NBA @ Random

The Ron-Ron Show

I’m still in favor of trading Odom for Artest.  But I must admit, I’m becoming less and less enthusiastic about the deal with each day that Artest exchanges emails with the media.  Maybe the comparisons to Rodman are far-fetched.  Rodman’s antics were about entertainment.  Artest might be certifiably insane.

The Tim Donaghy Scandal Continues

Is Donaghy a “rogue isolated criminal” or not?  Fox News reported yesterday that Donaghy called fellow NBA official Scott Foster 134 times over the course of the 2006-2007 season.  With most of those calls occurring before or after games he officiated.  This development has reignited the conspiracy theories.  I’m not buying it.  Foster officiated Game’s 1 and 5 of the NBA Finals.  The Lakers were whistled for 7 more fouls in Game 1 and the foul totals were even in Game 5.

The James Posey Watch

Posey is worth the mid-level exception.  But if I were a GM I wouldn’t sign him to the four-year contract he’s seeking.  And if I were Posey, I’d take the two-year deal the Celtics have offered.  Posey is a very good role player.  But he isn’t a starter and his weaknesses could be exposed on a team that would need a lot of production from him (think New Orleans).

Gilbert Arenas Talks Smack About Milwaukee

From Gilbert’s blog:  “Richard Jefferson going to Milwaukee …. HAHAHA! Oh man, now that is funny. When I heard that, I started laughing. Oh man, did I start laughing. You know why? Because every player hates Milwaukee. Nobody wants to live in Milwaukee. I’m sorry, Milwaukee, to come down hard on you, but no one in the NBA wants to play in Milwaukee. From him going from New Jersey, actually from New York (because he lives in New York), from New York to Milwaukee is like going … let’s just say it’s not going to sit well with you. That was a funny one when I heard that one.”

When will ‘Agent Zero’ learn?  It’s not smart to give opposing teams extra incentive to beat you.

Eduardo Najera Signs With New Jersey/Ronny Turiaf Signs With Golden State

Najera was a casualty of the failed Iverson experiment.  Eduardo signed a four-year, $12 million dollar contract with the Nets that the Nuggets were incapable of competing with because they are over the luxury tax.  Turiaf agreed to a four-year, $17 million dollar deal with the Warriors that the Lakers will have difficulty matching because of the addition of Pau Gasol.

Najera and Turiaf are very comparable players.  Eduardo averaged 6 points and 4 rebounds last season in 21.3 minutes of action.  Turiaf put up 7 points and 4 rebounds in 18.7 minutes.  The Warriors offer is generous, but high energy reserves that are class acts in the locker room are valuable.