New York Knicks president Phil Jackson has pulled the plug on this season, and it looks like he is not done trading.
KNICKS TO TRADE EUROPEAN DUO?
It looks like guard Jose Calderon and forward Andrea Bargnani could be traded away from New York, with Tim Hardaway Jr. possibly following suit, although the latter is uncertain.
Erm, and they’re coming to London on Thursday…
Via ESPN:
Knicks president Phil Jackson, in publicly taking the blame for the team’s dreadful record under rookie coach Derek Fisher, said Saturday that “no one should be surprised” if the club continues to reshape its roster through deals prior to the Feb. 19 trade deadline.
But sources maintain that the Knicks are not looking to move Stoudemire and, at least for now, intend to keep him for the rest of the season. That could lead to Stoudemire, who has relished his time with the Knicks despite the club’s struggles, re-signing with them over the summer at a reduced rate. The 32-year-old former All-Star, who has been plagued by knee injuries in recent years, is playing out the final year of his current contract worth $23.4 million.
Calderon, meanwhile, has no shortage of admirers around the league despite his struggles this season, averaging a mere 9.2 points per game on 40 percent shooting. But the two years left on his contract after this season — worth $15.1 million — could make it difficult to move the 33-year-old Spaniard, who arrived in New York in late June as the Knicks’ foremost return in the Tyson Chandler deal with Dallas.
Sources say Bargnani is a candidate to be waived next month if New York can’t find a deal for the former No. 1 overall pick and his $11.5 million expiring contract.
Bargnani has played just 22 minutes this season due to hamstring and calf injuries and has produced little as a Knick since New York acquired him from Toronto before the 2013-14 season, making his involvement in a trade unlikely unless his expiring contract helps facilitate a deal financially.
OBAMA HOSTS SPURS AT THE WHITE HOUSE
United States president Barack Obama recently hosted last season’s NBA champions San Antonio Spurs, and, like usual, the Chicago Bulls fan stole the show.
Obama ended his speech with this absolute gem of a line.
“If you need any tips on winning back-to-back, you know where to find me.”
Via ESPN:
“Let’s face it, just a little while back, people were saying that the Spurs were past their prime, not just old but kind of boring,” Obama said, according to The Hill. “Now they’re fresh and exciting, which is basically the exact opposite of what happens to presidents.”
“For an old guy, it makes me feel good to see, you know, where’s Tim?” Obama said, pointing out power forward Tim Duncan, 38.
“It makes me feel good to see that folks in advancing years can succeed in a young man’s sport,” Obama joked.
Obama said the Spurs have become the United Nations of basketball due to the team’s diversity.
“It shows the way that this wonderful sport has become an international sport,” Obama said.
KENTUCKY STILL RULING AP AND COACHES POLLS
Here is the updated polls in college basketball:
Here is this week’s AP Poll..
- Kentucky (63 first-place votes)
- Virginia (2)
- Gonzaga
- Duke
- Villanova
- Louisville
- Wisconsin
- Utah
- Kansas
- Arizona
- Iowa State
- Notre Dame
- Wichita State
- Maryland
- North Carolina
- West Virginia
- VCU
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
- Texas
- Seton Hall
- Baylor
- Northern Iowa
- Oklahoma State
- Wyoming
Here is the Coaches’ Poll.
- Kentucky
- Virginia
- Gonzaga
- Duke
- Villanova
- Wisconsin
- Louisville
- Utah
- Arizona
- Kansas
- Maryland
- Notre Dame
- Iowa State
- Wichita State
- West Virginia
- North Carolina
- VCU
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
- Texas
- Seton Hall
- Northern Iowa
- Baylor
- Oklahoma State
- Ohio State
LEBRON 23 JERSEY NUMBER 1 AGAIN
Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James’ number 23 jersey is back at the top of the NBA vest sales.
The King is also practicing again and could feature tonight against Phoenix.
Via ESPN:
James again leads the NBA’s most popular jersey list, this time in his original Cleveland Cavaliersuniform that he returned to this season.
He tops the list released Monday for the fifth straight season, but it was the No. 6 of the Miami Heat the previous four. He switched back to his first number this summer when he went back to Cleveland, where he played until leaving in 2010.
It’s the first time James’ Cavaliers jersey topped the list since 2004, his rookie season, and the first time the Cavs have been No. 1 on the team merchandise list.
