This draft wasn’t top heavy in talent, but it did provide for some interesting prospects for some teams and some blockbuster deals.
The report cards are in.
Here are the winners, losers, and everyone in between.
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Author: djcfla1
By David J. Cohen
I’ve been watching sports for many years and every once in a while, you’ll hear something that makes you chuckle. Most weeks in sports are exciting but as far as the giggles go its rather mild. This week has been a firestorm full of madness. Hilarity ensues…
Yesterday the verdict came in. The city of Seattle needed a payoff to allow the team to move to Oklahoma City. For $45 million up front and possibly $30 million later on the Seattle Sonics are no more. The previous owner is suing current owner Clay Bennett, saying he broke an agreement between the two to “make an honest effort” to work out a deal with the city of Seattle. This is nothing more than a publicity stunt. If the previous owner wanted the team to stay in Seattle he would have sold the team to someone not from Oklahoma City. Since there is no deal in writing this will be thrown out of court and Oklahoma City will enjoy NBA basketball in 2009.
Now as part of the agreement between Seattle and Bennett the green and white colors and the “Sonics” will stay in Seattle. So what should they name this “new” team?
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The Sonics Are Gone…On Vacation?
By David J. Cohen
The Sonics were just sold by the city of Seattle for $75 million. Seattle fans are devastated about the loss of their 41 year long basketball stronghold. Many NBA experts and reporters will tell you Seattle is a basketball town that loves their Sonics. And while attendance was among the worst in the NBA last year they were packing the house competitively in most years before that. There was even an organization formed, called Save Our Sonics, that ultimately failed in its efforts to keep the team in Seattle. It’s been a great run but now Sonics fans will forever go sleepless in Seattle.
Or will they?
By David J. Cohen
Recently NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell came out and said it is “ridiculous” for players like Jake Long to make boatloads of money without proving themselves in the NFL. He said “There’s something wrong with the system, the money should go to people who perform.”
A few years ago NBA Commissioner David Stern and NCAA President Myles Brand came together and established the one year rule, which states that an incoming NBA player must be out of high school for at least one year prior to the draft. The rule was stated as a move to lead high school players into college to help them mature and get an education. In reality it was a financially driven move by both sides. NBA owners could see these anointed high school prodigies for at least a year in college to help weed out the busts. Meanwhile big conference college programs could essentially rent these players out for at least a season and reap huge profits and program notoriety. It was a win-win situation and there has been talk of expanding the rule to two years out of college.
By David J. Cohen
Last night the draft proved to be as interesting as advertised. The mega deals didn’t go down during the draft but a mega move did take place afterwards. Now on to the report cards:
Now that Isiah Thomas has been outsourced in Europe the Knicks can get down to business. Below is the memo in its entirety.
Madison Square Garden
Two Pennsylvania Plaza
New York, NY 10121-0091
TO: Donnie Walsh, President of Basketball Operations
FROM: Brendan Suhr, Director of Player Personnel
Patrick McDonough, Director of Accounting
David J. Cohen, NBA Basketball Consultant
DATE: June 3, 2008
SUBJECT: Saving the Organization
________________________
The Pistons just finished their 6th straight Eastern Conference finals and for the 3rd straight year they find themselves on the outside looking in. They are the dynasty that isn’t; the team with the great run that was just short of greatness. Now everyone wonders if this is the end of the journey.
By David J. Cohen
Since the steroid cloud has polluted athletics fans everywhere have debated whether certain players are steroid users. Did Barry Bonds improve ten hat sizes in four years or did he hit his head really really hard one day? Did Slamming Sammy get his power from giving grace to the lord or by slamming some needles into his body? Is Shawn Merriman now just lights out or is he still juiced up? With many players the glaring signs are there but there is no tangible proof. And unless a player couldn’t cover up, wrote a book, or hired the worst lawyer in America it would always remain a debate. Until now.