Jeff Caplan of NBA.com writes the Mavs aren’t pumped about Derek Fisher’s return: “Owner Mark Cuban did not reply to multiple emails on Monday, but one league source said the best way to describe the mood of the Dallas front office is “agitated.” The source said that Fisher and his representatives never contacted the Mavs during his decision-making process to discuss a possible return to Dallas, the team that, in good faith, initially signed him. The source said that Fisher’s departure before Christmas seemed to come out of the blue. Of course, in 2007 when Fisher played for the Utah Jazz, he did have a family emergency in the playoffs. His 11-month-old daughter suffered from cancer in her left eye and required surgery in New York. After the playoffs — where Fisher had an iconic moment in the West semifinals — Fisher asked the Jazz to release him from his contract so he could concentrate on finding the best care for his daughter. After saying, “life for me outweighs the game of basketball,” Fisher would soon sign a three-year deal to return to the Lakers.”
Darnell Mayberry on why OKC brought back Fisher: “Insurance: The No. 1 reason this deal went down. OKC shipped reserve point guard Eric Maynor to Portland at the trade deadline last Thursday and was left with only Russell Westbrook and Reggie Jackson at the point guard spot. Teams generally like to have three point guards for emergency purposes. For a team that expects to make another deep playoff run, entering the postseason with only two lead guards would have been risky. Fisher also brings stability to the position in the event that Jackson, still in just his second season, struggles under the playoff spotlight.”
Spurs winger Gareth Bale hit a wonder strike yesterday as he becomes one of the world’s top footballers. But it was also pointed out to me that his favorite player is Russell Westbrook, which is cool.
Read this story about nine-year-old rapper Lil Poopy (yep) and then listen to his song which mentions Thabo Sefolosha and Russell Westbrook.
Kevin Martin has made a lot of money.
Dan Cutter of Sports Wunkerkind on Ronnie Brewer: “If the Thunder win the NBA Championship this year, I’m willing to bet everything in my bank account (not very much to begin with) on that it won’t be because Ronnie Brewer shut LeBron James down. But he offers a much more suitable option than anyone else on the Thunder previously had when it came to guarding the King. There are still questions involved- Can OKC return to the Finals? Will Scott Brooks keep banging his head against the brick wall that is Kendrick Perkins? Will the Brewer trade prove to be beneficial, and can it help the Thunder conquer the Heat? While all we can do is speculate now, in just a short time we’ll know these answers. And maybe after we know these answers, we can look back on what appeared to be an uneventful trade deadline and see just how much it actually mattered.”
Coach K is done coaching Team USA.
Jenni Carlson on Fisher: “Would Thabo or Collison or even Ronnie Brewer, the defensive whiz who was acquired last week from the Knicks, have made a difference in the outcome of the series? It’s hard to say. But I sure like the Thunder’s chances more with them on the floor instead of on the bench. Listen, I’m not here to hate on Fisher. He can hit big shots. He can make great passes. He can bring veteran leadership into the locker room and onto the court. But at 38 years old, he could take playing time away from guys who need to be on the court during the playoffs. Giving him his old locker is one thing. Giving him those minutes is quite another.”
http://dailythunder.com/2013/02/practice-report-derek-fisher-will-definitely-play/
Be afraid, be very afraid
@AIaska http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/35439280.jpg
@sooner403 @AIaska I THREW BACK MY HEAD AND LAUGHED LIKE A MUPPET BABY seeing this Meme.
@Barry Amenema @<--- E-Thug
You're just left to wonder . . .
@<--- E-Thug which Muppet Baby? (this is important)
"Report: Nnamdi Asomugha ate in car". How am i supposed to read ESPN when this is your headline?
@krispy kreme More important: There is a person named Nnamdi Asomugha?
@lethalizer Apparently i copy pasted it straight off the site lawl. Its a football player i know that much. Off season must be uneventful. Ndamukong Suh is still the most amazing name in the game if you ask me.
Fisher-Martin backcourt?
FISHER-MARTIN BACKCOURT!
@lethalizer Fisher is going to take Martin's minutes along with Jackson's.
Q: Last year, you brought him in and he took Reggie Jackson’s spot. Will that same thing happen this year, or do you bring Fisher in as the third stringer?A: Well, we bring him in to give us some good experience. He’s been a champion many times over. He gives us leadership. Does he take spots on the floor, minutes from other guys? To have a good team you have to have sacrifices from everybody. I don’t know what they all will entail at the moment but, definitely, he will play. - See more at: http://blog.newsok.com/thunderrumblings/2013/02/26/qa-scott-brooks-on-derek-fisher/#sthash.TwBQY90C.dpuf
welp
@Lost Ones If I was Jackson, I would lock Fisher up in practice to such a degree that Brooks would be forced to see reality.
@Lost Ones There goes Lambs playing time. Damn it :(
@krispy kreme @Lost Ones he didnt have any playing time to begin with.
@krispy kreme @CLthunderfan @Lost Ones Psh Fisher wont play garbage time min. Starter min only for the Champ lol
@CLthunderfan @Lost Ones Lawl true but i mean the hope was there now its not Lol ,and he did pretty good on garbage minutes last game.
@Lost Ones hopefully we see a lineup with fisher and jackson in it.
@Lost Ones I was about to post that... greaaaat.
@Lost Ones He sounds like Presti on some of his answers. Basically says an entire paragraph that doesn't give you any indication of what is going to happen.
http://blog.newsok.com/thunderrumblings/2013/02/26/qa-scott-brooks-on-derek-fisher/
@Cold-Blooded " but , definitely, he will play" ....... dammit
@Cold-Blooded bad news
Haha....http://www.pistolsfiringblog.com/landry-jones-running
@BallSoHard
Yikes. My cousin weighs 270, plays nose tackle and runs a 4.9 as a junior in high school. Nothing wrong with being a minister.
@BallSoHard he's on an invisible bicycle.
This comment has been deleted
@krispy kreme @BallSoHard whoa whoa whoa, that wasn't my joke.
Projected salary for next year if everything stays about the same...
1 - KD 18.7773
2 - Russ 14.693
3 - Serge 12.250
4 - Perk 8.477
5 - Martin 8 (projected)
6 - Thabo 3.9
7 - Collison 2.585
8 - Toronto 1st round pick 2.5 (projected)
9 - Reggie Jackson 1.329
10 - PJ3 - 1.082
11 - Our 1st round pick - 1 (projected)
12 - Thabeet - 915
13 - Brewer - 900
14 - Liggins - $762
15 - Lamb - $2.111
Total Projected if everything stays pretty much the same - $79,281,439. Luxury tax is $70.3
@okcjim
1) No way we pay that tax.
2) Very little chance we sign Martin past this season.
I think the hope here is that other contenders will decline to pay that tax in the future as well, so the thing will be more balanced in the next 2-3 years.
Even teams like LAL will be reluctant to pay that tax, I'm telling you. Only exception might be the Nets(Prokrohov).
@lethalizer @okcjim Hmmm...I wonder what Presti had planned to do if Harden had signed for the amount we offered. It was going to be more than the 8 million projected for Kmart so obviously he must not be totally opposed to taking us into the luxury tax area.
@okcjims around 16 million in luxury am i right?
@Lost Ones @okcjim Does the luxury tax start out at 1 to 1 or 1 to 1.5 and then move up to 1 to 3 as you repeat as an offender?
@rednuht @AlexR44 @Lost Ones @okcjim Ibaka needs to learn the fundamentals, and stop looking like hes clueless when he gets switched on perimeter shooters. I mean if i see battier splash a three on him on more time -_____-
@rednuht @krispy kreme @AlexR44 @Lost Ones
Good question.
@okcjim @rednuht @AlexR44 @Lost Ones I just don't want to sign k mart for 8 m, and would let him walk if he asks more for 5.
@krispy kreme @AlexR44 @Lost Ones @okcjim The secondary question is Serge Ibaka's salary. Is he on track to earn next years salary or not?
@rednuht @AlexR44 @Lost Ones
Or get rid of both and sign cheaper options?
@rednuht @AlexR44 @Lost Ones
Would you rather have Perk or Martin?
@rednuht @AlexR44 @Lost Ones @okcjimHell no at this point Kevin Martin is just instant offense, and we have options else where if thats all hes gonna be able to bring. We can get much cheaper bench players.
@okcjim @AlexR44 @rednuht jesus, I dont see us paying that
@AlexR44 @rednuht @Lost Ones
Owners will receive a $1.50 penalty for every dollar spent when their team payroll exceeds the luxury tax by at least $5 million. That penalty increases for every $5 million that team spends and can reach up to $3.25 for every dollar spent. Also, franchises will be receive additional fines for exceeding the luxury tax threshold more than three times in five seasons.
@AlexR44 @Lost Ones @okcjim A clear question is would you pay the luxury tax to resign Kevin Martin?
@rednuht @Lost Ones @okcjim
Starting next season, it starts at $1.5
@okcjim isnt brewer's deal end this year? if so im not too sure we will have both him and liggins. just sayin
@CLthunderfanHe might not be back but he's making league minimum so whoever replaces him will be about the same.
@CLthunderfan @okcjim Yea and cuts and trades will probably shape the roster out differently. Presti is really good at keeping us under the cap
@krispy kreme @CLthunderfan @okcjim I dont see us going far then he'll have to cut some valuable pieces to get us under.
If Fisher comes back to be the back up pg I think you really have to look at Brooks job and its security next year. Considering Maynor & Jackson had to battle most the year to get that spot and Fish comes in after being bush league with Another team, 38yr old with knee issues to walk back into 2nd string pg is beyond a slap in the face to Reggie ( and maynor imo). Also for Brooks to say that Fisher moving to back up pg and that shaking Jacksons confidence is "hypothetical" is insane. Thats a real question deserving of a real answer. Either Brooks has a serious man crush on Fisher or is busy trying to win the 2009 NBA finals by giving him massive min.
@ThunderTheFUp i dont think brooks is our guy. At the moment hes more of a development coach, and not a X's and O's coach. We dont need that maybe we should look for a coach like doc rivers or a really good defensive coach like coach thibs,but theres not many of those in the market it seems.
@krispy kreme @ThunderTheFUp Doc Rivers isn't really considered and X's and O's coach either, nor is he considered an particularly offensive minded or defensive minded coach. What Rivers does well is what Brooks has done well. He establishes a relationship of accountability and instills a work ethic in his team. The result is that their teams play hard at least 90% of the time.
Getting the players to buy into a team concept and play hard most of the time is the most difficult part of a coaches job and is the reason why Presti re-signed Brooks.
If Brooks fails to meet expectations it will be his assistants not him that is upgraded.
@ThunderTheFUp @krispy @krispy @rednuht i hate Cole so much, i despise Cole i used to play 2k with my girl. She used to think Cole was better than Lebron , Her words not mine and she made him hit kevin durant shots on great defense and win. troll face*
@rednuht @ThunderTheFUp @krispy I look at it like this the man can pick his assistants. Thats gotta count for something right? lmaoo
@krispy kreme @krispy @rednuht Yeah but the whole Brooks is a great developmental coach thing doesnt really apply anymore. Norris Cole got pretty good under a contender though. Rookies can do great with contenders they just have to get time to play. No one has gotten better by watching games from the bench. if they did id be great right now lol
@krispy kreme @ThunderTheFUp @krispy After Rivers loss Thibs, he had Lawrence Frank who received a lot of credit for the Celtics defense. The common denominator is assistant coaches that make a difference while they allow the head coach to concentrate on the big picture.
@ThunderTheFUp @krispy @krispy @rednuht That's just what happens to contenders man. Its the same reason why contenders usually try and get cheap veterans i.e Miami, and not draft as much rookies that need playing time that need playing time to grow and gain value.
@krispy kreme @krispy @rednuht I just want a coach that holds guys accountable. Someone who doesnt automaticly give a guy min because he won rings in his 5yrs ago. Someone who can evaluate talent and develop it not just stash it in tulsa or play 2 min a game and not see any improvement. Even when our Rooks do play its a glorified pick up game. No plays called no screens just basic pick up ball.
@ThunderTheFUp @krispy @rednuht nah hes great defensive coach the loss of Thibbs hurt, but its not like he went for top defensive team in the league to last place he just lost a lot of size i.e Perkins and personnel hes still great at adjusting and that stuff
@krispy kreme @rednuht I think Doc is a great Defenseive coach actually . May have lost a step in last few year but thats more on his guys than him imo...Although thant may have had more to do with Tibbs being his ast and then losing him
@rednuht @krispy kreme IMO i think Cheeks will be better head couch than Brooks is. I agree Brooks is like Doc lite. A great player coach but our guys have seemed to either stop buying in so much or are at the point where they dont need to buy in as much as they need a tactition someone who can draw a play up or include younger payers and not be stubborn to play dif line ups make adjustments. At Carlise type guy. Someone who isnt scared to make changes.
@rednuht @ThunderTheFUp Maybe Rondo is so good at setting up players it looks like set plays, and doc rivers appears weak at that end, but the defense they played on Miami Rivers had to at least part of that i mean they were doing a better job then us with much older players.
@krispy kreme He's not developing anythig though currently. He did with KD, Russ and Serge via throwing them in games (baptism by fire) but Lamb, PJ3, Jackson none have showed much development since being in OKC at least not as much as i think they would've in other systems. I understand its cause we are a contendor but Brooks development is very over stated imo
@ThunderTheFUp I really hope Reggie still gets minutes but Fisher's #'s in the 9 games he played this year are better than both Maynor and Jackson....and the knee injury isn't serious.
@OBoy I agree about the Knee but if the team is really about sustained success as Presti has preached than i dont see the point of bringing in a aged vet to play back up pg when we have a cheap pg that has finally started to show signs of what he can do. I dont really hate the signing just the fact that Brooks puts him on the court in the 4th and plays him 20-25min a game. Presti isnt doing that. I agree Brooks is looking for Maynor circe 2010 which isnt going to happen with a 38 yr old vet. I agree Fish has a better bbiq and that big time in post season but to sit Reggie Again after he is clearly showing imrpovement doesnt help this team have Sustained success.
@OBoy @ThunderTheFUp It's been pretty clear to me that Brooks doesn't trust Jackson. Even if Jackson does well, Brooks doesn't expand his minutes or role. Brooks seems to be looking for something from the back up point guard that Jackson and Maynor weren't able to give.
I wonder if Brooks is looking for a player like himself?
@OBoy @ThunderTheFUp plus presti signed fisher not brooks. just sayin. If you complain about fisher being played more than blame presti for signing him not brooks.
@CLthunderfan @OBoy Yeah but Brooks is the one who plays in 25min a game and in the 4th qtr when we are looking for defense