Le Basketbawl

New York Vinnie has told you this countless times; the biggest Frickin problem on this Planet right now is a lack of Frickin Common Sense! We are so much more Frickin technologically advanced than we were 50 years ago; but we are far less Frickin sophisticated! Unfortunately there are too many people on this Planet in 2010 that think their head is only there for them to put a ball cap on it!

We also have way too many Frickin sheep and not enough Frickin shepherds in this day and age. People hear something said on the Frickin TV and they take it as the Holy Gospel. Whether it is some Frickin Nut Job on a News Talk show asking the American people to stage a revolution; or some Frickin ”TV Pretty Boy” giving out false information people lap that Frickin Crapolla up with two spoons.

Well it took a while but it seems that the “Greatest City To Ever Exist On The Planet, New York City” has finally started to Frickin wake up and smell the Frickin coffee! New York Vinnie has been telling you since last Summer that Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star forward LeBron James would not be signing a Free Agent contract with “MY BOYS” the New York Knicks at the end of the season. New York Vinnie has consistently told you that he will re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers this Summer. Whether they win it all this June or not they are legitimate contenders. The Knicks even with all their salary cap space for next summer are not.

Wednesday the “New York Post” had a column by Knicks beat writer Marc Berman entitled “LeBron-to-Knicks hope fading.” New York Vinnie has mentioned before how much respect I have for Berman as a writer. However New York Vinnie has to disagree with that headline; there was never any hope of “The Chosen One” coming to the Knicks. It was just delusional!

Knicks veteran big man Al Harrington told reporters that he is sure the reigning NBA MVP will be back with the Cavaliers next season. Harrington said “A lot of teams would love to have him and the Knicks are one of them. But if he’s as loyal as he says, I would think it’s very hard for him to leave, especially because he’s home. If it was a different city, maybe not as much a connection, but at the end of the day, he generates every single thing for this whole state. It would be tough for him to make that decision to leave.”

DING-DING! Al My Man You have rang the Frickin Bell! You hit the Frickin nail right on the head. LeBron James owns the city of Cleveland; he would be a Frickin Dim-Wit to leave! His team is on the Frickin cusp of winning it all; why go to a rebuilding team? It makes no sense!  And finally people are starting to wake up and see the reality!

Now New York Vinnie is not saying that “MY BOYS” can not improve next summer; there will be plenty of talent available. But LeBron James will be in Cleveland at the start of next season; you can take that to the Frickin bank!

The ”Cleveland Plain Dealer“ has reported that Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James has filed to have his uniform number changed next season. Earlier this  season James had told reporters that he was contemplating changing his uniform number from 23 to the number 6. The reigning NBA MVP told members of the media that he believed the NBA should retire number 23 as a tribute to Michael Jordan.

The Cavaliers All-Star said last November ““I just think what Michael Jordan has done for the game has to be recognized some way soon. There would be no LeBron James, no Kobe Bryant, no Dwyane Wade if there wasn’t Michael Jordan first. He can’t get the logo (that is former L.A. Lakers legend Jerry West) and if he can’t, something has to be done. I feel like no NBA player should wear 23. I’m starting a petition, and I’ve got to get everyone in the NBA to sign it. Now, if I’m not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it.”

James had told reporters that he would take on the number 6. When asked why he responded “My second-favorite player was Julius Erving, and he wore No. 6. I wore 32 in high school because Dr. J wore it at first. My first child was born on Oct. 6, it’s my Olympic number, my second child was born in June.”

This is the final week that players can fill out the forms to have their number changed for next season. Although “The Chosen One” stated that he wanted to change his number as a tribute to M.J. New York Vinnie wonders if that is LeBron’s only motivation to change his uniform number. If LeBron changes to number six do you realize how many millions of new LBJ jerseys with number six will be sold? I am sure LeBron and his business advisers are; LeBron James is nobody’s dummy.

Earlier this season the Cleveland Cavaliers triumphed over adversity as they were without a “true point guard” after losing Mo Williams and Delonte West to injuries. The Cavaliers not only persevered they actually prospered as they would arrive at the the All-Star Break with a 13 game winning streak. Well they will once again have the chance to show that they can deal with a tough starting Monday night as the “Cleveland Plain Dealer” has reported that the Cavaliers will be without starting center Shaquille O’Neal for 8 weeks after having surgery performed Monday on his right thumb.

Shaq was injured Thursday night as Cleveland defeated the Boston Celtics. Sunday he was examined at the National Hand Center in Baltimore and the surgery was performed there Monday morning. The surgery was deemed successful however the veteran will miss the rest of the regular season and most likely the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

The Cavaliers do not have a “true center” right now on their roster.  Last month the club traded veteran Zydrunas Ilgauskas to the Washington Wizards in the trade that landed them Antawn Jamison. Ilgauskas has been waved by the Wizards but can not re-sign with Cleveland until March 21, due to NBA rules.

Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry released a statement after the surgery was announced. Ferry said “Our guys have done a very good job of stepping up this season. We are confident they will do the same in this situation … We are fortunate to have some depth in our front court that can keep us moving forward while Shaq recovers and returns to play for the post season.”

The “Associated Press” reported Thursday that the Washington Wizards and veteran center Zydrunas Ilgauskas have agreed on a buyout of his contract that will make the veteran a Free Agent.  The center came to the Wizards in the deal last week that sent Antawn Jamison to Cleveland.

It had been speculated even before the trade took place that the Wizards would waive the seven foot center.  Ilgauskas can now sign immediately with any team except for Cleveland the team that traded him to the Wizards. He can not sign an agreement with the Cavaliers for 30 days due to NBA regulations.

Reports indicate that Ilgauskas had to pay the Wizards $1.5 million to agree to the buyout. Washington Team President Ernie Grunfeld issued a statement announcing the transaction. Grunfeld said “We agreed to terms with Zydrunas on a contract buyout, giving us further financial flexibility and allowing our young big men to continue to develop over the remainder of the season.”

Earlier this week there was grumblings from other NBA teams that Herb Rudoy had arranged a deal upfront with Cavaliers General Manager that “Z” would rejoin Cleveland after he was traded and a buyout was agreed upon. New York Vinnie does not think that either party in this case would be Frickin stupid enough to do that.

Do you remember when the Dallas Mavericks and New Jersey Nets completed a trade that sent Jason Kidd to the Mavericks and sent Devin Harris to the Nets. Jerry Stackhouse was originally supposed to be part of that deal. That was until Stack stupidly told reporters that 30 days after the Nets waived him he would be back in “BIG D.” When the deal was consumated Stackhouse was no longer in the mix; because the NBA would not have allowed him to return to the Mavericks. There is no way Cleveland or Rudoy could be that Frickin dense!

We have also had a couple of readers here at “The House That New York Vinnie Built” who believe that the rule should be changed so that you can not re-join a team that traded you that season. New York Vinnie does not disagree with the thought process. However you can not change the rule in the middle of the season; that is just Frickin wrong.

Ironically the city that is at the heart of this controversy is Cleveland; a city that has not won a Pro Title in New York Vinnie’s lifetime. New York Vinnie could understand the ticked off fans if this was the Lakers or the Celtics. But to be “HATERS” on Cleveland? That just does not make sense to New York Vinnie!

The “Washington Post” has reported that Washington Wizards veteran Zydrunas Ilgauskas returned to Cleveland on Friday night. The center who is now in his twelfth season in the NBA was acquired by the Wizards in the three team deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers that sent big man Antawn Jamison to the Cavaliers. According to reports Ilguaksas has told the team that he does not want to play for them and would like to be bought out of his contract. There has been speculation that if Ilgauskas does become a Free Agent before March 1, he would wait the required 30 days and then re-sign with Cleveland.

New York Vinnie has noticed over the past couple of days some grumbling going on as if Cleveland is trying to pull some kind of Frickin scam by resigning their former center. This practice goes on every year or at least could if situations call for it. The Cavaliers are not doing a thing wrong; and if any team is trying to insinuate they are that is just Frickin sour grapes.

A few days before the NBA Trading Deadline took effect it seemed that Phoenix Suns big man Amar’e Stoudemire would soon be on the move. There were reports that the Cleveland Cavaliers had offered the Suns a package of Zydrunas Ilgauskas and second year forward J.J. Hickson for the Phoenix All-Star. Considering that the Suns could end up empty handed if Stoudemire walked away as a Free Agent at the end of the season; it was thought that Phoenix would agree to the deal.

For what ever the reason the trade was never completed and the Cavaliers would make a deal involving the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers. Cleveland got veteran big  man Antawn Jamison from the Wizards in return for Ilgauskas and the Cavaliers first round draft pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. The Traded Deadline passed and Stoudemire would remain a member of the Suns.

Saturday the “Arizona Republic”reported that the veteran big man is not at all upset that he is still with Phoenix for  the remainder of the season. Stoudemire told the media “”There’s no ill will at all toward the organization, so we feel confident about the decision that was made as far as not trading me, and we’re looking to have a successful season. It’s nothing personal at all. It’s really business. Whatever situation I was going to be presented with, I was going to accept that role and do whatever it takes for that team, whether it’s winning a championship for some teams that were inquiring for me or to make the playoffs, which is what we have here.”

Why would it matter to Amar’e that he was still in Phoenix as opposed to Cleveland or Miami; another city whose name had been mentioned prominently? Stoudemire is  averaging 21.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game and will most likely make the Post Season. So how is he adversely effected in any way by not being moved?

There was no guarantee that he would have signed a long term deal with Cleveland or Miami if he had been traded there. And there still is reason to believe he could sign an extension with the Suns. The only party that could suffer here would be Phoenix if Stoudemire walks away and they can not sign a quality talent to fill his slot. New York Vinnie would be curious how Steve Kerr the Phoenix General Manager or Robert Sarver the Team Owner would respond to not being able to trade their big man.

Well if the Phoenix Suns do trade big man Amar’e Stoudemire before the NBA Trade Dead Line of  Thursday at 3:00pm EST it will not be to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers and Phoenix have broken off talks that would have sent the All-Star to Cleveland in exchange for veteran Zydrunas Ilgauskas and second year big man J.J. Hickson. Thursday the “Washington Post“  reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired Washington Wizards veteran big man Antawn Jamison for the stretch run in a three team deal that also included the Los Angeles Clippers.

 Cleveland will send veteran center Zydrunas Ilgauskas and their first round pick in the 2010 NBA Draft to the Wizards. The Wizards will send Jamison to Cleveland and veteran forward Drew Gooden to the Clippers and Los Angeles will send forward Al Thornton to Washington and guard Sebastian Telfair to the Cavaliers to complete the deal.

Cleveland had been in discussions with the Suns for the last several days about the Cavaliers picking up Phoenix All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire before the NBA trade deadline. Cleveland reportedly had a deal on the table that would have sent Phoenix the veteran center Ilgauskas along with Hickson; a second year player that the Cavaliers really did not want to lose. The deal that they completed will still give the team an elite big man without having to lose Hickson a player the team believes has great upside. Instead Cleveland will give up their Number One pick in the upcoming NBA Draft a selection that should be at or near the end of the first round. 

The deal is the second major trade for the Wizards and the Clippers in less than a week. Saturday the Wizards completed a seven player deal with the Dallas Mavericks that sent Dallas forward Caron Butler, center Spencer Haywood and guard DeShawn Stevenson in return for Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, James Singleton and Quinton Ross. Tuesday the Clippers sent veteran big man Marcus Camby to the Portland Trail Blazers to fill the pivot spot for them for the rest of the season. The Blazers traded guard Steve Blake and forward Travis Outlaw to the Clippers for the veteran who is the second leading rebounder in the NBA this year. Reports are also that the Trail-Blazers also sent Los Angeles $1.5 million and will pay Camby $2 million in incentives for the rest of the season.

The trade gives Cleveland a proven talent in Jamison that along with reigning NBA MVP LeBron James and veteran center Shaquille  O’Neal gives the club a very formidable front line. Jamison now in his twelfth season in the Association has averaged 20.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season for the Wizards. There is speculation that Washington could waive the veteran Ilgauskas which would then allow him 30 days after he clears waivers  to sign a deal with the Cavaliers for the rest of the season.

In many ways New York Vinnie sees this deal as a better fit for Cleveland than the trade with Phoenix would have been. The Cavaliers will have Jamison under contract for the next two seasons which should be enough to alleviate any lingering doubts that Cavaliers star LeBron James would have about signing an extension with Cleveland this Summer. They also get to hold onto a player they really like in Hickson and most likely will not be giving up a whole lot with the draft pick.

The deal gives James a veteran running mate for two seasons after this and if Jamison does decide that this is indeed his final contract it will open up  a salary slot that could bring in another quality player.