Feb

29

Sonics Waive Ira Newble

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The Seattle SuperSonics announced Friday that they have waived veteran guard Ira Newble. Newble came to the Sonics on February 21, in the three team blockbuster trade, between Seattle, the Chicago Bulls, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Newble had spent four and a?half seasons with Cleveland having signed with them as a free agent in Summer of 2003. He is in his eighth season in the Association.

?? Copyright 2008 thesackattack.com

Feb

29

Bobcats Waive Jeff McInnis

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The Charlotte Bobcats? announced that they have waived veteran point guard Jeff McInnis, Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins released a statement on Friday. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed. McInnis is in his eleventh campaign in the NBA, he was traded to Charlotte by the New?Jersey Nets last season. Charlotte takes on the Boston Celtics Friday?night.

? Copyright 2008 thesackattack.com

Feb

29

Confessions Of A Lakers Fan

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I thought that my first article for Slam Dunk Central would revolve around the re-emergence of my favorite team. Instead, it is only article number three. As Jeff duly noted earlier Friday in his NCAA Tourney posting (which included a brief bio on yours truly), I have joined SDC and I am a Lakers fan, for better or worse, depending on who you are. I am happy to be aboard and will be writing game reports, opinions pieces and any other kind of article relevant to the Association.

For those of you who read my Lakers-Heat game report from Thursday night (posted below), the Lakers are turning themselves into the likeliest team to supplant the San Antonio Spurs as the kings of the Western Conference Mountain . The acquisition of Pau Gasol a month ago turned the Lakers into a surefire NBA title contender, with or without emerging stud Andrew Bynum. Once Bynum returns, opposing teams will be frustrated with the length and athleticism of the Lakers, especially with a frontline that would boast two 7-footers (Bynum and Gasol) and a 6?10? Lamar Odom. Throw in perhaps the world?s best basketball player in Kobe Bryant and you can understand why Western Conference rivals were squirming to adjust their rosters before last week?s trade deadline.

The underlying theme in the Lakers? re-emergence is the importance of having a productive, if not dominant, big man. Or two. It is ironic that a disappointing castoff of the 2004 Shaquille O?Neal trade was used to acquire the next great Lakers big man. For those not aware, Shaq was traded to Miami three and a half years ago for Odom, Caron Butler and Brian Grant. The Lakers then shipped Butler and Chucky Atkins to the Washington Wizards for ?Stone Hands? Kwame Brown.

Brown was one of the players traded to the Memphis Grizzlies a month ago to acquire Gasol. I never blamed Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak for taking a chance on Kwame, even if it was at the expense of an All-Star-caliber player like Butler . Kupchak understood that the key to the Lakers again becoming title contenders in the Kobe Era was to find a post player who could force opposing teams to re-focus defensive pressure inside, thus freeing up Kobe on the perimeter. Kwame has amazing athleticism for someone who carried a 6?11? and 260 pound frame, but his lack of mental toughness, awareness and reliable hands has doomed him. Fine, it didn?t work out, but it was worth a shot, considering the Lakers thought they had the one coach ? Phil Jackson ? who could coax the physical talent out of a player as mentally and emotionally immature as Kwame.

The 2005 drafting of Bynum with a rare lottery pick was genius, even if it didn?t seem that way at the time. I had never heard of Bynum when he was drafted and I was looking at power forward Sean May, who was coming off a national championship with North Carolina . I reckoned that the Lakers needed to draft a productive college player who would provide some reliability and consistency. Kupchak thought he needed to take a chance on a 7-footer who has the body composition and athleticism necessary for the development of any great big man. Kupchak isn?t the only Lakers executive who deserves credit. Vice President of Player Personnel Jim Buss, the son of Lakers owner Jerry Buss, was adamant in his belief in Bynum?s abilities. Jim Buss scouted Bynum, convinced Kupchak to draft him and played a large role in the Lakers declining to trade Bynum for Jason Kidd last spring. What impatient Lakers fans (including me) saw as a goofy, clumsy and unproductive player who became a roadblock to attaining a future Hall-of-Fame point guard, Buss saw as a gifted 19-year-old growing into his body and gaining basketball experience.

Lakers fans surely wouldn?t trade Bynum now, not after he averaged 13.1 points and 10.2 rebounds in 35 games before injuring his knee.Bynum isn?t the only next great Lakers center. Gasol adds some international flavor to the Lakers? long lineage of outstanding big men. He has to be in euphoria playing for a title contender after years spent losing games with Memphis . Even when Memphis made the playoffs, which they did three times, they couldn?t win a game. Now Gasol is effortlessly running the pick-and-roll with Kobe and his intensity and zest for the game is a nice complement to understated Lakers like Odom, Luke Walton, Derek Fisher and even Bynum.With that said, the Lakers are guaranteed nothing more than the games left on their schedule. We have yet to see how Bynum will fit in with Gasol. The Lakers could use Ariza?s spectacular perimeter defense but he won?t be back until at least the beginning of the playoffs. Kobe ?s right pinkie finger, the one that has a torn ligament, isn?t getting any media attention now, but it can absolutely become an issue with more wear and tear. The Lakers need to stay relatively healthy and remain focused. If they do, the sky is the limit. And Larry O?Brien Trophy #15 is clearly in range.

Feb

29

Slam Dunk Central Presents: ESPN SportsCenter Right Now

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Feb

29

Slam Dunk Central Presents: ESPN J.A. Adande Lounge: Contract Buyouts

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Feb

29

T-Wolves Request Waivers On Ratliff

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The Minnesota Timberwolves announced on Friday that they had requested waivers on veteran center Theo Ratliff, after the two sides settled on a buy out of his contract. T-Wolves Vice President OF Basketball Operations released the following statement to the media; “Theo indicated to us that he wasn’t sure of his plans in the future (whether he was going to play or not) and there was an indication that he would not re-sign with us if he did choose to continue playing. This provides us an opportunity to play our younger post players (Craig Smith and Chris Richard) and give us more time to continue to evaluate them. I cannot say enough about Theo’s professionalism throughout the entire season and we wish him the best of luck in the future.” ?Ratliff came to the Timberwolves during the off-season, in the trade that sent Kevin Garnett to Boston.

? Copyright 2008 thesackattack.com

Feb

29

More Changes Coming For Slam Dunk Central

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We Hope you have been enjoying some of our new features hear at Slam Dunk Central. About three weeks ago we established a relationship with ESPN, so now you can enjoy features like the NBA Daily Dime, plus the best in Commentary and Reports from ESPN.

You may have noticed a new by-line the last couple of days by?the name of? Kyle Stack. Kyle is bright, young ambitious writer, with a strong Journalism background. Originally born and raise in the Los Angeles area, he is now living in New York City. He is an avid Lakers supporter (he even has Lakers Socks!)?and he is a fan and major follower of the Association. We welcome Kyle into the fold here at SDC, and believe he will develop quite a following over the next few weeks and months

And Now the Most Important news of this announcement once selection Sunday is finally over?with, SDC will conduct our First Annual??March Madness Tournament. So strap?on your seat-belts, as you get ready for one of the most exciting periods in U.S. Sports. And Slam Dunk Central will give you the same in-depth coverage that you have come to expect from our NBA coverage from SDC. So let us be your number one source for March Madness and experience? NCAA “Slam Dunk Central Style.”

? Copyright 2008 thesackattack.com

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