Shawn of the Bread
Shawn Marion in Dime #29When we heard over the weekend that Miami was trying to get Shawn Marion to leave $7 million on the table by opting out of his contract and re-signing with them for $10 million per, we knew Matrix was going to stick to his original deal. That’s too much of a pay cut to ask of any certified All-Star with a healthy ego who’s still basically in his prime (15.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 2.0 spg this year), and Marion is definitely a special case. He doesn’t just think he’s one of the game’s best at his position, he thinks he’s one of the greatest small forwards of all-time … Naturally, Marion’s decision to turn himself into a $17 million expiring contract opened up a bunch of trade rumors: Matrix to L.A. for Elton Brand; to Utah for Carlos Boozer; to the relevant L.A. team for Lamar Odom. If you’re Erik Spoelstra, how do you feel about your ‘08-09 lineup potentially including D-Wade, Brand and Michael Beasley? Are you scared for your job yet? … Trade rumor that has a lot of Knicks fans in a panic: David Lee and spare parts to Memphis for the Grizzlies’ #5 pick. Even if this means NY lands, say, O.J. Mayo and Joe Alexander — two players the MSG crowd and Mike D’Antoni would love — giving up Lee is a risky proposal. It reminds us of the Gary Payton/Ray Allen trade, when Seattle fans flipped out because Desmond Mason was included in the deal. Once upon a time, Mason was a huge crowd favorite and was supposed to be the future of the franchise alongside Rashard Lewis. Then he ended up being just another guy. That could easily be David Lee … During yesterday’s draft preview coverage on TV, a lot of the Dime crew got their first actual look at French prospect Alexis Ajinca. Among the things overheard in the office: “One of his arms is like seven feet long!” “He weighs 80 pounds!” “He’ll break both arms and both legs before he has a 30-point game.” “Yo, HE STINKS!” Ajinca seriously has Ndudi Ebi’s arms, Keon Clark’s legs, and feet like the Bologna Sandwich Feet guy from “The State” … How is J.J. Redick gonna feel when the Magic draft a two-guard in the first round (a virtual lock) to steal his minutes? Redick can barely crack the rotation, and now he’ll have to sit and watch someone like Mario Chalmers or Chris Douglas-Roberts — who J.J. would have LIT UP in college — bury him even further on the bench … On DimeMag.com we’ve started rolling out some of the “Players To Watch” content from Dime #42 (on newsstands now). Click the links to read about NBA Draft X-factors Serge Ibaka and DeAndre Jordan … NBA TV showed the 1984 draft again (Jordan, Barkley, Olajuwon, Stockton). When the Jazz picked Stockton it was a huge deal because, while everyone admitted Stockton was good, they passed on BYU product Devin Durrant, a local kid who was one of the NCAA’s top scorers that year. Imagine the Sonics having a chance at Adam Morrison in the ‘06 draft but passing on him for Quincy Douby and you get the idea … Since this was back when college players competed for Team USA, a lot of the top guys were in Bloomington, Ind., working out with U.S. coach Bobby Knight at the time of the draft. One of those guys, Alvin Robertson, was interviewed via satellite wearing a vest from the Full Force menswear collection … And finally, did you know the Bulls picked Carl Lewis in the 10th round in ‘84? It was all a publicity stunt; Lewis never played high school or college ball, and went on to dominate the Olympics that same summer … Jorge Garbajosa is reportedly signing with Unicaja (Spain), a Euroleague stalwart whose roster includes Marcus Haislip (failed Lottery pick), Jiri Welsch (failed basketball player) and Boniface N’Dong (ex-Clipper with the best athlete name EVER) … Asked why the U.S. Olympic team doesn’t have as many role players, Jerry Colangelo said everyone is basically a role player, as in they all have their own role. He initially named Tayshaun Prince and Michael Redd as traditional role players, as well as Carlos Boozer. Should Booz feel dissed by that? … Of course no one in the NBA is feeling dissed quite like Kobe. We’d like to tell you everyone in the office wasn’t randomly saying, “Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes,” all day yesterday, but we’d be lying. Too bad those bars cost Shaq his fake policeman’s badge … At 5:30 p.m. EST tonight in Manhattan, Steve Nash is hosting the “Showdown in Chinatown” charity soccer game at Sara D. Roosevelt Park on Chrystie Street. Along with Nash, Thierry Henry and some other pro soccer players, Leandro Barbosa, Jason Kidd, Baron Davis, David Lee and Raja Bell will be playing. Which NBA players do you think would be dope at soccer? Barbosa has to get consideration simply because he’s fast as hell and he’s from Brazil; Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker seem like they’d be nice; and Monta Ellis could be lethal if he had the training … Sam Mitchell to the Toronto Star: “I don’t think I’d want to go to Matt Bonner’s wedding. It would be Dorkville.” Agreed … We’re out like Ajinca …
June 25th, 2008 at 2:01 am
Skeeter McGee says:
HAHA at Sam Mitchell’s comment…oh snap, thought he was a comedian but I was just informed he’s actually a coach…
And I bet Doug Christie is a better rapper than Shaq…and that ain’t saying much about Doug…
June 25th, 2008 at 2:02 am
Skeeter McGee says:
BTW…
1st my ninjazzzzz
June 25th, 2008 at 2:37 am
Bobby B says:
Kobe played a little football while growing up in Italy, so he probably has some skills on the pitch.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:50 am
sans says:
Shaq is still better than Kobe at rapping, not that that says much either…
June 25th, 2008 at 2:52 am
Jim says:
I wondered how far into the offseason it would go before we had a soccer Smack. Anyway, I love soccer and am not one to knock it with USA bias…but if people get excited about Peter Crouch’s gangly ass at 6′7″…man. Kobe, Marion, etc., etc.. And some of our athletes would have been amazing in the goalie box (no offense to our amazing athletes currently in the goalie box, represent).
But the answer is clearly the Answer. He would have been incredible.
I think most PGs could have done it, a lot of skill carryover. And most of them would have been HUGE. Baron Davis is as big as Gooch, who is seen as a monster on the pitch.
I’m sorry for not providing documentation on these references, non-soccer fans, but you don’t really care.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:55 am
BxBaller says:
I don’t like the idea of the Knicks giving up Lee for the 5th pick. We pick 6th anyways so is i slot gonna make that much of a difference. LOL @ Sam Mitchell, that was straight cold.
June 25th, 2008 at 3:04 am
bill says:
HONESTLY, can anyone NOT imagine Manu flopping in soccer ha ha…
(thats where it comes from…….oh he touched me)
June 25th, 2008 at 3:37 am
Soopa says:
How about KG as a goal keeper?
June 25th, 2008 at 3:53 am
Marcus says:
Peter Crouch sucks. He only has survived in soccer because in the english league foul kicks and corner kicks are really important.
But that’s it.
Anyway enough with soccer, basketball is way more entertaining.
June 25th, 2008 at 3:55 am
knoc says:
haha yea football got the best floppers ever. they hold practise sessions for flopping. yellow cards get given out if your not a master like manu.
June 25th, 2008 at 3:57 am
2 Easy says:
Wow I cant believe how corrupt the system is. Shaq gets fired for dissin Kobe and asking him how his ass tastes while 3 other cops kill a dude with dozens of bullets and get slaps on their wrists. I dont even understand the logic meanwhile the sheriff clearly has a hard on for DMX and makes sure his ass is arrested every week. That sheriff is clearly a Kobe fan
June 25th, 2008 at 4:45 am
Amar says:
guys like hakeem and mehmet started their athletic careers out as goalies in soccer . . . for what it is worth . . .
June 25th, 2008 at 6:15 am
doc says:
I would rather see them in a summer league game than that soccer shit.I dont even watch sportscenter no more .
June 25th, 2008 at 6:17 am
doc says:
And I’d give Lee up in a minute for Mayo or Alexander.Yall hype dude up in New York but besides a tip in buzzer beater or 2 he aint do shit in the league yet.He can board a little but he aint no Rodman or somthing yall should be scared to let go.
June 25th, 2008 at 6:23 am
YOUNGFED says:
THIS JUST IN: Davis to Detroit?
Since Wallace and Billups will combine to take home nearly $25 million in 2008-09, the Warriors would need to add more salary ballast to Davis in order to make the salary-cap numbers work.
One possibility in that role would be forward Al Harrington. A source close to the 10th-year forward said he is currently leaning toward requesting a trade from the Warriors this summer, although he will not make a final decision until after the draft.
Harrington clearly was frustrated at being bounced in and out of the lineup by Nelson last season and at being asked to become a 3-point specialist on offense. His role could become even more diminished if Nelson follows through with his current plan of bringing second-year forward Brandan Wright into the rotation. -Freep.com
June 25th, 2008 at 7:00 am
the real marcus says:
damn…
…we’re out like a hot couple where the redhead is the man…
…and dorkville… ROFL!
June 25th, 2008 at 7:18 am
YOUNGFED says:
THIS JUST IN:
Shaquille O’Neal will lose his special deputy’s badge in Maricopa County in Arizona because of language he used in a rap video that mocks former teammate Kobe Bryant .
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said the use of a racially derogatory word and other foul language by the Suns center left him no choice. Arpaio made Shaq a special deputy in January and promoted him to colonel of his largely ceremonial posse earlier this month.
“I was freestyling. That’s all. It was all done in fun,” O’Neal told ESPN.com. -(DETNEWS.COM)
like Shaq really cares…
June 25th, 2008 at 8:28 am
BALLZ says:
AI would be the shit in soccer (or boxing) with training. He’s one of the best athletes to ever grace the hardwood. Check out the high school football highlights, unless yall forgot.
June 25th, 2008 at 8:40 am
92021SpurMD says:
Sam Mitchell better leave Bonner alone, he’s gonna have the whole NWO coming after him!!! HAHA
June 25th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Celts Fan, "Kobe, Tell me how my @$$ tastes" says:
The best American athletes that’d translate to soccer:
AI (he’d be a LEGEND if he’d been dribbling w/ his feet instead of his hands when he was a kid)
Mike Vick and Kobe would be stud strikers
LT, Reggie Bush (imagine these guys being able to use that lateral speed on the pitch! probably midfielders)
Ray Lewis, Joey Porter (playing defense and just muscling guys out of the way. even Peter Crouch would look like Tiny Tim next to these giants)
Matrix, Josh Smith (could be legendary goalies IMO, though w/ Matrix, it’s always possible he’d want his own shine and try to go coast to coast to score)
btw, anyone else see that the Hornets SOLD the 27th pick to the Blazers?! Way to help out a team in your own conference that’s on the rise and could easily leapfrog them as Oden comes back. You didn’t want CDR or another big? They’re not really deep as it is. Hell, if you don’t want to pay him, grab the best foreigner available, stash him overseas, and if he comes over in a year or 2, great, if not, at least it’s better than just selling the pick. I don’t get it…
June 25th, 2008 at 9:02 am
Brown says:
Celts, I don’t understand that either. Did they not see how this strategy comes back to bite you in the ass the way it has the Suns? It must be for cap issues, but what’s a couple million dollars? They could get a talented player at #27, it doesn’t make much sense.
I wonder if Portland is going to package their two picks to try and move up? If so, I have to wonder who they’re targeting by either moving up or having two picks. That team is young enough already.
June 25th, 2008 at 9:23 am
JA says:
Marion needs $10 million per year for his skills, and $7 million per for his ego.
Does anyone else see Marion quickly becoming the next Latrell Sprewell?
June 25th, 2008 at 9:31 am
garbageman33 says:
Latrell Sprewell had a jump shot. Shawn Marion looks like a cat coughing up a hairball whenever he heaves one towards the hoop. He’s a great rebounder and defender whose offensive game SHOULD be limited to getting dunks in transition. But, for some odd reason, he thinks he’s Ray Allen or something.
June 25th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Data says:
I don’t understand all thios crossover speculation from bball to soccer. I don’t think you guys understand the amount of skill it requires to dominate soccer. Athleticsm is only about 20% of the game the rest is pure skill. Not to mention that whoever was putting football players in the debate doesn’t understand the amount of cardio that you need to play soccer ray lewis is way too big to play. If it were just a case of just being an amazing soccer player based on your atjletic ability than so many soccer players would be great bball players.
As far as the draft I think Joe Alexander will be much better than David Lee so if the knicks get Alexander get rid of Lee.
June 25th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Kobeef says:
Matrix’s refusal to renegotiate is the reason he was traded. The guy is talented but his ego is too big for his and his team’s own good.
If Matrix renegotiated he could be part of a contender and have a solid contract for many years. Instead he wants max dollars for one year on a team that will likely struggle and in doing so will decrease his value. For Matrix, its all about the money and his career will reflect that. I really hope he ends up in Clipperland which is a popular spot for me-first players.
I’d agree that Portland is trying to collect picks and move-up. They are notorious deal-makers and I can see them moving up or trading picks and players for better back-court compliment to Brandon Roy.
I’m glad someone noticed Anjinca’s build. He’s been getting hyped all week but the guy is freakishly skinny (his legs are like a normal person’s arm) and looks like the kind of player that will be permanently on the injured list (Shaun Livingston)
June 25th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Truth says:
Shawn Marion is ovverrated. I never understood how someone who has never won anything feel they are the best in the game at small forward. He can’t shoot, or take a man off the dribble, to small to really post anyone up. I mean where does he get this asinine way of thinking? He’s a good transition player as garbageman33 said, and he plays good D, but he isn’t even a complete player?
People sh*t on Carmelo for not being complete, if we are sh*tting on carmelo, sh*t then flush concerning this overpaid clown!
June 25th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Kobeef says:
@JA
Marion is absolutely the next Sprewell.
I can see him sitting out next year as an unrestricted free agent because nobody will give him more than $5-8million which is reasonable for a guy that is a notorious crunch time/playoff choker.
Matrix will have significantly less value over the next few years as his athleticism declines and he is exposed as a SF who can’t shoot and has a me-first attitude.
June 25th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Celts Fan, "Kobe, Tell me how my @$$ tastes" says:
@Data, but if these guys had been playing soccer from the minute they were old enough to play w/ a ball (like they have w/ basketball and football) they’d have that skill, and the LBs I listed as defenders would be about 30 pounds lighter (Julius Peppers routinely lost 20-30lbs.of muscle in the 3 months he’d suit up at PF for UNC) but still be beasts and physically dominant.
@JA – I don’t think so, cuz Marion would be smart enough to take a 3 yr. $30M deal instead of being insulted cuz he needs to “feed my family” just to have some possessions (his yacht!) repossessed a few years later.)
@Brown – My guess would be they’re trying to jump up and grab Joe Alexander (who people were saying they were locked in on a few months ago before he jumped up.) Either that or they grab a foreigner at 27 and stash him overseas. A guy like Nicolas Batum, Serge Ibaka (if he slips,) or Alexis Ajinka wouldn’t be bad to take a flyer on, especially when they have one of the first picks in the 2nd round too. Wow, this is a dynasty shaping up before our eyes…
June 25th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Jay26th says:
Anybody else think Yao playing soccer would be a good laugh?
June 25th, 2008 at 10:00 am
fiyaman says:
hell yea I’d trade Lee but only if it could guarantee a shot at Mayo and only if we didnt take on longer contracts.. I dont care how big the contract is just as long as it ends n2 yrs
June 25th, 2008 at 10:13 am
Skeeter McGee says:
I don’t understand the Hornets trading the pick for “cash considerations.” Unless they got enough money to pursue a quality free agent or someone to help that awful bench, I think it’s a dumb move.
After seeing some moves go down over the past couple of years whether it be thru the draft, free agency, trades, etc., I think I am MORE than qualified to be a GM of an NBA team haha.
P.S.- Remember when Marion was playing for Team U.S.A.? I bet so many kids across the world saw his jumpshot and thought to themselves “No wonder the U.S. can’t win Gold…”
June 25th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Tom S. says:
Boozer will probably back out of his commitment to Team USA. When Cavs coach Paul Silas told Loozer he was a “garbage man”, he stabbed a blind man in the back and signed with the Jazz.
June 25th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Skeeter McGee says:
Do you guys remember that Nike Soccer commercial for Ronaldinho where they show a clip of them as kids playing in a game? Apparently Kobe was playing either on the same team or against them, but I think he’d be nice with the futbol.
Obviously Nash is good ’cause at timeouts he’s juggling the ball and he worked out with some shit MLS team in the offseason. Could anyone see Darko being good at soccer? Actually, could anyone see Darko being good at ANYTHING?
And real quick, I just want to shout-out to Dime for the mag and this smack area, ’cause when I’m bored at work, you know where I’m at…RIGHT HERE BITCHESSSSS
June 25th, 2008 at 10:29 am
D says:
remember when Shaq tried to diss (Mad) Skillz? Him “dissing” Kobe was almost as gay as that. Why does Shaq think he’s Superman when it comes to anything he tries. He’s a horrible rapper and a horrible actor. Stick to being a deteriorating basketball player and then let it all fade to black dude.
June 25th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Celts Fan, "Kobe, Tell me how my @$$ tastes" says:
@Tom, Utah offered Boozer an extra $30M over what Cleveland did. It was a very slimy move by Boozer, but for an extra 30 mil, we’d all do it. ALL OF US
come on D, you didn’t love Kazaam?
June 25th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Phileus says:
I think soccer requires a different kind of athleticism than basketball, but it’s hard to imagine people gifted by God with amazing physical talents like Kobe, Lebron, Tmac and others not excelling in soccer if they’d been raised on it. Kobe said something like this before I think, right?
Can you imagine someone with Lebron’s size and vertical going up to head in a cross? Who even tries to stop him? The few soccer players that even approach his height don’t have half the strength and athleticism.
June 25th, 2008 at 11:24 am
E-ROC says:
Lebron would abuse that sport.
I feel bad for JJ Redick. Dude can’t buy any tick.
June 25th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Bone says:
Lebron would abuse any sport he wanted to. Dude was an All-State WR in high school before he quit to focus on basketball. Imagine trying to tackle him coming over the middle or trying to keep up with him on a deep ball.
June 25th, 2008 at 11:42 am
Jim says:
Also, enough with the Boozer-Cleveland thing. None of us are justified by the law…The deal he backed out of was against the CBA and could have resulted in Joe Smith type penalties if it had gone down and been discovered.
June 25th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
sans says:
Man, everyone loves to shit on Marion. His jumper looks awful, but it hits with more regularity than anyone who post here. My form is picture perfect, and I miss a ton of shots all day. And enough with “Marion fades away in clutch situations” nonsense. This all gets generated from the Spurs series, where, dun dun dun, he’s playing head on against Big Fundamental. Where’s the discussion on Amare not showing up on the defensive end of the floor in the playoffs? Also, Matrix gets his buckets out of sheer hustle, wit, and ingenuity–making the right cut, grabbing offensive boards, and being in the right place consistently both on D and on offense. And who would give back $7MIL?! There’s no way that ever happens. Maybe we should all bitch about Juwan Howard never giving back change on his absurd contract. Or Theo Ratliff. Wally Szerbiak. Jon Kitna.
Oh, and I think DMX gets arrested so often because his boys dare him to do ridiculous ass shit all the time–”mayne, you ain’t hard no more, ain’t like you stealing cars from the high-profile lot in airport no more, all high and shit. Man, D, you soft…”–is pretty much how every conversation that gets DMX in trouble so often. Sherrif Joe is a dick anyway, Arizona is rapidly degenerating into a police state, where the police will soon be able to draw blood on the side of the road, day and night, to ascertain a person’s level of sobriety.
June 25th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Lee says:
“Iverson who be great at soccer if he trained for it”
Isn’t training like .. PRACTICE !!!
June 25th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
K Dizzle says:
Bye bye TJ lol
June 25th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
K Dizzle says:
@ post #39
Please do your research. There was nothing illegal about the Cavs deal with Booze.
“After the 2003-04 NBA season, in which Boozer averaged 15.5 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, the Cavaliers had the option of allowing him to become a restricted free agent, or keeping him under contract for one more year at a $695,000 salary. The Cavaliers claim to have reached an understanding with Boozer and his agent on a deal for approximately $39 million over 6 years, which he would sign if they let him out of his current deal.
Once Cleveland eliminated the final year of Boozer’s deal, making him a restricted free agent, his agent began to receive calls. He received an offer from the Utah Jazz.
The Jazz had participated in the free agent market in previous years and had failed in attempts to sign Corey Maggette, Jason Terry and Elton Brand. They were determined to be successful and offered the most they could under the circumstances. Boozer signed their offer sheet, and Cleveland had the option to match, but were already over the salary cap, and so could match only up to the Mid-level exception, thus they ‘chose’ not to re-sign him. Boozer joined the Utah Jazz in July 2004 for six years and a total of $70 mill”
Like Celts said, it was greasy, but nobody would leave 30 mil on the table