David Berri of the Wages of Wins on the Heat: "So who is to blame for the disaster that is the Miami Heat? I am not sure this is Riley's fault at all. He assembled an aging team to win a title. And this happened. We should expect that such a team would decline soon afterward. And it did. Going forward this team is going to need more talent to complement Wade. The draft lottery beckons this spring, and that could help (or not). Unfortunately, the $40 million in salary owed to Shaq over the next two years is going to somewhat hinder any re-building plans. So it might be awhile before a return to glory in Miami. In the meantime, Heat fans should keep in mind that nearly half of all NBA teams have never won a title. So just keep thinking about 2006 and enjoy the play of Wade. Perhaps before Flash turns into an NBA senior citizen the Heat can re-build."
Quoting a press release: "The NBA announced today that David Harrison of the Indiana Pacers has been suspended without pay for five games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program. Harrison's suspension will begin with Saturday night's game when the Pacers visit the Sacramento Kings." According to Larry Coon's Salary Cap FAQ, a third failed marijuana test is the only drug violation that would result in an automatic five-game suspension. Less clear is whether other drug violations that could lead to a discretionary five-game suspension. UPDATE: After a closer look at the CBA, as far as I can tell the only way a player can get a five-game anti-drug suspension is for a third positive marijuana test. (The first results in entry in "Marijuana Program," the second in a $25,000 fine.)
Writing for the New York Sun, John Hollinger looks at what kind of attendance New Orleans would need to prevent the team from escaping its lease at the end of next season. He also wonders about where the team might go. Here's one far-fetched idea that a friend proposed: what if a Seattle-based group buys the Hornets? Then they can go to the league and say, essentially, your choice. We can have Chris Paul's team in the Northwest, or we can have Kevin Durant's team in the Northwest. Help us figure something out. Maybe Clay Bennett wants to swap teams, and take one to Oklahoma City or Las Vegas or wherever?
Ryan Schwan of Hornets 247 analyzes the costs of the Hornets leaving vs. staying, and realizes that the new lease, in many ways, represents an investment in leaving -- because the Hornets are giving up state funding for an expensive practice facility that they'll presumably need if they're going to stay.
If Allen Iverson passes Tracy McGrady in All-Star voting, McGrady might not make the team at all, which would open up a spot for one of those bubble guards like Baron Davis or Brandon Roy. Also, consider the reality that Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker would split the coach's vote, and both be left off the roster.
DeShawn Stevenson has a great new nickname, as Dan Steinberg of the DC Sports Bog reports: "'That's my new name, the Locksmith,' Stevenson said. GM Ernie Grunfeld gave him the name after he helped stifle Kevin Durant the other day. Or, you know, 'locked him down,' in general manager parlance. 'It's like 'Tough Juice,' the Locksmith explained. 'If I lock you up, then I've got your keys, you can't drive any more. I was looking for Andray's keys, Nick Young's keys. I was looking for everybody's keys because they couldn't move.'"
A truly heartwarming tale of college basketball and kindergarten teachers. Lots of people doing things right at Memphis (the team most publicly connected to William Wesley).
Malcolm Gladwell updates his thoughts about performance enhancing drugs: "Just to be clear: I'm not advocating that steriods be legalized. In fact, I think that's probably a terrible idea. I'm simply puzzled. The professional sports establishment is in the midst of a major witchhunt against alleged users of performance enhancing drugs. But no one -- so far as I can tell -- has articulated a coherent explanation for what should be banned and why." It might lack logic, but I honestly think it's just a matter of what's new, and what we're used to. People are used to the idea of painkillers. We are not used to the idea of HGH. We don't have experience with its power and limitations. We don't know if is a game-changer like nandralone, or a little helper like ibuprofen, and in the meantime most leagues would prefer not to have players use it.
Michael Grange of the Globe and Mail worries about Andrea Bargnani: "Is the No. 1 pick of the 2006 draft ever going to be a star on the marquee? Or is he ultimately headed for a long run as a member of the chorus -- a seven-foot version of Jason Kapono? Or Mehmet Okur-lite? Right now, it's anybody's guess."
Walter Herrmann, who was a coach's darling a year ago in Charlotte, and then fell out of the rotation under new coach Sam Vincent, is seeing the court again for his new team in Detroit. Flip Saunders has singled him out for praise.
A little NBA comedy from SuperSonicSoul. A favorite line: "NBA games offer a safe place for closeted homosexuals to hang out with their straight friends, while secretly lusting after the giant, scantily clad men running around on the basketball court. Or so I'm told."
Despite what Isiah Thomas might say, Knick players are not necessarily feeling untouchable, as Ian Begley reports in the New York Daily News: "'I love playing basketball in New York, but I'm no fool,' [Stephon Marbury] said. 'This is a business, period. That's all it is and all it's ever going to be.' In the past, Marbury has mocked the media for even bringing up the possibility of Thomas -- whom he considered a close confidant -- trading him. Marbury would claim that he and Thomas -- the Knicks coach, team president and Marbury's neighbor -- were too tight for Thomas to even consider trading him. But things between the point guard and president soured this season ..."
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