Randy Hill of Foxsports.com: “Team USA looks committed to using the dribble against the zone as a method of bringing two defenders to the ball and creating numerical advantages in other areas. In theory, this dribble-attack mentality should have worked against Russia’s match-up zone, but the U.S. players away from the ball did a poor job of making themselves available to the passer. Against more traditional zones, the prevailing philosophy has worked. Instead of flashing a big to the middle for a quick pass and collapsing the zone, the Americans are using the big to set a ball screen, enabling Deron Williams (as the best example) to slide inside and find teammates when the defenders swarm. Starting point guard Jason Kidd doesn’t shoot well enough to be played honestly on a ball screen and Chris Paul — one of the NBA’s greatest players — is bringing too much Globetrotter routine when a simple play is in order.”
Marty Burns of CNNSI.com: “Indeed, Gordon appears to be facing a harsh reality. As the GM pointed out, only the Grizzlies have big money to spend — and they already have a shooting guard in top rookie prospect O.J. Mayo. The Bulls, meanwhile, are already committed to about $63 million in salary for next season after last week’s signing of Luol Deng (six years, $71 million). That leaves Chicago with around $8 million to offer as a starting salary for Gordon, if it intends to stay under the luxury-tax threshold of $71.2 million.”
Blog-A-Bull: “Now the bigger point concerning Deng, Gordon, and the rest of the team: are the Bulls guaranteeing themselves mediocrity by resigning these players for the long term? Sure they are. I’ll take mediocre over decline of the Krause era, and the pitiful display we had to watch last season. But they would not be locking themselves into that mediocrity, or keeping themselves from acquiring a talent upgrade that gets them to title contention. Gordon is 25 and even a 6 year deal pays for his prime. Even if overpaid, he’ll be good, valuable, and tradeable, which puts him in common with a majority of the roster. The other route, stripping the roster and getting under the cap, is a romantic, yet silly, idea.”
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Chris Broussard of ESPN.com: “A person close to James said Tuesday that the Cavaliers’ superstar would strongly consider playing overseas if he was offered a salary of “around $50 million a year.” James’ current contract expires after the 2009-10 season, and while several NBA teams are working to create salary cap space for his impending free agency, none could offer a contract beginning at even $20 million a year. The Russian team CSKA Moscow and the Greek team Olympiacos, which recently gave Josh Childress a contract approaching $30 million over three years, have already contacted James, according to the person close to him.”
TrueHoop: “I have no problem with people working overseas. Nor do I have a problem with people who create a lot of value making a lot of money. And I love Europe. I don’t begrudge Bryant, James, or anyone else taking the best offer they can find, no matter where that may be. (If they paid bloggers $50 million a year in Europe, I have to think I’d be teaching my kids to speak Greek right now.) Just a little weird to be getting the red, white, and blue memo from the same exact players who are also reportedly willing to ditch that red, white, and blue for some green.”
Matt Watson of FanHouse: “I know some people cling to the romantic notion that LeBron would never abandon the NBA because he cheered for it growing up, but let’s face it, he didn’t have Warren Buffet on speed dial back then. These days, James has big picture aspirations such as becoming a global icon as well as the world’s first billionaire athlete. If he can bank $100 million in two years while playing on an international stage and still return to the NBA as a 27-year-old free agent in the summer of 2012, well, why wouldn’t he go?”
Tom Ziller of FanHouse: “He’s enormous, everywhere. In a practical sense, he needs an Olympiakos jersey like Kevin Garnett needs swagger and Gilbert Arenas needs social bravery. But what lies within LeBron that might make Europe attractive? Let us not forget (like we could) Michael Jordan left in the NBA in the prime of his career to play minor league baseball, which is a huge stride different than the #2 basketball league in the world. There are differences, yes: Jordan had just won three titles, baseball was a connection to his father. But the greatest star in the world left the NBA once, and it could happen again.”
Robert W. McChesney of NBA Draft.net: The Superstar Theory
