Dear NBA Owners

I guess owning the Clippers has its perks when you're the one pulling the strings, whether they win or lose...

It's been a long time coming, but slowly and surely, the summer of 2010 will be upon us. A year ago, it seemed like all of the speculation around potential free agents was all sizzle and no steak. Now that it's 2010, and a lockout is becoming more and more imminent by the day, a lot of you are trying to save your asses. You're looking to set yourself up for the summer to get a good pickup, and also trying to make sure your teams will be solvent and your assets players will be safe from the bullshit of arbitration. That said, I can understand the frenzy. At the same time, I think it is detestable how you guys are treating your players, because it's going to affect the game soon.

Whether it's Marcus Camby finding out about his trade (2 days after the fact) from his agent while at dinner with his family, or John Salmons being left at the team's hotel on a gameday upon his trade, it's obvious: you guys have become less and less concerned with the treatment of their players and more with the bottom line. And that bottom line is coming before player morale (the Nets look like they're writing suicide notes), the team winning (Knicks; 'nuff said) and even federal law (coughGilbertcoughcoughArenascough). But seriously, when will it stop guys? When will the cap-clearing and player shuffling stop? When will you guys hold on to your players so that there's some sense of loyalty? I'm not going to lie. Players are spoiled prima donnas sometimes. Sometimes moving players need to be moved for one reason or another. Sometimes the money does override the player's interest. But here's an interesting thought: maybe taking care of your players would lead to better outcomes and less friction between the players and the ownership.


T-Mac probably would have gone right back to this, given the time to rest...

Think about it: Why didn't LeBron participate in the Dunk Contest this year? He didn't want to get injured and have the front office start yanking his money. Look at T-Mac (PRAYING he's back to form for the Knicks). Why was his departure from Houston so hard? The ownership didn't want to lose their asset player, and would rather him rot on the bench. Look at Chris Paul, who's team decided to have surgery on his knee, instead of letting it heal naturally. He could have stayed out and rehabbed the knee correctly, but is probably going to play again this season (another order from the management), and re-aggravate it. And there are historical precedents for this, like A'mare Stoudamire or J-Kidd, who's careers were slowed down by their teams opting for quick returns. You guys really do treat the players like assets. No wonder there's going to be a lockout. Players won't play for you guys unless they know their money is safe, because they know once you're done with them, they get dropped.

I suppose it is just business, and we are in a recession. but at the end of the day, is the NBA doing good business right now? Players against the owners, injuries galore, wack All-Star Games and lack of competition don't sound like a success to me. Then again, most people would rather wack basketball than none. Get it together, owners. This summer will definitely be crazy, but you guys have to do your players right, and I guarantee they'll do right by you...

Dear 2010 NBA All Star Weekend

Do you know what the difference between rap and hip-hop is? I'll give you a second. Whereas rap is saying you love something, hip-hop is being in love. Whereas much of rap is going through the motions, hip-hop is much more extensive. All-Star Weekend, you turned into rap, a shell of your former exciting self. I'm not sparing the rod this year because last year was even less disappointing. Let's see how far you've slipped:

First of all, ASG, what's up with all of the corporate sponsorships and bubble-gum R&B/pop acts? If it wasn't T-Mobile and Taco Bell ads being repeated left and right, then it was Shakira and Alicia Keys as long-winded headshakers of performances and Usher making me feel uncomfortable with his Batman-esque corset during the introduction.


Skin-tight plastic does not make me want to play or watch basketball...

Second of all, All-Star Saturday night SUCKED. Point blank. The three-point contest had at least two participants who shouldn't have been in it (Paul Pierce, you aren't the best shooter in the world; you just got hot). Then, the dunk contest was a yawner to say the least. Gerald Wallace looked like he didn't want to be there, and did some of the blandest, emotionless dunks ever. Shannon Brown did a dunk that I can do after failing terribly at his first (somewhat) impressive dunk. DeMar DeRozan tried to copy Vince Carter with his dunks. And the winner, Nate Robinson did what he's been doing: be short and dunk. I have no problem with him winning it this year, because it sucked, but for future reference, get Nate out of the contest. His dunks wouldn't be as cool if he was 6'4" instead of 5'7". The dunk contest seriously might have taken a shotgun blast to the head with the way 2010's contest went. Either you get the stars to come out and go HARD, or you cancel it. That brings me to my final point, the actual All-Star Game.


DONTLETSHANNONDUNK.COM

ASW, I was one of a few people who didn't criticize some of your omissions from the teams, although I know some of the players didn't deserve to be there. I'm simply going to say that this year's game was a tad bit less boring than the dunk contest, but was unbelievably uncompetitive and boring. I didn't fall asleep because of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade (their dunks and alley-oops could have won the dunk contest) being the superstars that they are and actually being competitive. Other than that, you're game this year was a YAWN. The game was about as intense as Summer's Eve lotion, and the eerie silence in your record crowd of 108,713 displayed that perfectly.


Clearly the most exciting parts of the weekend were when this man touched the court.. Everything else?? Meeehhhhhh....

This was the biggest crowd to watch a basketball game EVER. All-Star Weekend, you could have been the boost that basketball needed. You could have been the reason that people got their interest in the NBA again. For people that don't watch basketball on the regular, the you should have been spectacular and bigger than big. Instead it was like a giant circus with unfunny clowns, tiny elephants and fake fire-breathers. I can honestly say that I've never been let down by a sporting event as much as I was with your ASW 2010. To say you were a slam dunk this year is more than a lie; it is a travesty...

NBA Midseason Awards

Only certain players can create their own statistical categories...

Okay people, NBA All-Star Weekend is less than a week away, meaning most teams have played about 50 games. Some squads have pulled away from the pack, while others have fallen to ridiculous (even record) lows. Right about now, the players who have impacted their teams and the league the most are starting to shine and it's coming to crunch time with 30 games left. Check the midseason awards and keep it locked for more NBA coverage this week as we get to All-Star Weekend...

MVP

LeBron James



This was a big surprise (sarcasm). LeBron has been cruising this season, and has the Cavs at the top of the East. He's still flirting with triple-doubles and shooting over 50% from the field. King James is the best in the league this year, and everyone knows it. Unless the Cavs have a tremendous collapse, or Kobe wins the 'ship with a broken femur, it's a foregone conclusion that LeBron James will be the most valuable player in 2010, which will only up his hype as we go into free agency...

Sixth Man

Jamal Crawford



This one is also a runaway victory. Crawford has always been a ridiculous scorer, both as a starter and off the bench. It took him signing with the Hawks for the league to really take notice. Craford's averaging 18 points per game (more than Al Horford; should he be in the ASG?) and has his way too many buzzer beaters this season. Any player that makes a team a contender with his bench play deserves 6th Man of the Year...

Most Improved Player

Josh Smith



This one was honestly a toss-up, because it could literally be any player who's seen a progression this year. I picked Josh Smith because he's shown the best improvement and has helped his team the most. Smith finally stopped shooting three pointers, started crashing the boards every game, upped his blocks and developed the mean little 10-15 foot game, all while keeping that mind-blowing athleticism up to par. Dude also posted his first career triple double and ANOTHER Atlanta Hawk who should have made the ASG over Al Horford...

Defensive Player of the Year

Gerald Wallace



Defensive Player of the Year is always one of the hardest awards to give out, since a single player's defense rarely is the difference between winning and losing. Also, defense has soooo much to do with who is around you that players get overlooked or given too much credit. Fortunately for us, that's not the case this year. Gerald Wallace is running away with this one simply because he's a 6'7" forward damn near at the top of the league in rebounding, blocks and steals, and holding down one of the stingiest defenses in the league...

Rookie of the Year

Tyreke Evans



In December, I would have handed this award to Brandon Jennings and called it a day. Jennings hit the rookie wall, while Tyreke has been playing out of his mind. He's scoring effortlessly and made the Kings entertaining to watch. Hopefully Tyreke doesn't hit a wall either, although he's caught the injury bug lately...