After an outstanding three-year career at Kansas, which included a 2008 NCAA Championship and three Big 12 titles during his tenure, Cole Aldrich was a Lottery pick this June. First selected by the Hornets before being trading to the Thunder on Draft Night, the Bloomington, Minn. native gladly returned to the Midwest. So with everyone’s expectations for the Thunder going through the roof this season, we decided there was no one better to turn to for the inside scoop on life in OKC. In his second entry, Cole talks about the Thunder road trip, No-Shave November and his new crib. Read More »

The Atlanta Hawks are off to an 8-4 start, with five players averaging double-figuring scoring and a sixth, Marvin Williams, putting up 9.9 points per game. Aiming for their fourth straight playoff appearance with most of the same core, the Hawks are maturing as a unit, and much of the credit goes to improved ball movement and the diversity of the sets they are running under new coach Larry Drew. Read More »

Derek Fisher was the fill-in host on Jim Rome’s ESPN talk show yesterday. (This is why guys want to play in places like L.A. and New York. Sure, the network could’ve flown in a personality like Mo Williams or Aaron Brooks, but Fisher is right down the street.) Among the studio guests for 1-on-1 interviews with Fish were Brandon Jennings and Kobe Bryant. While Jennings used the spot as ad space for his new Under Armour kicks, Kobe talked about championships and legacies … Kind of funny to see Fisher all suited and booted while Kobe was rocking shorts and a track jacket. Read More »

After making headlines with their acquisition of Darren Collison and James Posey last week, the Indiana Pacers and their fans have something to cheer about for the first time in a long time.

The trade provides them with a very promising point guard and championship veteran experience. However, the task of improving is a never-ending job. The Pacers’ President of Basketball Operations, Larry Bird, has openly admitted that the team was not done making moves for the summer. Read More »

“I am raising the stakes right now … If this is a poker game, I am shoving my chips right in the middle of the table. I am raising the ante. Anybody who wants out can get out. This team is going to the playoffs. OK? This team is going to the playoffs.”

I can just imagine Larry Bird repeating the mantra to himself the morning after pulling off a win-win trade for my Indiana Pacers while he’s at his home gym cashing 92 out of 100 threes before breakfast. Read More »

Pretty much every wing player — i.e., a two-guard or small forward, typically someone who can play both — in the NBA is athletic. It’s one of the job requirements. And if they’re not very athletic, they can at least compensate by shooting your face off. So simply being able to do a YouTube-friendly dunk or knock down a rack’s worth of threes isn’t always enough to make an impact in the League.

The key is expanding your game. Here are five wing players who have added pieces to their original arsenal and are poised for a breakout season in 2010-11: Read More »

While everyone has been focused on the NBA Finals for the past few weeks, the 28 teams that have been watching from home had to be jealous. But even with the NBA Draft less than a week away, there has been surprisingly little chatter from many of the teams. That is, from every franchise except the Indiana Pacers. In one week’s time, the Pacers have basically put every player on the trading block, and made it known that they’re willing to deal. Read More »

Manu Ginobili’s bald spot might signal it’s over for the old guys. But, the San Antonio Spurs are trying to gear up again for one final push with their current roster. Every year, the “Spurs aren’t dead” headlines appear. Last summer, the signings of Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess were supposed to put them over the hump. They didn’t.

Now, the San Antonio News-Express is reporting that Spurs’ 2007 first-round pick, Tiago Splitter really wants to and is planning on coming to the States for next season: Read More »

With only two teams left playing ball, the rumors are starting to fly. Yesterday on his weekly ESPN.com chat, Chad Ford mentioned that one scenario floating out there is San Antonio sending Tony Parker to Indiana for the No. 10 pick, Troy Murphy and Brandon Rush. Let me be clear: There is no way that Larry Bird makes this trade. Read More »

The funniest thing about the NBA Draft Lottery is how team reps try to balance acting happy about getting a high pick with looking sufficiently disappointed that their team was bad enough to end up at the Lottery in the first place.

The 2010 Conflicted Emotions winner was the guy from the Pistons: During the drawing he broke into a big grin when his team landed the No. 7 pick, but as soon as ESPN’s Mark Jones said, “The Pistons missed the playoffs for the first time in since 2001,” his face immediately shifted to a somber, focused look.

Danny Granger forgot the “act happy” part. Repping the Pacers, Granger brought a John Wall jersey to the Lottery and was ready to rip off his dress shirt like the Incredible Hulk if the Pacers got the top pick. When they didn’t, he dropped his head onto the table. Lost in the comedy of the moment: Granger was advertising that he needs help. Read More »