Don’t worry about ringsWe’re getting closer and closer to seeing actual NBA basketball games, with yesterday marking the first day of training camp around the League. The Knicks started camp without a very important piece: the head coach. Isiah Thomas is, of course, still waiting to hear from the jury regarding his sexual harassment lawsuit. Reports are circulating that it looks like Isiah and MSG could be on the losing end, but don’t expect Isiah to lose his job over this. And when he does get to camp, he’ll have about 49 players to weed through and make a 15-man roster. We’re not gonna make any predictions, but Demetris Nichols might wanna invest in an English-to-Polish dictionary … The best player on the NYK roster, Zach Randolph (at least according to the player-rankings on NBA 2K8, which we got in the office yesterday), is said to “not look in great shape at all,” according to the New York Post. Don’t read too much into that, though. Not because it’s the Post, but simply because Zach never looks like he’s in great shape. West Coast fans are fully aware of this … Meanwhile, Jamal Crawford put on about 15-20 pounds of muscle. There goes Kevin Durant’s main competition for Skinniest Guy in the League … And here’s more Steph: “I’m not caught up in winning no ring. I want to win a championship just as a basketball player, for something that I do. Basketball is not my life. Like, if I win a championship, great. If I don’t, life is going to continue to go on.” … At Lakers camp, all eyes were on Kobe, who did in fact show up. “My focus and my mind has to be on this team, what we have here and getting us to another level,” Mamba told reporters at Media Day. “It’s going to require everybody doing what they’re doing, going the extra mile a little bit.” … Amare is gonna miss the first 2-3 weeks of Suns camp. His agent told us early yesterday that Amare is scheduled for a minor knee scope on Tuesday, and swears it’s not a big deal … Eric Snow, meanwhile, is gonna be out 4-6 weeks following knee surgery. This just highlights the fact that Cleveland did nothing this offseason outside of signing Devin Brown and picking up Cedric Simmons over the weekend. (They didn’t even have any draft picks.) If Cleveland’s older guys (Snow, Big Z, Donyell, etc.) start going down with injuries this season, they’re gonna be screwed. Not to mention Larry Hughes‘ injury-prone nature, and the fact that Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic are basically holding out. Plus, it’s not like the Cavs have very many attractive pieces to use for trade bait. Long story short, this Cavs team is starting to look a lot like the ‘01 Sixers, who were carried to the Finals by Allen Iverson and never seriously contended for the ‘chip again … Chris Webber isn’t at Pistons camp, but he says that’s where he wants to be. C-Webb turned down the offer to play in Greece because, “I’m an NBA guy. I don’t want to just chase money. I want to make sure I respect the game.” Repeat that line to any Sixers fan who watched Webber’s last half-year in Philly and stand back as they start throwing things … The Celtics are in Rome for training camp, where they’re already messing with the rookies. Big Baby wrote in his blog about the hazing: “I had to eat a whole plate of octopus. I think that’s one of the toughest things I ever did in my life. I ate raw octopus. Everybody was like, ‘Eat it. Eat it. You’d better eat it.’ So I ate it. You know, team spirit.” That’s cute and all, but the last thing Big Baby needs is his entire team encouraging him to eat unnecessarily … Don’t waste your time wondering if Brent Petway is gonna survive Blazers camp (he won’t); just hope he sticks around long enough to get some preseason burn and pull off a crazy dunk or two … Did you see Gary Payton on ESPN News last night? He was doing something called the “Two-Minute Drill,” during which the anchor asked GP if he owned more cars or TVs. Gary didn’t even blink, saying he owns 40 TVs. By the way, The Glove was live in the studio. He’s gotta be in Bristol, Conn., interviewing for a TV gig, right? … We’re out like Skinny Jamal …
October 2nd, 2007 at 5:59 am
interesting... says:
what about an article:
* biggest notables of traning camp
eg. best and worst physical improvement (training) Heard Bynum looking in good shape
*biggest changes (eg. haircuts/style etc)
anything else notable.
thanks
October 2nd, 2007 at 7:34 am
Miljan23 says:
isnt kirelinko also in the running for skinniest player in the league?
October 2nd, 2007 at 8:40 am
Captain America says:
klino plays in the anorexic league
October 2nd, 2007 at 8:50 am
JA says:
Interesting comparing the Cavs team to the ‘01 Sixers … because Eric Snow was on that team too. Now if only Snow can get some real players around him to push him over that hump.
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:01 am
JodysOldMan says:
Dermarr Johnson. skinny as hell.
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:02 am
Amar says:
‘lenko and camby are both skinny, but both block them some shots.
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:02 am
Amar says:
what about an all-skinny team? with some of our favs like cooper and kittles?
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:14 am
Dime Magazine says:
Love the “All Skinny Team” (we need a better name though).
give us your top 5 players…
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:19 am
Gregg says:
All Skinny Team: F: Mikki Moore, AK47; G: TJ ford, DeMarr Johnson, C: johan petro
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:24 am
Eric says:
All Kate Moss Team
Including Tayshaun Prince, Rip Hamilton, Kevin Durant…
Hows NBA 2k8?!?
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:26 am
Ashto says:
I dont know how you guys keep finding things to wright about…
How bout u guys show us how you come up with the smack?
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:43 am
AK says:
haha love the All- Kate Moss Team, but what about the All-Michael Cooper squad?
- the Kings could almost composed the NBA’s all-skinnies backcourt on their own:
- Quincy Douby
- Kevin Martin
- Francisco Garcia
- Mustafa Shakur
They need frontcourt help though…Spencer Hawes would whoop up on the other four in a tug-of-war contest.
Oh and by the way, Corey Brewer might outdo KD as the skinniest rook coming in. That baggy shirt he wears under the jersey covers up the guns…
October 2nd, 2007 at 10:03 am
Kobeef says:
All Skinny team
C = Shawn Bradley
PF = Keon Clark
SF = Tayshaun
PG = TJ Ford
SG = Reggie Miller
October 2nd, 2007 at 10:11 am
djKianoosh says:
Is it me, or has this been the quickest NBA offseason ever? Maybe it was team USA, or some of the off-court shenanigans, but whatever it was, props to Dime for keeping things interesting throughout the summer. Looking forward to fantasy advice, the scoop on my Sixers (even though it looks like they’ll be stankadocious) and some knowledge on the Spurs (my Argentine connection) and Nuggets (AI’s first full year with a studly Melo).
I’ll go out on a limb and say the Spurs start slow and finish strong, the Nuggets play great but injuries slow them down, and the Sixers…. do NOT finish last in the division. I gotta believe we’re better than the stinkin knickerpoopers…
October 2nd, 2007 at 10:13 am
djKianoosh says:
btw, Manute Bol should be the Honorary Team Captain of the all skinnies..
October 2nd, 2007 at 10:41 am
Dime Magazine says:
There may never be a skinnier player than Manute Bol. Anyone remember him in those awful Sixers unis that had the stars swooping across the mid-section? just awful…
October 2nd, 2007 at 10:45 am
Austin Burton says:
DerMarr Johnson would have challeneged Durant, but he’s playing in Russia or Italy or something now. Corey Brewer is bony, too. And he looks bony on NBA 2K8. The game is good; it looks better than last year, but it’s harder to score (whether that’s a good or bad thing is up to you). Oh, and my Sonics are definitely the worst team on the game.
October 2nd, 2007 at 10:47 am
jay says:
well amare on IR..not good. can the lakers please just get matrix and i knew mamba would show up to camp…i wanna know how JO feels…can he be in purple and gold by halloween? is that possible?? damn!
October 2nd, 2007 at 10:54 am
2 Easy says:
Wat about Dikembe on and Yao on that all skinny team? Sad thing is Yao’s only that skinny cause hes so damn tall, if he were like 8 inches shorter he’d be chisled. I think in honor of Zach Randolph we should make an all chunky team too
The big Oliver Miller, Tractor Trailer, Tinsely at point, Sam Perkins… feel free to add cause I cant think of anyone else
p.s Darrell Armstrong would be a good fit on that skinny ass team
Im out like Webbers chances overseas
October 2nd, 2007 at 10:56 am
DOC says:
as a sixer fan i was happy when webb left with his pirate leg ass
October 2nd, 2007 at 11:05 am
Austin Burton says:
Yao’s not skinny. His legs are like tree trunks.
Mike Sweetney is a starter on the Thick’ums Team
October 2nd, 2007 at 11:12 am
Dime Magazine says:
“pirate leg ass.” hilarious.
October 2nd, 2007 at 11:23 am
djKianoosh says:
all skinny team, all thick team, and now, all pirate leg ass team… we have to fill that one out.. Webber, definitely on it. who else? i think we might be able to fill this one with just sixers players alone.. matt geiger? derrick coleman? damn, this list is just too cruel, but oddly entertaining…
October 2nd, 2007 at 11:33 am
rob stewart says:
Don’t forget about the skinniest guard ever. Mahmoud Abdul Rauf!
October 2nd, 2007 at 11:41 am
Dime Magazine says:
Kianoosh -
two words:
Shawn Bradley
October 2nd, 2007 at 11:55 am
Austin Burton says:
Rondo and Monta are pretty skinny, too. And Louis Williams.
October 2nd, 2007 at 1:00 pm
JC says:
Zeke lost…
October 2nd, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Wags says:
I saw JO two weeks ago outside the Belagio in Vegas. I asked him if he would be in a lakers jersey this season, and he said “They been talkin about it all summer, so we’ll see what happens.”
Useless gossip, but it made my night.
October 2nd, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Lucky Lester says:
The Crispy and the Cream Team
Sweetney, Oliver Miller, and Vin Baker have to lead that frontcourt - pick your two chubbiest off that team, I’d go with Baks because he has that midwest boddy shape with a spare tire hanging around the gut - at least Sweet and O are big everywhere. (Was Sweetney always that big? I remember him beasting guys at G-Town, but I didn’t think he was really fat back then). Then, that little chubby guy from Connecticut who played for a summer in the league (Khalid El-Amin?), Chuck Barkley can play a little small forward/ big 2 guard, he has the handle. It’s tough to find chubby guards. Maybe Paul Pierce in his italian food phase.
Pirate Legs - lol
Webber and William Cartwright have to be co-captains on that team…
You guys have skinny down pretty well, but what about the
What about the All Barry Bonds Team…
Jamal Crawford, even with 20 pounds of muscle, can’t even be close to that team can he?
Magette spends a little time in the weight room, it looks like.
Charles Oakley was built.
At guard, I’d go with Mugsy Bougues - his legs were about as big as Yao’s - not to mention he was 3 feet shorter than him..
October 2nd, 2007 at 1:31 pm
Chris Webber says:
Yo don’t be talkin about me like that Doc!
October 2nd, 2007 at 1:36 pm
frenchy says:
Barry Bonds team has got to have boykins runnin the point…doesn’t that dude bench like 350 or something?
October 2nd, 2007 at 1:51 pm
wally says:
Mikki Moore…..Did everyone forget?????
October 2nd, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Austin Burton says:
Kevin Willis gets on the Bonds team. Nate Robinson is cut-up, too.
October 2nd, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Lucky Lester says:
Because Nasty Nate is a corner - I mean he made the right career decision, but that kid would be starting in the “Big” League right now.
October 2nd, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Jules says:
Nothing about Big Ben being allowed to wear a headband again??
It’s the secret to his powers!
October 2nd, 2007 at 4:08 pm
sans says:
You can’t leave the later years Shawn Kemp off the chunky squad. Not to mention Charles Barkley, even as a player he was a big boy.
For Pirates: Oden, Muresan, Tim Hardaway, JKidd, Penny, Alan Houston, Grant Hill, CWebb, KMart, and Shaun Livingston.
October 2nd, 2007 at 10:26 pm
kowtz says:
Thick’s… Arvydas Sabonis… Big baby for ROY of the thick’s team?
How about Puffer team - players who balooned up…
Shaq, Kemp, Oliver Miller (believe it or not this guy was chiselled for some time), and MVP of this team? CHRIS CHILDS!
Roid Boys… players who after off-season came back with lots of muscle…
T-mac? KB24?
October 3rd, 2007 at 9:21 am
Amar says:
Sharone Wright used to be coached by his agent on how to stand on the weight scale in training camp and appear lighter than he really was, so that his contract wouldn’t be voided.
Other teams could be the “all-should have been great, compared to the hype they got” team . . . but that would quickly be filled up by the Len Bias draft first round; secondly, the “how’d you like me now?” team would be guys who have come back strong from adversity . . . like Paul Pierce, and guys like that (bobby hurley — are we allowed to praise duke players here?)
October 3rd, 2007 at 12:46 pm
Austin Burton says:
No
October 4th, 2007 at 8:45 am
Amar says:
lol