At least we have to give David Stern some credit. After Spencer Hawes ripped into him about making too much money, Stern did admit he won’t be commanding a salary AT ALL during this work stoppage. He says he didn’t in 1999, and doesn’t think he will now either, saying even one dollar is too much. Take that Roger Goodell … Read More »

While another New Jersey point guard, Deron Williams, has already agreed to an overseas contract, another may be on his way. Jordan Farmar‘s interest in playing somewhere outside of the NBA has been strong all summer. Back in early July, Farmar told the Star-Ledger that playing overseas would definitely be an option to look into. Now, there’s talk he could be on his way.

Officials from Maccabi Haifa are saying they are close to an agreement. Read More »

Last season there was a lot of hope in New Jersey about the Nets. The team had acquired a bonafide superstar in Deron Williams, Brook Lopez continued to make his way into the conversation as one of the best centers in the NBA, and Kris Humphries emerged as a double-double threat from the power forward position. However, there was one glaring weakness on the Nets’ roster this past season, and that was at small forward. Read More »

The big NBA news today (so far, at least) is a deal that sends Deron Williams to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, two first-round draft picks and $3 million. There’s also a second deal that involves the Golden State Warriors, who will send Dan Gadzuric and Brandan Wright to the Nets in exchange for Troy Murphy. There’s a lot going on with this curveball, so grab your White Russian, lift it in honor of the shrewd Mikhail Prokhorov and read on for a quick assessment of the fantasy fallout. Read More »

A three-team deal emerged Tuesday night that had the New Jersey Nets send Terrence Williams to the Houston Rockets and Joe Smith to the Los Angeles Lakers. In return, the Nets will receive Sasha Vujacic from the Lakers along with a 2011 first-round pick, and a Lottery-protected 2012 first-round pick from the Rockets. The Rockets also sent Jermaine Taylor to the Sacramento Kings for a future second-round pick in order to make room for Williams. While there aren’t any landscape-shifting moves here, it does open the door a bit wider for a move that could have much bigger implications. Here’s a quick rundown of the fantasy fallout: Read More »

Just like when the Pacers go to The Palace, it’s become standard for any Knicks/Nuggets game at MSG to come standard with an air of hostility. Yesterday’s noon tip-off not only had that intensity — Amar’e Stoudemire and Ronny Turiaf each picked up a technical foul in the first half, Amar’e and Nene had an elbow exchange right before halftime that nearly sparked a brawl, and then Nene was hit with a tech in the final seconds of the game when he accidentally/intentionally tried to make Turiaf’s face look like Ben Roethlisberger’s — but it also had a playoff-caliber atmosphere and highlight-worthy finish … Read More »

On paper, it’s a matchup between an 11-8 team and a 7-10 team. Both are in third-place in their respective divisions. Between them, only two players (maybe three) are on track to play the NBA All-Star Game next February. But it is the dynamic — and potential interaction — between one player and the crowd that has made Heat/Cavs tonight the most anticipated game on the NBA schedule so far this season.

When LeBron James returns to Cleveland to play the Cavaliers as a member of the Miami Heat, it could be in front of the most hostile crowd any pro ballplayer has faced in decades. Every pro has been booed at one time or another, but speaking to players in the League, almost all of them agree that this is a unique situation. Read More »

The Houston broadcast guys put it best: “Shane Battier looks like Kobe Bryant.” Four games, four losses in a row for the Lakers, and now the NBA’s preeminent nice guy is playing like the NBA’s preeminent assassin. Battier (17 pts, 4 threes) took over the fourth quarter last night in Houston, leading a 22-6 charge to end the game and give the Rockets a 109-99 win over the Lakers … Unable to shake the feisty Rockets through the first three quarters, it all unraveled in the last few minutes for the defending champs. Read More »

If you ever questioned the difference between a “quiet” basketball performance and a loud one, you wouldn’t anymore after watching last night’s Knicks/Nets game. The Dime crew was at MSG for the latest chapter of the renewed rivalry — OK, well, it’s getting there — and the duel between Amar’e Stoudemire and Brook Lopez. While Brook had the most quiet 36 points (14-24 FG) you could imagine, on a bunch of short jumpers and putback layups and simple hook shots, Stoudemire’s 35 points (13-22 FG) were loud as all get-out. Read More »

Every team in the NBA changed their uniforms yesterday. But before you go and start cleaning out the NBA Store for fresh throwbacks, just know it’s more of a performance material change. The League introduced its new unis yesterday in Manhattan, and some of the Dime crew was on-site. Dwight Howard, Brook Lopez, Wilson Chandler and Jordan Farmar were also in the building. Talking about his offseason, Dwight dropped a line that his fantasy owners will love: Read More »