Kobe’s sidekick is ready to ball, more Ben Gordon trade rumors, and watch out for Damon Jones
Ben Gordon, Dime #15Andrew Bynum has had the slowest-healing knee injury since Bo Kimble in Heaven is a Playground. After his star-making half-a-season (which was apparently enough evidence to guarantee multiple championships, if you listen to Lakers fans), Bynum was supposed to be back for the start of the playoffs, then maybe for the conference finals, then maybe for the NBA Finals, and now he won’t be seen until training camp. Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak did get a peek at his project big man recently, though, and he was impressed enough to say the kid will be 100 percent when camp starts. We’re just in wait-and-see mode at this point … Fully healthy, based on what we saw last year, where does Bynum rank among NBA centers? Where would he put L.A.’s front line compared to the rest of the combos in the League? … As much as everyone’s been saying the Jazz have needed an explosive scoring two-guard for years, the team shot down yesterday’s Ben Gordon-to-Utah trade rumors pretty quickly and emphatically. Wonder if they felt BG wasn’t a good match basketball-wise, personality-wise or both. Too bad for him, because we could definitely see him filling it up by feeding off Deron Williams‘ passes, the double-teams Carlos Boozer draws, and AK-47’s underrated passing ability. And of course a big year for Ben (if he takes the qualifying offer) means he’ll be in good shape as a free agent in ‘09 … Of course Nate McMillan had to play it cool as he got a first-hand look at Rudy Fernandez’s showing in the Olympic gold medal game, but as we expected, dude was pretty giddy looking forward to the Blazers getting Fernandez this year. “I was so impressed with him that it was to the point where after the second time I saw him, I didn’t sleep that night because I was moving my rotations around,” McMillan told the Oregonian. “I swear I did not sleep. I could not sleep thinking about him. Because I’m saying, ‘We can put him here, do this with him, do that with him and Brandon (Roy), and do this. He’s playing for us. Oh yeah. I see that right now.” We did our own playing around, and unless these Travis Outlaw trade rumors turn into something, we’re seeing the Blazers going with the somewhat-established crew of Steve Blake, B-Roy and Outlaw starting at the 1-2-3 spots, but once Jerryd Bayless and Rudy get involved off the bench, there are a lot of different looks McMillan can throw out there … The Grizzlies officially signed Hamed Ehadadi, the 7-2 center from Iran who averaged more rebounds (11.2) and blocks (2.6) than anyone else in the Beijing Games. Memphis is overloaded on unproven big men, between Ehadadi, Marc Gasol and Darko, and the battle for the starting center job could simply come down to who can stay out of foul trouble and who can stay out of Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo’s way on offense. We don’t envy Marc Iavaroni … If you missed it yesterday, we unveiled Converse’s new WADE 4 in a special colorwary. Check it out HERE and tell us what you think … The Final Four of our “Best Three-Point Shooters of the Last 20 Years” tournament is down to Reggie Miller, Ray Allen, Glen Rice and Dell Curry. We were kind of surprised that more of your picked Curry over Chris Mullin. How much of that has to do with Stephen Curry being in the spotlight recently and everyone getting to remember how good his Dad was? Of course Mahmound Abdul-Rauf on NBA Jam Tournament Edition would smoke anyone on these lists … E-mail from Austin out in Seattle: “I went to the Storm/Comets WNBA game with a friend who had suite tickets. I hate that every time I look at Tina Thompson, I have to remember she had a kid with Damon Jones.” … Speaking of, we just realized something scary: For an attention-whore like Damon Jones, how will he react to having several national TV games via LeBron in Cleveland to most likely having zero national TV games in Milwaukee? DJ will be so starved for a spotlight that he might wear a suit made of Christmas tree lights at All-Star … We’re out like Damon in the public eye …
August 29th, 2008 at 5:08 am
Shage says:
1st
August 29th, 2008 at 5:22 am
jerry sloan says:
man, dont bring that kid gordon on our team, he will just fuck-up our system…
August 29th, 2008 at 5:36 am
Camp Lo says:
Starters: Blake, Roy, Martell, LaMarcus, Oden.
2nd unit: Bayless, Rudy, Outlaw, Frye, Pryzbilla.
They also have Spanish Chocolate (Sergio Rodriquez) & Ike Diogu. Anyone think either of these two will ever pan out into legit NBA players?
Playing pro ball in Milwaukee is like entering the witness protection program.
August 29th, 2008 at 5:40 am
A says:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1725961991/bctid1733286212
August 29th, 2008 at 5:42 am
A says:
August 29th, 2008 at 5:50 am
the_done_mega says:
“Of course Mahmound Abdul-Rauf on NBA Jam Tournament Edition would smoke anyone on these lists …”
-thatswhat im talkin’ ’bout…
August 29th, 2008 at 5:56 am
silky says:
fernandez is nice though… did some impressive plays in clutch while actin cool like tony(ref for them old school blue jays) …out like 8 games for darius miles
August 29th, 2008 at 5:58 am
solomon says:
ehadadi is will purdue 08… stamp that!
we’re out like who’s you daddy jokes…
August 29th, 2008 at 6:21 am
Coop says:
What sort of dickhead says ‘1st’ and nothing else? Grow some balls you chimp.
Utah don’t make trades, the Gordon thing is NOT happening.
Man, re; Glen Rice- I remember the aweseome back-and-forths between him and Steve Smith in the mid/late 90s playoffs. Quality bombing.
August 29th, 2008 at 6:48 am
YOUNGFED says:
Dime Says:
“Andrew Bynum has had the slowest-healing knee injury since Bo Kimble in Heaven is a Playground.” Ummmmm…..Did you guys forget about Greg Oden.
BTW Dime whats up with the D-Wade Basketball winners. Just curious I’ve been away on vaction.
“Get at me Dawg, ARF, ARF!!!” – DMX (LMAO)
@Coop
Thank You, I’m soooooooo tired of this 1st ish.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:14 am
Luigi says:
dont it get annoyn 2 u Dime when all u read in the first part of the comments section is…..first!. lol.
but Bynum…man he killed my Fantasy bball team last yr. he was a baller…but now im stayin away from him…who knows that he can recover again from a knee injury [ahem...Gilbert...] n why isnt his knee healing..hes like what? 20?
I Feel so bad for ben gordon…he has no team that fits his criteria…the guy thinks hes a starter and until he learns to play D…he’ll never start..he might have one of those careers when hes utilized only as a 3pt threat…
Portland…ur team is gonna be a beast to come. i hope u guys can fullfill ur ultamite potential by becoming a dynasty. but i wish u guys the best of luck and forreal how many teams had a “dynasty in the making” i mean my Wiz had one..before LeBron showed up…Miami had one going..but when Wade got injured. gone. only teams with really good management keep churing out young talent while keeping up with the chemistry with the players…
DJ..i feel so sorry for u too..like Gilbert said….”no one wants to live in Miluakee” <—i think i spelled it wrong.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:19 am
the_don_mega says:
i guess we aint winnin’ it FED
August 29th, 2008 at 7:19 am
that's whats up says:
@ post 1.
first what? first one to get off a dick and check the internet?
August 29th, 2008 at 7:25 am
YOUNGFED says:
@Mega
I better win. lol
@Ranger J
This is just for you. You know it’s bad when your own sister wont vote for ya a$$.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/aug/28/cindy-mccains-half-sister-backs-obama/
August 29th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Ernesto says:
“Grow some balls you chimp.” – Coop
Classic! My nomination for Reader Comment of the Day.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Luigi says:
nice
August 29th, 2008 at 7:42 am
Coop says:
Youngfed-
You mention Oden but Oden had microfracture surgery which puts him in a different league of rehab. Bynum’s really wasn’t ’serious’ and I think that’s what makes his protracted recovery so noteworthy.
I would mention KMart in this conversation too.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:13 am
Tha Boddy says:
When I think of Damon Jones I think of Douche of the past few years…I’d tell him look out for the spaceship ala South Park but he prolly signaled it humself.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:24 am
shake&bake says:
@ Luigi – I would feel bad for Ben Gordon if he didn’t turn down the offer before last season. He chose to take a gamble and go for more money and it didn’t work out for him. If you are going to turn down money, you better perform so you get offered at least that much after the season.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Coop says:
Yeah I mean the thing is, he obviously had it in his head that he didnt want the quali offer, and his agent must have told him that not many teams would have cap room this year, so what did he think was going to happen? Like ^ said, he turned down the offer and if he thinks he’ll be first in line in 09 then he’s sorely mistaken as there is a good crop of talent coming up. I can only summise he must have thought either the Bulls would crack or there’d be loads of s+t offers.
Foolishness.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Dave says:
I think Bynum was a Top 5 Center last season before getting injured.
Dwight Howard. Tim Duncan (I consider him a five, not a four). Yao Ming. Those three were clearly ahead of him.
Other C’s – Chandler, Dalembert, Shaq, Okafor, Camby, Kaman, Bogut, Curry, Brad Miller, Okur, Haywood.
I’m going to take Bynum ahead of everyone on that second list. I’d add the newcomer Greg Oden as the fifth name on my top five.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Dave says:
As for big man combinations:
I’m going Oden and Aldridge first. Gasol and Bynum and second.
What can I say? I’ve got a lot of faith in the Blazers young duo.
From there there’s a whole bunch of teams and combo’s who haven’t really separated themselves. Lot’s of interesting names in a big cluster.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:55 am
YOUNGFED says:
@Coop
Oden had surgery because his knee was injured so i think he gets the award for “brokeback knee rehabilitation”.
BTW
O-BA-MA!!! O-BA-MA!!! O-BA-MA!!!
Kinda sounds like an African Tribal War Cry. lol
FEDRODOMOUS PREDICTS:
1.) Pistons make a big time trade by Feb.
2.) Lions win the Superbowl
3.) Greg Oden/B-Easy will be rookie of the year.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Coop says:
Bynum is NOT a top 5 centre that’s ridiculous. And LA fans wonder why they get mocked so often haha.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:00 am
YOUNGFED says:
Top 5 Big Man List
1.) Howard/Turk
2.) Chandler/West
3.) Oden/Aldridge
4.) Gasol/Bynum
5.) Tim Duncan by his Damn’ self (he’s that good). Yeah I said it, what?
August 29th, 2008 at 9:04 am
GEE...Chicken Noodle Soup says:
First off DIME how can we your loyal online and magazine reader get the Obama shirt jump offs? Those were like that!
I think Bynum will certainly give you numbers, but to say he is the missing element that will put them over the top to a championship. Nah.
Who leaves first Rudy or O.J? Start the betting now.
Oden and Bynum..Who gets re-injured first? Again place bets now.
I got Bynum 10 among centers. 7 at most.
No telling what Damon will do, I can see pimpin actually wearing a pimp outfit with kane and hat to match.
DIME for real how do the readers get that shirt?
August 29th, 2008 at 9:05 am
GEE...Chicken Noodle Soup says:
So nobody is considering Stat at the 5? Wasn’t he the center before Shaq came and moved dude?
August 29th, 2008 at 9:17 am
GEE...Chicken Noodle Soup says:
By the way Nicky if you come in I read what ya wrote yesterday and how in the world did you spill urnge soda on the tandy. LOL crazy.
I was playing all type of games on that. Amazing how far games have come from the block type characters of old. Matter of fact wrestler John Cena has a “You can’t see me” shirt of him as a old school video game character in block style. Pretty different.
Ranger I also read what you wrote and as far as NO I guess we just look at that differently and choose to believe it in different view points.
As far as Obama, I ain’t trippin cause you down with McCain. I will say I appreciate dude serving the country but I can’t get down with him wanting to continue sending troops and all. To each his own on that one.
You still cool as 4 flat tires and a spare.
On a different topic did you here that Ken Shamrock I think is suppose to fight Kimbo Slice? I am hoping that is a rumor. As good as Kimbo is, Ken has experience and Kimbo showed in his last fight he got chinks in the armor.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Coop says:
Stat has never played like a C imo.
Fed, how can you have Turk as a big man? Dude is a sf who you could even plug at sg if you had to. You must be thinking of Adonal Foyle, baby!!!!
August 29th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Steve Nasty says:
Kimbo versus Shamrock…….love to see that. Turk aint no centre? Ben Gordon aint worth the money he is chasing. Utah has Korver they don’t need another stand up shooter that can’t play defense.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:36 am
loganlight says:
You have no idea what I would pay to see Craig Sager and Damon Jones going one on one in a fashion show down… it would be priceless.
LL
August 29th, 2008 at 9:58 am
schoops says:
@ younfed.. haha, great link.
@dave… your list is suspect in terms of top 5 centers. I think chandler is way ahead of bynum in terms of defense and rebounding. okafor seems fairly even with bynum in terms of what they produce. Until bynum comes back from this long injury he should be in the “notables” section when talking about top 5 centers this coming season. He put in half a good season.. for his entire career. lakers fans can stop blowing themselves constantly.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Tom S. says:
Good idea loganlight. Kinda like the Barkley/Bavetta race a couple of years ago, they should have the Sager/Jones “walk-off” (a la Zoolander).
August 29th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Dave says:
I don’t consider Amare a center. He could do some duty there but his natural position is at power forward so I’d classify him there.
As for the Duo’s …. there’s so many interesting groupings.
I’m with the idea that Tim Duncan and Whoever stands up to most duo’s. Booz and Okur. Shaq and Amare. Tyson and West. Brand and Dalembert. Jermaine and Bosh.
I also think Yao and Scola make a great combination for the Rockets, one of the best interior D’s in the league, best rebounding team in the league until Yao went down. Those two are a very good combination.
I’d like an actual big man next to Dwight for a duo but I can roll with the Dwight/Hedo idea. Celtics have a very good interior too.
Like I said earlier, lots of good duo’s but I don’t think there’s much separation amongst the trailing pack. You could put them in all types of different orders.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:17 am
YOUNGFED says:
@Coop
Turk played PF last yr. in Orlando.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Dave says:
Just back onto Bynum for a second,
The one thing that I think separates him from that trailing pack is that he provides more on both ends of the court than everyone else. Some guys are great defensively (Chandler), some offensively (Okur, Bogut) but none provide as much as Bynum does on both ends. He’s more well rounded than everyone else on that second list I offered up.
In case anyone is wondering, I’m not a Lakers fan. I just think he’s a very good player.
I’m going to jabber on here for a second
As a starter Bynum was averaging 14.6ppg, 10.7rpg, 1.8apg, 2.3bpg … in only 30.7 minutes and he was shooting an incredible 65.6% from the field. Overall, 13.1ppg, 10.2rpg, 1.8apg, 2.1bpg in only 28.8mpg.
Those 10.7rpg would have ranked him 6th in the league in rebounding last season. He was fourth in the league in rebound rate (percentage of available rebounds grabbed). He’s one of the league’s best rebounders already. He would have ranked third in offensive rebounding.
Those 2.3bpg would have tied him fourth in the NBA. Again in only 30.7 minutes.
He was top six/seven in the league in points in the paint out of big men scoring 9.6 points per game inside.
Bynum is also a good passer, moves well without the ball, and is overall an intelligent player. He isn’t a playmaking center like Brad Miller, but he moves the ball well and hardly ever turns it over. He had 61 passing assists versus only 10 turnovers on passes. That’s part the reason why he has such good value in an offense like the Triangle.
He is also a high quality defensive player. He isn’t on par with a Chandler, not yet, but he is a very good defender. He plays excellent post defense and he protects the rim very well. Out of all areas of his game, none was coming along faster during each week of last season than his defense. His length and overall athleticism bothers almost everyone he played against last season.
You can also pinpoint a large chunk of the Lakers growth on Bynum’s development. LA moved from a 40-45 win first round exit squad to a team challenging for the West last season. The Lakers were on 56 win pace with Bynum in the lineup. Their record without Bynum, and without Gasol, was 10-10, they were playing .500. His impact on the Lakers was massive and what you’d expect from a high quality center.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:40 am
John says:
I think that the Blazers and Jazz have great teams , but championships teams must have a superstar. And both teams are missing that part ,,, I’ve seen teams with 1 or 2 superstars and a lot of garbage winning , and good teams with 8, 9 very good players and when comes the time to win it all ,,, they fail ,,, Just my 2 cents ,,, peace
August 29th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Ian says:
dave comon well rounded whattt bynum only dunks and there are a lot of players from that second list that are better than him now for real u really think that kid is better than camby hell no
luigi
wizards were a dynasty in the making what????????? the heat ??????? and u say before lebron showed up lol comon man
youngfed
u r right on the timmeh thing he and anyone is a top 5 combo (if he only had scola back that be nice)
August 29th, 2008 at 11:01 am
schoops says:
@dave… okafor is also known for his defense… yep. and bynum averaged those during half a season. those numbers would most likely have dropped as the season progressed (like most younger players), and when he averaged those numbers he was basically their only interior force (kwame and turiaf blow) so of course he grabbed some boards. And on offense, he dunks, that’s about it. this bynum hype is overblown.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:01 am
YOUNGFED says:
yeah well rounded.,…Say Whah?
August 29th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Dave says:
Bynum’s scoring isn’t well rounded, the rest of his game is.
I don’t think his numbers would have dropped as the season progressed. They were improving with each passing month and his defense in particular was coming on leaps and bounds.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Bill says:
Kendrick Perkins is the most underrated centre in the leauge.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:53 am
nicky says:
@John 37: Detroit Pistons is the exception to that rule? if not, who do you peg as their superstar?
as far as Rudy (Fernandez, not Gay), people are high on him right now, but if he dont get major burn i put 2 to 1 he jets after one year just like Navarro.
he dont wanna end up like Sergio Rodriguez: “Spanish Chocolate” lost his spot on the national team ’cause ain’t nobody seen him play in the last two years cause he’s been stuck on the bench.
and i dont if yall got this vibe in the olympics matches, but Rudy is definitely got a lil more goin on in the ego dept than youre normal euro…definitely feelin himself a bit…
as for the orange soda, Gee, i dont know man i was just a butterfingers like that
August 29th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Sir Lix-a-Lot says:
How come no speak of Big Z as a top 5 center for the Cavs? His foul line jump shot is money. … out like Golden State’s playoff chance
August 29th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Amar says:
why would utah need an explosive scoring guard? you know what sets they run? it’s not like they run the triangle, Austin. they’ve been using a variation of dick motta’s forward based sets since back before jordan was drafted.
he’s a 6′3 “shooting guard” with a career 43 fg%. utah is a precision offense, not a volume offense — so that’s strike 2.
secondly, the jazz don’t have offensive troubles, they have trouble on defense. is gordon going to be better at playing Tmac / Kobe / brandon roy / kevin durant / kevin martin etc than brewer/Ak? I don’t think so.
maybe it’s no wonder that Utah sqashed the rumors — as they didn’t make sense for the team — only made sense for Gordon jockers who wanted to see him kill another franchise.
August 29th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
QueSt??? says:
awwwwwww how cute, nate is in loveee!
August 29th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Coop says:
Very good post imo, Amar.
Okay Fed fair point I just don’t really count him as a ‘big’.
August 29th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
K Dizzle says:
It’s once again comedy that the same heads that are bashin on Bynum as overhyped and overrated are the same dudes all giddy about Oden who hasn’t even had a healthy game. Yeah, AB averaged 13, 10, and 2 for half a season and obviously the Lakers coulda used him in the Finals. I’m gonna state this again but the haters’ll see what they wanna:
AB is 20 YEARS OLD. Oden is 20 YEARS OLD.
One guy has 3 years NBA experience and has shown that he can be a force on both ends when healthy, but Portland’s got a dynasty? It looks good on paper, but I seen what my squad can do on the court and Bynum still ain’t never played with Pau. We still got Kobe, Sasha and Farmar got some valuable playoff experience last season and we got the best team out west. Keep talkin about dynasties on paper and how chips are bein made right now for other teams, but you still gotta take out the Lakers. The road to the championship WILL go thru LA
August 29th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Luigi says:
lmaooo at those ppl who reply to me
i ment to say was. them Wizards. had somethin goin..ppl believed they could advanced further after we got swept by miami…thats what i ment. n Miami won a championship. n the yr b4 that they went 7 with Detroit.. giving ppl false hope basically.
n Ben Gordon…ill teach u to play D. kuz i bet ima better Defender than you are.. n im only 5′6 lol
August 29th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Desrat says:
Kimbo can not fight at all. He is an internet sensation, a celeberty. At best he is MJ in baseball, will sell tickets but can not play witht he big boys. Shamrock used to be real nice though. Both of them would lose in todays MMA though.
August 29th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Ian the statboy says:
luigi so its lmao to the people that responded your comment when even u admit it was stupid. ok
and to answer the last one no it didnt give anyone hope but u to think that a team with arenas gunning his ass off is gonna win shit
August 29th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Homeless J says:
It took longer for Amare to come back than it’s taking for Oden. It took him like two, two and a half years to get back to the level he was at before and it’s only taken Oden a little more than one (so far).
August 29th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
sans says:
I don’t know about Kimbo not being able to fight…I wouldn’t say that even under a clever internet pseudonym…but yeah, he gots no ground game. Of course, last couple years, people have been beatin up on Ken Shamrock. Kimbo should take him, but he’s definitely learning the difference between $3g, $10g, and $100grand fights.
August 29th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
GEE...Chicken Noodle Soup says:
I think Kimbo’s last fight against dude with the nasty growth on the ear (ewwww) woke him up. Till that ear popped he wasn’t cleary winning at all.
He is training and so I think in time he will be really ok, but I think for the sake of money the company is taking him in deep water to fast.
Cause as old as Ken is, he still knows the ish like the back of his hand. So hopefully Kimbo will jump on dude and ground and pound early, cause if it gets technical in dealing with submissions and mounts and breaking mounts. Kimbo might be in for a long night.
To Kimbo’s credit though, if he hits Ken with one of those soup bones …that’s all she wrote!