, we are in an absolute golden age of television (this isn’t really a call as it is a fact. A gloooorious fact. So tay home and watch tv until movie makers get their fucking act together).

During game two of Monday’s Heat-Knicks game, an enthusiastic Kevin Harlan and somewhat un-nerved Reggie Miller discussed why Lebron James would be this year’s NBA MVP. However, during the discussion Reggie Miller went from un-nerved to totally upset when Harlan gleeful exclaimed that Lebron was so focussed on having his best season that he even called up former NBA greats and asked them what it takes to be great. During the course of his rant, Miller voiced several concerns he had with this behaviour and in particular, “that if Lebron James, on the verge of winning his third MVP trophy still asking other players what it takes to win.” And while Harlan tried desperately to soften the tone of the exchange, an agitated Miller refused to be quelled, continued his unimpressed sermon and asked why the most physically gifted athlete in the game was still asking former players what it takes to be great, when they should be calling him?

While Miller eventually cooled off, the poignant questions about Lebron’s MVP status linger and in a way perfectly sum up who Lebron James is as  a player and, in turn illustrate why he isn’t really an MVP at all.

Is LeBron James not the MVP because of this numbers (i.e. statistics)?

No, Lebron has put up numbers his entire career and to his credit this year they are more amazing then ever given that his FG% has risen up to 55% this season. His other numbers are also great across the board, so no, it is not the statistics.

Is Lebron James not the MVP because he is not the best player on his team?

Usually an MVP has to be considered the MVP of his own team before he can be considered the MVP of the entire league and of course this should be no exception.  While Chris Bosh is a top twenty player and Dwayne Wade is consistently in the discussion about who is the league’s best player, Lebron James is still better then both of them, especially when it comes to the numbers. Therefore, while he plays on a team with other star calibre players, Lebron is still the best guy in their locker room. So it is not that he isn’t the best player on his team.

Is Lebron James not the MVP because of his team’s record?

While the NBA MVP trophy is usually awarded to a player with the top record in the league, the fact that Lebron’s team does not have the best record in the league does not (and should not) automatically disqualify him from MVP status. Furthermore, the fact that the Miami Heat are not even in the top two  record-wise should not automatically disqualify him from contention due to the fact that in many instances the MVP has been crowned on a player who is not among the league’s top seeded teams if that player’s impact was so great that without him the team would be far worse off. A perfect example is Steve Nash’s second MVP campaign in which he won the award on a Phoenix squad who did not have the league’s best record and even though his team’s roster was depleted, still managed to carry his team into the playoffs and make everyone on is squad better statistically. In this regard, this is perhaps one of the most obvious criticisms of James’ MVP candidacy, because even without him his team is talented enough to win at least 55-60% of their games and easily make the playoffs in the East. However, despite this glaring knock on his candidacy it is not the main reason that should disqualify from the MVP award because many past MVPs have played on stacked teams (Bird, Magic, Jordan etc.). So its no its not his team record.

Does he have the Heart and Leadership qualities you expect from an MVP?

When Lebron James bolted Cleveland in 2010, even as Reggie Miller pointed out on Monday, he had every right to do so. But at that the point when he made the decision to do so, that he was crossing a line that most great players never do, quitting on your team to play somewhere you think is better. And while this choice has propagated a million different interpretations, it still boils down to quitting when the going gets tough. With my apologies to Lebron James, this is not something I expect from a leader or an MVP.  In addition to the millions of people who see Lebron’s choice this way (whom Lebron’s camp sees only as haters), it was also unanimously the opinion shared by the very greats he sought out for advice this past summer.

Of course, Western society also accepts that people make mistakes and that it is possible for one to right the wrongs of the past through there actions. However, in Lebron’s case this has not happened yet either. While most people consider the MVP to be a regular season award, Lebron’s epic collapse in the 2011 Finals should have been a mammoth enough reason for no one ever to vote for Lebron as the MVP until such time as he atoned for his terrible play and vaginal effort. And that type of atonement should only come in the playoffs. However, even if the hardheads still want to follow the letter of the NBA MVP award instead of the spirit of what the award really means (i.e. the most important leader on a team without whom the team is lost) then Lebron’s decision to defer to others in crunch time and when really faced with a challenged but in the all-star game and in several games over the course of the season demonstrates that Lebron at his core is still all about the tuck-tail and run. I am sorry, but that is not what the NBA MVP has ever been, nor should it ever be. The decision for some fans, current players, team executives and the sports media to not only ignore James’ coward play on and off the court, but reward it with an MVP trophy is ludicrous. There are at least ten more players around the league who put up similar numbers to James (if not better) who step up night-in, night-out and put their teams on their back in good times and bad, and I say give anyone of them the award be it Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Love, Chris Paul, Paul Pierce, Steve Nash or even Derrick Rose in his injury plagued season (because although he might not play and his team does well enough without him, he is willing to lead and go to war for his team when he can).

In sum, to give Lebron James the MVP award is shocking enough on its own, but for no one in the sports world to step up and publically vocalize this travesty is equally (if not more shocking). However, in an age when government officials, wall street big-wigs and no-talent entertainers who despite their heinous and offensive behaviour are routinely rewarded by a society that continues to look the other way, maybe Lebron James is the perfect NBA MVP. It might be a sad indictment of our times, but at least Lebron is King of something.

The following is a list of NBA stars who for a variety of reasons are finding the lustre of their once promising NBA careers, considerably starting to fade and who are in need of a fresh start. The following is a list of NBA players in desperate need of a change and recommendations for where they should end up:

Jason Terry: One would think that after winning an NBA championship, that any player would feel on top of the World. Unfortunately, after a year of losing key players to free agency, a general malaise that came after winning a title and management’s focus on the future not the present (i.e. trying to lock down Dwight Howard and/or Deron Williams in the summer) and, things have not been great for Mavericks guard Jason Terry. In fact, things have gotten so frustrating for Terry (and his lack of a contract extension) that he even stated a few weeks ago that he waseffectively auditioning for 29 other teams with his on court play and that every game was like an “interview”. 

Recommendation: Given Terry’s skill set and trademark over-confidence he would be perfect going back to his old team the Atlanta Hawks. With Josh Smith desperate to leave Atlanta, Jason Terry would be perfect to pick up Smith’s offensive slack (when Al Horford comes back next season he can pick up the defensive slack).

Steve Nash: Although Steve Nash is too nice of a guy to request a change of scenery, after watching another year of him carrying the Phoenix Suns I will ask for one for him. Despite Suns’ management continued refusal to bring in a quality player (never mind one who can also play defense), Steve Nash at 38, almost managed to get a rag-rag bunch of back-ups into the playoffs. Enough is enough Steve, its time to go.

Recommendation: Although the logical choice would be to bring Captain Canada back home, the Raptors are terrible at the moment and unless they could get another solid player this summer have no shot at landing Nash. Miami however is an attractive right now as they are in win-now mode and are in desperate need of a PG. If they don’t win a title this year do not be surprised to see Nash in a Heat jersey next year( I know, I know, I’ll be sick too).

Ray Allen: Ever since Ray Allen went down with an ankle injury in the latter part of the regular season, the Boston Celtics have played their best ball since the terrible trade that sent Kendrick Perkins to OKC. With Allen out, the Celtics were able to focus on defense with the insertion of promising rookie Avery Bradley into the line-up  and everyone has played better for it. The chances of this being Ray Allen’s last season in Boston are currently resting comfortably at 99.99999%

Recommendation: I do not know exactly how much Ray has left in the tank, but it does not look good. As such only a small market team mired in losing and in desperate need of both attention and veteran leadership could conceivably offer something to Ray. A team like the Minnesota Timberwolves seems about right.

Amar’e Stoudamire: Even before his disappointing and incredibly stupid decision to punch glass at the end of game two in the Knicks-Heat Series (which reports says will cause him to miss at least playoff game), Amar’e’s time in New York appeared to be drawing to a close. On top of playing no defense and being injury prone , the overpaid Stoudamire never played well with the team’s other zero-defense no-championship prima donna Carmelo Anthony. Couple this with the fact that Amar’e hand punching incident was the third his stupidity will cost his team in the playoffs (the others being the infamous leaving the bench incident in Phoenix and injuring his back will showboating in Boston last year) and its time for Knicks to dump this particular 100 million dollar man.

Recomendation: A trade to Orlando and here’s why…

Dwight Howard: The NBA’s self-anointed Superman really was super as he was faster in changing his mind than a speeding bullet, more powerful than commitment to his team and able to leap over the head of his coach in a single bound. Unfortunately, these are not qualities you want out of your franchise player and for these and many other reasons it is way past time for Dwight to leave Orlando. I do not know what the point was for Orlando to obtain that commitment waiver from him except that it might give Orlando a little more time to orchestrate a better deal in exchange for him over the summer. If the magic are foolish enough to think that keeping Dwight Howard in Orlando is a workable situation in the longrun they deserve another year of (even worse) drama and to end up with nothing in the end if he walks at the end of next season.

Recommendation: A trade to the New York Knicks is the absolute best spot for all parties involved. For the Knicks they are getting a star player who can finally play defense and be relied upon to consistently help Carmelo Anthony carry the offensive load. For Dwight, he can finally play in a big market situation and put him in a fantastic position to both maximize his income and chances to win a title. For the Magic Amar’e Stoudamire, despite his issues, is probably the best thing you are going to get for Dwight Howard especially now that other teams are weary of the destructive force he can be and his now questionable health status. And finally for Amar’e, it is a chance to return to his home town and get back to the type of no expectation, all offense environment where he played his best ball.  Plus, from what I hear the Amway Center is packed with fire-extinguishers. Perfect.