NBA Daily Dribbles: No More Bad Suits!

Countdown to NBA Trading Deadline: 13 days

What I’m Reading

• So he finally did it. Yes, folks, Mike Dunleavy has stepped down as Los Angeles Clippers head coach, but he will remain GM. That must have been an awkward conversation, you know, when he had to fire himself.

• Gotta respect the willingness Cleveland Cavs fans are giving to keeping Bron in Ohio.

• A nice and clean Iggy for Amar’e (and potentially Dalembert) seems to be the most up-front deal right now for the two unhappy superstars.

• Great. Just as I’ve been touting the Chicago Bulls as a playoff lock, they lose their key chemistry guy.

• “I don’t want to look like Patrick Ewing ,” says Michael Beasley. YOU BITE YOUR TONGUE, YOUNG MAN!

What I Think About It

• This process was a long time in the making. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of a worse coach in the league currently, and I’d have to stretch back to probably Isiah Thomas to find someone to compare him with.

As much as I would rather not quote Bill Simmons, one glance at Dunleavy’s Basketball Reference page illustrates the malfeasance that was his coaching career.

Simmons has graciously paid the $10 that it takes to sponsor an individual’s page, and this is what he had to say:

“I wasted tens of thousands of dollars on Clippers tickets from 2004-2009 thanks to Dunleavy, only one of the most dreadful coach/GM's in NBA history. What's another 10 dollars?

That basically sums it up to a T. From a strictly statistical standpoint, the Clippers still have a realistic shot at making the playoffs. From the standpoint of anyone who has ever watched a Clippers game, they obviously won’t.

Of course, there’s always the chance that interim coach Kim Hughes could spark the team in time to recover, but it’s unlikely. Yet another “there’s always next year” type of season for a fanbase that is growing weary.

• This new kind of “guerrilla marketing” that seems to have taken over in the past five years or so just might actually be useful for the fans trying to win back LeBron. As unimpressive as the image used for these “Don’t Leave” masks are, the incredible outpouring from the fans shows a lot of heart and adoration.

LeBron isn’t the kind of guy to turn his back on a fanbase simply out of selfish monetary reasons.

The fans obviously realize this and they feel that the harder they tug on his heartstrings, the more likely he is to stay in Cleveland. At this point, I thought he was going to anyway, so all this campaign will do is strengthen the possibility that he won’t be packing up and heading (most likely) east.

If he plans on cementing his legacy as a top 25, top 10, or even (gulp) top five player of all time, wouldn’t it be more impressive if he carried an entire city on his back as he brought a historically underwhelming franchise its first title?

It sure would.

• Everyone is well aware of the fact that Philly is trying to dump Dalembert and Iguodala’s unnecessary contracts while Phoenix, unsure of whether or not Stoudemire will be taking his player option, is exploring every trade avenue that they can.

I’m not so sure this is a deal that either team would ideally want to make in order to win games, however.

Sure, Iguodala is a fantastic player and Dalembert will shore up some defensive issues that have plagued the Suns for oh, about a decade, but will it bring the Suns a championship? No, of course not.

They’d still be lacking depth and probably something else. And they will still be responsible for Iguodala’s massive contract, potentially limiting them from approaching a higher end free agent this summer.

And for Philly, while Amar’e is great and all, does he fit in your system? It’s honestly very hard to picture. Compare him to Elton Brand. Granted, the dynamics of their game are slightly different, but look at what going to Philly has done to Brand’s career. Does he even play anymore?

I can tell you that the Sixers will take a real hard look at investing long-term in another “can’t miss” power forward.

If Amar’e is dealt to Philly, it just doesn’t seem to be a situation that will work out from a basketball perspective. However, it will have worked out for them financially because he definitely won’t re-up there.

They will have shed themselves of Iguodala and Dalembert, slipped out of Stoudemire’s deal, and positioned themselves to compete heavily this summer when trying to garner free agent attention.

• Alright, in the grand scheme of things, this probably doesn’t affect them too much, but three of the four games before the break aren’t exactly going to be cakewalks (Orlando, Atlanta, Miami).

Losing five of six or more heading into the break (they lost to the Clippers and Sixers to open February—ouch) is certainly not good for the team’s mental strength and momentum. They have to be looking to avoid this at all costs.

Five days off, full of practically no All-Star exposure except for Derrick Rose, swirling trade rumors, and stinging losses could certainly derail the team that has fought so hard to scratch and claw its way back up the standings.

Luckily, their remaining February schedule post-All-Star break consists of two games with New York, two with Indiana, and one apiece with Minnesota, Washington, and Philadelphia. Quite a rebound.

The only real challenge will come with a home game against Portland.

There’s still hope!

• Mistah Beasley, I demand that you respect your elders, even if that means putting up with goofy looking kneepads. Patrick Ewing is a saint. That is all.

Charles Barkley Quote Friday

"I have nothing against old people; I want to be one myself one day."

Games To Watch This Weekend

Tonight: Denver at LA Lakers

Saturday: New York at Cleveland

Sunday: Orlando at Boston

‘Til Monday…

PD

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