SportsNation

Carmelo: Shoulder is getting better

2013-06-27T17:48:00.002-04:00

New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony told reporters that he does not believe he will require surgery on his injured shoulder.
"I don't think so," Anthony replied when asked about his shoulder at a ribbon-cutting event for two refurbished courts he provided in Brooklyn.

"My shoulder feels much better," Anthony added. "For the past 4-to-5 weeks, I've let it rest. It's still not 100 percent yet."
Anthony first suffered the shoulder injury April 14 against the Indiana Pacers and said his shoulder "popped in and out" after Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett tugged on it during the first round of the playoffs.
Anthony, 29, averaged 28.7 points and 6.9 rebounds for the Knicks last season.

Nets pursuing Pierce, KG

2013-06-27T17:46:00.004-04:00

The Brooklyn Nets, in their latest ambitious move, are trying to construct a trade with the Boston Celtics that would enable Brooklyn to land Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, sources confirmed to ESPN.
The Nets are trying to tempt the Celtics with a package headlined by three future first-round picks that would also potentially include Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace and Tornike Shengelia.
Sources told ESPN.com that no trade that would bring both Pierce and Garnett to the Nets could happen before July 10, the first date Pierce's 2013-14 salary could be included in the trade.

Yahoo! Sports reported the Nets' pursuit of Garnett and Pierce as a package. The New York Daily News reported earlier this week that the Nets were chasing Garnett, who has a no-trade clause in his contract. Sources told ESPN.com the Nets hatched the idea of trying to acquire both Boston stalwarts in the same deal because Pierce's inclusion is seen as the surest way to persuade Garnett to waive his no-trade clause.
Pierce has a team option for $15.3 million that the Celtics would have to pick up by week's end for such a deal to have any shot in July. Because Pierce is making nearly $17 million this season, Brooklyn needs the deal to wait until after the start of free agency and the lifting of the league's annual moratorium on transactions July 10, since the $15.3 million figure is used in the trade.
It's believed the Celtics would have reservations about taking on the final three years and $30 million owed to Wallace, given that the future first-round picks they would receive from the Nets likely would be nonlottery picks. Sources say the Nets are trying to expand the trade to take on either Jason Terry or Courtney Lee to make the deal more enticing for Boston.

The addition of Garnett and Pierce to the trio of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez would appear to give the Nets one of the most formidable rosters in the NBA under rookie coach Jason Kidd.
Earlier this offseason, Boston denied the Nets permission to contact then-head coach Doc Rivers, who eventually left to coach the Los Angeles Clippers.
But the Celtics, now that Rivers has departed, are a team in transition that is said to be looking to accelerate the rebuilding process by chasing draft picks and creating cap space.

Lions sign DE Israel Idonije

2013-06-27T17:43:00.004-04:00

The Detroit Lions have signed ex-Chicago Bears defensive end Israel Idonije to a one-year contract and have released defensive end Freddie Bishop.

The team said Wednesday it isn't releasing terms of its contract with Idonije, a free agent.
Idonije had spent nine seasons with the Bears. He started 11 games last season and finished second on the team in sacks (7.5) behind Julius Peppers (11.5).
Idonije also made 48 tackles (29 solo) and had one forced fumble last season

Browns cut arrested Ausar Walcott

2013-06-27T16:11:00.003-04:00

Cleveland Browns rookie linebacker Ausar Walcott was arrested Tuesday and charged with attempted murder for allegedly punching a man outside a club in Northern New Jersey.
In light of the charges, the Browns announced the release of the player they had signed on May 13 as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia.

Authorities told The Bergen Record that Walcott punched Derrick Jones in the head just after The Palace Gentlemen's Club closed early Sunday morning.
Police say Jones, who is from New York City, is in critical condition. Walcott, 23, is held on $500,000 bail. He is charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault and third-degree endangering an injured victim, said Salvatore Bellomo, a senior assistant prosecutor.
Walcott is one of 28 NFL players arrested since this year's Super Bowl on Feb. 3, according to a database kept by U-T San Diego.
In 45 games for Virginia, Walcott totaled 128 career tackles, 1.5 sacks, four passes defensed and one fumble recovery.
This isn't the first time Walcott has been arrested. In January 2011, he faced charges of assault and battery from a fight while he was at Virginia. Walcott was suspended from the team but was reinstated after charges were dropped.

Walcott is the second Browns rookie to be arrested. Seventh-round selection Armonty Bryant was charged with drunken driving in Oklahoma less than one week after the Browns picked the defensive end in April's draft. Bryant, also arrested on a felony drug charge in college, said Tuesday he has been working hard to stay clean.

Knicks Madison Square Garden NBA Tickets

2012-09-14T12:39:00.003-04:00

We continue our New York Knicks matchups in the Eastern Conference with the always-struggling Charlotte Bobcats. Even though the Bobcats had what could be considered the worst NBA regular season ever, Knicks fans shouldn’t be too quick to laugh at this team. If Knicks fans remember one of the worst losses of the season under Mike D’Antoni was to the Bobcats at home in a 118-110 terrible loss.

The night before the Cavs beat the Bobcats by 14 and the Heat beat them by a whopping 39 three nights before. It was a wake up call for the Knicks, but this year is a whole new ball game. The Bobcats unluckily missed out on the number one pick and Anthony Davis but did get workhorse Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Let’s see how these teams matchup.

<a href="http://www.ticketamerica.com/new_york_knicks_tickets.html">New York Knicks Tickets</a>

<ahref="http://www.ticketamerica.com/madison_square_garden_tickets.html">madison square garden tickets</a>

<a href="http://www.ticketamerica.com/sports/basketball/nba_basketball">NBA tickets</a>

Kenny Britt's workouts intensify for Tennessee Titans

2012-08-05T19:24:00.001-04:00

Kenny Britt's rehab appears to be moving in a positive direction following three knee surgeries over the past 10 months.

"He is doing good. We have him on a great program ... and he has responded to it," Munchak said. "He is running hard and next week he'll start doing more things and running. But we are happy with where he's at."Tennessee Titans coach Mike Munchak said Sunday the team will increase the intensity of Britt's workouts in the next week, according to The Tennessean.

The wide receiver missed most of last season after tearing the anterior crucaite ligament and and medial collateral ligament in his right knee. He had a procedure on his left knee in June.

"He is progressing as well or better than we hoped," Munchak said. "Now it is just a matter of how quickly over the next two weeks when he starts doing more cutting and changing of direction, how he'll respond to that."

Though this qualifies as good news, Britt's immediate future remains muddled. He's currently on theTitans' physically unable to perform list, and Munchak said Britt could be on a "pitch count" early in the season. He also faces possible suspension for a DUI arrest in the offseason.

Antonio Bryant released by Seattle Seahawks

2012-08-05T19:23:00.002-04:00

The Seattle Seahawks have released wide receiver Antonio Bryant, the team announced Sunday.

Bryant, who hasn't played in the NFL since the 2009 season, signed with the Seahawks last month, but he was slowed by a hamstring injury. He was kept out of practice Friday, but it's unclear if his health led to the release. After dumping Bryant, the Seahawks re-signed kicker Carson Wiggs.

The Seahawks also cut Mike Williams last month, leaving Sidney Rice -- who's coming off double shoulder operations and a rash of concussions -- as the No. 1 receiver alongside the eventual winner of a race between Edwards, Golden Tate, Doug Baldwin, Ben Obomanu, Kris Durham and Ricardo Lockette. The Green Bay Packers, they are not.The Seahawks house a surplus of receivers with question marks. They added Braylon Edwards to the mix in July, and it's possible his presence made Bryant expendable. It's also possible Bryant has nothing left in the tank.

Back to Bryant for a second. The release won't cost the Seahawks a thing. Brian McIntyre confirmed the old-as-the-trees pass-catcher didn't receive any guaranteed money. The Seahawks were burned on room and board, a few pairs of sneakers and the cost of two plane tickets, but that just sounds like a bad date. Pete Carroll and friends march on.

Miles Austin sits at Cowboys camp with bad hamstring

2012-08-05T19:21:00.002-04:00

The Dallas Cowboys are temporarily shutting down Miles Austin.

Austin missed six games and much of training camp last season with hamstring issues.The wide receiver strained his hamstring during practice Saturday and is expected to miss up to a week, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Sunday, via The Associated Press.

Though the Cowboys went 5-1 without Austin last season, they might not have the same depth if he were to go down again.

Laurent Robinson, who caught a team-high 10 touchdowns in 2011, signed a lucrative free-agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason. Dez Bryant, the Cowboys' other starting wide receiver, has had his own issues this summer.

Austin was replaced on the field by undrafted rookie Cole Beasley. The receiver told Garrett on Friday that he planned to quit football and return to Dallas, but he changed his mind and was expected to participate in Sunday's afternoon scrimmage, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Beasley said he was dealing with personal issues at home, but he's now fully focused on football. Well, that's good.

Derrick Harvey released by Cincinnati Bengals

2012-08-05T19:19:00.000-04:00

The disappointing NFL career of Derrick Harvey might have reached its conclusion.

The Cincinnati Bengals cut ties with the former first-round draft pick on Sunday, less than four months after signing Harvey to a one-year deal. The team ate a $60,000 signing bonus.

The Jacksonville Jaguars traded up 18 spots to select Harvey eighth overall in the 2008 draft, but he never became the edge rusher the team envisioned. He managed just eight sacks and 70 tackles in three seasons before getting his release last July.

Harvey is the latest 2008 draft bust to pop up in the headlines.

Jeff Otah, the 18th overall draft pick, had his contract terminated by the Carolina Panthers last week after a failed physical quashed a trade to the New York Jets. On Sunday, Devin Thomas, the 34th overall pick of the Chicago Bears, announced his retirement after collecting 43 career receptions.

Andy Reid's son, Garrett, found dead at Eagles camp

2012-08-05T19:17:00.001-04:00

Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman announced in a news conference that coach Andy Reid's absence from the start of Sunday's walkthrough practice was because his son, Garrett, had been found dead in his room at Lehigh University.

"He's been strong for us, we're going to be strong for him right now," Roseman said before turning the news conference over to Lehigh University's chief of police, who said there was no evidence of foul play in Garrett Reid's death.


Garrett Reid (left), son of Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid, was found dead Sunday morning at Lehigh University. (Chris Gardner/Associated Press)

An investigation by the coroner's office is underway. No cause of death had been determined.

"What I can tell you is this morning we were contacted by the Lehigh campus police department and (were) requested to respond for the discovery of a deceased male," Northampton County coroner Zachary Lysek told The Associated Press. "We are conducting an investigation with the cooperation of the Lehigh campus police department, and I personally pronounced Mr. Reid deceased at the scene."

The last time Andy Reid was believed to have missed a practice was when he was attending a 2007 court date for Garrett, who had been arrested on drug and weapons charges, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Garrett, 29, and his younger brother, Britt, each had drug problems in the past.

He and Britt were arrested on drug charges after two separate traffic accidents in 2007. Garrett Reid was imprisoned off and on through 2009.

Garrett Reid had rebounded from his troubled past and was assisting the Eagles' strength coaches at training camp. Many of the coaches stay in the Lehigh dorms.

We extend our deepest condolences to the Reid family and all members of the Philadelphia Eagles organization.

UPDATE: The Eagles released the following statement shortly after Sunday's news conference:

"This news is heartbreaking for everyone in the Eagles family," Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said. "Our hearts go out to Andy, his wife, Tammy, and their children."

The Eagles also announced offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg and defensive coordinator Juan Castillo will oversee the team until Reid returns.

UPDATE II: The Eagles will hold practice Sunday afternoon's practice as scheduled at 2:45 p.m., NFL.com and NFL Network's Steve Wyche reported.

The Eagles' first preseason game is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 9, at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

UPDATE III: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released the following statement: "We are deeply saddened by the news about Garrett Reid. Our thoughts and prayers are with Andy, Tammy and their family. We will support them and the Eagles in any way we can through this difficult time."

UPDATE IV: Services for family and friends will be held Tuesday, Aug. 7 in Broomall, Pa., according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Roy's return a tricky situation for both Blazers and Wolves

2012-08-05T19:14:00.001-04:00

If you substitute the name Tracy McGrady for Brandon Roy in this whole Trail Blazers-to-retirement-to-Timberwolves thing, chances are it feels, and goes down, much different.

But since Roy is closer to Grant Hill than McGrady as far as fan sympathy and likeability, he is someone to root for rather than against. More thought, nationally anyway, is given to the team he's joining than to the team Roy left behind.

That's not fair in an absolute sense. But by being seen as a class act, a franchise savior on and off the court and the victim of cruel injury fate, Roy, like Hill exiting Orlando for Phoenix, has been able to leave Portland with a fat wallet, a seemingly clear conscience and few disparaging words. Blazers management is seen as complicit, flexing the amnesty clause to shrug Roy's max contract off its salary cap.

Still, the move isn't without its drama and potential pitfalls for Roy, for Portland and for Minnesota.

Any fan of NBA basketball would need to have a hard heart to not root for Roy to make a complete and inspiring comeback from the knee problems that prematurely shut him down in spring 2011 at age 26. Just this attempt -- his desire to play again, his refusal to simply go off and live like a lottery winner -- is a storyline worth savoring, no matter the outcome. At the very least, any questions we have about Roy's condition will be definitively answered; so will any doubts lingering in his mind. That's worth a lot.

There will, however, be a price paid somewhere. Already there is angst in Portland and trepidation in Minnesota, emotions inversely related as Roy's ability to endure and recover from NBA-caliber court time gets tested.

In hindsight, the best option for all involved would have been for Roy to have sat out last season, for Portland to have kept him on its roster at No. 15, for the Blazers to have skipped what turned out to be a one-year lease on Jamal Crawford and then for everyone to sit back now with clear minds, calmed knees and a full offseason to plot the future course.

Instead, there are second-guesses, suspicions and lightly bruised feelings, with the possibility that all might increase:

• When Roy so sadly shut down his Blazers career on the eve of the post-lockout season, did he callously orchestrate his unofficial retirement (he terms it a "pause") and now his return as a slick maneuver to dodge the amnesty-waiver process and not be stuck somewhere not to his liking (recall Chauncey Billups' reaction post-Knicks)?

There still is disagreement over the timeline and the intentions. Roy, at his introductory news conference in Minnesota this week, said the team dictated his exit. "... I went in for the physical, [the team doctor] thought it would be in my best interests to stop playing basketball because of my knees," Roy said. "We pretty much left it up to the team to decide if they wanted to pursue the medical retirement route. After a week, they decided to use the amnesty. For me, it was never that I was retired."

Yet former Blazers coach Nate McMillan told Ben Golliver of the Blazer's Edge blog last month: "This past season ... there wasn't going to be any minutes requirement. He would play as much as he could and we would go from there. We weren't able to see that because he decided to retire."

The elapsed time from Roy's final NBA to his Wolves intro is a factor here, too. This isn't Roy Hobbs after being shot, the remnants of his career truly in need of a dusting. Roy's split from the Blazers occurred eight months ago.

• An alternative interpretation is that Roy seriously was hurting, in terms of both his knees and his psyche as his basketball life fizzled, and truly was quitting. Avoiding the meatball schedule of 2011-12 would have helped anyone's joints, meniscus-free or otherwise, and with every game his knees happily missed, his heart beat stronger for a comeback. From there, it was a short walk to being wooed by Minnesota VP David Kahn, owner Glen Taylor, coach Rick Adelman and, most of all, Wolves assistant Bill Bayno, a Roy guy for four seasons in Portland.

Roy needed a change of venue anyway -- it wouldn't have gone well, getting re-invented as anything shy of the player he'd been while hauling down the same max salary and facing the same lofty expectations. With the Blazers' amnesty move, Roy was free to choose.

There is a greater crossroads looming, though.

If Roy comes back and regains All-Star form -- he prefers to call it "high level" -- this will not be easy for Portland or its fans. Yes, the Blazers will get the benefits of amnesty for cap and tax purposes. But the actual cash still goes to Roy and, let's face it, that amount matters about the same as a ding in owner Paul Allen's latest snazzy yacht. Almost for a second time, Portland will feel that it has lost an elite shooting guard, the face of its franchise and a solid citizen whose arrival came at the right time, after Rip City fans had wearied of rooting for rippable characters.

Then again, if Roy fails completely, if he comes out on the other side of Minnesota's four-in-five grind in mid-December limping on both legs, there might be a certain relief in Portland that the Blazers and fans didn't get burned. But it will have a schadenfreude feel. Meanwhile in Minnesota, the price will climb higher than the two-year, $10 million contract Roy was given for this make-good endeavor.

Already, the Wolves are touting the old Roy -- that is, the young Roy -- on their Web site, selling him to the Twin Cities as that 2007 ROY Roy, the three-time All-Star. They are virtually naked at shooting guard otherwise, because Wes Johnson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2010 Draft, was cashiered last month for two future second-rounders. (That's a failed No. 4 on top of the failed No. 6 of Jonny Flynn in 2009, possibly paving the way for a failed No. 2 from 2011 in Derrick Williams, on whom Adelman seems hardly sold.)

If Roy's comeback derails, there really is no backup plan, other than more backcourt time for two point guard sets, with Luke Ridnour and J.J. Barea giving way to Ricky Rubio and Alexey Shved.

Fortunately, there is some middle ground on which this can play out well enough for all parties. Say Roy manages to play 15-20 minutes, at something approaching his pro-rated career averages but in shorter stints, maybe with some precautionary nights off. He might be able to give the Wolves 10 points or so, two or three rebounds, three assists, while hitting 35 percent of his 3-pointers and 80 percent of his free throws. He certainly would give them a heady veteran (if he can stay out of the trainer's room).

That guy wouldn't cut it in Portland. Not after starring for the Blazers, anchoring the Blazers, promising so much with his heart that his knees couldn't deliver. Maybe he could go back as that guy some day. But not right now.

That guy in Minnesota would be a godsend. Johnson averaged 6.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists and in24.9 minutes as a starter the past two seasons. Roy wouldn't end the Wolves' search at shooting guard but he would buy them -- and Kahn -- time.

The bar is so low, in other words, that even someone without cartilage in his knees might be able to get over it. Most people around the NBA hope that happens, even if it's a little tricky for the fans in Portland.

Lakers' Barnes released from jail after warrant arrest

2012-08-05T19:12:00.002-04:00

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Former Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes is out of jail after being arrested on suspicion of threatening a police officer who stopped him for a traffic warrant.

Manhattan Beach police Sgt. Paul Ford says Barnes was released around 11:30 p.m. Monday, three hours after his arrest.

Barnes was walking when he was arrested on a $26,000 misdemeanor warrant for driving on a suspended license.

Ford says Barnes also allegedly made a verbal threat to the officer. Total bail: $51,000.

Barnes later posted on Twitter that a small situation had turned into an "Urban Legend" and scoffed at what he calls "all you perfect people" judging him for missing a court date.

Barnes is a free agent. He was the Lakers' top-scoring reserve last season, averaging 7.8 points per game.

Wolves finalize deal with center Stiemsma

2012-08-05T19:11:00.000-04:00

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Greg Stiemsma would have gladly returned to Boston, where he got his first true chance to play in the NBA.

When Minnesota showed new interest in the 6-foot-11, 260-pound defensive specialist, well, he didn't exactly have to mull his decision over.

"You didn't have to twist my arm or convince me too hard to come to this part of the country," Stiemsma said Thursday after signing a two-year contract with the Timberwolves to be their backup center. Only the first season is guaranteed.

"It feels good to be wanted," Stiemsma said. "It feels good to have all your hard work pay off."

His hometown is Randolph, Wis., just a half-day-trip away and a bit north of Madison, where he played four seasons for the Badgers and currently lives and trains. Stiemsma was the only free agent who visited the Timberwolves this summer who was able to drive to Target Center.

"It was nice, from a scheduling standpoint, that we didn't have to purchase an airline ticket," Timberwolves president of basketball operations and general manager David Kahn said, smiling.

Stiemsma was in the background his entire career at Wisconsin, averaging a little more than 11 minutes per game even as a senior. He played in Turkey and South Korea the following season, then moved on to the NBA Developmental League.

There, behind the guidance of a coaching staff that understood his game, he began to build confidence that he could indeed become an NBA player. He was named the 2010 NBADL Defensive Player of the Year after he averaged 9.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and a league-leading 3.7 blocks per game for the Sioux Falls Sky Force. Stiemsma actually signed with the Wolves that April and played on their summer league team but was waived before training camp in the fall.

He returned to Turkey for the 2010-11 season and then finally stuck on an NBA roster, with the Celtics. Fighting plantar faciitis in his left foot and a bone bruise in his right foot, he appeared in 55 games, averaging 2.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 13.9 minutes. His blocks-per-minute average was second in the league behind Serge Ibaka of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Playoff experience this past spring was invaluable, as was the time spent listening to and watching former Timberwolves great Kevin Garnett.

"He was always willing to teach. He's got such a high knowledge of the game," Stiemsma said.

Stiemsma said his feet are feeling fine these days. He's eager for his second full NBA season to see how much further he can take his game - and help a playoff-caliber team try to get into the postseason for the first time in nine years. Finding his niche has certainly helped his confidence, which he said is at an all-time high.

"There's always those coaches who'd be like, 'You don't do this well. You don't do this well,"' Stiemsma said. "Well, how about we forget about what I don't do well. How about we focus on what I do well?"

The Wolves used the amnesty clause to waive Darko Milicic, creating the opening behind Nikola Pekovic. Stiemsma's past season with the Celtics was enough to catch Minnesota's attention again.

"Because of his proximity to this market and the fact that we did have him for a summer ... we did kind of know who he was," Kahn said. "But I must confide that he really opened our eyes as well."

Lin makes first trip to parents' native Taiwan

2012-08-05T19:09:00.001-04:00

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) -- On the first trip to his parents' native Taiwan since emerging from basketball obscurity to become one of the NBA's biggest stars, Jeremy Lin has pledged to remain true to himself and not be overwhelmed by the fame that accompanies the phenomenon that is "Linsanity."

Showing his modesty, Lin said Sunday he hopes to inspire other people to play basketball, just as former Chinese NBA star Yao Ming inspired him.

Lin recently left the New York Knicks for Yao's former team, the Houston Rockets. He was born and raised in the United States. But his maternal grandmother is from China and his parents are from Taiwan. The NBA can expect Lin to generate huge business from the vast Chinese-speaking world because of his Asian lineage.

Lin evaded the touchy question of whether he's Chinese or Taiwanese, saying only "there's a lot of history behind who I am."

The point guard averaged 14.6 points and 6.2 assists in 35 games (25 starts) for the Knicks last season.

Matt Flynn's big payday doesn't harm rookie Russell Wilson's shot at Seahawks' starting job

2012-08-04T20:23:00.002-04:00

RENTON, Wash. – It can't be real – can it? Why would you pay a guy all that money and not play him?

Those were the words of a prominent NFL quarterback assessing the Seattle Seahawks' three-way competition at football's most important position, a training camp battle being waged despite the three-year, $26 million contract the franchise shelled out to land free-agent passer Matt Flynn last March. And while similar questions have crossed the minds of numerous observers at 'Hawks camp, where Flynn is splitting reps with 2011 starter Tarvaris Jackson and 2012 third-round draft pickRussell Wilson, coach Pete Carroll wouldn't have it any other way.Matt Flynn cashed in big in free agency. But that doesn't make him the bona fide starter in Seattle. (AP)

"That's for the guys who think that everything goes the way the writers think," Carroll said Thursday afternoon, referring to the perception that Flynn, Aaron Rodgers' former backup in Green Bay, stands to win the starting job because of the team's substantial financial investment. "I don't believe in that at all. If anything I would fight to go the other way because I don't want to ever fall into that. So we don't."

It would be one thing if this were just the staged brainchild of a coach intent on proving a point about competition. Carroll, however, seems to be legitimately assessing his options, with an open mind and a smitten heart. In a metaphorical sense, the 60-year-old coach has googly eyes for Wilson, the former Wisconsin star whose presence, poise and aptitude have captivated the locker room.

Would Carroll be crazy enough to pass over Flynn, whose contract includes $10 million in guaranteed cash, and Jackson, who has the strongest grasp of offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell's scheme, and hand the ball to a 5-foot-11 rookie who 13 ½ months ago was a struggling Single-A outfielder clinging to his football dream?

"Call it like you want," Carroll says. "We're pioneering our way on this one, and we'll find out."

If the Seahawks' offense struggles in 2012, Carroll's critics will have plenty of ammunition. Flynn, who became a hot commodity after setting single-game Packers records for touchdown passes (six) and yards (480) in a regular-season finale victory against the Detroit Lions, has only two career starts and is learning a new offense. In theory, he could use 110 percent of the reps in practice. Yet thus far, while most of the league's presumptive starting quarterbacks are diving headfirst into their preseason preparations, Flynn is comparatively passive, the football equivalent of an Olympic swimmer whose feet are Superglued to the starting blocks.

As the beneficiary of fewer than a third of the reps (fourth-stringer Josh Portis also gets a few plays here and there), a potentially shaky receiving corps which includes banged-up veterans Braylon Edwards and Antonio Bryant and no clear-cut signals from his superiors enabling him to take charge of the locker room, Flynn isn't in an optimal position for success.

If, that is, he gets a chance to be the team's starter in the first place, something Carroll insists is no sure thing.

Might Flynn face a fate similar to that of Charlie Whitehurst, the former San Diego Chargers backup for whom the Seahawks traded shortly after Carroll and general manager John Schneider arrived in Seattle two years ago? The team gave Whitehurst, now back in San Diego after an underwhelming stint in the Pacific Northwest, a two-year, $8 million contract that in retrospect looks like a major mistake.

If Flynn ends up sitting in favor of Wilson or Jackson, just as Whitehurst languished as the backup to veteran Matt Hasselbeck in 2010 and to Jackson (who got a two-year, $8 million deal in free agency a year ago) last season, Seahawks owner Paul Allen may begin to wonder what's up with all the signing bonuses.

Carroll, however, doesn't sound concerned. To him, putting the best quarterback on the field is the only bottom line that counts.

"That's the cost of free agency, is how I see it," Carroll says of Flynn's contract. "And we're fine about that. And Matt knows that, too. He knew right from the get-go. It doesn't matter how much you're getting paid. You've gotta come in here and battle for the job."

That Flynn is still in a battle seems less an indication that Carroll and Schneider have lost faith in him than it is a testament to their collective excitement over Wilson.Russell Wilson showed early that he wasn't afraid to take charge as a pro quarterback. (Getty Images)

Though Wilson's relatively small stature may have scared away some teams, Schneider coveted him throughout the draft process. When Seattle selected Wilson with the 75th overall pick, Schneider learned he wasn't the only NFL executive who felt that way about the ex-Badgers passer. "As soon as I drafted him," Schneider recalled Thursday, "I got calls and texts from other people around the league [to the effect of], 'You [expletive].' Because nobody was talking about him."

Shortly after his arrival in Seattle, Wilson was the talk of the training facility.

"John loved him before the draft," Carroll says of Wilson. "As I started watching him and realized what kind of player he is, I fell in love with him too. We both were willing to evaluate the player and not what people would think about the pick.

"He's really a complete player. Really bright, he's got great stature about him, how to be 'The Quarterback.' He has fantastic study habits and just makeup to be a diligent preparation guy. He's got great feet, great sense and spatial awareness. He's extremely quick as an athlete. "The thing that I really cherish in guys is when they're natural athletes and everything comes easy to them. He can do anything. He's got great hand-eye coordination he's got great arm versatility. He can do all kinds of things with the football. He just happens to be a little shorter than some other guys."

The word that comes up frequently when assessing Wilson's appeal is presence. He carries himself with confidence and charisma that belies his lack of pro experience and isn't shy about asserting himself. Shortly after the draft Carroll slipped into the team's indoor practice facility to observe a private throwing session involving Wilson and some of the Seahawks' veteran receivers, including former Vikings Pro Bowl wideout Sidney Rice.

"[Wilson] controlled the whole thing," Carroll recalls. "He told them, 'This route, that route … I'm throwing to your outside shoulder … I'm gonna put a little air under this ball.' Sidney, that's our big-shot receiver, and he listened to everything [Wilson] said.

"He wasn't a jerk about it or arrogant, he was just being the quarterback. That was a really clear indicator that he's not gonna – I don't want to say shrink – but he's gonna stand up to the situation, because he knows what it is to be the quarterback and what that role is all about. I thought that was really impressive. He took command of it, just like the QB should. He wasn't thinking that he was too young to do it or that he was a rookie. I see them respond to him very seriously. He's got a presence about him."

Later in the spring, during OTAs, Wilson threw a touchdown on a corner route to veteran tight end Kellen Winslow, who'd recently been acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As Winslow jogged back toward his offensive teammates, Wilson, according to a witness, told him, "If you run that route the same way every time, I'll put it right there for you." When Winslow appeared disinterested, Wilson repeated the statement, this time loudly enough to get everyone's attention. Said the witness: "He definitely didn't seem like a rookie."

Russell Wilson's brilliance led Wisconsin to the Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl berth last season. (AP)Wilson's assertiveness paid off last summer when he arrived in Madison for a final season of college football. Wilson, who'd played for North Carolina State from 2008-10, appeared headed for a career in baseball after the Colorado Rockies took him in the fourth round of the 2010 draft. However, he changed his mind after a shaky minor-league stint and, having graduated from N.C. State (and thus not required to sit out a season upon transferring), arrived in Wisconsin last summer.

"I got there July 1 and I called a team meeting with just the players on July 7," Wilson recalled Thursday. "And I just told the guys about my background, where I was from, about my family, about my dad passing away [the day after Wilson was drafted by the Rockies], about me playing baseball and why I wanted to continue to play football and why I came to Wisconsin.

"I told them that my goal was to do whatever it took to win. Just compete every single day, get every single guy better in the huddle, get the defense better, get myself better. And I told 'em we're not just competing against ourselves, we're competing against every single team in the country. That we'd have to bring it every single day; we'd have to have that mentality. And I told 'em if I wasn't doing my part, I want you guys to let me know about it. If you're not doing your part, I'm gonna let you know. So the communication just started off right away, and it just took off from there."

Wilson made noise on the field, putting up ridiculous numbers – he completed 72.8 percent of his passes, threw 33 touchdowns and was intercepted only four times – while leading the Badgers to a Big Ten title and Rose Bowl berth. That's one of the many reasons Carroll believes the kid is capable of stepping in and succeeding as a rookie starter.

Long after Thursday's practice, Carroll marveled at a play Wilson had made during a red-zone drill: Pressured by the pass rush and flushed to his left, Wilson whistled the ball past a stunned linebacker and into the waiting hands of rookie wideout Lavasier Tuinei. Said Carroll: "It was like, 'Where did that come from?' It was a really cool play. We drafted a really savvy, instinctive kid, and it shows up in many ways."

A few minutes later, Carroll conceded that Wilson, because of his inexperience, is "up against it. It's a race against time for him. It's as hard as it can get. It isn't a situation where you can hand him the job and now he gets every single rep."

Given that the quarterback competition isn't likely to extend through the preseason – Carroll, Schneider and Bevell all say that the plan is to begin shifting the majority of reps to one or two quarterbacks in the very near future – installing Wilson as the promising second-stringer may be a more realistic option than starting him as a rookie.

Jackson, who fought through a painful pectoral injury that plagued him for much of the 2011 season, would seem to have the toughest path of the three candidates. He had mixed results as the Seahawks' starter last season, completing 60.2 percent of his passes while throwing for 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Many teammates revere him for his toughness and resilience, and his grasp of Bevell's offense – dating back to their years together with the Minnesota Vikings – is, in Carroll's words, "an extraordinary advantage."Tarvaris Jackson's toughness carries weight with his Seahawks teammates. (AP)

That familiarity, along with the unique challenges posed by the lockout, provoked Carroll into naming Jackson as his unequivocal starter three days into last year's training camp. Yet Jackson, whose starting status in Minnesota often depended on Brett Favre's mood swings, probably has the least upside in the eyes of his bosses. If he doesn't reclaim his job, he's in danger of getting cut by the Seahawks, given the $4 million they could save by keeping him off the opening day roster and their regard for Portis as a viable third-stringer.

How does Jackson think things will play out?

"I have no idea," he said Thursday. "I'm gonna do my best and let it fall where it may. I don't feel sorry myself. I'm blessed to have an opportunity to play in this league."

Flynn, too, says he's simply focused on doing his best and isn't stressing out about the lost reps or unfavorable scenarios. This is hardly the toughest challenge he has faced as a pro: In 2008 Flynn, a seventh-round pick out of LSU, got about a sixth of the reps during training camp with the Packers, with second-round selection Brian Brohm taking a third of the practice snaps and Rodgers, in his first year as Favre's successor, receiving 50 percent. Yet Flynn managed to beat Brohm for the No. 2 quarterback job.

"I've been competing my whole life," Flynn says. "It seems like I've never had a year where something is given to me. I've always been competing and had to work for my job."

It remains to be seen whether Flynn will grab hold of a job that once seemed to be his for the taking. Back in March, at least to the outside world, it looked like the Seahawks' prized free-agent signee wasin like Flynn.

Five months later, he's still Carroll's most logical choice to open the season as the starter. Yet while Flynn may be $10 million richer, he can't take that to the bank.

There's a competition playing out, and it is real, at least until Carroll decrees otherwise.

Men's long jump winner delights British fans, but notably falls short of longtime Olympic standard

2012-08-04T20:08:00.002-04:00

LONDON – The men’s long jump created a slice of Olympic Games history on Saturday – for all the wrong reasons.

Great Britain’s Greg Rutherford delighted the crowd at the Olympic Stadium by claiming victory, but his winning distance was the worst performance by a Games gold medalist in the event for 40 years.

Ever since Randy Williams of the United States took gold in Munich in 1972, every champion has jumped at least 8.34 meters, with a high point of Carl Lewis’ winning leap in Seoul in 1988 of 8.72.

Rutherford managed 8.31, recorded with his fourth jump, and deserves credit for holding his nerve amid a night where the host nation remarkably claimed three athletics golds – with Jessica Ennis in the heptathlon and 10,000-meter runner Mo Farah also tasting victory.

Behind him though, the field underperformed dramatically. Mitchell Watt of Australia came in second with 8.16m, a mark that would not have been good enough for a medal in any of the eight previous Games. Will Claye of the United States finished in third with 8.12.

The downturn in performance the long jump competition has confused athletics experts, and earlier this week even four-time champion Carl Lewis insisted that the final would see an improvement.

“I was happy to put in a solid jump, and I didn’t think it would be good enough,” said a jubilant Rutherford. “I thought it would get overtaken but obviously I was delighted when it held.

“It wasn’t easy out there, but I found a pretty good rhythm early on. That is about as satisfying as it gets.”

Competitors blamed the windy conditions for interfering with their run-ups and affecting the distances completed.

“It was tough to get into a good rhythm, and a lot of times you saw guys running up and just misjudging things a little bit,” said Watt.

NBA Roundup: Rivers takes blame, Hornet to sign Mason Jr

2012-08-04T20:06:00.001-04:00

If you follow the pointed fingers, Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers said it's him whose the last one standing for those tracing back the reasons for Ray Allen's departure from the team.

Allen signed a two-year contract to come off the bench for theMiami Heat rather than return to the Celtics. Rivers told Yahoo Sports that it was the coach's decision to put the ball -- and the offense -- in the hands of point guard Rajon Rondo that pushed Allen out of Boston.

"People can use all the Rondo stuff -- and it was there, no doubt about that -- but it was me more than Rondo," said Rivers. "I'm the guy who gave Rondo the ball. I'm the guy who decided that Rondo needed to be more of the leader of the team. That doesn't mean guys liked that -- and Ray did not love that -- because Rondo now had the ball all the time."

The Celtics replaced Allen with another player who likes to have the ball in his hands -- and shoot the 3 -- in sixth man Jason Terry, who excelled in his role providing instant offense to the Dallas Mavericks off the bench. Rivers didn't believe Allen ever became comfortable not starting.

"The conclusion I came back to was this: By doing the right things, we may have lost Ray," said Rivers. "If I hadn't done that, I would've been a hypocrite. In the opening speech I make every year, I tell the team: 'Every decision I make is going to be what's good for the team, and it may not be what's good for the individual.'"

-- The New Orleans Hornets reportedly have agreed to terms with unrestricted free-agent guard Roger Mason Jr.

Terms of the deal were not available, but Yahoo!Sports and the New Orleans Times-Picayune both reported the contract agreement, citing league sources.

Mason, 31, played for the Washington Wizards last season, averaging 5.5 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.

The University of Virginia product has played for five teams during the past nine seasons, averaging 7.2 points a game during his career.

Wallace felt signing early was good for Williams

2012-08-04T20:03:00.001-04:00

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Gerald Wallace is convinced that re-signing with the Brooklyn Nets early in free agency helped convince Deron Williams to return to the franchise and play in its new home.

Speaking on a conference call on Monday, more than two weeks after agreeing to a four-year, $40 million contract, Wallace, a small forward, was confident the Nets have made the moves necessary to challenge in the Eastern Conference.

In addition to re-signing Wallace, Williams and center Brook Lopez, the Nets acquired six-time All-Star shooting guard Joe Johnson in a multi-player deal with the Atlanta Hawks.

The Nets also confirmed on Monday that they signed veteran swingman Jerry Stackhouse to a one-year, $1.4 million deal, and forward Mirza Teletovic to a three-year, $9.8 million contract.

''I'm excited to be back with Brooklyn, so we can get things turned around, get the franchise headed in the right direction,'' Wallace said, ''and hopefully push for a championship.''

Wallace said he wanted to get his contract done quickly, because he was holding a youth basketball camp in Alabama. However, he also felt he had a good idea that Williams would to return to the Nets rather than sign with Dallas. The two spoke a couple of days before free agency opened.

''I was confident. I understood,'' Wallace said. ''I figured we'd get D-Will back. He really wanted to come back and I know that he focused on me signing. And I knew once I signed, that worked in our favor getting him back. And then I think with getting Joe Johnson in a trade, I think that sold him on the idea.

''My thing was to sign, and give him that confidence that I'd be there with him.''

Wallace, who was acquired from Portland before the trade deadline last season, wanted to stay with the Nets all along.

''But the main focus was having Deron,'' he said. ''I'm going into my 12th year in the league, and I didn't want to be in a stage where we're in a rebuilding process, starting all over with young guys. The main thing was having some core guys there and being able to compete now.''

Wallace is happy with the many moves made by Brooklyn general manager Billy King.

'I think we've made a statement team-wise about the direction we want to head in,'' Wallace said. ''I think we've got some great pieces. I understand that Billy and those guys are still doing some hard work to make some things happen for us, and I think right now, we've had a great start, and I think we can get better as a team.

''If not, I feel confident with the team that we have now going into training camp. And, hopefully, (if) everybody stays healthy, we can make a push for the postseason.''

The Nets have missed the playoffs the past five seasons, the last two as temporary tenants at the Prudential Center in Newark while the move to Brooklyn was finalized.

''I feel like we put ourselves pretty much up there in the top five,'' Wallace said of the Nets' chances in the Eastern Conference. ''We haven't proven anything; the teams that are ahead of us, are the teams that have proven themselves, that have already been in the postseason. Just by us putting it on paper, saying we have these guys, they've been in the league, that doesn't mean anything. We still have to go out and prove ourselves.''

Stackhouse appeared in 30 games with the Hawks last season, averaging 3.6 points and 9.1 minutes. The 17-year NBA veteran did not appear in any of Atlanta's six playoff games. Selected third overall by Philadelphia in 1995, the North Carolina product has career averages of 17.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 31.8 minutes.

Teletovic spent last season with Caja Laboral Vitoria of the Spanish ACB League. He averaged 16.3 points and 6.9 rebounds in 31.1 minutes.

On Wednesday, the Nets will hold another press conference, this one for Lopez, who re-signed last week.

New-look Nets re-sign Humphries to two-year deal

2012-08-04T19:57:00.001-04:00

NEW YORK. (AP) -- The Brooklyn Nets continued their offseason barrage of signings Tuesday, agreeing to a new, two-year deal with power forward Kris Humphries.

Humphries, 27, averaged 13.8 points and 11.0 rebounds for the Nets last season, and has averaged a double-double in back-to-back seasons: 2010-11 and 2011-12. Last season's effort came on a one-year deal and for a bad team. Then still in New Jersey, the Nets went 22-44.

But Humphries, who will make $24 million over the life of the contract, will now be part of a new-look group in Brooklyn that includes guards Deron Williams and Joe Johnson, center Brook Lopez, and forward Gerald Wallace, who all either decided to re-sign with the Nets this month, or in the case of Johnson, accept a trade from Atlanta to Brooklyn.

''Kris has been a very consistent player for us over the past two years,'' Nets general manager Billy King said. ''He has developed into one of the top rebounding forwards in the league, and we are very pleased to welcome him back.''

Humphries was married to reality television star Kim Kardashian for a brief time.

The Nets also this month added some depth, signing veteran swingman Jerry Stackhouse to a one-year, $1.4 million deal, and forward Mirza Teletovic to a three-year, $9.8 million contract. They also acquired forward Reggie Evans in a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, and signed backup point guard C.J. Watson.

The Nets have missed the playoffs the past five seasons, the last two as temporary tenants at the Prudential Center in Newark while the move to Brooklyn was finalized.

On Wednesday, the Nets will hold another press conference, this one for Lopez, who re-signed last week.

Nets talking playoffs after flurry of deals

2012-08-04T19:55:00.002-04:00

When the NBA's moratorium on signing free agents was lifted July 1, the Nets had only four players under contract, so it was evident that general manager Billy King and his staff had their work cut out for them to assemble a competitive roster as the team heads to Brooklyn for its first season.

Less than a month later, the Nets have pretty much put the finishing touches on their 2012-13 roster and prospects appear to look pretty good -- even though the team didn't acquire Orlando Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard.

King said that signing his own free agents was a priority, and he accomplished that by getting All-Star guard Deron Williams,Gerald Wallace, Brook Lopez and Kris Humphries all to re-sign with the club.

There was some talk that re-signing Lopez and Humphries was done to include them as pieces to acquire Howard, but the Howard trade talk is officially dead -- for now. The team cannot even think about trading for Howard until January at the earliest.

The Nets also pulled off a blockbuster trade to get All-Star shooting guard Joe Johnson from the Hawks, sending a host of bad contracts and draft picks to Atlanta to get the six-time All-Star.

King also signed veteran free agents Reggie Evans (actually a sign-and-trade with the Los Angeles Clippers), Jerry Stackhouse and C.J. Watson to solidify the Nets' bench, signed Croatian forward Mirza Teletovic and came to terms with two of his three draft picks, guard Tyshawn Taylor of Kansas and European forward Tornike Shengelia.

It's plain to see that with King's hard work, the Nets appear to be vastly improved as they head to Brooklyn. Several players are already talking about being an Eastern Conference playoff contender.

"Yeah, I'd say so," Humphries said when asked if the Nets were among the top five teams in the Eastern Conference. "If you look at what we have and the coaching staff we have, we're definitely a playoff team. That's what we're looking to do. There's buzz. You can see it all over. It's going to be unbelievable. I'm glad to be a part of it."

The Nets will also benefit from having a full preseason and training camp to help the newcomers mesh. Last year, with the lockout taking place, the Nets really didn't have a chance to gain any continuity, then suffered through the highest number of injuries in the NBA. Every single player on the Nets' roster in 2011-12 missed at least one game because of injury.

So as the Nets move into their new home, the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, they will have a ton of promise, putting the troubled last few seasons in New Jersey in the rearview mirror.

Hawks trade Willie Green to Clippers

2012-08-04T19:54:00.001-04:00

The Atlanta Hawks sent guard Willie Green to the Los Angeles Clippers in a sign-and-trade deal that gave the Hawks the rights to Greek center Sofoklis Schortsanitis, the Hawks announced Monday.

Schortsanitis was selected by the Clippers in the second round (34th overall) of the 2003 NBA Draft. He signed a three-year contract with Athens club Panathinaikos earlier this month, so he is unlikely to join the Hawks this season. However, the Hawks gain a trade exception in the amount of Green's first-year salary with the Clippers.

Green, 31, played in 53 regular season games for Atlanta in 2011-12, averaging 7.6 points and 1.5 rebounds.

Could Andrew Bynum Vs. Kobe Bryant Become the Next Kobe Vs. Shaq? - Fan's Take

2012-08-04T19:51:00.002-04:00

If you thought the Shaq vs. Kobe fallout was ugly, get ready for Bynum vs. Bryant.

As a die-hard Lakers fan I hope I'm wrong here, but I see some pretty nasty-looking purple-and-gold colored storm clouds on the horizon. Kobe is the lightning, and Andrew Bynum is the thunder.

I hope what I am seeing and inferring about the Lakers present and future is a bit of a Chicken Little reaction, but I've been burned before when Shaq and Kobe couldn't figure out how to coexist in 2004. Now, in 2012, history could unfortunately be repeating itself in Tinseltown. Here is why:

Andrew Bynum is Dominating

Imagine, for a moment, that you are Andrew Bynum. You just made your first NBA All-Star team. NBA experts are legitimately debating whether they would take you or Dwight Howard to build a franchise around. You have won two NBA titles. You have just set career-highs in points (18.6) and rebounds (12.2) and have a career 56.6% field goal percentage. You are among the NBA's Top-10 this season in rebounds (third), field goal percentage (fourth), and blocks (seventh). Oh, yeah, and you also have the highest "clutch" shooting percentage in the entire league this year according to82games.com.

And you're only 24 years old.

For the first time in your career, you are being told you are great. You are a franchise player. You have the ability to supplant Dwight Howard as the NBA's best big man. You, as Andrew Bynum, have grown in your own mind from the teen-aged "man-child" to "THE MAN!"

But as long as you play in Los Angeles, you will always play second fiddle to Kobe Bryant. And Kobe plays his fiddle is so loud and so long and to such an adoring audience, your fiddle is hard to hear. In fact, your fiddle is actually just a cardboard stage prop with no strings attached to it.

No matter what you do, the Lakers will always be about Kobe, all the time, and this does not sit well with you as Andrew Bynum because you want to become "THE MAN!" But at the same time you are trying to become "THE MAN!", you are still acting like a child.

Andrew Bynum's Immaturity

The more Andrew Bynum develops as a player, the more petulant he becomes as a person. The combination of Bynum's stellar play and his immature antics are as certain to yield a toxic explosion as a poorly-supervised eighth-grade Chemistry experiment.

Bynum missed the first four games of the 2012 season due to his suspension from the cheap shot he delivered to the Dallas Mavericks J.J. Barea in the final game of the Mavs' playoffs sweep of the Lakers last year.

Andrew Bynum was recently benched by coach Mike Brown for jacking up a "me-first" three-pointer against the Golden State Warriors, a shot completely out of Bynum's range. So how did the Lakers young big man react to getting benched? He first refused to join the team's huddles then after reflecting on the benching he selfishly said the message from coach Brown was, "I don't know what was bench-worthy about the shot, to be honest with you...I guess don't take 3's is the message. But I'm going to take some more. I just hope it's not the same result."

Bynum handled the benching as maturely as a grounded teen-ager who responds to his parents by rolling his eyes and huffing, "What-EVER!" Not exactly a franchise-player response from Bynum in this situation.

Andrew Bynum has become more snippy on the court this year and was recently ejected for taunting the Houston Rockets' bench, and his dismissal likely cost the Lakers a win. Bynum's reaction to the ejection? According to ESPN.com he said, "I don't have any regrets. Stuff happens." Again, this is a troubling, immature response from the Lakers next franchise player.

If Bynum's performance continues to improve as quickly as his maturity declines, it is only a matter of time before he officially starts making immature, selfish demands to become "THE MAN" in Los Angeles, and that will never happen as long as Kobe wears the purple and gold.

And what makes me the most nervous is that Andrew Bynum is currently getting a taste of life without Kobe.

You see, Kobe Bryant has missed the last five Lakers games due to a shin injury, and Andrew Bynum's life without Kobe must taste sweeter to him than a box of warm Krispy Kreme donuts tasted to Shaquille O'Neal every offseason.

Bynum's Life Without Kobe

Much to Andrew Bynum's benefit, Kobe has sat the last five games. And when Kobe sits, it means the Black Mamba's 23.2 shot attempts and 28.1 points need to be replaced by someone.

Enter Andrew Bynum.

Andrew Bynum has seen his shots per game jump from 12.5 per contest before Kobe's injury to 21.4 over the past five games with Kobe sitting. Without Kobe, Andrew Bynum's scoring has increased from 18.3 to 22.0 PPG. His rebounding has spiked from 11.8 to 16.6, including a 30-board monstrosity against the San Antonio Spurs, as Bynum has become the centerpiece of the Lakers game plan.

In 51 games playing with Kobe Bryant this year, Andrew Bynum only attempted 17 shots six times. In five games without Kobe, Bynum has attempted at least 17 field goals in every game, including a season-high 27 shots in the first game Kobe missed.

If Andrew Bynum wants to become "THE MAN!" in Los Angeles, he isn't going to get there on 12.5 shots per game, his average with Kobe on the floor this year. When you are "THE MAN!" you deservethe 21.4 shots you have been getting without Kobe hogging the ball on almost every possession.

Oh, and by the way, the Lakers are winning while featuring Andrew Bynum. So far the Lakers are 4-1 without Kobe, including impressive victories over the Spurs, Mavericks, and Nuggets.

It is not out of the realm of possibility for a dominant, successful, and immature Andrew Bynum to soon approach the Lakers brass with that awful ultimatum last heard in 2004 - "It's either me or him. Make your choice."

Shaq vs. Kobe - In Reverse

In many respects, the potential Bynum vs. Bryant showdown could shape up to be exactly like the Shaq vs. Kobe nuclear war in 2004, only with Kobe's role being reversed this time. In 2004 Kobe was the young stud and former teen-age prodigy who wanted to free himself from a dominant, but declining, superstar teammate.

This time, Kobe is Shaq. Today's Andrew Bynum is yesteryear's Kobe Bryant.

One thing is for sure though: Kobe Bryant will not cede the reins to the Lakers franchise anytime soon. He's too proud. He's too focused. He's too invested. He's too competitive. He still has too many good years left in the tank.

It is inevitable that Andrew Bynum's rise will coincide with Kobe Bryant's eventual decline. Lakers fans are praying that both Andrew Bynum and Kobe Bryant can learn the hard lessons from the Shaq vs. Kobe disaster and find a way to coexist.

Hopefully, this time the gathering storm clouds of conflict over Los Angeles will disperse, and the bright California sun will continues to shine over Tinseltown for years to come.

Why the Lakers Should Settle on Leandro Barbosa - Fan's Analysis

2012-08-04T19:49:00.001-04:00

ESPN's Marc Stein reported that the Los Angeles Lakers have interest in unrestricted free agent Leandro Barbosa to fill the reserve guard spot behind Kobe Bryant.

As a Lakers fan I realize not every free agent signing is going to be as sexy as Steve Nash or Antawn Jamison. Rather than finding superstars, some you just need to settle.

And that is where Leandro Barbosa comes into the picture.

Barbosa is a Solid Vet Who Knows His Role

The 6'3" Barbosa is a nine-year NBA veteran who could immediately step into a back-up role on a mature, "win-now" Lakers roster. Los Angeles simply does not have time to nurture young, developing players, and Barbosa would hit the ground running.

Barbosa is accustomed to playing off the bench and won the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2007.

Barbosa Can Score

One of the Lakers' biggest weaknesses is scoring from the second unit and Barbosa could address this need. Over the last two seasons Barbosa has come off the bench for the Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers and put up numbers that would likely be similar to what he would do in Los Angeles:

Leandro Barbosa's 2010 & 2011 Stats

22.8 MPG, 12.1 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 44% FG/36% 3PT/80% FT

The 29-year-old Barbosa could give the Lakers some much needed scoring off the bench. While the rest of his game (rebounding, assists, defense) are uninspiring, his offensive skills would bring a spark the Lakers currently lack.

A Legitimate 3-Point Weapon

In 2012 the Lakers shot a combined 32.6% from the 3-point line, bad enough for 25^th in the league.

Again, Leandro Barbosa could help.

Throughout his career Barbosa is a solid 39.1% 3-point shooter, which would immediately make him the Lakers' second best shooter from downtown behind Steve Nash.

At one point Barbosa was among the NBA's best 3-point shooters, finishing third in the league in 2006 (44.4%) and seventh in 2007 (43.4%).

It's Time to Settle

Outside of being a veteran presence, good scorer, and solid 3-point shooter, Leandro Barbosa brings little else to the table. He is not a great defender. His career 2.4 assists per game are uninspiring for a guard, as are his career 2.3 rebounds.

But sometimes it's okay to just settle.

As a Lakers fan, I would be fine if the Lakers settled with Leandro Barbosa.

Bulls announce deal with Robinson

2012-08-04T19:47:00.002-04:00

CHICAGO (AP) -- The Chicago Bulls say they have agreed to a contract with point guard Nate Robinson.

The Bulls announced the deal on Tuesday after reaching an agreement the previous day.

A three-time slam dunk champion, Robinson regained his form with Golden State last season after playing in just four games with Oklahoma City the previous season following a midseason trade from Boston. He averaged 11.2 points and 4.5 assists for the Warriors.

He joins veteran Kirk Hinrich at the position as the Bulls try to get by without Derrick Rose. The 2011 NBA MVP is expected to miss a big portion of the season while recovering from knee surgery.

Hinrich is in his second stint with the Bulls after signing with them last week.

2012-08-04T19:46:00.001-04:00

a palpable is the antidote for civilization.