Can GMs get an assist from Santa?
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford Monday, December 22
Updated: December 23
9:21 AM ET
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ... everywhere you go.
Much of the holiday cheer is being spread early this year. Cavs GM Jim Paxson got at early Christmas present, in the form of a 30-point-a-night superstar, when a few ping-pong balls bounced his way in May.
Knicks fans saw Christmas Eve come three days early when they finally got their wish -- the ouster of team president Scott Layden. Of course, minutes into the celebration, the Grinch arrived with the news that Isiah Thomas, perhaps the only guy in the NBA with a more tarnished rep than Layden, was replacing him.
For others in Atlanta or Orlando, it's likely to be a year without a Santa Claus. It's hard to believe even Santa has enough magic to fix what's wrong with those franchises.
Sources at the North Pole gave Insider a sneak peek at every GM's Christmas wish list. As an early holiday gift for all of our loyal Insider readers, here's what the league's GMs hope to find in their stockings this year.
Billy Knight, Hawks: An explosive device.
Danny Ainge, Celtics: A legitimate triple double from Ricky Davis.
John Paxson, Bulls: A heart transplant for Eddy Curry.
Jim Paxson, Cavaliers: A bodyguard for LeBron James.
Don Nelson, Mavericks: Shaq's twin brother.
Kiki Vandeweghe, Nuggets: A sherpa.
Joe Dumars, Pistons: 20 and 10 from Darko (20 minutes, 10 of anything).
Garry St. Jean, Warriors: An Insider pardon.
Carroll Dawson, Rockets: A Houston summer home for Yao.
Larry Bird, Pacers: Ron Artest to stay on Santa's "nice" list.
Elgin Baylor, Clippers: Donald Sterling's credit card.
Mitch Kupchak, Lakers: Two words: "Not Guilty."
Jerry West, Grizzlies: Shaq and Kobe back.
Pat Riley, Heat: More Dwyane Wade, less Eddie Jones.
Larry Harris, Bucks: Someone to pay attention.
Kevin McHale, Timberwolves: Peace on Earth, and in the locker room.
Rod Thorn, Nets: A Tony Parker-for-Jason Kidd swap.
Bob Bass, Hornets: Mash and Baron healthy at the same time.
Isiah Thomas, Knicks: Jermaine O'Neal.
John Gabriel, Magic: A last-second pardon.
Billy King, 76ers: Someone to put the Big Dog out of his misery.
Bryan Colangelo, Suns: Glasses for Joe Johnson.
John Nash, Blazers: A therapist.
Geoff Petrie, Kings: One golden ring.
R. C. Buford, Spurs: A Tony Parker-for-Jason Kidd swap.
Rick Sund, Sonics: No Doze for Jerome James.
Glen Grunwald, Raptors: Twenty pounds of muscle for Chris Bosh.
Kevin O'Connor, Jazz: A move to the Eastern Conference.
Ernie Grunfeld, Wizards: Smelling salts for Kwame Brown.
-----------------------------------
Peep Show
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Tuesday, December 23
Updated: December 23
8:42 AM ET
AllenSeattle SuperSonics: Ray Allen and his surgically repaired right ankle have spoken. "There is nothing from now until tomorrow that can prohibit me from getting out on the floor," Allen said in the Tacoma News Tribune. "My doctor's prognosis, I don't think he wants me to play 35 or 40 minutes. It has been a whole process, gradually getting better. That is what we have done. So I definitely don't think it is going to be a situation where I jump in and play 40 minutes tomorrow." Allen has already missed the first 25 games of the season and joins a team losing players left and right to their own injuries. "If you just would have heard them all week, when there was potential that I was going to play this game, everybody was excited, like, 'You gonna play? Think you can play?'" Allen said. "For a long time, when they found out I wasn't going to play, it was a disheartening blow to their minds, like where are we going to get his production from? But to know that I have my uniform on and I will be back in the lineup, as much as it will give us an uplift on the floor, for the opposing team it is going to cause them some concern as well, so it helps both ways."
Indiana Pacers: Reggie Miller knows he's scoring a career-low 9.4 points per game. He knows his Pacers are having a particularly hard time against zone defenses. And the NBA's all time 3-point shooter knows what he has to do. "I have to be more assertive when I'm out there," he said in the Indianapolis Star. "I have to take advantage of the times I'm in the game." But his coach Rick Carlisle knows everything will be just fine. "Even when Reggie Miller isn't shooting the ball much, he still has an unmistakable impact on the game because you must guard him closely," Carlisle said. "That alleviates other things for our team. He knows the right time to be aggressive. And he knows when he's the ultimate decoy on the court. When he's playing that role, it allows Jermaine and Al to post up with single coverage or it opens up the floor for them to get the ball out to open guys. Because we're really playing four-on-three, and four-on-three is an easier game to play than five-on-four."
BarryDenver Nuggets: Jon Barry placed himself on the injured list and doesn't know when the pain in his neck will allow him to play again. "It was pretty much my decision," said Barry in the Denver Post. "I've been struggling with it for a while. I just don't think I'm helping out. I'm not helping myself because every night I go out there it just makes it worse. It hasn't felt right all (season), really." The 11-year veteran will be replaced by Jeff Trepagnier in the line up for at least four or five days. "I'm losing complete sensation in my right arm more and more each day,' he said. "If you don't be careful, it could be permanent."
New York Knicks: It just ain't the same in Gotham anymore. "There's no joy in Mudville," Spike Lee said in the New York Times. "Giants stink, Jets stink, Andy Pettite left. Nobody pays attention to the Nets. And the Knicks are a horror show. We're talking about Madison Square Garden!" So what else is the No. 1 Knick fan supposed to do but don the No. 8 jersey of Latrell Sprewell when the Timberwolves come to town. "I'm gonna break it out again," Lee said. "He's getting ready. I see it. Knowing Sprewell, coming into the Garden, he's . . . going to try to score 50. If he dunks on Dikembe [Mutombo], it's over! It's gonna be the most exciting game we've had. LeBron [James] hasn't come yet, so . . . and the Lakers, they killed us. This is the game everybody's waiting for."
MaloneLos Angeles Lakers: Magic Johnson walked up to the injured Karl Malone and told him to save himself for May and June and the playoffs. But the Mailman was having none of it despite the strained MCL in his right knee. "I don't accept that, because I like to be out there," Malone said in the L.A. Times. "But, I don't want to be out there hurting the team&. We'll make decisions in a week." He will miss at least three games on injured reserve, which is a lot for a guy who has missed only 11 in 18 seasons. "It's frustrating," Malone said. "You expect to punch the clock every night. Sometimes we feel like we're superhuman. I still feel like that a little bit. Just kind of a little ***** in the armor right now. It could have been worse, I think."
Cleveland Cavaliers: With Ricky Davis gone, LeBron James officially owns Cleveland now. "I had to," James said in the Lorraine Morning News. "We lost 15 points from Ricky and nine points from (Chris) Mihm. That's a big part of our offense. We were averaging 89 points, close to 90 points a game. For me, I had to step up my offense to make up for some of those points we lost." And it is everything his coach had hoped for. "I think it just happened naturally," Paul Silas said. ''He took over at the right time."
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford Monday, December 22
Updated: December 23
9:21 AM ET
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ... everywhere you go.
Much of the holiday cheer is being spread early this year. Cavs GM Jim Paxson got at early Christmas present, in the form of a 30-point-a-night superstar, when a few ping-pong balls bounced his way in May.
Knicks fans saw Christmas Eve come three days early when they finally got their wish -- the ouster of team president Scott Layden. Of course, minutes into the celebration, the Grinch arrived with the news that Isiah Thomas, perhaps the only guy in the NBA with a more tarnished rep than Layden, was replacing him.
For others in Atlanta or Orlando, it's likely to be a year without a Santa Claus. It's hard to believe even Santa has enough magic to fix what's wrong with those franchises.
Sources at the North Pole gave Insider a sneak peek at every GM's Christmas wish list. As an early holiday gift for all of our loyal Insider readers, here's what the league's GMs hope to find in their stockings this year.
Billy Knight, Hawks: An explosive device.
Danny Ainge, Celtics: A legitimate triple double from Ricky Davis.
John Paxson, Bulls: A heart transplant for Eddy Curry.
Jim Paxson, Cavaliers: A bodyguard for LeBron James.
Don Nelson, Mavericks: Shaq's twin brother.
Kiki Vandeweghe, Nuggets: A sherpa.
Joe Dumars, Pistons: 20 and 10 from Darko (20 minutes, 10 of anything).
Garry St. Jean, Warriors: An Insider pardon.
Carroll Dawson, Rockets: A Houston summer home for Yao.
Larry Bird, Pacers: Ron Artest to stay on Santa's "nice" list.
Elgin Baylor, Clippers: Donald Sterling's credit card.
Mitch Kupchak, Lakers: Two words: "Not Guilty."
Jerry West, Grizzlies: Shaq and Kobe back.
Pat Riley, Heat: More Dwyane Wade, less Eddie Jones.
Larry Harris, Bucks: Someone to pay attention.
Kevin McHale, Timberwolves: Peace on Earth, and in the locker room.
Rod Thorn, Nets: A Tony Parker-for-Jason Kidd swap.
Bob Bass, Hornets: Mash and Baron healthy at the same time.
Isiah Thomas, Knicks: Jermaine O'Neal.
John Gabriel, Magic: A last-second pardon.
Billy King, 76ers: Someone to put the Big Dog out of his misery.
Bryan Colangelo, Suns: Glasses for Joe Johnson.
John Nash, Blazers: A therapist.
Geoff Petrie, Kings: One golden ring.
R. C. Buford, Spurs: A Tony Parker-for-Jason Kidd swap.
Rick Sund, Sonics: No Doze for Jerome James.
Glen Grunwald, Raptors: Twenty pounds of muscle for Chris Bosh.
Kevin O'Connor, Jazz: A move to the Eastern Conference.
Ernie Grunfeld, Wizards: Smelling salts for Kwame Brown.
-----------------------------------
Peep Show
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Tuesday, December 23
Updated: December 23
8:42 AM ET
AllenSeattle SuperSonics: Ray Allen and his surgically repaired right ankle have spoken. "There is nothing from now until tomorrow that can prohibit me from getting out on the floor," Allen said in the Tacoma News Tribune. "My doctor's prognosis, I don't think he wants me to play 35 or 40 minutes. It has been a whole process, gradually getting better. That is what we have done. So I definitely don't think it is going to be a situation where I jump in and play 40 minutes tomorrow." Allen has already missed the first 25 games of the season and joins a team losing players left and right to their own injuries. "If you just would have heard them all week, when there was potential that I was going to play this game, everybody was excited, like, 'You gonna play? Think you can play?'" Allen said. "For a long time, when they found out I wasn't going to play, it was a disheartening blow to their minds, like where are we going to get his production from? But to know that I have my uniform on and I will be back in the lineup, as much as it will give us an uplift on the floor, for the opposing team it is going to cause them some concern as well, so it helps both ways."
Indiana Pacers: Reggie Miller knows he's scoring a career-low 9.4 points per game. He knows his Pacers are having a particularly hard time against zone defenses. And the NBA's all time 3-point shooter knows what he has to do. "I have to be more assertive when I'm out there," he said in the Indianapolis Star. "I have to take advantage of the times I'm in the game." But his coach Rick Carlisle knows everything will be just fine. "Even when Reggie Miller isn't shooting the ball much, he still has an unmistakable impact on the game because you must guard him closely," Carlisle said. "That alleviates other things for our team. He knows the right time to be aggressive. And he knows when he's the ultimate decoy on the court. When he's playing that role, it allows Jermaine and Al to post up with single coverage or it opens up the floor for them to get the ball out to open guys. Because we're really playing four-on-three, and four-on-three is an easier game to play than five-on-four."
BarryDenver Nuggets: Jon Barry placed himself on the injured list and doesn't know when the pain in his neck will allow him to play again. "It was pretty much my decision," said Barry in the Denver Post. "I've been struggling with it for a while. I just don't think I'm helping out. I'm not helping myself because every night I go out there it just makes it worse. It hasn't felt right all (season), really." The 11-year veteran will be replaced by Jeff Trepagnier in the line up for at least four or five days. "I'm losing complete sensation in my right arm more and more each day,' he said. "If you don't be careful, it could be permanent."
New York Knicks: It just ain't the same in Gotham anymore. "There's no joy in Mudville," Spike Lee said in the New York Times. "Giants stink, Jets stink, Andy Pettite left. Nobody pays attention to the Nets. And the Knicks are a horror show. We're talking about Madison Square Garden!" So what else is the No. 1 Knick fan supposed to do but don the No. 8 jersey of Latrell Sprewell when the Timberwolves come to town. "I'm gonna break it out again," Lee said. "He's getting ready. I see it. Knowing Sprewell, coming into the Garden, he's . . . going to try to score 50. If he dunks on Dikembe [Mutombo], it's over! It's gonna be the most exciting game we've had. LeBron [James] hasn't come yet, so . . . and the Lakers, they killed us. This is the game everybody's waiting for."
MaloneLos Angeles Lakers: Magic Johnson walked up to the injured Karl Malone and told him to save himself for May and June and the playoffs. But the Mailman was having none of it despite the strained MCL in his right knee. "I don't accept that, because I like to be out there," Malone said in the L.A. Times. "But, I don't want to be out there hurting the team&. We'll make decisions in a week." He will miss at least three games on injured reserve, which is a lot for a guy who has missed only 11 in 18 seasons. "It's frustrating," Malone said. "You expect to punch the clock every night. Sometimes we feel like we're superhuman. I still feel like that a little bit. Just kind of a little ***** in the armor right now. It could have been worse, I think."
Cleveland Cavaliers: With Ricky Davis gone, LeBron James officially owns Cleveland now. "I had to," James said in the Lorraine Morning News. "We lost 15 points from Ricky and nine points from (Chris) Mihm. That's a big part of our offense. We were averaging 89 points, close to 90 points a game. For me, I had to step up my offense to make up for some of those points we lost." And it is everything his coach had hoped for. "I think it just happened naturally," Paul Silas said. ''He took over at the right time."
