Home

NCAA Basketball News

Interviews

Biz of Basketball Originals

Buy sports tickets from top basketball ticket broker Coast to Coast. You'll find cheap 76ers tickets and premium Bobcats tickets, as well as a Chicago Bulls game schedule. Also check us out for Boston Celtics tickets, Dallas Mavericks tickets and Bucks basketball tickets.
Memorable Moments and Milestones in Sonics' History PDF Print E-mail
Written by David Friedman   
Tuesday, 15 July 2008 12:08

SonicsAs a Cleveland Browns fan who lost his team in 1995 and had to endure three years in NFL exile followed by nearly a decade of on field ineptitude, I have great empathy for Seattle SuperSonics' fans. Here is a look back at some key moments from each of the 41 seasons of Sonics' basketball:

1967-68: The Sonics posted a 23-59 record in their first season, finishing fifth in the six team Western Division; the San Diego Rockets, also an expansion team, went 15-67. Walt Hazzard--a 6-2 guard who later converted to Islam and changed his name to Mahdi Abdul-Rahman--ranked seventh in the NBA in scoring (1894 points, 24.0 ppg) and fifth in assists (493, 6.2 apg). Hazzard became the first All-Star in Sonics' history, scoring nine points in the midseason classic.

1968-69: The Sonics traded Hazzard for Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens, who ranked ninth in the NBA in scoring (1835 points, 22.4 ppg) and second in assists (674, 8.2 apg). Wilkens made the All-Star team. Second year center Bob Rule emerged as a big time player, ranking fourth in the NBA in scoring (1965 points, 24.0 ppg). The Sonics improved to 30-52.

1969-70: Rule and Wilkens both make the All-Star team as the Sonics finished 36-46 and missed qualifying for the playoffs by just three wins. Wilkens not only served as player-head coach but he also became the first Sonic to lead the NBA in a major statistical category (9.1 apg).

1970-71: The Sonics again missed the playoffs by just three wins (38-44). After prevailing in a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court and paved the way for underclassmen and high school players to sign with NBA teams, Spencer Haywood jumped from the ABA to the Sonics and averaged 20.6 ppg and 12.0 rpg in 33 games. Wilkens won the All-Star Game MVP and ranked second in the NBA in assists (9.2 apg).

1971-72: Haywood became the first Sonic to make the All-NBA Team, earning a First Team selection after ranking fourth in the NBA in scoring (26.2 ppg). The Sonics went 47-35 but again narrowly missed making the playoffs, this time by four wins. Wilkens ranked second in the NBA in assists (9.6 apg) in his final season as Seattle's player-head coach; the Sonics traded him to Cleveland after the season.

1972-73: The Sonics took a big step backwards without Wilkens, plummeting to 26-56 despite Haywood setting a franchise single season scoring record (29.2 ppg, third in the NBA) and earning a second straight All-NBA First Team selection.

1973-74: Hall of Famer Bill Russell became Seattle's coach and led the Sonics to a 36-46 record as Haywood ranked among the league leaders in scoring (23.5 ppg, eighth) and rebounding (13.4 rpg, seventh). Haywood made the All-NBA Second Team.

1974-75: Russell guided the Sonics to a 43-39 record and the franchise's first playoff berth; they fell 4-2 in the Western Conference semifinals to eventual champion Golden State. Haywood ranked ninth in the NBA in scoring (22.4 ppg) and made the All-NBA Second Team.

1975-76: Fred Brown emerged as the team's best player after the Sonics traded Haywood to the Knicks. Brown ranked fifth in the NBA in scoring (23.1 ppg). His backcourt partner Donald "Slick" Watts led the NBA in assists (8.1 apg) and steals (3.2 spg). The Sonics again went 43-39 and lost 4-2 in the Western Conference semifinals, this time to the Suns.

1976-77: Bill Russell resigned after the Sonics slipped to 40-42 and missed the playoffs.

1977-78: The Sonics fired Coach Bob Hopkins after a 5-17 start, paving the way for the triumphant return of Lenny Wilkens. Three years removed from his playing days and fresh off of a two year run as Portland's coach, Wilkens led the Sonics to a 42-18 record down the stretch. The Sonics made their first trip to the NBA Finals but lost 4-3 to the Washington Bullets.

1978-79: The Sonics finished with the best record in the Western Conference (52-30) and defeated the Bullets 4-1 in a Finals rematch, claiming the first and only championship in Sonics history. Dennis Johnson won the Finals MVP. Second year center Jack Sikma ranked fifth in the NBA in rebounding (12.4 rpg) and made the first of seven straight All-Star Game appearances.

1979-80: The Sonics won 56 games, setting a franchise record that stood until 1993-94, but the L.A. Lakers beat the Sonics 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals to end Seattle's quest to make a third straight trip to the Finals. Sikma again ranked fifth in the NBA in rebounding (11.1 rpg), while Dennis Johnson and his backcourt partner Gus Williams each made the All-NBA Second Team.

Select Read More to see memorable Seattle SuperSonics moments

Read more...
 
Where Do Gilbert Arenas and Baron Davis Rank Among Elite NBA Point Guards? PDF Print E-mail
Written by David Friedman   
Wednesday, 09 July 2008 12:29

A Biz of Basketball OriginalBaron Davis led the Golden State Warriors to one playoff appearance in three seasons and he has been injury-prone for most of his career, so the Warriors understandably declined to offer him a long term contract extension--but they inexplicably are reportedly willing to pay more than $100 million to pry Gilbert Arenas away from the Washington Wizards. Fortunately for Golden State fans, the Warriors apparently will not have a chance to overpay Arenas because the Wizards and Arenas have reached a verbal agreement for $111 million over six years (contracts cannot be signed until July 9 when the precise amount of next season's salary cap is calculated). If that deal goes through it will be the sixth largest NBA contract signed since the implementation of the 1999 Collective Bargaining Agreement. While the L.A. Lakers--who signed Kobe Bryant for $136.4 million in 2004--and the San Antonio Spurs--who signed Tim Duncan for $122 million in 2003--are undoubtedly pleased with the return they have received on their sizable investments, the Indiana Pacers (Jermaine O'Neal, $126.6 million in 2003) and Sacramento Kings (Chris Webber, $122.7 million in 2001) surely have experienced serious buyers' remorse. It remains to be seen what the Orlando Magic will think of the $126 million investment they made in Rashard Lewis in 2007 but that seems to be an awfully steep price for a player who has made one All-Star appearance in 10 NBA seasons.

Arenas missed 69 games due to injury last season, was a shell of his former self during the playoffs and missed the entire 2007 postseason due to injury. He has led the Wizards past the first round of the playoffs once in five seasons. The word "elite" is poorly defined in reference to NBA players and it is thrown around far too casually. Bottom line: if you are not on one of the three All-NBA Teams--or a player who deserved to be there but clearly got snubbed--then you are not an elite player. An All-Star is not an elite player; every year there are 24 All-Stars plus another 5-10 players who could just as easily have made the cut. An elite player must be no worse than one of the top five players at his position and one of the top 15 players in the NBA. Even when fully healthy, Davis and Arenas operate at the fringes of elite territory: Arenas made the All-NBA Second Team in 2007 and the All-NBA Third Team in 2005 and 2006, while Davis made the All-NBA Third Team in 2004. Of course, the most relevant issue is the likelihood that they will be elite players in the future. Let's compare Arenas and Davis to the truly elite NBA point guards.

1) Chris Paul is the gold standard for current NBA point guards. He scores, passes, rebounds and defends. His main weakness is that because he is only 6-0, 175 he can be posted up by bigger point guards and in certain situations he can be taken advantage of defensively when switching pick and roll plays. His shooting touch was a bit suspect prior to this season but Paul largely put those concerns to rest by putting up career high numbers in field goal percentage (.488), three point field goal percentage (.369) and free throw percentage (.851); however, in the playoffs he shot poorly from three point range (.238).

Key 2007-08 numbers: 21.1 ppg, 11.6 apg (first in the NBA), 4.0 rpg, 2.7 spg (first in the NBA), .488 FG%, .369 3FG%, .851 FT% in the regular season; 24.1 ppg, 11.3 apg, 4.9 rpg, 2.3 spg, .502 FG%, .238 3FG%, .785 FT% in the playoffs while leading Hornets to the second round.

Finished second in MVP voting, made the All-NBA First Team.

2) Steve Nash won the 2005 and 2006 MVPs. It should be obvious that he was not in fact the best all-around player in the NBA during those seasons but it is equally obvious that he was the best point guard in the league during that time and that is all that is relevant in this discussion. Nash finished second to Dirk Nowitzki in the 2007 MVP voting but was still the best point guard in the NBA. Last season, Paul ended Nash's three year reign as the assist champion and Paul also took the crown as the best point guard. Nash is the best pure shooter among NBA point guards and he is a tremendous passer, particularly in pick and roll situations. Nash is a poor one on one defender and his weakness in that area has really hurt Phoenix during the playoffs.

Key 2007-08 numbers: 16.9 ppg, 11.1 apg (second in the NBA), 3.5 rpg, .7 spg, .504 FG%, .470 3FG% (second in the NBA), .906 FT% (fifth in the NBA) in the regular season; 16.2 ppg, 7.8 apg, 2.8 rpg, .4 spg, .457 FG%, .300 3FG%, .917 FT% in the playoffs during a 4-1 first round loss.

Finished ninth in MVP voting, made the All-NBA Second Team.

3) Deron Williams will likely be battling with Paul for many years to earn recognition as the NBA's best point guard. The 6-3, 210 Williams is significantly bigger and more physically powerful than Paul but he is not as explosively quick and is a surprisingly poor rebounder considering his size and strength. I'd give Nash a slight edge over Williams in 2008 based on Nash's shooting prowess and his greater amount of experience but I expect Williams to be the superior player starting next season.

Key 2007-08 numbers: 18.8 ppg, 10.5 apg (third in the NBA), 3.0 rpg, 1.1 spg, .507 FG%, .395 3FG%, .803 FT% in the regular season; 21.6 ppg, 10.0 apg, 3.6 rpg, .6 spg, .492 FG%, .500 3FG%, .773 FT% in the playoffs while leading the Jazz to the second round.

Finished 12th in the MVP voting, made the All-NBA Second Team.

4) Tony Parker has yet to make the All-NBA Team even once but he is worthy of being considered an elite point guard in light of his 2007 Finals MVP performance and the fact that he has been a vital contributor to three championship teams as the starting point guard. Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili divide the scoring load pretty evenly and Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich limits their regular season minutes to preserve them for the playoffs, which means that none of the Spurs' "Big Three" put up huge regular season statistics. Parker is not as good of a pure shooter as Paul, Nash or Williams, nor is Parker quite as adept as those guys in terms of playmaking, but Parker's blazing quickness and ability to finish strongly at the rim make him very difficult to contain. Parker has wisely slashed his three point attempts from a career-high 243 in 2002-03 (his second season) to 36, 38 and 66 the past three seasons. Nash had better regular season numbers than Parker but Parker completely outplayed Nash in the Spurs' win over the Suns in the first round.

Key 2007-08 numbers: 18.8 ppg, 6.0 apg, 3.2 rpg, .8 spg, .494 FG%, .258 3FG%, .715 FT% in the regular season; 22.4 ppg, 6.1 apg, 3.7 rpg, .9 spg, .497 FG%, .350 3FG%, .753 FT% while leading the Spurs to a 4-1 loss to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.

Paul, Nash and Williams were the only point guards on this year's three All-NBA Teams. The other guards (Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and Manu Ginobili) are shooting guards, as is Denver's Allen Iverson, who received the most points (116) in the voting of any player who did not make the team. Chauncey Billups and Baron Davis received slight consideration, amassing 38 and 32 points respectively; Ginobili, the last guard on the All-NBA Third Team, received 123 points, while Williams--who had the lowest total of the three point guards who made the cut--had 228 points.

Billups could perhaps be granted "elite emeritus" status based on his 2004 Finals MVP, his fifth place finish in the 2006 MVP voting and a pair of selections to the All-NBA Team (Second Team in 2006, Third Team in 2007), but he is a level below Paul, Nash, Williams and Parker now. In the 2007-08 regular season, Billups put up these numbers: 17.0 ppg, 6.8 apg, 2.7 rpg, 1.3 spg, .448 FG%, .401 3FG%, .918 FT%. His performance declined across the board in the playoffs.

Davis had an excellent season, perhaps the best all-around campaign of his career when you consider both production and durability, but I would not take him over Paul, Nash, Williams or Parker. Davis averaged 21.8 ppg, 7.6 apg (sixth in the NBA), 4.7 rpg, 2.3 spg (third in the NBA), .426 FG%, .330 3FG% and .750 FT% in 2007-08. Davis settles for jumpers and three pointers far too frequently, a flaw that he shares with Arenas, who played in just 13 regular season games and four playoff games in 2007-08.

At his best, Davis is an explosive talent who can physically dominate bigger players but his shot selection, subpar shooting ability and inconsistent defense render him a less reliable player than the truly elite point guards. Similarly, Arenas is a streak shooting talent who can be dazzling when he is hitting his shots but his shot selection is poor, his defense is worse than Davis' and he often seems to be more concerned about being the center of attention than winning games.

Davis and Arenas are not better than Paul, Nash, Williams or Parker and thus it is very difficult to objectively justify awarding a maximum contract to either of them. I say "objectively" because there are many other considerations that come into play: marketing, ticket sales, the reaction of the fan base of their respective teams, etc. However, purely on the basis of their individual skill sets and their ability to lead a championship contending team, neither Arenas nor Davis are worthy of receiving maximum contracts. Arenas is being lauded now for "giving back" $16 million instead of insisting on receiving the absolute maximum deal from the Wizards--I put "giving back" in quotation marks because you cannot really give something back that you never had in the first place; Arenas said, "You see players take max deals and they financially bind their teams. I don't wanna be one of those players and three years down the road your team is strapped and can't do anything about it." That is a laudable sentiment but even at this supposedly "discounted" rate Arenas is still vastly overpaid and it is questionable how much the Wizards will be able to do with that $16 million, an amount that could do a lot of good in the real world but does not necessarily give the team that much ability to significantly upgrade the roster. I commend Arenas for making that gesture but I still maintain that with him as the featured--and highest paid--player the Wizards will not get past the second round of the playoffs.

OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK

David FriedmanDavid Friedman is a weekly contrinutor to the Business of Sports Network. To read more of his basketball articles, just take a 20 Second Timeout. His general sports commentary can be found at Best Ever Sports Talk, where “Rafael Nadal is Coming for That Number One Spot,” “Torres’ Tough Training Pays Off,” “Brett Favre’s Selfishness” and “Dara Torres Turns Back the Clock in Bid to Make Olympic Team for Fifth Time” are among the subjects that have been recently discussed.
Read more...
 
Blazers Name Joe Prunty Assistant Coach PDF Print E-mail
Written by Maury Brown   
Tuesday, 08 July 2008 12:39

BlazersThe Portland Trail Blazers announced Monday that Joe Prunty has been named an assistant coach.

The announcement was made by Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard

Prunty spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks. Prior to his time in Dallas, he served for nine seasons with the San Antonio Spurs as assistant video coordinator, video coordinator, advance scout and most recently, assistant coach. During his time with the Spurs, the team won three NBA Championships.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to add a talented, hard-working and experienced individual like Joe to the organization,” said head coach Nate McMillan. “He brings to us a blend of player development and basketball knowledge that will be a tremendous asset to the coaching staff.”

The Sunnyvale, Calif., native joins a McMillan coaching staff that includes lead assistant coach Dean Demopoulos, assistant coach Monty Williams and assistant coach Maurice Lucas.

Prunty starts work immediately as the team prepares for the 2008 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Source: Portland Trail Blazers

OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK

Maury Brown

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.

Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.
Read more...
 
Bryan Perez Named Senior VP and General Manager of NBA Digital PDF Print E-mail
Written by Maury Brown   
Monday, 07 July 2008 12:47
NBABryan Perez has been named to the newly created position of senior vice president and general manager for NBA Digital, it was announced today by David Levy, president of Turner Sports, and Adam Silver, Deputy Commissioner and COO of the National Basketball Association. Earlier this year, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. and the NBA announced a ground-breaking expansion of their long-running partnership, through which the companies will jointly manage a portfolio of the NBA’s digital businesses that Turner will operate out of its Atlanta production facility.

In his new role, Perez will oversee all day-to-day operations for NBA Digital, which includes NBA TV, the league’s 24-hour digital television network, NBA.com, WNBA.com, NBADLeague.com, NBA League Pass, as well as the league’s broadband and wireless businesses. He will provide leadership for all aspects of the business, including programming, operations, editorial, ecommerce and marketing. Perez, who will assume his new role in mid-July, will be based in Atlanta and report directly to Levy and Silver.

“Bryan ’s professional credentials are extensive, diverse and impressive and he will bring great creative energy and smart business sense to his new role,” said Levy. “ Bryan ’s impressive track record of experience and leadership has helped build the growth of several sports and entertainment organizations. He brings vast experience within the digital arena and I am confident with Bryan as its head we will successfully grow NBA Digital among our key constituents.”

“Bryan 's experience and proven track record make him the perfect leader for our new venture,” said Silver. “With our full suite of digital and television assets combined with the scale, expertise and resources of Turner Broadcasting, NBA Digital is poised to deliver a revolutionary experience to our fans.”

“I am thrilled to lead this new endeavor, backed by the world-class assets and resources of Turner and the NBA,” said Perez. “The cross-platform opportunities of NBA TV and the league’s online properties together with Turner’s deep digital programming expertise and best-in-class production will enable us to drive great innovation for NBA fans, delivering content anytime, anywhere and any way they prefer it. In addition, this platform and partnership will allow us to create exciting new revenue opportunities for both partners.”

Perez’s extensive and diverse professional background includes most recently serving as CEO of Live Nation’s Global Digital division. In this position, Perez established and built the new division and was responsible for the company’s worldwide internet, wireless, ticketing, and IT strategy and operations.

Perez also previously worked as executive vice president of strategy and business development for Clear Channel Entertainment. Before joining Clear Channel, Perez was executive vice president of Marketing and Communications for the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars, where he oversaw all ticket sales, new media, marketing and broadcasting efforts for the team. Preceding that tenure, he was an executive vice president of Business Development for the predecessor of Hicks Sports Group, where he was responsible for business development, broadcasting and new media for all of its entities. Perez also served as the director of Business Development for Madison Square Garden.

Perez earned a bachelor’s of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin . He also earned his juris doctor degree and MBA from Stanford University.

Source: TBS, National Basketball Association

OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK

Maury Brown

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.

Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

 

 
Read more...
 
Narcissist Alert: Former NBAer Doug Christie and Wife Jackie Announce They'll Get Married for 13th Time PDF Print E-mail
Written by Maury Brown   
Saturday, 05 July 2008 06:18

Doug and Jackie ChristieFormer NBAer Doug Christie and his wife Jackie are amusing in a nauseating sort of way. Yes, they have done charitable work, which should be applauded. And, yes, they promote building strong marriages.

But there’s self-promotion, and then there’s the Christies.

Case in point, today the couple declared through a press release that on July 8th they will get married for a 13th time at the Space Needle in Seattle, “in a lavish ultra private ceremony.”

The self-proclaimed “power couple”, “will donate $100,000.00 to charity and plan to invite 100 gay and lesbian couples to join them next July for their 14th wedding to marry in one joint ceremony.”

Charity? Good. Social causes? Ditto. Extraordinarily, gratuitous, self-promotion? Check, please. I need to leave.

Think that the “power couple” reference is a bit, over the top? Try adding in how they reference their daughter. As the press release continues, “The Christie's daughter, role model and multi-talented entertainer Chani, whom recently released her debut album, 'My Dream' is following in her parents footsteps with her own philanthropy as well.”

Yes, nothing says “look at me now” like proclaiming “role model and multi-talented entertainer” about one of your own.

More heart warming self-promotion?

"The power couple is also responsible for inspiring so many other couples including celebrity couples, to marry more than once, we are so happy to see so many people now choosing to marry multiple times, or renew their vows privately and publicly. Our hearts warm when someone say's thank you for inspiring us," said Doug Christie.

Remember, folks, it’s great to do charity work. It’s another thing to do it so that you can place attention to yourself. Reaffirming your vows? Nice idea. It shows your commitment to marriage. But, doing it every year, even as an example? Strong marriages don’t need to have vows renewed every year. Only narcissists do.

Finally, there’s this tidbit regarding Doug Christie’s time with the Kings:

Aside from past public scrutiny as well as untrue rumors that the Christie's had to endure, affected not only their personal life but professional life as well. Most recent was that of veteran NBA referee Tim Donaghy who refereed games in the NBA during Doug's tenure with the Sacramento Kings in 2002. Tim Donaghy was accused of betting on basketball games over the past two seasons and most recently admitted to cheating in game 6 of the semi-finals that year between the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers' basketball teams. "I am devastated to now find out the game was not officiated fairly," says Christie. "Not just for myself and my family but for my teammates as well who put their heart and soul on the line, the fans and the players out there on the floor right now. Who can tell what's 'real' and what's fake?"

Well, Doug, let’s get some things straight first:

  • Fact: Donaghy isn’t “accused” he admitted to betting on games.
  • Fact: Donaghy didn’t work Game 6 (Bob Delaney, Dick Bavetta and Ted Bernhardt did), so he didn’t “cheat” during the game you claim.

Here’s something else, Doug (and Jackie). Genuine individuals lead by example, and do not draw attention to themselves in the process.

I’m sure that there will be more press releases from the Christies touting how great they are. Isn’t it ironic that Doug asks, “Who can tell what's 'real' and what's ‘fake’?"

OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK

Maury Brown

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.

Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

 
Read more...
 
A Drop in the Bucket: Why the Settlement between the Sonics and Seattle will See Bennett Making $$$ PDF Print E-mail
Written by Maury Brown   
Thursday, 03 July 2008 06:11

Maury BrownThat laughter you’re hearing is the owners of the Seattle SuperSonics. Or rather, the owners of the team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics as a settlement has been reached between ownership and the City of Seattle for as much as $75 million. The deal allows the Sonics to get out of the last two years on the KeyArena lease and relocate the team this off-season to Oklahoma City.

How soon will they move? Principle owner Clay Bennett said the move begins Thursday.

The deal calls for an immediate payment of $45 million, and an additional $30 million paid to Seattle in 2013, should the Washington State legislature pay $75 million in funding to renovate KeyArena by the end of 2009. The City Council still has to approve the settlement.

See the MOU of the settlement agreement (PDF)

If it sounds odd to say that Bennett and his minority owners are laughing after shelling out $45 million, consider…

Bennett claimed during the trial that the Sonics would lose $60 million if forced to fulfill the last two years on the KeyArena lease. Let's say for all intents and purposes, it's $50 million, as opposed to the $60 million the Sonics were saying they'd lose. The Sonics owners made a sweetheart deal in Oklahoma City for the upgrades to the Ford Center arena, and on top of that, will be the only major league team in Oklahoma. Profits will surely be higher during at least the two years that Sonics might have been forced into playing in Seattle.

$45 million is a drop in the bucket.

For one thing, Oklahoma City has done everything but sell off their first born children to get the attention of the NBA. Opened in 2002, the Ford Center hosted New Orleans Hornets for two seasons after Hurricane Katrina.

If a six-year old, barely used facility weren’t good enough, voters passed a 15-month, one-cent sales tax in March to add $120 million in renovations to Ford Center, with plans to upgrade the facility with restaurants, clubs, suites and new locker rooms.

So, the Sonics move from Seattle, where the market is certainly bigger, but they had to compete with the Seahawks, Mariners and UW colligate sports, to Oklahoma City where they will be the only big league show in the State, and a deal with the Ford Center that maximizes profit for ownership.

David Stern, whether pressured to grant a small olive branch, or not, offered the slightest of opportunities for the NBA to return Seattle in the near future.

“We understand that city, county, and state officials are currently discussing a plan to substantially rebuild KeyArena for the sum of $300 million," Stern said in a statement. "If this funding were authorized, we believe KeyArena could properly be renovated into a facility that meets NBA standards relating to revenue generation, fan amenities, team facilities, and the like."

However, Stern added, "given the lead times associated with any franchise acquisition or relocation and with a construction project as complex as a KeyArena renovation, authorization of the public funding needs to occur by the end of 2009 in order for there to be any chance for the NBA to return to Seattle within the next five years."

The $45 million will cover lost revenues and fulfill other obligations for KeyArena. Taxpayers uninterested in paying for sports facilities for wealthy owners win the day.

Fans get the sucker punch. Well, that and the name, and team colors stay in Seattle. Welcome to the consolation prize.

Seattle's case turned out to be weaker than one expected. It certainly didn't help that Slade Gordon, Steve Ballmer and Mike McGavick tried to "drive a wedge" between the Sonics and the NBA. Try this Powerpoint presentation given the now infamous name the "poisoned well" for details.

Lawyers for the Sonics also discredited sports economist Andrew Zimbalist, who was a witness for the City.

Bennett, on the other hand, was able to dodge damning emails showing that the new owners of the Sonics were planning on relocating the team to Oklahoma City.

In emails between minority owner Tom Ward and Bennett on April 17, 2007, there seems clear evidence that the owners were looking to relocate.

"Is there any way to move here for next season, or are we doomed to have another lame duck season in Seattle?" Ward wrote.

"I am a man possessed!" Bennett responded. "Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys. the game is getting started!"

"That's the spirit.

I am willing to help any way I can to watch ball here next year," said Aubrey McClendon, another minority owner of the Sonics.

Under oath in the case, Bennett said of the email, "I am not responding to moving to Oklahoma. I'm reiterating my commitment to the process to stay in Seattle."

Somehow he did this with a straight face.

His face is certainly not straight tonight. There is surely backslapping and high-fives going around. $45 million? Easy money. They'll make that back in short order.

So, the team will move, and the honeymoon will begin in Oklahoma City. Chances are that attendance will be average after the honeymoon is over, but that’s not what the NBA or the soon-to-be-former Sonics owners are focusing on. They’re looking at the increased revenues. Or, if you’re Bennett and Co. profits.

41 years of NBA history in Seattle has been passed over for the almighty dollar. Seattle’s worse for it, and the NBA and one of its owners come off as petty thieves.

Remember... It’s just business.

OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK

Maury Brown

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.

Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

 
Read more...
 
NBA Opening Stores in China Next Month. Using Olympics to Boost Interest PDF Print E-mail
Written by Maury Brown   
Wednesday, 02 July 2008 12:26

NBAThe NBA is preparing to open two stores in China this month, with 500 to 1000 planned in the future. The first two stores will be smaller versions of the NBA’s flagship store in New York and will be located in downtown Beijing. According to NBA China Chief Executive Officer Tim Chen, sales of NBA goods at the 50,000 current licensed outlets may rise 40 percent this year, buoyed by the Aug. 8-24 Olympics. As reported by Bloomberg News:

“We've had super growth in the last couple of years and when we look at the potential, it's just amazing,'' Chen said in an interview today. “After the Olympics, people in China will know more about our players and that widens the fan base for the NBA.''

Lifted by the success of Houston Rockets center Yao Ming and booming basketball participation, the NBA has come a long way in China since the days when it didn't charge for its television feed two decades ago. Chen said 450 million viewers watch the NBA in China and the Chinese Basketball Association estimates 300 million people play the sport.

Numbers like that helped persuade investors including Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN and Hong Kong mogul Li Ka-Shing to pay $253 million together for an 11 percent stake in NBA China in January. Growth may continue because the league's commercial partners are concentrated in Beijing and Shanghai, Chen said.

The NBA will lend their flair to the Olympics, as well. Beijing organizers asked the NBA to assist in entertainment aspects. From pumped up music, high-tech scoreboards, even cheerleaders.

“We're bringing in 35 people from NBA USA to help with game presentation, to make it more fun,'' Chen added.

OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK

Maury Brown

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.

Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

 
Read more...
 
Blazers Sign Spanish Guard, Rudy Fernandez PDF Print E-mail
Written by Maury Brown   
Tuesday, 01 July 2008 17:16

Rudy FernandezThe Portland Trail Blazers reached an agreement to sign Spanish guard Rudy Fernandez, it was announced today by general manager Kevin Pritchard.

“I am so excited about joining the Trail Blazers and the NBA,” said Fernandez. “The whole staff did a tremendous job making me feel like a very important team member to them and made me forget about the economic issues because of the rookie scale.

“My dream has been to play in the NBA and Portland is giving me this opportunity. I was amazed about everything that Mr. Allen, Kevin Pritchard, Coach McMillan and the rest of the guys did to show me how much they wanted me. Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge, I can't wait to play with them. We will do nice things!”

Fernandez, 23, spent the past seven seasons playing for DKV Joventut Badalona in the Spanish ACB League, and is a regular member of the Spanish National Team.

“We are thrilled to finally have Rudy Fernandez in a Trail Blazers jersey,” said Pritchard. “Rudy is a tremendously talented player who has achieved great things in Spain and Europe. His work ethic and character will fit well with the culture we’ve created here, and we’re very excited to get him on the floor after the Olympics.”

Portland acquired Fernandez in a 2007 Draft Day trade with Phoenix that was finalized July 11, 2007. The Trail Blazers received the draft rights to Fernandez (selected by the Suns with the 24th overall pick) and James Jones in exchange for cash considerations.

The 6-6 guard is coming off his best professional season to date in 2007-08, when he averaged 21.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.2 steals and shot 41.0% from 3-point range in 30 league games. DKV Joventut Badalona won both the ULEB Cup and The Copa del Rey this season, with Fernandez taking home MVP honors in both competitions.

A longtime member of the Spanish National Team, Fernandez played a key role for his country in the 2004 Olympic Games (7th place), 2006 FIBA World Championships (Gold Medal) and 2007 FIBA European Basketball Championships (Silver Medal). He is scheduled to play in the 2008 Olympic Games this summer.

With the move to Portland, Fernandez will become the eighth Spaniard to play in the NBA and the third for the Trail Blazers, joining Fernando Martin (1986-87) and Sergio Rodriguez (2006-present).

Source: Portland Trial Blazers 

OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK

Maury Brown

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.

Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.
Read more...
 
Analyzing Team USA's 12 Man Roster PDF Print E-mail
Written by David Friedman   
Monday, 30 June 2008 12:34

USA BasketballLast Monday, USA Basketball announced the 12 man roster that will comprise the 2008 U.S. Olympic basketball team. Five of the 12 have participated in the Olympics previously (Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, LeBron James, Jason Kidd and Dwyane Wade); the only U.S. team that had more Olympic veterans was the 1996 squad--the so-called "Dream Team II" that welcomed back six players from the first Dream Team, the 1992 U.S. Olympic team that is the only group that truly deserved the "Dream Team" designation. Eight members of the 2008 team played in the 2007 FIBA Americas tournament, which Team USA won with a 10-0 record; here is a list of those eight players, along with some of their statistics from the 2007 FIBA Americas tournament.

  • Carmelo Anthony (21.2 ppg, .613 FG%, .578 3Pt FG%, 5.2 rpg, 1.4 apg in nine games)
  • LeBron James (18.1 ppg, .760 FG%, .622 3Pt FG%, 3.6 rpg, 4.7 apg in 10 games)
  • Kobe Bryant (15.3 ppg, .548 FG%, .459 3Pt FG%, 2.0 rpg, 2.9 apg in 10 games)
  • Michael Redd (14.4 ppg, .530 FG%, .453 3Pt FG%, 1.4 rpg, 1.5 apg in 10 games)
  • Dwight Howard (10.0 ppg, .814 FG%, 5.3 rpg, 18 blocked shots in 10 games)
  • Tayshaun Prince (7.3 ppg, .481 FG%, .357 3Pt FG%, 5.0 rpg, 2.1 apg in nine games)
  • Deron Williams (4.7 ppg, .613 FG%, 5-10 3Pt FG, 1.0 rpg, 4.6 apg in 10 games)
  • Jason Kidd (1.8 ppg, 6-10 FG, 5-8 3Pt FG, 3.3 rpg, 4.6 apg in 10 games)

Amare Stoudemire and Chauncey Billups played in 2007 but withdrew their names from the selection process this time around. Tyson Chandler played the fewest minutes on the 2007 team and Mike Miller had the second lowest field goal percentage on the 2007 team. Those four players have been replaced by Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade.

In addition to the Olympic and international experience listed above, the current roster has the 2008 NBA MVP (Bryant), four of the five members of the 2008 All-NBA First Team (Bryant, James, Howard and Paul) plus a 2008 All-NBA Second Team selection (Williams) and a 2008 All-NBA Third Team selection (Boozer).

Since the debacles for Team USA in 2002, 2004 and 2006, USA Basketball has emphasized that it wants a three year commitment from players so that the team can develop cohesion and chemistry. That is why the fifth member of the 2008 All-NBA First Team, Kevin Garnett, is not on the roster. USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said of Garnett, "We never got any positive feedback of his interest. It was more about 'I've been there, I've done that and it's time for someone else to do it.' I had a number of conversations with his agent just to check the temperature of the water, and there was never any positive response. We would have loved to have had him...but obviously, it wasn't in the cards."

The key additions to the 2007 team were Kobe Bryant and Jason Kidd; they quickly emerged as team leaders because of their professionalism, work ethic and defensive intensity, three qualities that had been noticeably missing on recent editions of Team USA. U.S. Coach Mike Krzyzewski said, "Kobe is unbelievably committed to representing his country. Last summer playing for our team, the first time he saw his uniform, he got emotional...The first thing he did for us last summer, he was our best perimeter defender--and that's a role he wanted...I think we'll start out with the same thing because he knows he can play that way and expend the energy on defense because of the offensive talent of his teammates...We usually put him on the best perimeter player on the opposing team whether it be a point guard or a wing, and that's how we started the game. And that's how I want to start our practice sessions with that in mind." Bryant sacrificed some of his offensive game to concentrate on defense but still managed to finish third on the team in scoring and fourth in assists.

In a December 5, 2007 post, I mentioned some things that Suns General Manager Steve Kerr told me that then-Suns Coach Mike D'Antoni--a Team USA assistant coach--had said about Bryant's role on Team USA:

Prior to each game in last summer's FIBA Americas tournament, Bryant asked the coaching staff, "Who do you want me to take out?" In other words, Bryant wanted to know who was the toughest perimeter threat on each team so that he could study his tendencies on film and then completely neutralize him on the court. I said to Kerr, "That sounds like a sniper zeroing in on a target" and Kerr replied, "Yeah--and he was serious." Kerr went on to say that Bryant's "focus" and "bravado" added an essential missing element to the squad and elevated everyone else's play. Kerr noted that the previous Team USA squad had performed reasonably well other than the infamous loss to Greece but that it lacked a certain "swagger," as he termed it, and that Team USA did not have a "player who everyone feared." Kerr literally shook his head in wonderment as he described Bryant's impact on Team USA.

Kidd's leadership came in a much subtler form; there is virtually no statistical evidence of it, other than the fact that he ranked second on the team in assists--but make no mistake that he played a very key role on the team. He has never lost a game while wearing a Team USA jersey and he made it clear that he does not intend on ending that streak now.

The usual starting lineup of Bryant, Kidd, James, Anthony and Howard generally led the team to such big early leads that players like Redd, Stoudemire and Williams put up a lot of their numbers in de facto garbage time. Though casual fans probably assume that Chris Paul will be the starting point guard, I expect Coach Krzyzewski to use the same starting lineup during the Olympics that he employed during the FIBA Americas tournament; Kidd only ended up playing 15.9 mpg because Team USA won so many blowouts but I think that it is important to start the game with a group that has played together before in FIBA competition. This is not some All-Star exhibition in which Team USA can rotate who starts. Paul may end up playing more minutes than Kidd, particularly if Team USA builds big leads, but I would be surprised if Coach Krzyzewski changes his starting lineup.

The main early criticism of the 2008 roster is the supposed lack of big men but I disagree with that assessment. Chandler hardly played at all in the 2007 FIBA Americas tournament and although Stoudemire rebounded well he was not much of a defensive presence (six blocked shots in 10 games). Boozer and Bosh should be more than able to replace them, so this team is deeper and more versatile up front than the 2007 squad. Furthermore, the most effective style of play for Team USA in FIBA events is to go small, play pressure defense, force turnovers and score in the open court. Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James can easily play power forward in such a lineup, so on this team they are essentially "bigs" also. As for the perimeter players, Billups and Miller were two of the least productive members of the 2007 team, so it is difficult to believe that there will be any drop off by replacing them with Paul and Wade.

Thus, the 2008 team should be even better than the 2007 squad, though it is also t