Might as well have a thread for this since as soon as we're done it's going to be everywhere (again), especially with Flip here.

Does anybody here follow the TWolves somewhat closely?

Specifically, I'm looking for some insight into KG/Flip's relationship whilst Flip was the HC in Minny. Were there any public spats? Rumblings of trouble behind the scenes? Were they cool?

I know that Chauncey & KG are tight (CB was best man in KG's wedding, IIRC). If there truly is a wedge between the offensive factions of the club (Flip, Chauncey, etc) and the defensive factions (Ben, Lindsey, Tay, etc), could Flip/Chauncey collaborate with Joe to try and bring KG into the mix by blowing up our current squad and sending half of them to Minny?

Anybody that knows more about the KG/Flip/CB dynamic please fill us all in here.

i would run in the streets naked if we somehow got KG.

From a random article that I found dated March 2006:


Garnett continues to stay loyal, even as his jaws clench, wishful trade speculation swirls and some pals around the league start to feel sorry for him.

"It's been really tough on him, man," Detroit's Chauncey Billups, a former teammate, said over All-Star weekend. "That's my guy, I love him to death. I know he's struggling. Because he's a winner, man, and I know better than anybody what he puts into it, night in and night out."

man you guys are still hanging on to your pitiful kg dreams of detroit. It will never happen. not because he wont be traded, but because minnesota would be plumb dumb to waste time looking at anything we have to offer. the knicks have the best shot at getting him with chicago a distant second.

GD - in all the time Flip was there I can't recall a single time KG trashed him in public.

It obviously could (and fucking should) have been done behind closed doors.

Ben, Sheed and all those other talkative fucks should have followed KG's example and gone to Joe with their whining, not the media.

man you guys are still hanging on to your pitiful kg dreams of detroit. It will never happen. not because he wont be traded, but because minnesota would be plumb dumb to waste time looking at anything we have to offer. the knicks have the best shot at getting him with chicago a distant second.

What do the Knicks have? You think a team going full-rebuild mode wants one of their franchise killers? Hell no. The only way the Wolves would take one of those guys is if KG was staying in Minny (thus keeping him happy). The Bulls are by far the front-runners if they want him. Great young talent, a #2 pick, cap space, etc.

As for the topic. I remember when Flip was fired from Minny, KG said something like weird like "When I die, Flip will be my coach in heaven" or some cheesy bullshit like that. It's safe to say they were close. But it's also safe to say that our KG hopes went out the door when we threw Darko away for next to nothing. We just don't have the hyped up "potential" bargaining-chip type guys it takes.

KG and Flip get along brilliantly. KG cried when he was gone. Y'all don't
remember that shit? KG would be a possibility, but I'd have to take Garnett
for ONE of the Wallaces and something else, but not both of them.

The Garnett trade talks were lame back in the day because there was no reason
for it, but at this point in time, we have Flip & Billups and they're obviously not
getting it done with KG. They're going to have to do something about it.

They have 3 shitty contracts with Marko Jaric, Troy Hudson and Mark Blount.

If Joe D and Billy D were willing to take 2 of those I think Minnesota would part with KG.

I agree that Troy Hudson is probably going to be a part of any KG deal.

I also agree with Mola in that the KG to Detroit rumors used to be silly, but they actually are starting to make a lot more sense.

i would run in the streets naked if we somehow got KG.

We'd actually prefer that you didn't :)

KG would be great to have it would just depend on the cost.

As far as Flip and KG's relationship, it was good and KG was actually pissed when they fired Flip.

come on, now. a superstar post presence in KG on this team? a guy who's hungry to win, can do everything on the defensive end that Ben can and be our best scorer??


"we're goin' streaking!!!!"

http://www.phatpimpclothing.com/hi/phatpimp/images/exstreaking.jpg

The way I see it is KG is going to get moved unless Minny gets drastically better in the next few months. However I don't see how they can get better with a drat pick in an average draft and the MLE? I mean does trading for Francis or Marbury really make Minny better? Even if they were to land a Zo or Pryzbilla with the MLE I don't see them being contenders. So my long winded point is a sometime soon KG will reach a point of diminishing returns and Minny will get less than they wanted for KG. So I believe a trade to here could be likely. How likely I don't know it depends on what Minny wants for KG at this point?

I do know however that the 07 Magic first could be highly valuable, if trading KG this year meant having a rebuilding year they could themselves end up with a top 07 pick. Perhaps either the two picks could be used to draft two studs or packaged to try to get Oden. I just think that Minny will explore all option actively.

Great thread guys.

It just wouldn't be an NBA board without talking about possible KG trades.

so we force sheed to play Center full time? we cant have ben getting his offseason money and paying supreme max to KG. Both wallaces are gone if you go with KG IMO.

man you guys are still hanging on to your pitiful kg dreams of detroit. It will never happen.

No offense, but you said the same thing about Darko not getting traded.

There is no question that both Wallaces would be gone. The question becomes who is picked up to be the C? Can we get a Przyzbilla for the MLE or do you target a Nazr and hope that C by commitee concept works? Like GD said though a bad deal would be included in the deal so maybe that deal is Blount. Blount is not great but has shown the ability to score.

Both Wallaces?

I'm not so sure.

Sheed, Cato(s&t), Evans, and 1+ 1st's for KG and Jaric/Hudson.

Maybe you would have to package them, in which case I would want Rickey Davis back, so that we would actually have something at backup SG/SF, or go 3 way, to do something, IDK.

I also think KG would cost us two starters.

Minny is going to need brand names to sell to their fanbase.

Saying you have 40% of a championship starting lineup would do that, Rasheed Wallace & a couple of our scrubs? It doesn't quite have the same appeal.

They'd be better off in the lotto with KG than in the lotto without him, obviously.

Toronto is rumored to be looking to move their #1 pick and Charlie V. I'm sorry but that looks better than us offering geezers to them. They get 2 immediate fanbase builders with #1 pick and charlie V.

not 2 starters Glenn. both wallaces specifically. Darko was a situation that didnt involve any of our starters. Not even the same thing. We arent going to pay ben and KG. We arent going to have sheed play fulltime Center. We lose both guys IMO.

Outside of McCoskey's speculative Charlie V reference, I haven't heard about them actively shopping him, I mean, why would they?

Don't suppose you have a link do you?

not 2 starters Glenn. both wallaces specifically. Darko was a situation that didnt involve any of our starters. Not even the same thing. We arent going to pay ben and KG. We arent going to have sheed play fulltime Center. We lose both guys IMO.

I'm saying that Minny is probably not even going to listen unless we're offering two starters. I think you are saying that the Wallaces are the two that we (Pistons) would pick to deal.

Two different things.

Also, you were adamant that Darko was not going to be traded by the Pistons, just as you are now saying that KG is not coming to the Pistons. I don't know how you could possibly know definitively about either of those, yet you sound like you do.

The thing is Gutz KG makes 20 Million as appealing as the number 1 pick is with Charlie V they still need 13 million more in salary to be within 25% of a workable trade per the cap rules. Sure those "Geezers" are in the twilight of their careers but still hold a marketability appeal that Minny will need in light of losing KG.

Outside of McCoskey's speculative Charlie V reference, I haven't heard about them actively shopping him, I mean, why would they?

Don't suppose you have a link do you?
actually its on espn also.

Yeah there is a lot of talk about Toronto wanting to trade. Colangelo wants the Euro kid C but said unless the powers that be in the organization agree with him on drafting him he will look to move out of the pick. Plus keeping Bosh happy is a high priority who said he wants Aldridge which drafting him makes Charlie V expendable. Colangelo feels he can get a guy he wants and needs later in the draft by moving ut of the pick.

The thing is Gutz KG makes 20 Million as appealing as the number 1 pick is with Charlie V they still need 13 million more in salary to be within 25% of a workable trade per the cap rules. Sure those "Geezers" are in the twilight of their careers but still hold a marketability appeal that Minny will need in light of losing KG.
not as much or even close to kg. We love them but i think we overrate how they are looked at around the league in market value. I thought we did that last offseason too when we were on the kg thread stuff.

And Toronto can add to the deal all day IMO. If they want to make it happen, i think they can. Even if it becomes a 3 way. that pick and Charlie V hold more weight and are light years more likely to be sought after than us giving up rasheed and/or ben. But why would we want to give up ben and sheed for KG.

Oh and Pryzbilla is flat footed garbage.:o :p I have no desire to get Big Z part 2 w/o the offense. one trick pony who can block and not much else.

but i'll let you guys have your fun and leave ya alone. kg for billups?

But why would we want to give up ben and sheed for KG.

I think you'd be surprised.

I love Ben, and Sheed (used to be) one of my favorite Pistons, but I'd do it in a heartbeat. Wouldn't even think twice.

Billups
Hamilton
Prince
KG
MLE Center or Dale Davis

Dice, et al off the bench? Just sick.

Outside of McCoskey's speculative Charlie V reference, I haven't heard about them actively shopping him, I mean, why would they?

Don't suppose you have a link do you?
actually its on espn also.


THats ford saying that if they draft Biragini (sp) they'll have an extra F. Thats all.

1) does anyone put ANY stock in the CV rummour? sounds like BS to me. i agree tor should draft aldridge, and that it makes CV expendable, but wouldnt ben just add to the log jam?

2) i really have lost interest in KG. he wasnt even all nba this year. he's missed the playoffs TWICE in a row now (what other nba superstar can say that?). he makes too much. hes too high strung. he has too many miles on him. i'd trade one starter for him (and the orl pick) but the wolves will do better, so i think its an unreasonable discussion.

The only two deals that have any value that add up to coming close to what they would need to make up the difference is Alvin Williams 6.8 million and MoPete 4.5 along with Bonner or Araujo. Leaving the Raptors with Bosh, KG, Graham, Calderon, either Bonner or Araujo, with the MLE and BAE no draft picks beyond pick 35 to fill out the remaining 8 roster spots. I know KG is powerless persay but I can't see him being happy going from one bad sitution to another with the promise of next year.

Toronto is rumored to be looking to move their #1 pick and Charlie V. I'm sorry but that looks better than us offering geezers to them. They get 2 immediate fanbase builders with #1 pick and charlie V.

I'd take #1 and CV for Sheed (Joking, about them offering, not that I'd take it)

In the more earlier posts of this thread, gutz was right. Chicago and New York have the best chances of getting players in return etc because they have talented young players.

But now that you think about it, Detroit is also getting in.

We dont need to give up 2 Wallaces IMO. We can add a hell of a lot more fillers. If we were really desperate, we could add the Orlando pick or possibly even Hamilton.

Hamilton sounds doubtful but then I dont think Minny wants to get younger.

If shit really doesnt work, we may have to do a 3 team trade including either Chicago or New york:mad:

I want KG in a Pistons uniform.

Can we swat this shit? Please MOLA, stop letting this thread ruin this forums rep.

1) Ben and sheed arent going anywhere. If they do, I hope you guys get used to 2nd round elimations

2) KG isnt going anywhere because the TWolvs would fold like a house of cards if they got rid of him

face the truth. people are itching for any reason to dump our big men and get KG. they were silenced last offseason by the "we are contenders right now with ben and sheed". but now that we may lose before even reaching the finals. they cant even wait until the series is over to get this off their collective chests. people dont like our team. maybe subconciously. but people almost always want to trade our players as soon as they are slipping*see the Tayshaun haterade thread vs the Tay manlove we see now". The mob stays fickle hoping for us to have a michael dwayne lebron kobe carmello jordan on the roster instead of these go to work bastards.;)

With that said, carry on if it pleases your ecentric star player fetishes.

like i said in a previous post, i think the chance of KG being a Piston next season is slim to none. however, i do think he's an unbelieveable talent that would keep us in contention for a long while.

Like I said: Swat this shit.

For the record (before the swat)

The perfect deal for Minnesota:

Blount (around $6,000,000)
Hudson (around $6,000,000)
KG (around $20,000,000)

To Detroit for

Rasheed Wallace (around $12,000,000)
Ben Wallace (around $12,500,000)
Maurice Evans ($1,500,000)

It works under the CBA!

They give out approx $32,000,000. They can take back as much as $40,000,000 or as little as $26,000,000

They take back the $26 million and save money straight away ($8,000,000 is a huge fucking saving too). If we gave them the Orlando pick that's another added bonus.

They add their pick in 2006 (#6 or something?) because we're saving them so much money

Line-up:

C: Blount + Davis
F: KG + McDyess + Maxiell
F: Prince + Amir
G: Rip + Delfino + Acker
G: Billups + Hudson

PLUS their pick (you know the names)

If only you could combine Ben with other players in a S+T...

You do it as seperate trades though Mxy. Like Philly did with Webber

(and um, I just realised the guys I posted don't work doing it as a seperate deal, so back to the drawing board. it's possible to get it to work though)

Ben for Hudson + Blount and their pick (Williams from Duke?)

Sheed + Davis (= $15,500,000) for KG (Minny can take back as little as $15,000,000 for him)

There you go. It works.

For the record (before the swat)

The perfect deal for Minnesota:

Blount (around $6,000,000)
Hudson (around $6,000,000)
KG (around $20,000,000)

To Detroit for

Rasheed Wallace (around $12,000,000)
Ben Wallace (around $12,500,000)
Maurice Evans ($1,500,000)

It works under the CBA!

They give out approx $32,000,000. They can take back as much as $40,000,000 or as little as $26,000,000

They take back the $26 million and save money straight away ($8,000,000 is a huge fucking saving too). If we gave them the Orlando pick that's another added bonus.

They add their pick in 2006 (#6 or something?) because we're saving them so much money

Line-up:

C: Blount + Davis
F: KG + McDyess + Maxiell
F: Prince + Amir
G: Rip + Delfino + Acker
G: Billups + Hudson

PLUS their pick (you know the names)

Holy shit, someone found a way to trade Evans. That's worth it by itself!

Half kidding of course.

lol, give me 2 fucking seconds and I'll go get my writing pad.

Q: How many teams are there (not including our's obviously)?

A: 29

I have 29 different trades that work with Evans.

(and likely more because some teams have really cheap shitty players and other have cap space and second round picks and other have trade exceptions and you get the point)

My favourite Evans trade of the minute?

Draft Day Trade:

Maurice Evans to the Lakers for their pick #26 and Von Wafer, who we would waive!

Salaries match too

lol, give me 2 fucking seconds and I'll go get my writing pad.

Q: How many teams are there (not including our's obviously)?

A: 29

I have 29 different trades that work with Evans.

(and likely more because some teams have really cheap shitty players and other have cap space and second round picks and other have trade exceptions and you get the point)

My favourite Evans trade of the minute?

Draft Day Trade:

Maurice Evans to the Lakers for their pick #26 and Von Wafer, who we would waive!

Salaries match too


I like Evans.........



















with about 2 more inches of height that is.

I liked Evans too, before he fucking actually signed here and somehow managed to nail Carlos Delfino's white ass to the pine.

I was pushing for us to sign Mo because of his limited abilities.

Flip thinks he's fucking Superman out there.

Sit your ass down Lil' Mo.

Time for Carlos to take over.

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2006/06/04/a_strategy_to_beat_the_press/?page=2


Is his time up in Minnesota?

Back when he was with Minnesota -- come to think of it, that was only last year -- Wally Szczerbiak said the thought of Kevin Garnett leaving the Twin Cities never crossed his mind.

Now, after Minnesota again missed the playoffs, Szczerbiak, looking at the situation as a Celtic, said he would not be surprised if the Timberwolves moved Garnett.

``KG has a burning desire to win. He desperately wants to win a title," Szczerbiak said. ``And if he can't do it in Minnesota, then he'll want to try and do it elsewhere.

``Looking at the situation there now, I think there's more of a chance than when I was there. KG can't play forever."

The Wolves have already made their obligatory ``We're not trading Garnett" statement, but here's something to bear in mind. Garnett turned 30 last month. He has played 11 years already and logged more than 32,500 minutes. (In his 13-year career, Larry Bird logged 34,443 minutes.) In only two of those 11 years, his rookie season and the lockout season, did Garnett log fewer than 2,900 minutes.

He's also been incredibly reliable. He did miss six games this past season -- as many as he missed in the previous eight seasons.

http://www.startribune.com/150/story/512639.html


It's time to trade Garnett
The Wolves need to start over, and dealing their star would be a good move for both player and team.

Jim Souhan, Star Tribune
Last update: June 25, 2006 – 7:22 AM

He's a tall, lanky power forward whose passionate play made him a Minnesota icon, and he became one of the NBA's most dominant players in his prime. So it's sad to say that it's time for Kevin to go, especially because the Kevin in question now bears the surname "Garnett." Last season, Kevin Garnett maintained a statistical profile of all-around excellence even while the Timberwolves imploded. That is a good reason to admire him. That is a better reason to trade him.

A flawed, poorly run team could not contend last season when one of the NBA's supposedly elite players was healthy and productive.

Now virtually the same management team and virtually the same coaching staff will try to win with virtually the same roster, with two exceptions:

1. Garnett will be a year older, at 30, having averaged 39 high-energy minutes per game.

2. Rashad McCants, the developing player with the best chance of improving the Wolves, is out indefinitely after undergoing microfracture knee surgery, a frightening injury for a player who relies on explosiveness.

This leaves the Wolves with two choices:

1. Make a desperate move, trading for a problematic player like Stephon Marbury, to pair Garnett with someone who could make the Wolves contenders.

2. Start over.

Admit that such a desperate move probably would fail, and that if it succeeded it would not get the Wolves much more than a first-round playoff loss.

Admit that Garnett's career has been wasted on a franchise that mismanaged talent, blew draft picks and cheated blatantly on the Joe Smith signing.

Admit that even with Garnett healthy and at his best, the 2006-07 Wolves will not be an attractive draw to fans disgusted by the current regime's mistakes.

Admit that having Garnett healthy will keep the Wolves competitive enough that the odds will be against earning a transformative draft choice.

Admit that Garnett's trade value will only decrease if he continues to log major minutes for bad teams, wearing down his knees and patience.

As painful as it might be to accept, starting over is the way to go.

Keep Garnett, and what you'll have is another lost season to go with a lost opportunity to overhaul a franchise in need of a fresh start.

Garnett is the Wolves' only healthy, valuable asset worth more than a light rail token.

Not only must he be traded, but he must be traded in one of those subtle, fan-angering moves that isn't fully appreciated for years.

Garnett is of best use to the only franchise for which he has played if he becomes the Wolves' Chuck Knoblauch, A.J. Pierzynski or Herschel Walker.

Remember, Twins fans thought their franchise was giving up when Terry Ryan made his deals. The Knoblauch deals built the foundation of three straight division championships. The Pierzynski deal brought Joe Nathan, Francisco Liriano and Boof Bonser. Herschel Walker ... well, you probably remember that one, too.

The Wolves need to trade for young, affordable talent and quality draft picks, and then display the kind of patience that has been void in the organization.

Which leads us to the most legitimate concern about trading Garnett: that the current brain trust might not be capable of making the right deal, or the right kind of deal.

Kevin McHale seems to believe his roster is a few tweaks away from the playoffs. Owner Glen Taylor has refused to fire McHale, an indication that Taylor thinks everything is running smoothly.

Virtually everyone who doesn't draw a paycheck from Taylor knows the franchise is almost beyond repair.

What is wrong with the Wolves, Garnett can't fix alone, and that's his only option if he stays.

So it's time to trade Garnett, not for his sake, but because trading him is the only way a wayward franchise can start over with a workable plan and realistic expectations.

Wolves have got to deal him.

Try Chicago - see if they'll part with some combo of #2, #16, Deng, Gordon or Sweetney.

The problem Minny faces is that Blount, Hudson and Jaric are signed long-term to shitty contracts. All are paid approx $6,000,000 per for the next 4 years! That's insane.

The Wolves have got to dump those guys as well, try to get expiring contracts for them (or at least shorter deals) and rebuild through the Draft.

The more that I think about it, the more I see the Bulls making a run at KG (especially if they keep losing).

They've got a lot of assets at their disposal, including PJ Brown's expiring deal, draft picks (thanks Zeke), and young players with value.

I could see a Brown/Duhon/Gordon/Sefolosha/pick(s) package getting it done.

Something to keep an eye on at least.

My favourite Evans trade of the minute?

Draft Day Trade:

Maurice Evans to the Lakers for their pick #26 and Von Wafer, who we would waive!

Salaries match too

Needed to bump this too to give Pharaoh some props. Not only did he nail the draft day trade of Evans, but he got the right team.

wow, nice, Pharaoh!

It's not the first time (Rip/Stack trade way back when)

Stick and jab.......and run!


Garnett suspended 1 game for punch at McDyess
January 21, 2007

NEW YORK (AP) -- Kevin Garnett was suspended one game by the NBA on Sunday for throwing a punch at Detroit's Antonio McDyess.

Garnett won't play Sunday night when Minnesota visits the Phoenix Suns. He leads the Timberwolves with 22.2 points and 12.8 rebounds per game.

With 5:18 left in the fourth quarter of the Pistons' double-overtime victory over the Timberwolves on Friday night, McDyess knocked Minnesota's Mark Madsen to the floor with a forearm shove.

Garnett then chucked the ball at McDyess, who charged at Garnett with his fist cocked. Garnett was poised to punch, too, and took a swipe at McDyess as he ran for dear life fearing that Dice would bitch smack him in front of Minnesota fans.

Link to article (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AuPdL8yAOMhcCqxR7fVJJ0W8vLYF?slug=ap-garnettsuspended&prov=ap&type=lgns)

Carmelo Anthony Speaks Up
January 21, 2007
Associated Press

Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets was reported to have called Garnett after the incident to offer words of encouragement.

"KG's my boy. I loaned him my book and we're going to get through this ugly ordeal together. I live by one mantra: you can't get hit if you he can't catch up to you," said the Nugget's leading scorer.
http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/1402200552.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V54483032_.jpg

Nice work, Matt. Priceless.

Should have been two games... one for throwing the ball and one for the punch.

madsen should get a game's suspension for throwing himself to the ground like he was hit with a baseball bat. punk. he is the whole reason this all happened.

KG thought dice elbowed him in the throat since he made it look so bad, so that is why KG reacted (or overreacted) the way he did.

madsen's theatrics are to blame IMO. moron.

I was expecting McDyess to get a game's suspension as well, given David Stern's tendencies.

he did nothing to warrant a suspension though. stern can't give him a suspension for nothing- dice would easily have won any appeal by the PA. KG threw the ball and threw a punch (sort of) so it's an automatic suspension.

The act of KG running backwards from a charging McDyess would've gotten
Stern on our case. That and the "Detroit" thing... just saw an ESPN reporter say the incident happened in Detroit when it really happened in Minnesota. <groan>

It's a good thing Garnett didn't trip over the string from his tampon when he was running away. That would have been embarassing.

Lol. This was all Mad Dog's fault as HW said. If he didn't attempt to win an academy award with his fall then KG would have never taken exception. But then we might not have won the game either.

I did LOL when Tolbert said "if this game goes on any longer, Madsen's head is going to pop off".

George Karl cracks me up sometimes.

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070122.wsptkarl22/GSStory/GlobeSportsBasketball/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20070122.wsptkarl22


Karl dismayed at length of Garnett's suspension
Associated Press

DENVER — Nuggets coach George Karl did the math and it didn't add up: Denver star Carmelo Anthony drew a 15-game suspension for his fight, Minnesota's Kevin Garnett got a one-game penalty for another brawl.

"Obviously, if you land the punch it's 14 games," Karl said Monday. "Throwing one is one (game) and hitting (someone) is 14. That's the equation I read. I'm just a simple guy. I couldn't pass calculus."

Anthony was set to return Monday night when Memphis visited Denver. He had been out since throwing a punch during a wild brawl against the New York Knicks on Dec. 16.

"Being away from (basketball), it really made me think about how much I appreciate it," Anthony said. "I wish I could take that punch back."

George Karl is a whiny cunt.

I'm on Karl's side, here. He's got a point. No way does what Carmelo did merit a double-digit game suspension in the '80s/'90s.

superstar Garnett > big star Ms. Carmela, plain and simple. Plus, the Pistons thing didn't turn into a big brawl, it was just two guys and the Nuggets thing was a big brawl and there was more than just one punch thrown, they were all in there pushing and shoving when Carmelo came in and punched a guy in the face and ran away. The circumstances were a bit different, and people still watch Nuggets games without Carmelo. Sota fans don't even watch Wolves games if Garnett is out.

I'm on Karl's side, here. He's got a point. No way does what Carmelo did merit a double-digit game suspension in the '80s/'90s.

Mxy, you might want to check your portfolio. Its 2007.

Yup, and basketball isn't as prominent as it was in the Magic/Bird/MJ era (with a couple years of Bad Boys spoilage :) ), and Stern persists in thinking that the the future is in pussifying the league.

Yeah, I was really just trying to work in a "portfolio" comment. I'm definately not a fan of a little slap and tickle resulting in half a season worth of suspensions.

In your honor, I will henceforth refer to my investments as my port-fool-io.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/sports/abox/article_1680362.php


Evans gives Garnett glowing endorsement

By KEVIN DING
The Orange County Register

EL SEGUNDO- Here's the background info: Lakers forward Maurice Evans calls Kevin Garnett "one of my best friends in the league." Here's the news: "I know he definitely wants out of that situation, deservedly so," Evans said Thursday.

"He's given his heart and soul to that (Minnesota) organization," Evans added. "And whether it be here or Minnesota or wherever, I hope for and wish him the best in his future."

Garnett has made reference to opting out of his contract after next season, though that would come at extreme financial cost. Garnett has not publicly asked for a trade, but there has been speculation about the Timberwolves trading him rather than losing him for nothing.

After this season turned out worse than last — a first-round dismissal by Phoenix in five games instead of seven — the Lakers have been asked by Kobe Bryant to be more open to bold moves. Bryant is prodding management to "do something and do it now" to meet his request to "get to that elite level, like, now."

Asked about Bryant's comments, center Kwame Brown said: "I don't talk about making changes, because when you start talking about that, you're not a basketball player, you're a personnel guy. That's not me. I'm a basketball player."

Brown and his expiring contract with $9.1 million due next season almost certainly would be part of any Lakers trade package to bring back a high-salaried player.

He suggested the team might be better kept intact but also acknowledged team-unity issues this season.

"We've got to band together more," he said. "I think at times of adversity, we just split up."

Said Evans: "We had chemistry issues all year long, trying to find lineups that would work most efficiently. And even when we finally did get back healthy, we still didn't have enough fight and resolve."

Evans spent his rookie year with Garnett in Minnesota and said: "I would love to play with Kevin. He's obviously a great player and very unselfish and passes. He's so unselfish almost to a fault, so I would love to benefit from some of his overly unselfish passes. But who knows?"

Do you think KG wanted that out? Will this be a case of MoEvans loose lips causing him problems, much like what happened with him last year?

There's no way KG wants this in the press. It makes him look like a bitch, and let's face it, enough people already think of him as a bitch.