Summer is a good time to realize you’re getting old. The knees hurt a little more after outdoor pickup games; the beach abs take more than eight minutes to get in presentable shape; and the honeys your age start looking less and less like the ones who draw all the attention on the street.
Putting together Dime #51 during the hottest part of the summer, we found this issue to be alarmingly young. Our cover guy, Kevin Durant, turns all of 21 years old this month. Eric Gordon, who also has a prominent feature in the issue, doesn’t turn 21 until December. And the anchor of Dime #51 is our giant fashion photo spread with the ‘09 NBA rookie class, whom we shot at the Dime/Levi’s Draft Suite during the biggest week of these players’ lives. Read More »
With any luck, we won’t have to hear about Ricky Rubio for a long while. Let me start by saying that my reasoning for not drinking the Rubio Kool-Aid has nothing to do with Ricky Rubio the person. Rather, it’s predicated by the second-hand hype he’s received that is based largely on three things: Read More »
Perhaps I’m just the only one, but I feel betrayed. It’s like when you go to a party and a girl tells you that she’ll meet you there and either a) doesn’t show up or b) is making out with some other dude in the corner. The point being, you set your sights on someone, made the effort, laid the ground work, and then you’re left high and dry and with no Plan B. I imagine that’s how the Timberwolves feel right about now. Read More »
The D.C. Sports Bog never lets us down. It’s a slow day in the NBA, we’re looking for something new to read and … BAM! The Sports Bog has a detailed interview with Mike Miller about his pet Java Macaque named Sonny.
The feedback from Hasheem Thabeet’s NBA summer league debut has been mostly positive. Although his stat line was modest (9 pts, 2 rebs, 1 blk, 20 mins), the rookie was praised for altering several shots and looking at least competent on offense, in contrast to Jay Bilas’ Draft Night scouting report that basically made Thabeet sound like the tall White kid from Rebound when it comes to putting the ball in the basket.
Even if Thabeet isn’t a regular starter right away, if he continues to make solid progress during the year and gets farther and farther away from the “potential bust” label, he’ll only make things easier for the Hasheem Thabeet of the 2010 NBA Draft: Florida State redshirt sophomore Solomon Alabi. Read More »
As not to break my own “It’s just summer league” adage, I won’t get too excited about the fact that Roy Hibbert and Tyler Hansbrough are rampaging through Orlando right now for my Pacers like Robert Parish and Kevin McHale in ‘86 (with A.J. Price as their Dennis Johnson).
We’re still months away from the real games, from even beginning to determine whether Hansbrough will become the good pro I think he’ll be, or the Lottery pick bust his harsher critics think he’ll be. Read More »
Today’s Smack dropped the “Out like Rubio”. Well, maybe not. The report that Ricky Rubio was officially headed back to Spain appears to be more of a rumor than a report. Team Rubio is insisting that no decision has been made.
Here are what seems to be Rubio’s options:
1. Continue to sue his Spanish team in hope of a lower buyout and sign with the Timberwolves now.
2. Drop the lawsuit and return to Spain to fulfill his contract.
3. Continue to negotiate a buyout in Europe and sign with a different Euroleague squad.
4. Force the Wolves to trade his rights (and continue negotiating the buyout).
5. Sit out one full year of basketball and re-enter the draft (yes that is a real option).
What do you think WILL happen and what do you think SHOULD happen?
And there you have it. If a Spanish media outlet’s report this morning is accurate, Ricky Rubio has decided to stay in Spain for two years to finish his contract with DKV Joventut instead of trying to play in the NBA with the T-Wolves (or whatever team would have traded for him).
Read More »
Only a few second-rounders from the 2009 NBA Draft justify the “slept-on” label. DeJuan Blair slipped to the Spurs at pick No. 37 (of course), and Outback trailblazer Patty Mills plummeted all the way to No. 55 before getting seized by the Trail Blazers (of course), and also respect to Sam Young and Jermaine Taylor.
As for the rest, “carry-on” is probably more appropriate — before you get too attached to your second-round additions, you should get to know the second round: Read More »
I’m confused. I’m going to write this rumor off as not true, but I’ll break it down anyway. Our boys over at RealGM.com have the following story on their homepage right now:
“The Knicks offered the Timberwolves the eighth pick and forward Wilson Chandler for the fifth selection in last week’s NBA Draft. Minnesota declined, and used the fifth overall pick on Ricky Rubio. Reports indicate that New York would have used the selection on Rubio, not Stephen Curry.”
Can’t be true right? If so, the Wolves passed up coming away in the draft with Stephen Curry at the 6th pick, Jonny Flynn at the 8th pick (the Warriors didn’t workout Flynn and had no intention of taking him) AND landing Wilson Chandler. Read More »
