New Blogging Opportunity, visit theblogthatjordanbuilt.com

Lately I've been busy. I haven't gotten the chance to come onto Weakside Rejection and talk about my latest blogging endeavour that I will be wrapped up in.

Last week I signed a contract with fanball.com to become a part of their blog network. Each blog is dedicated to a specific team, with the whole network covering the bases of the four major sports.(Soon to add MLS)

Fanball, at it's heart, is a fantasy sports network. But even if your looking to read anything on any sport, you'll be satisfied regardless.

I am now the Chicago Bulls correspondent. I'll be putting a lot of my free time and energy towards that blog, which is nice, because their system sets up nicely in terms of getting self promotion.

So, to sum it up, if your looking for anything that my crazy ass types up, go to theblogthatjordanbuilt.com and you'll definitely find me.

If you'd like to check out anything else from the comprehensive fanball network, you can always go to rototimes.com, or pickspal.com.

Right now I'm honestly not sure what I'm going to do with Weakside Rejection. I am thinking of shutting it down because of the lack of time i'll have, but I haven't finalized that decision. I'm going to take it day by day, and I'll see how it goes.

Enjoy your weekend everybody.

NBA Expressway

NBA Expressway are segments dedicated to my lack of time throughout the week. The posts may not be the longest, but let's just call it a quick NBA diary that gets right to the point.

Lamar Odom has re-signed with the Lakers. It was only a matter of time unless you were among the crowd that expected Lamar to end up in Miami. At the end of the day, Odom's best chance to win is in L.A. And for the Lakers, their best chance to win is with Lamar Odom headlining their bench. With Odom taken care of on a 4 year deal, the biggest question for the Lakers should reside on the wild card that is Ron Artest.

I was one of the many who, like an idiot, thought Artest had cleaned up his crazy antics a little bit. But, I was wrong. Read Bill Simmons latest piece where he parallels the NBA to one of the greatest movies of all time(can't tell me otherwise), "Almost Famous".

This next piece of info on Artest had me laughing out loud....

Artest told reporters that he wandered into the Lakers' locker room to express that desire to a showering Kobe Bryant -- right after L.A.'s bitter Game 6 thrashing in Boston in the 2008 Finals, no less -- adding, "Yeah, I walked in the shower. I'm not a homosexual or nothing like that, but Kobe had no clothes on.

Forget the weirdness for a second, and think about if your showering and all of the sudden your alone with Ron Artest. If that isn't a Judd Apatow scene then I don't know what is.

But getting back to basketball, Artest has to prove some wrong who says he's in decline, especially defensively. I'm not so quick to jump on this banter, but I do think he's got a bit of the "Devin Harris syndrome". With the symptoms being more focus and effort on offense, leading to a decline on the defensive end. In the end, Artest takes some of those horrible shots like he did for the Rockets last year in the post season, I can see a major rift with the naked man in the shower he likes to talk to.

Sessions on the verge of getting offer sheet from New York

The Knicks are preparing a offer sheet for restricted free agent Ramon Sessions. I'm definitely a bit curious as to what this says about the future of the point guard spot in New York. I mean, I see Sessions as a good player with upside, but how good can he be? I'll say one thing, playing for coach D'Antoni always is a positive for bringing out the best offensively in players. Sessions, a natural born facilitator, should thrive in such a uptempo, point guard driven offense.

The biggest weakness on Sessions can possibly be fixed. His shooting. Phil Weber, Knicks assistant and shooting guru, has had loads of success with players who were considered "a lost cause" when it came to their shooting efficiency. i.e. Raja Bell, Leandro Barbosa, etc.

Hornets sign Diogu

The Hornets signed free agent forward and disappointment Ike Diogu to a contract Thursday. Now getting Diogu is a smart signing, but the only reason he's available is because he hasn't lived up to expectations number one, and number two, he suffers from the same disease as Eddy Curry. (Pushing gluttony).

If Diogu can hold off from the Dominoes 777 deal, than maybe he can find himself a niche behind Okafor or David West. Any player who's been given the opportunity to play with Chris Paul should just be grateful and ready to play.

Scouting the Knicks draft picks

The MSG network broadcasts all of the Knicks summer league games, giving me the chance to see the recent draft picks. Being somebody who is admittedly addicted to basketball, watching a summer league game is just as much a priority as watching a regular season game.

Here's some analysis on the Knicks recent draft selections.

Jordan Hill-I can certainly see why the Knicks drafted this kid so high. Potential. Hill is not going to come into the league and dominate right away. He'll project more as a role player early on as he is very foul prone. (Common rookie symptom)

Hill has solid length to go with his 6'10 frame, which gives him a advantage on loose balls high in the air. Hill has a nice athletic frame, but he must get stronger in addition to packing on some extra pounds. This would help him for when he goes toe-to-toe with the NBA's most fierce rebounders.

Offensively, I see a lot to like. Hill can run the floor, which is obviously a primary asset when playing for Mike D'Antoni. He's a overall athletic big. You should be able to pick-and-pop with Hill who has proven that he can step out to 15 feet with some consistency. Hill's quickness should come in handy out on the perimeter, because he's shown the ability to show the ball and make the quick move to the basket without hesitation. Like many of the modern NBA big men today, Jordan Hill is more comfortable with the ball when he's facing the basket.

Down on the post, Hill has the ability to finish with his left or right hand, which is a helluva good start. Hill also has a turnaround jumper that will become a major weapon for him in time. But overall, Hill needs a lot of guidance with his footwork and overall post prowess. On the pro level, his inexperience and lack of strength will be exploited. Expect lots of traveling calls early on. Bigs take time though, this is a given.

Jordan Hill, like many other young big men, is more accomplished as a shot blocker when coming over from the weakside. However, he has shown the potential to be one-on-one shot blocker. This part of his game is going to take time, however, as the quickness of NBA penetrators will expose Hill's lateral footwork.

Tony Douglas-Let me get this out of the way by saying this guy has serious ability. I don't think anybody has talked about the Knicks trade with the Lakers, but they will when this kid is contributing at a high level in major minutes.

Douglas, at heart, is a scoring guard who can run the pick-and-roll very efficiently. Douglas has a lot to prove to the Knicks and the league. He needs to prove he can run a team and get others their own shot.

Credit the Knicks scouting on Tony Douglas, because his level of comfort in a fast tempo will suit him for when he puts on the blue and orange at MSG. Douglas can get in the paint and rack up fouls on the opposition, but also has a series of crafty moves like a floater that are very effective. T Doug also can pull up on a dime and drain pull up jumpers, which will only help his penetration in the NBA. High turnovers plagued Tony at Florida state, but he was the first and last option for Florida state, so the numbers could be skewed in that regard. This summer he ran the Knicks summer league squad with a lot of efficiency, showing his handle is tip-top.

Now after I just depicted Douglas as a ball dominator, you would think he'd have trouble adjusting to life playing off the ball? Maybe not. Douglas is highly adept at coming off screens and playing as a spot up jump shooter. This is a highly underrated and versatile asset to a team's offense. Something I can't undervalue.

Defensively, lots of praise is given to Tony, and rightfully so. On top of being a good defender, a lot needs to be said of Tony's willingness to be that bulldog on the defensive end. Especially in a era where defense is forgotten and offense continues to be the glamorous side of the sport.

With Douglas, it starts with good defensive principles. His butt is always low to the ground on his defensive stance like it should be, and he's got very quick lateral movement. Knicks fans are going to love the way this kid gets after it defensively. And considering the lack of defensive minded players on the Knicks roster, it should make Douglas look even better.

That's it for now. I'll be back for some more analysis on some of the Nets rookies very soon.

NBA Expressway

NBA Expressway are segments dedicated to my lack of time throughout the week. The posts may not be the longest, but let's just call it a quick NBA diary that gets right to the point.

Do you hear this people? Eddy Curry is working hard to get back into shape? Is it groundhog day? Seriously though, these athletes piss me off. Through the bulk of their contracts you get a lazy bum who could care less about winning and more about eating. Then when his contract nears the expiration date he suddenly becomes a changed player who now is willing to play the game. It's insulting. Especially to all the people who break their bank in these down economic times to buy tickets to watch their favorite teams play.

How about Allen Iverson's dilemma? I get the strangest feeling that A.I. regrets his tirade last season about being a bench player. The latest on Iverson says the Clippers have serious interest. It's one of those things where I shake my head. They got a stud big man who you want to be sure will get his touches, and of all things your bringing in a Allen Iverson in decline to take the ball away from him. I don't see the logic there. Besides from selling extra tickets at the gate. But to center more on A.I. for a second, I kind of feel bad for him. He's getting offers that are nowhere near what he thinks he should get, so you have to assume he's got a damaged ego right now. The one thing I'll say though, this may sound like the Marbury situation a little bit, but Iverson has actually carried a team to the NBA Finals. Albeit a long time ago but it still counts. So don't forget that. I'm just trying to give A.I. some props.

To finish, let me talk about the Lebron getting dunked on situation since it seems to never have gone away. Here is my take:Lebron has a huge ego because everybody tells him he's god(which he is in basketball, undeniable). And so when a college kid dunks on him with a camera around, he's smart enough to know he doesn't want to become another Devin Harris.

Everybody gets dunked on. If your regularly willing to contest a layup or dunk, these things will happen. I may want to buy one of those "Lebron dunked on me" T-shirts just for the comedy of it, but in a nutshell, this is getting way too much press.

What's been going on?

What's going on dudes? Is everybody enjoying their Saturday? Soak that weekend in because we all know they tend to go too fast.

Anyways, it's been a busy time in NBA circles with free agency having started and with the natural progression of trades that follow. Not only will I break down the recent transactions, but also some of the recent trades that I haven't had the chance to write about.

First things first, the Shawn Marion deal. The Mavericks brought in the versatile forward along with Kris Humphries.

My analysis:Great for the Matrix, as it pairs him with the pass first point guard he desperately needs to play with. Humphries is also a underrated player, and was essential to the deal considering it looks like Brandon Bass may walk.

I'm going to skip talking about Memphis and Orlando's part in the deal because it was purely financial. Who wants to talk about that? But the Raptors part in the trade was a good one in my opinion. Receiving Devean George and Antoine Wright gives the Raptors defensive minded role players they have lacked for the past 3 seasons. Not to mention, the Raptors have opened up room to re-sign Carlos Delfino. A player the Raptors didn't miss until he was gone.

Talking Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap

Paul Millsap has signed a offer sheet with the Portland Trailblazers, apparently with the understanding that he'll be a backup. Now I'm kind of confused. Millsap showed more promise last year then a "career bench warmer". Maybe I developed temporary cases of glaucoma every time I turned on a Utah Jazz game, but the big man showed skills and additional upside. If I were Millsap though, Boozer's situation dictates mine, and I most assuredly wouldn't be signing anything yet. Think about it, a team may be willing to build around you, and your going to sign a offer sheet for four years at 32 mill? Of course the Jazz are going to match. Hold out young blood, hold out.

And while we're talking about upside, or lack thereof, let's delve into Carlos Boozer. The Jazz have soured on him and quite frankly I don't blame them. He's never healthy, and even when he is, he's proven to have hit the ceiling of his ability. For the last couple post seasons Carlos has proven he's not the guy who can push you over the top. Am I being too hard on Boozer? Probably, he was only a second round pick for god sakes. But expectations change. As far as Boozer going to Chicago, it's a step up from Tyrus Thomas offensively. But don't mistake it for making the Bulls a front line team.

Contenders just love Antonio Mcdyesss.

And can you blame them? He's a heady role player who won't stop rebounding and knocking down open jumpers for you. Tim Duncan's life down on the block just got easier.

Andre Miller being traded to New York?

Please give it up already. Why would the Knicks give up a draft pick for a guy who's decent, but not the long term solution? Everybody knows the Knicks plans, so what makes you think they change now? The Sixers want more than Chris Duhon, and Isiah Thomas isn't running the show anymore, so don't expect blatant stupidity from the Knicks front office.

What If?

In this new section of Weakside, we'll take the hottest NBA rumors and throw them into hypothetical situations, telling you what would be the end result if a certain rumor came to fruition. If that's not clear enough, keep reading, and if you still haven't gotten it by the end of the post, then you should probably move on to another site.

What if David Lee were to become a Toronto Raptor?

Toronto would definitely become a tougher team. Lee would assume more of the workload on the boards along with Reggie Evans, which would certainly be a help to Chris Bosh. But while that all sounds great, the Raptors still don't have a lick of shot blocking. With the lack of good defenders to keep people out of the paint, the lack of a defensive presence will render itself in a bad way.

What if Avery Johnson is the next Detroit Pistons Head Coach?

Then it's safe to say no more bullsh*t in Detroit. Maximum accountability is what first comes to mind. But there is one player who will feel Avery more than anybody else, and that's Rodney Stuckey. Stuck went through a disappointing second year with elevated expectations, and with Avery being a former point guard, the attention is most assuredly going to be on the Eastern Washington product.

Additionally, I doubt Avery will put up with Charlie Villanueva's halftime twittering.

What if Jason Kidd signed with the New York Knicks?

Then I presume I'd have to see Kidd's big headed son T.J. sitting court side at every Knicks home game.

But on the basketball side, the Knicks would have a temporary solution at the point considering their bad luck on the lottery front. Kidd's obviously not the player he once was, but a platoon of Kidd and Duhon would be effective right now for the New York Knickerbockers. Just with Kidd's presence, Wilson Chandler would become that much better on the wing considering the uptempo style Mike D'Antoni likes to run. Would the Knicks be a playoff team? Yes, but don't get carried away. We're talking a 7th-8th seed in a always top heavy Eastern Conference.

What if New Orleans trades Tyson Chandler?

It's not a question of "if", it's more like "when". Tyson Chandler will be traded by the Hornets, and the move will stand out as purely financial. Chandler, ankle concerns or not, is a much better option than anything else out on the market. You have the league's best point guard, and naturally you want to keep him happy by retaining talented players he can pass the ball to. Especially somebody like Chandler who has great chemistry with Paul on the pick & roll.

New Orleans is sending out the wrong message. Winning comes second, profit margins come first. These types of moves can result in angering your franchise player. I hope Jeff Bower realizes this.

Is Jason Kidd a good fit for the Knicks? Will Avery Johnson accept the Pistons head coaching position? Spit your thoughts below for some good NBA discussion.

Talking Charlie V and Iverson's homewreckerness

Allen Iverson the Home Wrecker

After only one season, the Detroit Pistons have fired head coach Michael Curry. I gotta say, I'm surprised just at the fact of the time Curry spent as the Pistons head coach. One year is certainly not enough time for a coach to put his stamp on the franchise, but from what's being said now, it was never going to happen.

This goes back to Allen Iverson, and Curry's decision to drop Rip hamilton from the starting lineup last season. That move alone caused Curry to not only lose Rip Hamilton, but the rest of the team. ESPN's Chris Broussard reports Curry and Hamilton not speaking at all after the Iverson acquisition.

In short, I guess I can't blame Joe D for the firing. On the other hand, I'll throw all the blame on Dumars for trading Billups for Iverson. With one we don't have the other.

To finish on the Pistons, naturally rumors are out regarding Bill Lambeer becoming the next head coach. While it was nice to see Lambeer hip check Michael Jordan 20 years ago, that doesn't mean he's a favorite for a NBA head coaching position.

How would Charlie V look in Cavalier red?

If you ask me then I'll tell you he'll look pretty good. This cat is 6'11, can spot up for 3's, and can equally as well put the ball on the floor. He could be the versatile PF the Cavaliers need. I'll tell you this, with Shaq now on the roster, a big who can stretch the floor will benefit him. And that man is Charlie V. It will take the Cavaliers full mid-level exception to possibly sign him, but you do whatever you can to put the best product on the floor.

On a related note, the Bucks declined to even extend a qualifying offer to Villanueva, making him a unrestricted free agent and continuing the franchise pursuit of "Who the hell knows?".

Talking Nate Robinson

The Knicks are believed to not be so high on the 5-9(if lucky) Nate Robinson. Nate is a restricted free agent, and is believed to be available for the right price in a sign and trade.

Personally, I'm not the biggest Nate Robinson guy, although I acknowledge his talent. In my opinion, he's a defensive liability because of his size. So I can never see him as a starter for my team playing 40 minutes a night. At the same time though, Nate's flashy persona could be very attractive to teams who don't draw any fans. At the right price, teams will show their interest. Don't be surprised if Nate isn't a New York Knick by opening night.

I'd stick around and type more, but I love Chicken. And not just plain ole chicken, I'm talking about chicken covered in a spicy seasoning, just waiting to be drenched in hot sauce. If that's not enough, don't forget the cold beer which is absolutely necessary.