We seem to be spending a lot of time lately discussing Carlos Delfino and how good he’s been in such a short period of time. Here’s something to think about.
I’m told by someone who’d know that the Raptors worked right up until the final minute on Halloween night trying to get a contract extension done for Delfino but couldn’t quite finalize a deal.
Getting him locked up for two or three years would have been a pretty good move.
Oh, and the Humphries deal? Am told it’s $3.2 million, $2.9 million, $3.2 million for the next three seasons.
Good money?
Yeah. The kid’s only 22, it’s far below even the mid-level salary exception and if Rasho’s gone after next year and Humphries can assume a bigger role, he’ll be uber-cheap.
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Alex, whoever you are, you win.
I wake up this morning, check the comments thingy for the item on Big Threes and here’s what my man comes up with:
"Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams and Aaron Williams."
Ding! Ding! Ding! Contest over.
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Speaking of trades, the worst one in NBA history is on the table.
Never mind Vince Carter for that slop, how about Seattle for Oklahoma City.
Man, would that bite.
The Pacific Northwest without a team? I shudder to think about it.
Vancouver for Memphis is the second-worst of all time; Seattle for Oklahoma City would take the cake.
And Ray Allen, who knows a thing or two about Seattle, had this to say, thanks to Marc Spears of the Boston Globe, who sent the quote along Sunday afternoon.
"When the team was bought from the previous ownership they told us and everybody in the city that they sold it to a group that they thought would likely most likely keep the team in the city. Everybody thought was some (garbage). How is someone from Oklahoma City going to buy a team in Seattle who doesn’t have any ties and has big money in Oklahoma? If things don’t go right, everybody’s craving for the team to move to Oklahoma City.
"That’s what a lot of us were disappointed in the beginning because the chances were greater (to stay). But it just seemed like they got the higher bid because they made more money selling the team to someone outside of the city. So when they made that announcement (to move) it came as no surprise to me. I think the people of that city are so snake bitten by previous ownership and now the new ownership. They kept telling people that they were doing everything they can to keep the team (in Seattle). I’m sure they did what they could. But that secondary option was always in line for them."
Can they save it?
"I still think there is a shot at the 11th hour,” said Allen.
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And another comment worth noting, this one from Blake Kennedy on yesterday’s item on Three Things I Learned:
"I disagree entirely on your assertion about Jason Kapono's defence.
"JK currently has a stop percentage of .524 _ which means 52.4% of the individual defensive possessions he's faced with, he provides a defensive stop. His defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) is 97.7, and the team's is 95.9. So he's barely above the team average in this case, and since 8.8 points per 100 possessions better than the league average of last year.
"He guarded Paul Pierce straight up most of the night, and did a fine job. He got beat off the bounce maybe once or twice, but that happens to the best defenders in the NBA by Paul Pierce.
"Bottom line is, Kapono has been giving the effort and intensity and playing smart team defence, just like the entire unit. I understand you have deadlines and you're a busy guy, but a little research would have given you the truth on this matter."
I'll just say this about that: Stop percentage? Defensive rating? When did basketball become baseball? Have we got seamheads in this game?
I put very little trust in such esoteric individual stats in a free-flowing team game like basketball, which, as I’ve mentioned before, is a game far too dependent on what other players – teammates and opponents – do.
The truth is, Kapono’s an okay defender. Not a great one; and he’s probably got a step or two to go to be even good. And that comes from the people who count – his coaches.
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