The Manual Buzzer Podcast: NBA Free Agency 2014

In this episode, Dan, Steve, and Joe are joined by Harry, for what is most definitely is first podcast (and first time with the Buzzer) to discuss NBA free agency. The main topic of discussion is Lebron's return to Northeast Ohio, where the four will touch on what this means for the Eastern Conference and how much Lebron will use his sway on personnel decisions with David Blatt taking on what is otherwise a very young roster. The gang also touch on other recent moves, including the Chris Bosh max deal, and whether Durant will end up a free agent next summer if OKC exits the playoffs early. Tune in to hear all this plus to see if Joe repeats and goes off the deep end in a discussion of free agency once again.

Click here to listen, or right-click and hit "Save Target As" to download.

The Manual Buzzer Presents: NBA Playoffs 2013 Podcast

We're baaaaack and we're talking about the NBA Playoffs and other random shit thrown in. I'll admit I was pretty hammered through this, so, my apologies for the random yelling, the saltiest of salty language, and the non-sequiturs.

Click here to listen in your browser or to download.

What Last Night Taught Us About Blake

To piggyback on Steve's piece from last night (consecutive days of Manual Buzzer for the first time...ever?), we have to discuss what has to be Blake Griffin's forgettable Playoff debut. If there was one reason why the Clippers shouldn't have won that game, it would have to be Griffin's paltry effort against that amazing Grizzlies front line through the first 3 quarters. I never thought anyone could make him look mortal in the same vein that I never thought that anyone could make Amar'e look mortal when he was playing alongside Nash. But Griffin is by no means the strongest player on the court. Marc Gasol and Z-Bo and Speights and Cunningham are an excellent front line that can wear him out, especially without a decoy on the Clippers.

I appreciate how Blake pulled it together late, and I'm sure he has a big game in him sometime this series. My main bone to pick with Blake, that I have had anytime I've watched him, is his half-court game. As Steve referred to Bledsoe and Evan's penchant for playing out of control, in isolation, Blake gets lost and tries to do too much in the half court. I always loved Amar'e's game in the half court because he could jab and blow by his defender for a dunk or fake the drive and hit those elbow jumpers. Blake's shot is sporadic, and when he needs to adjust on the drive, you usually see some wild shot thrown up.

The Clippers are reminiscent of the Amar'e-Nashty Suns, and while Paul is a way better defender and scorer and an equal as a passer to Nash, I think Blake's inability to create quality shots on his own will be the Clippers' downfall, especially against a deep frontline who can focus on stopping him. (For all intents and purposes, Reggie Evans Game 1 "masterpiece" will garner little defensive attention, and there isn't another scoring big on that team anyhow.) Unlike Steve, I'm saying Grizzlies in 6, and an apathetic LA crowd gives home-court back to the Grizz.

A Response to "Time for the Hating to Stop"

I understand why Steve wrote what he did about Lebron. The difference in opinion was captured by the annual Q ratings that ESPN publishes. Steve and I went to the same high school and he is 100% right when it comes to the reaction. Loyalty is overvalued, especially by many NBA fans, but it shouldn't be. It's an economic business.

My issue with it is not race. I am clear, like Larry Bird, and anyone will say that it's still about race. It's about my disappointment with how competitive balance is disappearing from the League. Players like Lebron and Wade can carry teams by themselves, both economically and competitively. Lebron spurred an amazing revival for the Cavaliers. Who would've thought in the six years he spent in Cleveland minus his rookie year, the team had minimum yearly capacity of 94%? And he's a pretty damn good player too, averaging 27.7 PPG, 7.0 APG, and 7.7 RPG for his career. Those numbers are unreal, and they held up this year (26.7 PPG, 7.0 APG, 7.5 RPG). In the playoffs, he's grabbing 8.7 RPG, blocking 1.4 shots per game, and he is down by nearly one turnover to 2.8 per game. While the rule is 2 Hall of Famers or don't even think about seeing the Larry O'Brien trophy, Dwyane Wade absolutely dominated the 2006 Finals. Shaq shot 29% on free throws and only averaged 13.7 PPG in the series. Antoine Walker shot too damn much, and Wade shouldered the scoring load as everyone else focused on shutting down the Mavericks and hitting the open shots, which no one had to consistently do during that series.

But now they're playing together because they're friends. I don't think that Isiah and Jordan were friends (see: here and here). However, Jordan was friends with other NBA players, like Barkley (kind of playing into Jeff Van Gundy's mind games theory). But Jordan, like other players during the 1980's and early-to-mid 1990's, had a different perspective on collaboration: if you were the alpha, you ran by yourself and you ran your pack until, like Barkley, you realize that you aren't able to handle the responsibilities of providing stats. Sure, some alphas don't realize that they sometimes can't provide like they once did (see: Jordan in Washington). But they were willing to isolate themselves and prove themselves alone.

Lebron, who in no way lived a cushy life, has a different perspective on how this friendship should manifest. You can see it in More Than A Game, the documentary that followed Lebron and his St. Vincent-St. Mary teammates through high school. The title speaks volumes about Lebron: I bet he loves basketball, but he values what it has given him: his best friends from before he became famous. Hell, he always said if he'd decided to go to college, he would've gone to Akron because two of his high school teammates, Dru Joyce III and Romeo Travis, were playing there.

My problem with Lebron is that he embodies this change. He is a great team player. It is ridiculous how talented he is. The man has amazing touch from everywhere, he could average a double-double every game if he wanted to focus more on crashing the boards or became more pass-first in his approach.

But Lebron has changed a standard that made the NBA so great: the greatest player never banked on another star to help him get a ring until his prime ended (see: Oscar Robertson, Gary Payton). Now, Lebron has helped to decrease competitive balance within the League by making these partnerships more acceptable. This summer, if the Hornets get contracted, we will probably see Chris Paul end up with the Knicks to team with Amar'e and Carmelo. As Steve points out, it remains to be seen whether Melo and STAT will take the opportunity seriously and step up their defensive games. I mourn the time when stars went for it on their own or with one companion followed by a supporting cast. But I cannot fail to mention, I am extremely excited to see these teams gather great players and wage more classic battles like we've seen throughout these playoffs.

NBA Playoffs First Round Podcast, Part 1

Ladies and gentlemen, click this link that says THIS LINK to listen to a podcast featuring myself, MacIntosh, Steve, and Client 9. We discuss the Grizzlies, Z-Bounds and Marc Gasol's pronounciation of the term, Andre Agassi's wigs and other minutiae.

THIS LINK Click to listen in your browser, or right-click (Mac: ctrl+click) to download

The song is our own Client 9's "Can't Touch Me." Check him out here: http://www.myspace.com/client9music

Marc Jackson is Nuts (/Stifles Laughter)

Okay, I just watched this again over at Deadspin, and I embed it so you all (someone reads this, right?) can judge the mental capabilities of one Marc Jackson, who once said he admired the moral character of Rick "Doin' it on the Restaurant Floor without Protection and then forcing her to get an Abortion" Pitino in anticipation of his son having Rick en locum parentis at Louisville. Watch:

Somehow, this is a good closeout. Good closeouts DO NOT involve touching the shooter's groin. Do you think that was a flop by Frye? I'd just like to see Frye and Jackson have a face to face at a later time, where Frye will punch Jackson in the nuts. This analysis is definitely "on point" Mr. Jackson, and by "on point" I mean you could be admitted to a psych ward for it.

Also, not sure how Jeff Van Gundy deems that touch to be at the stomach area. How high is Van Gundy pulling up his pants nowadays?

LeBron James: A Reputation in Shambles

Merry Christmas, everyone (it's Christmas, gotta say that over Happy Holidays), and thank heavens for the NBA's five-game slate today, because the NFL is too stupid to have a game today. Remember, the NFL can schedule a game whenever they want to and someone would watch it. It happened Thursday, it will happen when the Yankees or the Red Sox play the Phillies in the World Series in October 2011, it would probably be the biggest ratings boom in the middle of July. But I digress.

The reason I decided to get back on this soapbox is LeBron. Oh, how I loathe that narcissistic turd, but there is something behind this whole contraction opinion he recently shared with the media. Look more closlier:

"Hopefully the league can figure out one way where it can go back to the '80s where you had three or four All-Stars, three or four superstars, three or four Hall of Famers on the same team," James said. "The league was great. It wasn't as watered down as it is [now]."

I hope I'm not the only one that is reading into this at length, but think about it: LeBron wants there to be three or four superstars on every team. Now, I know there is definitely one team in the NBA that arguably has to deal with that situation, and that is the Heat. The Celtics are the only other team to fall under this classification, as Pierce, Allen, and KG continue to maintain such a high level of play. The Lakers have maybe three if you count Odom with Kobe and Gasol, but seriously, LeBron arranged to sign with two other superstars in Miami and now he's complaining that the league is watered down. Look at the team he left: Cleveland is watered down because LeBron isn't there, and they're probably headed to the top of the lottery this year because there's no incentive to play there anymore outside of a decent contract offer.

And other teams are not exactly struggling with less than three superstars. The Knicks are holding their own against the League with only Amar'e having made any All-Star appearances, but Gallinari and Felton could find themselves in the mix for the Mid-Winter Classic. Orlando looks to be in the hunt with the shells of former superstars Agent Zero and VC joining the supporting cast of Dwight Howard.

If LeBron wants to scapegoat the rest of the League for being unwilling to shell out for three max contracts, the guise of contraction is not one he should don. Things were great because of great teams in the '80's, not friends who decided to band together to destroy the system. If only every player had this option. Sorry everyone can't band together to rely on others' talents like you.

A Glimmer of Hope

Now that Miami is stacked and Jon Scheyer hopes to contribute some Dukie hate-fuel to the fire, Carmelo Anthony's wedding to LaLa Vasquez finally has given the NBA some sort of hope. When Chris Paul is toasting to another Big 3 in New York, I am all ears.
I only have one issue: would the Knicks have to give up as much in order to get these three together? The Knicks have 12 spots filled for next season if second-round picks Andy Rautins, Jerome Jordan, and Landry Fields all make the team and Eddy Curry spends this season the way he spent the last one minus the tragedy and the sexual harassment lawsuit from his chaffeur.

So what else can this team do to get better? Gallinari should be untouchable for next year with the progress he showed. Acquiring Anthony Randolph could easily be spoiled by trading him away to get either Melo or CP3. Randolph could be a great player to include in the lineup. Could you imagine Felton running the point, whoever at the 2, Melo at the 3, Randolph at the 4, and Amare at the 5? Gallinari, Toney Douglas, Wilson Chandler, Kelenna Azubuike, and Ronny Turiaf could be an amazing second unit, on the level that the Suns had this past year, and don't forget about those three draft picks, one of which will likely be cut. I'd put my money on Landry Fields just because there aren't any shooters outside Gallinari (Rautins fills that need) and Jordan could turn into a serviceable big man. The Knicks could make these moves this summer and end up being a contender next year, as well as being an option for the part of America who doesn't want to see this Heat team win.

But there is something huge in the way: future draft picks. Curry turned into LaMarcus Aldridge for the Bulls, who then traded him to Portland for Tyrus Thomas. He also turned into Joakim Noah, who had a solid year and looks like he will be an All-Star this season. Donnie Walsh may have been discussing Isiah as a candidate for GM in New York (WHICH IS THE DUMBEST THING EVER WITH KEVIN PRITCHARD UNEMPLOYED), but he'll lock down the draft picks no matter what Isiah thinks is a sure thing. The Knicks need to be able to bring in first-round talent to regain the trust of the New York fans. Amar'e is a great first step, but the franchise needs to show it can nurture pros and not turn them into the mindless idiots Isiah molded for five terrible years at the helm in New York.

It is a long way away, but I think this team has a chance to become a contender and make basketball matter again at MSG. Even on nights when the Lakers or the Heat aren't in town.

LeBron James can never be in consideration for best player of all time.

A few things about the presentation of this decision that was the obvious product of focus groups that proved Cleveland easily discomforts people.

First off, Bing. Why would anyone use Bing now? That has to look like the crappiest place to plug such a crappy site. He'll end up like that Mexican landowner and lose his wife and mistress to somebody like Kirk Hinrich. That hypothetical situation is of course the inspiration for the above Microsoft Paint job. I probably could have found a better moustache, but this shit just makes me happy. Anyways, guess where I found the above picture pre-terrible editing? You guessed it, Alta Vista...yeah, it was Google.

And why Jim Gray for these sensitive situations? Are we still forgetting when Jim Gray made an ass of himself in asking Pete Rose at the 1999 All-Star Game. Let us revisit:

How fun is that? He doesn't want to talk about it, his CAREER IS BEING CELEBRATED!!!! But sure let's just KEEP ASKING HIM. Jim Gray, the most illogical choice for interviewer since...ever. I also like when Rose accidentally says he is getting "a great Asian" from the crowd.

I hope that LeBron reconsiders making his off-season home in Ohio. He did bring some great years to the Cavs, but Craig Ehlo and Brad Daugherty did too. He may have made his name for himself as the best high school player ever, but who cares? It means nothing when you get to the NBA. Remember DeAngelo Collins? Not sure where he was watching this, but I'm betting it wasn't in a McMansion. LeBron is just another NBA player now. He may be popular, but by no means is he a leader. And I just don't buy that these guys can share the ball and get a title the way the Celtics did in 2008. Wade and LeBron are just too ball dominant, and Bosh was only an All-Star because he repped Canada hard. I just can't stomach this team winning on common sense.

The Clippers could have been his opportunity to showcase himself in a global market and play on a damn competent team where he would be first fiddle, with him at the 3 and surrounded by Baron Davis at the 1, Eric Gordon at the 2, a hopefully healthy Blake Griffin at the 4, and Chris Kaman aka Albino Zombie aka "DEY NO NASSING, LE-BAH-SKEE" at the 5. Alas, one of the other teams in contention for LeBron, the Bulls recently fired the coach the Clippers just chose, Vinny Del Negro, who proved himself to have very little ability last season. Way to fuck up, Donald Sterling. One day, you'll learn to care. Nevermind, that will never happen.

And what of New York? Carmelo could still be available next summer, and Amar'e will be most likely going it alone until then since no one else will be available. Denver hasn't been exactly active this summer in pursuing a big gun. But Melo could be out for vengeance this year, as his Olympic buddies have left him out.

Anthony Randolph will be joining the Knicks as David Lee leaves for The Bay to inflate his stats even more under Don Nelson. This could be time for Randolph to come into his own, just as Chris Webber needed Nellie's yolk removed before he could rise to near MVP heights as he did in the late 1990's.

Anyways, I am finally inspired to hate a team as much as I hated the Spurs whenever the won a title. If you play the Heat this season, I'm cheering for you. LeBron, I hope you never win a title. And that your new stepfather is named Delonte West.

That's Amar'e!

So, Amare and the Knicks have agreed in principle. This after he and D'Antoni rekindled the romance over a candle-lit dinner. And now Amar'e can leave Phoenix to sort of play defense for a team that will lack any sort of stopper for next year (Yes, even if David Lee walks). Whatever, D'Antoni now has firepower, as long as Stoudemire brings that aggression he showed during the playoffs against Pau.
Now, we wonder, what else do the Knicks do with their summer? LeBron is enjoying his skills academy and making sure no one tries to dunk on him by teaming up with CP3 to run shit. Could STAT and LBJ be the dynamic duo that New York needs? Dwyane could do the same. Either way, it would give any of these three players the dynamic duo they have never had during the career (Dwyane and Shaq were together when the decline began, Steve Nash can't play defense, Danny Ferry never got any sort of talented player to play with LeBron in Cleveland). While everyone discusses the possibility of a Triumvirate, things are falling in place to look more like two dynamic duos will emerge from these three plus Bosh, with each wing joining a big man in some city.
But New York could be considering making this rebuilding project last one more season. This will be made difficult by the fact that Carmelo is looking like he will sign an extension to remain in Denver. But this also opens up the possibility of a sign-and-trade. If the Nuggets limp out of the playoffs again next year, will Carmelo demand a trade? He has fostered a bond with the Mile High City, so I doubt he would want to make it public and create a PR nightmare.
The Knicks have other options for next summer that have yet to be locked up. Next summer, for now, will include Tayshaun Prince, Caron Butler, a resurgent Z-Bo, possibly David West, Jason Richardson, and Tony Parker among others. The Knicks could wait and make a play for Butler and Parker if the Spurs don't extend him.
The failure of the Knicks will ultimately come from the lack of young talent being put into the team. The Knicks will finally have a draft pick that may actually stay with the team after Jordan Hill was sent to Houston and they had no pick this year (the Jazz had it and got Gordon Hayward). As they now have their ideal salary numbers, I expect them to not move picks, even if Carmelo is made available.

NBA Free Agency Podcast

The second podcast we did over the weekend. Again, Pappy Chalmers=Simple Jack. That is a given. Joining me are Mckee, Girardi Party, and special guest Steve DePaulis.

Listen to it right here. (Right click and Save Target As to download for your own listening pleasure.)

Music Credits:
Andre Nickatina-"Dice of Life"-Conversations with a Devil
Brother Ali-"Self Taught"-Champion EP

Not That Quiet of a Riot

This piece of news was not in the American papers at all (although the Hezbollah arms cache was, and for good reason, along with Iron Dome, both of which should be beneficial to Israeli security due to the fact that the Ministry of Defense didn't have to wait until Hezbollah started firing said munitions, and the system will be ready in a year), but this one has been dominating the Israeli press for the past couple of days. Earlier in the week, a Neturei Karta (a sect of Haredim that reject the existence of the state of Israel due to the fact that a Messiah has not arrived) child, one of 10, was taken to a hospital with physicians under the suspicion that the mother had been starving the child who at 2 years old only weighed 7 kilograms (15.4 pounds for you fools who don't get the metric system). It turns out they were right when they caught her on video removing the child's feeding tube, and they were able to arrest her. According to this article, the police suspect she could be diagnosed with Munchhausen Syndrome by proxy, meaning she takes injurious action against people close to her in order to gain attention from others.

Of course, the Haredim, even those whose views of the State of Israel clash with those of the Neturei Karta over the legitimacy of the state, saw this as a direct attack against them, just as they saw the parking lots near the Jaffa Gate being open on Shabbat as an attack against their beliefs and religious practices. This caused them to see the government as trying to "make baseless allegations against Haredi mothers" with no other purpose but to steal their children. So they took to the streets in Meah Shearim, a neighborhood that is sadly notorious for its extremist views towards clothing that shows towards skin and those that do drive on Shabbat (although police blockades are now put up on Friday night and stay there until Saturday night, and you actually don't save that much time by driving through that neighborhood). The burning of garbage caused a stench to travel all the way to the classroom where I have my Hebrew class. But that was not enough, as they decided to take to the streets that are main arteries for traffic, especially Bar Ilan Road and Eshkol Tunnel, where they blocked with garbage. This lead to secular mayor Nir Barkat shutting off all services to the neighborhood, and my bus, which usually passes by Meah Shearim, to literally go around the city and not make any of the stops it usually does. Luckily it came right to where I needed to get off to go to work.

Today things have been tempered, as my bus took its usual route and we were able to see the aftermath: some graffiti, but soldiers and police at every corner and streets with a few children loitering and nearly no adults.

Ami Kaufman summarized the recent flare-up of the secular-religious conflict, the last significant rise of which is profiled in the book that drove me to study Israeli politics, Real Jews: Secular vs. Orthodox: The Struggle for Jewish Identity in Israel. She also surprised me by mentioning that Yossi Deri, who was convicted of corruption in the late 1980's, is now planning a political comeback (I dare someone in the US to try that). However, while Ephron remained neutral in his analysis, Kaufman, who previously participated in demonstrations against the "religious coercion" in the late 1980's, leaves us with quite the inflammatory statement:

The flames are still low, but I don't know. Is it just me, or is it getting hot in here?

Well, Mr. Kaufman, the answer will be yes if continue to write editorials and preclude the occurence of these events, and criticize people who find the secular attitude and action against Haredim to be reminiscent of what many Jews say in Europe, as he does with Gideon Levy's column.

Anyways, it's almost the weekend and I will be blogging for JIIS soon about the security barrier.

And Blake Griffin can make 3's? And Anthony Randolph is about to be an All-Star? And Steph Curry looks like Baron Davis minus the muscle? Loving the NBA Summer League, and I hope Paulie gets a spot with somebody (I think he would be fit for Europe, as long as it included a reality show).

Ah, Donte, Donte, Donte!

As we reported here earlier this week on how Donte would not be welcome in Houston with his big mouth and Rick Adelman's extreme distaste for both his attitude and style of play, Donte done turned around and got his ass traded to Sacramento along with Bobby Jackson and a future first rounder for Ronald William Artest Jr. Yao was skeptical, but if there ever was a time for impressive trios to take over the League, except for Scranton GM Dwight Schrute, who would tend to disagree, preferring the "curse of three" in order that Andrew Bernard not join him and Michael Scott in the traveling squad to New York to hang with the temp, it is now. KG, Paul Pierce, and Jesus Shuttlesworth did so in Boston; Ron-Ron, Yao, and McGrady are about to try it out in Houston; Gasol, Bryant, and a healthy Andrew Bynum could be scary for the Lakers; the Spurs with Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili. Surrounding three stars with a supporting cast could be he wave of the future, and I don't think guys leaving for Europe is really going to be an issue in terms of filling those support roles. Josh Childress is good, but not that good. Olimpiakos has definitely overvalued him, and no other NBA team even made an offer for a reason (read: he is fucking mediocre).

But back to Donte. Rick Adelman just granted him his wish! He is going to contribute, and he'll also start to fade into obscurity a la Bison Dele. Reggie Theus will let Donte shoot, but unless the shot doctor somehow appeared and taught him how to fix everything he has been doing wrong in a lucid dream, Mr. Theus will see Donte's misses and lack of defense and show him to the bench. Anyway you look at it, it still looks like a bad choice in terms of the future for Donte to leave after this year. But the worst part? Donte must officially remain a Rocket for two weeks because he signed his contract on July 14. Rick Adelman may spend the whole time pulling a Dale Sturvetant on him, but I'm unsure of how helpful that will be.