10 best recent NBA rookies -
Derrick Rose
Rookie Stats: 47.5% fg, 16.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 6.3 apg
I'm sorry about that last slide Rose lovers. I do have respect for Rose, but I think that people are kind of overhyping him. But anyway this native of Chicago has everyone believing that he can carry them back to prominence. He has freakish athleticism and speed. He helped the Bulls make their way back into the playoffs as the seventh seed. He is the reigning Rookie of the Year as he won the award decisively. One thing that still lingers on in my mind that worries me about Rose is that he depends heavily on his speed and athleticism in games. So much that he could end up being another Steve Francis, meaning that his style of play could end up making him injury prone. But, I'm just being paranoid.
His favorite player growing up was probably: Michael Jordan
Don't get your hopes up for WADE & ROSE in 2010 -
Dwyane Wade is currently in Los Angeles trying to help the Miami Heat obtain a huge piece to help the franchise in Lamar Odom.
I find it hard to believe that Odom would be taking this much time and "strongly considering" choosing the Heat unless Wade had convinced Odom that he was in Miami for the long run.
Wade has recently said on his Twitter page that he is "in LA to bring Odom bac to Miami with me."
This should be good news for all fans of the Heat because Wade seems very committed to improving this franchise for the long haul.
Eastern Conference fact-or-fiction -
Chicago should get in on the Boozer Sweepstakes.
Fiction: I talked with Terrell about this a few weeks ago and I was on the bandwagon. He wants Bosh. I've come around...sort of. I think they should do nothing. Send Tim Thomas to a Big Man Camp and teach him some low box moves. I think he and Joakim will be cheap to sign long term, keeping them financially flexible, and they both have craploads of potential. Why give up on them now? Add to the fact that they now have a PG that can make plays (2 more years like last year and he may jump over Chris Paul for me...maybe...). I think I would just stand pat unless I can get Bosh on a fire sale.
D-Rose at USA mini-camp -
The NBA can take the kid out of you pretty fast.
Derrick Rose is learning that.
Rose effectively began his second year of NBA life here Thursday trying out for a spot on the USA Basketball team that will play in the World Championships in Turkey in 2010 and the 2012 Olympics in London.
“I wanted to be there (last year when the U.S. team won the 2008 gold medal), on that podium,” said Rose, who said he stayed up with his mom into the early morning hours watching the Olympics. “It makes you want to come out here and be a part of this. You are competing against the world. I wouldn’t care if I started or not. Just to be out here competing with these guys, hopefully I’ll do good and be selected. I’ll do anything they want me to do, sacrifice scoring whatever. I just want to be on the team.”
Rose had a good first day, his shot looking better after what he said were all day shooting sessions since the playoffs and running the break nicely in drills with buddy Kevin Durant, who stood out and seems a lock to be added to the team.
Trade rumors that should have gone thru -
3. Carlos Boozer to Chicago, Kirk Hinrich to Blazers, Tyrus Thomas to Utah
I’m not going to harp on the Bulls for letting Ben Gordon walk and I’m also not going to fault the Pistons for signing him (though I’m not sure he’s worth 11 million a season). Sure, he was Chicago’s leading scorer last year (and they’ve made a habit of getting rid of their leading scorers) but he also didn’t make the Bulls a better team per se. Hence, If Boozer headed to Chicago, he and Derrick Rose would make an incredible 1-2 punch in the Central Division and Chicago wouldn’t miss Gordon one bit. With a healthy Luol Deng, a much-improved John Salmons, and a more mature Joakim Noah, that team would be fun to watch in the East.
The only piece in this rumored trade I ever cared about is Boozer to Chicago. Hinrich isn’t much better (if at all) than Steve Blake and Tyrus Thomas being coached by Jerry Sloan is just comical. Boozer would immediately make an impact on that Chicago team, and I’d take Boozer’s points and rebounds over Gordon’s points and inconsistency any day of the week.
Summer 2010 and taxes -
Could, in the end, the biggest barrier to the Bulls attracting a major free agent next summer like Dwyane Wade be the health care legislation now being debated in Washington?
Let’s face it. The prize next summer is Wade. LeBron James seems almost certain to remain in Cleveland given the weak state of the New York Knicks’ roster and uncertainty regarding the moving plans of the New Jersey Nets, supposedly James’ two speculated destinations. And do you really want to give a maximum contract to Chris Bosh, who doesn’t seem to impact winning very much? It seemed to me Bosh had a much better roster last season than Wade’s in Miami and the Heat was far better than the Raptors. And the reason why Wade could well move is that roster. There’s no way given how much Wade had to do last season that he could hold up carrying a team like that. It’s why you figure Miami is so desperate to make a major move now and why Wade, seemingly, has challenged them to do so.
Michael Beasley was at the USA Basketball mini-camp in Las Vegas Saturday hanging out in the media and family area after the scrimmage. He was the most obvious omission among the young players invited to try out for the Olympic team. Beasley couldn’t have been more gracious after the game staying around and signing autographs for everyone who asked. But he also was wearing his shorts so low you got way too much of a view of his underwear as he walked away. I know it was Vegas, but leave something to imagination. That streak of insouciance coupled with extreme immaturity suggests Miami has work to do with its roster to appease Wade.
And now comes the health care legislation, and you wonder what that has to do with anything?
The answer is taxes. The closest anyone seems to a plan now to pay for the changes is to tax the so-called rich. That would include just about every player in the NBA. I know we’re not supposed to feel sorry for rich people and assume they have so much that giving up more doesn’t matter. It does, just as comfortable people in the middle class with two cars and a nice health club membership don’t want to pay more taxes, either, even though they can afford to.
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