Too Many NBA GM's Score Low Grades In FA Class
Basketball Betting Lines
07/09/2010 -
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - I'm wondering how many general managers did
their homework in preparation for the greatest free agent class in NBA history,
considering how many ludicrous contracts were given out. Apparently the inmates
are running the asylum with the kind of money a number of mediocre-to-average
players are taking to the bank with their new deals.
Let's grade the significant signings up to this point.
MIAMI HEAT: Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh (financials TBA)
A ten-year old could have figured out it was the right move to sign these
three, but you have to give Pat Riley credit for making it happen. Grade: A
CHICAGO BULLS: Carlos Boozer, 5 years, $75 million
This is an upgrade at the power forward position for Chicago, but with Taj
Gibson having such a good rookie year, I don't know if I would've spent this
much money on Boozer. Grade: B
ATLANTA HAWKS: Joe Johnson 6 years, $124 million
Maybe Atlanta thought it was signing Magic Johnson. Speaking of magic, it's
amazing how Joe Johnson's disappearing act in the playoffs led to a max
contract. John Salmons would have been a very viable alternative for the Hawks.
Grade: F
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: David Lee, 6 years, $80 million
Golden State gave up a talented young player in Anthony Randolph in the sign-
and-trade to get Lee, who puts up good numbers but doesn't really impact games.
Grade: C
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: Rudy Gay, 5 years, $81.6 million
Memphis finished 40-42 and failed to make the playoffs with Gay last season, so
why pay him superstar-type money? I know the Grizzlies would have faced a
public relations nightmare to let Gay walk so soon after trading Pau Gasol, but
you eventually pay the price for vastly overcompensating a player. Grade: D
MILWAUKEE BUCKS: John Salmons, 5 years, $39 million
This is clearly the steal of the free agent market so far. Salmons averaged
19.9 ppg in his 30-game stint with Milwaukee, putting up better numbers than
the likes of Paul Pierce and Rudy Gay. This is called getting a bang for your
buck, or should I say Bucks. Grade: A
BOSTON CELTICS: Paul Pierce, 4 years, $61 million; Ray Allen, 2 years, $20
million; Jermaine O'Neal, 2-years, $11.5 million
Boston might regret giving four years to Pierce, who is 33, and two years to
Allen, who will turn 35 later this month. Grade: B-
DALLAS MAVERICKS: Dirk Nowitzki, 4 years, $80 million; Brendan Haywood, 6
years, $55 million
The Nowitzki signing was a no-brainer, but giving a 30-year old role player
like Haywood a six-year deal for that kind of money makes no sense. Grade: C
NEW YORK KNICKS: Amar'e Stoudemire, 5 years, $100 million
Donnie Walsh was banking on the signing of Stoudemire leading to another big
free agent coming to the Big Apple, but the Knicks came up empty. This is too
much of an investment for someone who's not a top-10 player. Grade: C
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: Darko Milicic, 4 years, $20 million
This signing proves why America is the land of opportunity. Where else could
one of the biggest busts in the history of the NBA draft earn such a big pay
day? Grade: I (Ignorant and Incomprehensible)
LOS ANGELES LAKERS: Steve Blake, 4 years, $16 million
As important as Derek Fisher was in last season's playoff run to the
championship, Kobe Bryant had to guard the likes of Russell Westbrook and Rajon
Rondo. The problem with the Blake signing is he's a worse defender than Fisher,
and doesn't have his big-game resume. Grade: F
ORLANDO MAGIC: Chris Duhon, 4 years, $15 million
Orlando adds yet another player who doesn't make other players better, along
with shooting 39% for his career. Grade: D
QUICK DRIBBLES
Lance Stephenson looks like he'll be one of the big steals of the draft. The
former Cincinnati guard, who was selected with the eighth pick in the second
round and number 40 overall by the Pacers, has really stood out in the NBA's
Orlando Summer League. He's got size, athleticism, and good basketball skills
along with an excellent feel for the game and tremendous on-court confidence.
The Nets also look like they got a really good player late in the first round
in Damion James. He might even be more NBA-ready than teammate Derrick Favors,
who was picked third overall.
<< Report: Yankees close to acquiring Lee
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees are reportedly close to
acquiring pitcher Cliff Lee from the Seattle Mariners.
According to the New York Post, the Yankees would send prized catching
prospect Jesus Montero to Se
<< Modell: Cleveland fans will 'carry on' post-James
CLEVELAND (AP) -LeBron James' decision to abandon Cleveland is drawing comparisons to Art Modell. But the man who moved the Browns to Baltimore in 1995 says the situations are different.Modell tells Cleveland radio station WTAM that ``you can't equa
<< Mavs lock up C Haywood
Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Dallas Mavericks reportedly agreed to terms
with center Brendan Haywood on a multi-year contract.
According to multiple reports, the deal is worth $55 million over six years.
The 29-year-old started the 20
<< Clippers add Foye, Gomes
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Clippers have come to terms
on contracts with forward Ryan Gomes and guard Randy Foye.
The Los Angeles Times reports Foye's deal is for two years and more than $8
million. Gomes' deal is
<< Report: Heat clear more cap space, send Beasley to Minnesota
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Miami Heat have apparently sent the No. 2
overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, Michael Beasley, to the Minnesota
Timberwolves for a 2011 second-round pick and a swap of future first-round
picks.
Calling Canuck fans everywhere >>
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The word "frenzy" is often used to describe
the NHL's free agency period, but sitting here today on July 9th, the word
"flop" might be more appropriate in describing the excitement level amongst
hockey fans.
Coroner: Turpin died of self-inflicted gunshot >>
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -A coroner's report says former Kentucky basketball star Melvin Turpin died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.The report Friday gave no other information about the investigation, including whether Turpin left a suicide note. Faye
Bruins sign Stuart to one-year deal >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Bruins have signed defenseman Mark
Stuart to a one-year contract.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Stuart has spent his entire career with the Bruins, who made the Rochester,
Minnesota nat
Record crowd watched Clijsters beat Serena >>
Brussels, Belgium (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The largest crowd to ever watch a tennis
match saw Belgian Kim Clijsters beat Wimbledon champion Serena Williams in an
exhibition bout Thursday in Brussels.
The former world No. 1 Clijsters topped the c
2010 FBS Positional Analysis: Tight Ends >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The collegiate tight end has traditionally
received little-to-no fanfare, except for the truly exceptional in that
category. However, the position remains a quarterback's best friend. Whether it
is serving as
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SPORTS BETTING - Tennis is an underrated and under-utilized bettors' sport.
Ten years ago, at just about this time, I called Alan Boston in Vegas and left him a voicemail that went something like this (abridged version): "Hey Alan, Chad Millman from ESPN The Magazine calling. I want to do a book about wise guys, you in?"
A couple weeks later I got a message back (abridged version): "I don't know, maybe," Boston said. "Call me and we'll talk about it. But not later today. I got $1,000 on Andre Agassi to win the French Open at 40-1, and he's in the finals."
Here's what happened next (abridged version): Agassi won his tourney. Boston won his $40,000. I wrote sportsbook.
In the ten years since, how much has been wagered on the big-time tennis events? Put it this way: The Nevada Gaming Commission doesn't even track the number year by year because it's so small.
"Tennis makes up about one-tenth of one percent of our take," says Lucky's bookmaking boss Jimmy Vaccaro. "The last big golf major we probably had $100,000 worth of bets. In tennis, we might have written two big tickets."
Tennis' lack of popularity amongst the American bettoratti is no surprise, really. For starters, the biggest sports betting holidays -- the Super Bowl, the NCAA tourney -- are must see TV. People, at least the degenerates I know, plan vacations around watching those events in Vegas sports books.
But Wimbledon? Doesn't exactly reel in the whales. "Seriously, it's the nuts as an event," says Boston. "But who even knows when it's on?"
Here's another reason that helps explain why golf gets traction, something I call "The Bubbe Theory." My Bubbe is pushing 95 and has cataracts so bad that, to her, even the most crystalline Chicago day is mostly cloudy. But she still listens to the Cubs games, and she still calls me in a fit if she disagrees with something Rick Telander writes in the Chicago Sun Times. She's a sports fan. If she doesn't know you, you're just filling a niche. And niche players, even historically good ones like Roger and Raf, don't drive betting volume. Only the highest profile names attract square money, which inflates wagering totals like a shot of saline to the lips. Bubbe, and the public, loved Agassi, tennis' last cross-the-rubicon, mainstream draw. She also has a crush on Tiger. She's given me standing orders to put a sawbuck on the big cat whenever I walk through a sports book (or mistakenly tap into one via my Internet machine.) That explains why the Masters is getting $100K in action at some books while the four tennis majors might not get that combined this year.
This isn't a case of tennis being a difficult sport to bet. In fact, in Europe, it's probably the second most popular sport for gambling after soccer. Granted, as the WSJ football betting last week and The Mag's Shaun Assael examined in even greater depth last year, that might be because gamblers across the pond see it as an easy game to fix. But it could also be because, over there it holds the kind of sway the big two do over here.
Street corners in Spain are peppered with public courts and kids doing their best Raffy impressions. In some war torn parts of Eastern Europe poverty-stricken kids view tennis as an escape route, like football or basketball here. A couple years ago The Mag's Lindsay Berra wrote a great piece about Belgrade's Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic. They learned the game as kids while bombs were raining down on their homeland. They practiced in drained swimming pools. Not exactly Nick Bolletierri conditions.
In the United States, casual fans think tennis is played four times a year. But on the tightly packed European continent, national interest in homegrown talent runs deep every weekend. Of the ATP's current top 20 players, only two, tennis betting and James Blake, are American. Fourteen are from Europe, representing six different countries.
No wonder fans from Lisbon to Bhudapest get jacked up for the net game, whether it's Wimbledon or a low-level tourney like the Estoril Open in Portugal (congrats to Spain's Albert Montanes for winning that one, btw). Chances are good that someone representing their flag will not only be playing, but have a shot at winning.
And that's all any bettor can ask for.
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