Le Basketbawl

New York Knicks guard Toney Douglas had a decent campaign his rookie season as he averaged 8.6 points and 2.0 assists per game. Unfortunately the same can not be said for his club as they would limp into the end of the regular season last spring with a 29-53 mark.

That was a different team however in a lot of ways as the Knicks have undergone a drastic “Make-Over“ over the summer and the team that will take the hardwood this year for the Blue And Orange will be a much different bunch than last year’s squad. For the first time in a long time it looks like Knicks fans will have something else to enjoy during Knicks games besides the dance team if you catch New York Vinnie’s drift.

Douglas spoke with the “New York Post” and told the paper that he has much higher expectations both for himself and the team in the upcoming season. As far as what he is looking to accomplish on the self-improvement side the second year player said “I had an OK rookie year, but this year I want to be more vocal and be one of the leaders on the court. At the same time, you can’t be a leader if you don’t hold up your end of the bargain. If people are slacking, I’ll tell them. If I’m slacking, I want them to tell me.”

As New York Vinnie wrote earlier “MY BOYS” have gone through some major changes personnel wise this summer. Of course the big catch was Free Agent Amar’e Stoudemire, but they also added lots of other quality players during the off-season. Raymond Felton, Rony Turiaf , Anthony Randolph, Kelena Azubuike and Roger Mason all make this a much more well rounded team than last year’s squad.

Douglas was asked by reporters if he thought that this year’s edition could make the Post Season in the Eastern Conference. Douglas replied “Definitely. I feel like we have a lot of talent. We just all have to be on one page and make sure everybody is totally on it. I feel we are a playoff team. We’re just building relationships now. It’s almost a totally new team. I’ve been working on the pick and roll with Amar’e. So there’ll be a better bond when training camp starts.”

After a lot of years of wandering around the desert, this season Knicks fans may actually have something to do in late April besides watching other teams besides our own playing in the NBA Post Season. A winning basketball team always seems to make the winter go by quicker and seem a lot less harsh. Let’s hope that will be the case this year for the “Greatest City To Ever Exist On The Planet, New York City.”

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According to reports there seems to be no chance that Carmelo Anthony will be wearing the Blue and Orange of the New York Knicks this season. However according to both the “New York Post” and the “New York Daily News” the All-Star forward still could end up in the tri-state area as a member of the New Jersey Nets. According to one report any member of the Nets roster would be available to the Denver Rockets so the Nets can rent the forward for one season. Because Anthony is a Free Agent at the end of the season and there are no guarantees that New Jersey will sign him to a long term deal.

Now New York Vinnie would take one name out of the hopper right from the Frickin jump and that is New Jersey center Brook Lopez. New York Vinnie would also if he were Nets General Manager Billy King to prefer to keep starting point guard Devin Harris; however any deal involving the New Jersey center is off the table. Because in an era in the NBA when you have D-Howard and then everybody else in the pivot Lopez has the skills and the potential to be a Frickin huge weapon in the middle for any team. That is not worth giving up for anything especially a player that you are only sure you will have for one season.

Now New York Vinnie would think that if the two teams were to work out a deal newly acquired veteran power forward Troy Murphy would most likely be involved as the two salaries would need to balance out. Murphy is also a Free Agent at the end of the season so Denver could keep the salary cap slot open. However the Nuggets could also restock for the future as the Nets have 10 draft picks over the next three NBA Drafts.

A team with Devin Harris at the point, Brook Lopez in the middle, promising rookie Derrick Favors at the power forward slot and Carmelo Anthony could make some noise next season in the NBA Eastern Conference. Maybe they could be good enough to get Anthony to sign a long term deal especially since the team is moving to Brooklyn, which is where his wife grew up. But the one thing the Nets can not do is allow Brook Lopez to be in that deal.

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Atlanta was the “Frickin Death Valley” of the NBA for quite a few years. Why, you ask? The answer is really quite simple, the team just Frickin stunk. The club did not have a real core that  they built around, yes they had the occasional talented player on the team but he would be surrounded by guys who were basically cast-offs from other NBA teams.

Then three years ago they made the NBA Playoffs even though they should not have in New York Vinnie’s opinion because they had a below .500 record in the regular season. Never the less Atlanta put on a show in the first round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs and took the eventual NBA Champions the Boston Celtics to seven games before they lost. With that series the Hawks gained confidence and have been a contending team ever since.

This past season they would end up with the third best record in the NBA Eastern Conference and a big part of that winning record was due to the contributions of one man. Jamal Crawford became an incredible weapon fort Atlanta coming off the bench and breaking the backs of many of the Hawks opponents with some big-time clutch shooting. Crawford was deservedly named the NBA Sixth Man Award winner  and was a key part of the success the team had last season.

“ESPN.com” is reporting that according to their sources Crawford has gone to the Hawks management and asked for a trade because they have refused to talk about a contract extension starting next season. Now Crawford is not looking to tear up his current contract and get more money for the upcoming season. All he wants is to know that he has the security of having a home for the next few years. After the season that Crawford had last year that is the least the Atlanta Hawks could do. 

However that is not Hawks General Manager Rick Sund’s style, he allowed head coach Mike Woodson’s contract to expire and then promoted former assistant Larry Drew to bench boss. He also allowed the team’s All-Star Joe Johnson’s contract to run out and a lot of folks thought he would be leaving town. In an eleventh hour deal they ended up signing their star.

Crawford is now with the fourth team he has played for in the NBA, including the Chicago Bulls, the New York Knicks and the Golden State Warriors. The guy likes his situation in Atlanta and all he is asking for is some assurances from the team. If not then he wants out or will be a malcontent the entire season. Why would the Hawks be stupid enough to do something like that, when it can be solved  so easily.

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The upcoming NBA season is going to be an extremely important year for New York Knicks center Eddy Curry as this will be the last year of the deal that he signed with former Team President Isiah Thomas. When this season is over he becomes an unrestricted Free Agent who is coming off two straight years in which he barely played at all.  ”Big Fat Eddy Curry” played in just three games during 2008-2009 and just seven more this past season.  

Last year old “Tons Of Fun” came into Training Camp the size of the state of Delaware. He would soon be sent home and told by the team not to come back as long as he exceeded the weight capacity that an elevator could hold. He would return about a month later but played just 7 games as every time he got on the court he would get hurt.

Curry worked out with the team until July 14, when he went back to Chicago with the team’s permission for the birth of his baby. ”Big Fat Eddy Curry” has not been seen by “MY BOYS” since then. Curry was expected to make an appearance when the Knicks had a team in the Las Vegas Summer League last month. However the veteran did not even bother to show up to meet new additions to the club Amar’e Stoudemire and Anthony Randolph.

Now one would think that Big Fat Eddy Curry would be smart enough to make some sort of effort for two reasons. Number one as New York Vinnie wrote earlier; he is a Free Agent at the end of the season. If he intends on staying in the NBA after this season and wants any money at all this is the year he has to show it.

Number two in New York Vinnie’s opinion is more important; however Curry most likely does not see things this way. He has the chance to play next to one of the best players in this era Amar’e Stoudemire. If he gets into shape and is able to play the way he did back during the 2006-2007 season “MY BOYS” can truly be something special in the upcoming season.

Curry averaged 19.5 points and 7 rebounds per game that season his best in a New York uniform. Put that next to Stoudemire who averaged 23.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game last season and you get an amazing front-court no matter who plays at the three!

 ”Big Fat Eddy Curry” is going to be making $11.2 million in the upcoming season. If he plays like he did the last two years he will be lucky to make the NBA next year and if he does it will be for the NBA veteran minimum. The old saying in the NBA is “You can’t teach size.” Well that  is true but you also can not teach being Frickin stupid either. Curry through the last few years has shown he has plenty of both!

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Back when Your Old Pal New York Vinnie was in my “Wild And Crazy Days” I ran with a group that was known as “The Boys.” We were truly like Family watching each others backs at all times, even at times that we wished we weren’t being watched. New York Vinnie will give you a perfect example. Every once in a while one of “The Boys” would get involved with some female who for a variety of reasons was just no good. Now you would never tell one of “The Boys” to break up with her, but eventually they would see the light and end the relationship.

That is when it was Cool to tell your Brother what you really thought of her and that he was far better off without her. Now every once in a while a couple of weeks later you would see your pal with that bad news chick. So part of your responsibilities of being a member of ”The Boys“ was to walk over to your pal ask him if the two of you could  talk alone for a couple of minutes. Then you would walk him into the nearest alley, give him a sissy slap across the face and find out what was Frickin going on! Those reunions never seemed to last too long.

If Charlotte Bobcats Team Owner Michael Jordan was running with New York Vinnie and “The Boys” he would have gotten sissy slapped for sure for what he did on Monday. The “Charlotte Observer” reported that Jordan signed “EL PUD SUPREMO” the biggest bust as the first NBA Draft in at least 15 years center Kwame Brown to a one year deal with Charlotte for a reported $1.3 million.

We have seen a lot of very “Freaky-Deaky” acts go on in the NBA over the past few seasons. However in New York Vinnie’s opinion this may be the most Frickin Ridiculous signing of my lifetime. Jordan was an executive with the Washington Wizards in 2001 and was the man who chose Brown with number one pick of that draft. Ten Years later after Brown being an absolute non-factor during his NBA career, Jordan wants him back.

Brown’s agent Mark Bartlestein said that his client is looking forward to re-uniting with Jordan. Bartlestein told reporters  “We think this is a critical year for Kwame to get his career turned around and headed in the right direction. The challenge of going to Charlotte and playing for Michael again and getting to play for Larry Brown, a great teacher, will be good for him. They spent a lot of time recruiting him.”

New York Vinnie can not truly see why either side would want to make this deal. The Bobcats already had three centers before acquirring Brown. Most likely Brown could have gotten more playing with another team as well. Unless Larry Brown has something up his sleeve New York Vinnie does not believe this move will work.

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We are now heading into the final week of the month of  August making the start NBA Training Camps just about five weeks away. Teams have spent all summer working on their rosters and in these next few weeks will be used for tying up loose ends and solidifying things. Well that is the case on most NBA teams but there is a team that really does not have a clue (at least publicly) about the health status of a player who should be a key part not only of their club but in their starting line-up as well.

As we head into the upcoming 2010-2011 NBA season New York Vinnie’s favorite whipping boy has no idea if and when he will be able top play again. Regular readers of “The House Of Vinnie Built” Le Basketbawl by now realize that I am talking once again about “MR. RICKETS” otherwise known as Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden.

Under the regime of former Blazers General Manager Kevin Pritchard the franchise put together a pretty talented squad with players such as Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge augmented by veterans such as Andre Miller. Yet Portland Team Owner Paul Allen fired his former executive earlier this season. Now New York Vinnie is just guessing here, but I would figure the drafting of Oden with the number one pick in the 2007 NBA Draft and the center has played a total of 82 games in three seasons so far in his NBA career. Meanwhile the number two pick of that draft Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant carried his team on his back to the Playoffs last season, won the NBA Scoring Title and on Saturday helped Team USA beat Spain in the FIBA Championships.

Oden lost his entire first season to injury, played 61 games in his second year and then his season ended last December after 21 games when he blew out the patella in his left knee against the Houston Rockets. There has been official word from Portland on the rehab process of their big man in months.

Saturday the “Oregonian” sat down with the Blazers and asked him how his recuperation was progressing. Oden told the paper “The doctors tell me I’m on time. We’re going at a pace that they’ve got for me. Things are looking pretty good. By saying ‘on time,’ means I’m on schedule to heal.”

Could somebody, anybody please explain to New York Vinnie exactly what that Frickin meant? New York Vinnie is on schedule to Frickin die; but it could happen tomorrow or sixty years from now! When “MR. RICKETS” was asked when he expected to return to playing for the Blazers the big man said “Gotta ask the doctors that. Me, I go by what they say. Whatever is my next phase, that’s what I go to. I’m feeling good. I have been running. But I have not played yet.”

Reading between the lines New York Vinnie believes the chances of Oden being activated by the Trail Blazers season debut of October 26, are between slim and none. If there was positive news to report don’t you think that Portland would be making all sorts off announcements  by now? New York Vinnie wants to know where are these doctors that Oden said the reporters had to get the information from? If Oden was going to be ready at the start of the season we would  have heard  lots about it by now.

New York Vinnie would not be all that shocked if “MR. RICKETS” misses yet another complete season because of the injury. In fact New York Vinnie is starting to wonder if this could be career threatening. New York Vinnie is telling you one thing you can tank to the bank: In the next few weeks an announcement from the Portland Trail Blazers will be released stating that center Greg Oden will not be ready for the start of the upcoming season.

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After years of struggling in the desert, it appears that the New York Knicks could be on the verge of prosperity according to recent reports from multiple sources. Earlier this summer New York Team President Donnie Walsh brought in an a bonafide NBA All-Star as the team signed former Phoenix Suns big man Amar’e Stoudemire to a long term deal. Since that point New York has made some other good moves signing Free Agents Raymond Felton and Roger Mason and engineering a sign and trade with the Golden State Warriors that got them Anthony Randolph and Ronny Turiaf.

Your Old Pal New York Vinnie has been quite pleased with the turn-over on “MY BOYS” so far but according to buzz throughout the NBA  there could be an even bigger move just over the horizon. With each passing day the rumors are getting stronger and stronger that Denver Nugget’s All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony could be on his way to Gotham.

According to reports the Nuggets have offered Anthony a three year extension as he becomes a Free Agent at the end of the upcoming season and he has refused the offer. Those same reports are saying that Denver will not allow Their forward to walk away for nothing  and will trade him this season. The deal that keeps coming up is the Nuggets trading their All-Star to New York  for “Big Fat Eddy Curry” and his contract that expires at the end of the year. How Frickin rich is that?

Saturday “The New York Daily News” reported that the new Mrs. Anthony; LaLa Vasquez that the couple believe that playing in the “Greatest City To Ever Exist On The Planet, New York City” is a viable reality. Vasquez told the paper “Us being in New York is a possibility. It depends on ‘Melo’s career and where it takes him. There’s a lot of talk about the Knicks, I mean, there’s a lot of teams out there, he’s a great player and I think collectively we just need to think about what makes sense for our family. But I would never say that being in New York is not an option, I’d be lying to you if I said that.”

Anthony’s bride was born and raised in Brooklyn and was a Knicks fanatic until she met her husband and started supporting the Nuggets. But Vasquez told the paper “‘Melo will tell you, and all the players will tell you no matter where their loyalty is, there aren’t many places like Madison Square Garden. They’ll all say that, and it’s nothing against their teams but there is a different energy in there, and you really can’t top that.”

New York Vinnie took a look  at the “Denver Post” on Saturday and was struck at how similar the tone was to the “Cleveland Plain Dealer“ just before they lost the “Un-Chosen One.” The columnists seemed to have an air that Anthony was gone; it was just a matter of where and when. Right now the Knicks seem to have the inside track.

New York Vinnie has been around the block far too many times to get overly excited  about a rumor. However if that trade does end up being consummated don’t be surprised if you hear a scream of joy from Queens all the way in Detroit!

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