Around the League: June 30, 2009

Yao Ming Goes Down

News out of Houston is that Yao Ming could not only be done for this upcoming season, but more seriously, the rest of his career. This is obviously a huge blow to the Rockets, but the league itself seems to be taking the hit just as badly. When you sit down and think about it, it makes sense.

Yao is not only one of the top players in the world, but he's from China, and we all know that China is becoming a huge part of the fanbase.

I mean, just look at how many votes Yi Jianlian received last year. He almost made the All-Star team. Don't get me started on that.

League spokesman Tim Frank has been quoted as saying, "I think it's awfully premature for us to comment on that, let's see how this works out first."

So obviously, you can see the league's frustration with the situation. They're losing one of their top international stars, which will lead to a ratings drop, unless of course Kobe can pick up the slack.

On to the impact that this may have on the Rockets. Obviously, it would be devastating, because even if this injury isn't the end, I believe the end is near for the 7'6" center.

He is just so big that it makes him more injury prone, and the fact that his foot has needed surgery before, and it is now once again fractured, is not good news.

The Rockets showed life against the Lakers without Yao, and some may say they actually gave the Lakers the best run for their money. They still have Ron Artest, Aaron Brooks, Shane Battier, Chuck Hayes, Carl Landry, and Luis Scola—a good group of hard-working players, who together looked as though they wouldn't back down.

Add in a player in Von Wafer who, at times last season, showed glimmers of hope that he could possibly fill in for Tracy McGrady, and you have a team that doesn't need to completely start over. If Yao does come back, and doesn't have to retire in the next three or four seasons, then the Rockets are really no worse off.

But it will be hard for them to get rid of him, with the doubts, money, and risks of taking on the big man. Their best bet is to trade Tracy and work with what they've got, otherwise they're only prolonging the inevitable.

 

Boozer, Okur Stay with Jazz

While at first glance this looks great for the Jazz, it may not be the sugar-coated, candy-land adventure it seems. Carlos Boozer is scheduled to make $12.7 million next season and Okur $9 million. Add that to the $5.2 million guaranteed that Kyle Korver is coming back for, and the Jazz are getting closer and closer to that luxury tax threshold.

When they're healthy, Boozer and Okur make the Jazz a top four or five team in the West. When un-healthy, as we can see from last season, the Jazz are barely a playoff team. Deron Williams can only do so much on his own. Boozer's contract is normally a pretty good deal.

He's a guy who has averaged 19/10 since joining the Jazz five seasons ago, but he also has only played in 276 games out of a possible 410. As you can see, he has had a few injury problems over the years. His injuries have led to some positives, however, like the emergence of a young forward, Paul Millsap.

Millsap is a hard-working banger in the post. He started 38 games this past season for the Jazz, and averaged 16.2 points per game and 10.8 rebounds on 11.8 shots while shooting 53.4 percent from the field. When you compare these numbers with Boozer's from this past season (18.0, 11.6, 15.4 49%), you don't see much of a difference.

Yes, Boozer averages more points, but it takes him almost four more shots per game, and four percent worse shooting from the field. Boozer is the bigger name and has proven himself more than Millsap, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're on level playing fields very soon. So, do the Jazz benefit from this as much as once thought?

When we remember that Korver and Okur are coming back as well, and we remember that the Jazz are close to that luxury tax level, we realize why it matters. The Jazz may not be able to bring Millsap back if another team offers him a big deal.

When Boozer, Okur, and company are healthy, the Jazz will be good, but will they ever all be healthy together?

Michael Curry Gets Canned

Is this just me, or did this come out of nowhere? I'm not entirely tapped into the world of Detroit sports, but I'm decently entangled with the world of sports as a whole, and there really hadn't been any reports of this happening, had there?

I mean, he failed miserably with this team last season. He failed to fuse Allen Iverson into a lineup that could have been a pretty formidable, quick, efficient team who played good defense.

If he only could have made A.I. buy into his system—which, of course, he couldn't. He thought he could bench a guy who probably hadn't been benched since coming out of the womb.

I mean, really? How did you think that was going to work, Michael? Did you really think A.I. meant it when he said he'd do anything to help the team win? Well, if you did, no wonder you were fired. Iverson was never really a great point guard, as he was always a better off-ball scorer, so maybe it wasn't Curry's fault. Maybe it was Dumars'?

Either way, Curry is out, and since I didn't see this coming, who will coach them now? They aren't in terrible shape. Iverson is gone, 'Sheed looks to be leaving, Rip hates Detroit...okay, Joe, maybe your team is in worse shape than you think. Don't you wish you had drafted 'Melo? You can't deny it.

You even tried to trade for him before the start of last season, maybe thinking everyone would forget you drafted Darko? You've got some good building blocks, but the days of the perennial Eastern Conference champs are over for a while. As soon as you traded Chauncey, you lost everyone. He was the glue.

He was Rip's best friend, he kept 'Sheed in line, and he watched Tayshaun grow. You can't take the team leader away, trade him for a cancerous shooting point guard, and hope to reap the benefits.

Hey, at least you got the expiring contracts you were looking for. Maybe now you can bring Ben Gordon in, ship Rip Hamilton out, and start all over again.

But wait! I just saw on ESPN that maybe the Pistons will bring in Avery Johnson? Wow, that would make me absolutely happy, and I'd laugh.

I still don't understand why they didn't bring him in last season. You had a team that had built itself around defense, and you had a great coach on the market who had been fired for no reason, and whose philosophy revolves around...you guessed it: defense.

Well, here's hoping that you bring in Avery. I like him, and I'll miss his voice on TNT with Chuck, Kenny, and Ernie, but I think it would be great for the entire Detroit organization.

J.R. Smith Going to Jail

A judge sentenced the troubled and colorful shooting guard to 90 days in jail Tuesday. But this sentence was, of course, reduced. It was reduced to 30 days, and in addition to this, he must perform 500 hours of community service consisting of visiting sick kids in hospitals.

The sentence is a product of an accident that J.R. Smith caused and which killed his friend. The accident occurred in June of 2007. Smith admitted to running through a stop sign in his SUV and slamming into another car. One other person in his SUV was injured, and one person from the other car was as well. They both recovered.

Smith was reportedly driving 67 in a 35, and this isn't the only time he has sped. His license in 2005 had 28 points on it, including four speeding tickets. Smith's attorney asked for fines rather than jail time, but the judge said she couldn't let that happen.

She couldn't let that happen due to the disturbing fact that Smith has had two more speeding tickets since killing his friend. That is just ridiculous. How can someone say they are sorry and show true remorse, yet continue to speed.

He killed someone who "was like a brother" to him, yet he continues to speed. Five or 10 miles over the speed limit is one thing, but almost 25? In an obviously residential area? Come on, J.R.

I like Smith quite a bit, have always liked him, and I continue to root for him. But he really needs to become more mature, and he needs to do it fast. I'm pulling for you, J.R., and I hope that you can change as your attorney says you will during these 30 days in jail.

Smith began his sentence tonight, and the Nuggets have stated that they are indeed behind J.R. all the way, and will continue to support him.