NBA Comissioner Stern goes too far: Time to go

Dec. 9, 2011

NBA Commissioner David Stern’s ludicrous decision to veto Thursday’s three-team trade between New Orleans, the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets is the most bodacious, outrageous, egotistical and ridiculous move in league’s history.

It’s time for Stern to say goodbye. Retire. He’s always ruled with a heavy hand. He’s always been as close to a bully as a brilliant strategist. He’ll probably go down as the best league leader in professional sports.

But for a New York City native, this smacks of stuff we’d hear about the Mafia. It’s like this the National Basketball Association of David Stern.

It’s time to see and hear Stern say, “I was wrong.”

This decision was so unfair in many different ways.All-Star point guard Chris Paul was slated to join the Lakers. L.A. would have sent all-star power forward Pau Gasol to Houston and valuable sixth man Lamar Odom was headed to New Orleans.

The Hornets also would have received guard Kevin Martin, forward Luis Scola, guard Goran Dragic and a 2012 first-round draft choice Houston had acquired from the New York Knicks.

The league said the trade was knocked down because of ‘basketball reasons.”

Presumably, that’s opposed to volleyball or curling reasons. That’s it? Basketball reasons?

No one knows what that means, but there have been perhaps 100(conservative estimate) worse trades consummated in the league’s history. Shoot, maybe since the turn of the century.

Certainly, when the NBA last season took control of New Orleans franchise ownership, the potential for all types of trouble became possible.

The Hornets then were placed into a different category than every other franchise.

The details of that arrangement between the league and Hornets are unknown to the general public.

Moreover, who knows who knows, if anyone knows.

Hornets general manager Dell Demps seemed to have made a pro-emptive strike to prevent Paul, who can become a free-agent following this season, from opting out of his deal and leaving the team with no compensation.

It would seem the league told Demps he couldn’t do his job and did so, after he did his job well.

Looking forward, one wonders where David Stern’s iron fist stops. There were rumors that small-market owners applied pressure on Stern to crush the deal.

So is Demps now incapable of making a trade with any team or just a team Stern and/or the other owners OK.

Stern said Paul was more valuable in New Orleans. Stern omitted to mention to whom this increased value belongs.Stern has made enough money over the years to shut it down, say goodbye and look back at how the league has grown under his management.

Yo, my man, let it go. It’s time.

From this view, it appears he’s lost it. At least, back in the day, he’d have couched his decision with a real explanation.

Basketball reasons?

Really, Dave?

Kings can't handle ball or New Orleans

The Sacramento Kings played their best defensive game of the season and still lost, 75-71, Sunday afternoon at home to the New Orleans Hornets.

That’s how things can go for a team, now 4-8, attempting to find its way. The Kings lost a four-point game because they made just 60 percent (9 of 15) of their free-throw attempts.

Conversely, New Orleans (11-1) missed just one of 16 free-throw attempts.

Sacramento lost because it had 13 possessions during the fourth quarter’s final six minutes and made just two of 10 field-goal attempts and committed three turnovers.

That usually will not result in victory.

The Kings committed 22 turnovers that New Orleans turned into 23 points. That's nearly one-third of the team's scoring.

It was a team-wide Kings turnover fest. Three players committed three turnovers and three committed four.

Coach Paul Westphal said half of those turnovers were unforced and shouldn't have occurred.

“What we’re doing is very simple,” he said of the team's offense, “and we’re not running something different at the end of the game that we’re running all through the game.”

So the Kings aren’t executing. That statement also could be taken that perhaps they need to do some things differently down the stretch to give defenses other options to consider.

However, moving the ball to the open man truly is what the Kings need. Many times during the game, the Kings fail to make the simple pass to the open man. It’s not rocket science.

The Kings would like to play an up-tempo offense and passing, not dribbling, the ball up court is a key. Then making the next pass to the open man is key to offensive success. Often, that will be Tyreke Evans making that first pass to the open man. And until it is, the Kings offense will not smoothly function.

Granted, the Kings are a young squad, but youth has nothing to do with playing unselfishly and intelligently.

Certainly experience on New Orleans’ behalf and inexperience on Sacramento’s side played a role in the game’s final minutes. The Hornets basically kept the ball in the hands of point guard Chris Paul and forward David West. Those are two experienced and proven closers.

That’s two more than Sacramento has right now. Paul set up two plays off pick-and-rolls that led to West making two open wing jump shots. West made his last two shots to finish eight of 19 from the field.

However, no matter what plays are drawn up by any coach, a player has to make shots.

Additionally, the Hornets lead the league in defensive field-goal percentage at 42.5. So it’s not a complete surprise the Kings struggled offensively. The true surprise was Sacramento limiting New Orleans to 32.2 percent shooting.

The Kings have improved defensively in their past two games heading into Monday night’s game at Utah.

And as Westphal said, “It’s just a shame to play that well defensively against a team with one of the best records in basketball and walk out of the gym with a loss.”

It also was a shame to waste Donte Greene’s 15-point, 10-rebound performance in 32 minutes.

Indeed. The Kings, however, will not win many games with 14 assists and 22 turnovers. That’s unacceptable.

The overall concept is playing consistently at each end of the court and that’s what the Kings still are striving to reach. Playing on the road in Salt Lake City against the Utah Jazz is not the ideal situation, but it's what the Kings have before them tonight.

Easier to stop Chris Paul than get an interview with World Wide Wes

For a hot minute Wednesday, I had thoughts of snatching an interview with NBA juice-meister William Wesley.

Then reality smacked me like an old girlfriend's right hand.

Wes, as I was introduced to him by former Kings forward Lionel Simmons about 17-18 years ago, might as well be the NBA's deputy commissioner. That's if you believe he's responsible for half of the occurrences with which he's been linked.

I'll keep referring to him as Wes. This whole World Wide Wes thing is relatively new to me. Reportedly, my man Jalen Rose, now an ESPN analyst, claims to have given him that moniker. And it does fit since when you are on the NBA beat, there's no city in which the brother might not be found.

I've heard him referred to as Uncle Wes. Call him what you want, but Wes is known in Commissioner David Stern's office, Michael Jordan's inner circles and as being the right-hand man of such NBA stars as LeBron James, Chris Paul and most recently, Carmelo Anthony.

In fact, one of the goals for contacting Wes Wednesday was to find out what role, if any, he was playing in Anthony's current travails with the Denver Nuggets.

Anthony is represented by agent Leon Rose and the powerful Creative Artists Agency. Rose and Wes have been linked since they both grew up in South Jersey.

There were reports earlier this year Wes had filed to become certified as an agent. If he did, he says that has not yet happened.

"I'm not an agent," Wes said Wednesday.

Wes is a cat whom has more hookups than Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile put together.

He's also a dude who consistently keeps his cards close to the vest.

"Man, I don't want to do any interviews," he said Wednesday as he's told me before. "I see so much crazy stuff out there that ain't hardly correct."

Wes is a mystery to 99 percent of the world. Clearly, he wants it like that and it's likely why so many athletes are comfortable with him. They know their business won't be in the street.

It's also why many of those who don't know him question his motives and duties. Then again, I don't know him in any depth, but I've seen no reason or proof to think he's done any dirt.

This is a dude who once had to move out of the way on the Dallas Cowboys sidelines while players gave then coach Jimmy Johnson a Super Bowl dousing.

That's juice and we ain't talking Gatorade.

Quick story: I'm in the visitor's locker room at Arco Arena a couple of years ago talking to then New Orleans head coach Byron Scott, assistant Paul Pressey and I think Kenny Gattison also was there. Somehow the conversation turned to Wes, and in walks Paul.

I think we'd been talking about how Wes seemed to be everywhere and how everybody knew him.

Said Paul, "Y'all talking bout Uncle Wes?"

We just started laughing as the point was made. Paul, now entering his sixth NBA season, still was a serious young boy at the time.

However, Paul, 25, said he'd known Wes for years. Paul also is represented by Rose and CAA, which also reportedly represents big ballers like Oprah and Will Smith. Rose also represents Sacramento Kings' Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi.

Wes said he had to do a quick dash off the phone, so I never got to ask him anything about 'Melo's situation.

I think it's safe to say I probably ended up with the same information I would have gotten had the questions been asked.

However, I'll trade any and all stories I can do on Wes, for the book deal. My man is a success story of the highest and most unique order.

Once again, I may have better odds at hitting a lottery than getting Wes for a tell-all.

However, right now I'll settle for a tell-some. Dos Equis might want to re-check their most interesting man in the world commercial.


Since I went to the 'Melo concept, imagine how nice life is when you are 26, have a standing offer of three years for $64 million from the Nuggets, and things are so sugary, you can just leave it there for some reason.

Now that's 'Melo.

I also talked Wednesday with former Kings draft choice Anthony Johnson, who played the past two seasons with the Orlando Magic.

Johnson, the 39th pick of the 1997 draft out of the College of Charleston has played with eight teams. Johnson, who will turn 36 Oct. 2, was not re-signed by the Magic but still wants to play.

"I'm working out, staying in shape and waiting to see what happens," Johnson said. "I want to try and go out on my own terms. I know that doesn't happen for everybody, but I still want to play before I shut it down. I'd like to go into coaching as an assistant if nothing comes up."

The NBA currently is going around the league and airing what it calls "NBA Real Training Camp" where practices are televised.

One of the teams featured is the New York Knicks so obviously success is not a prerequisite.

Vice President of Media Relations/Basketball Operations Troy Hanson said NBA Entertainment has plans to feature Evans, Casspi and first-round pick DeMarcus Cousins.

Kings look to Cousins, then Monroe. Could move No. 33

The Sacramento Kings aren't sure which players will be available today following the NBA's draft four picks, but they believe either DeMarcus Cousins or Greg Monroe will be there for the taking with their selection, the fifth overall.

According to sources, the Kings would love it if Cousins was available. They apparently have the gumption to believe Cousins is an immediate impact player and their organization has what it takes to help him unveil the greatness of which his talent is capable.

They'd have no problem selecting Monroe, who is a versatile offensive performer. Monroe is comfortable handling the ball in most situations. That's a great quality for any player, particularly a 6-foot-11, 250-pounder.

Monroe has been compared to former Kings center Spencer Hawes because both are excellent passers, yet I don't see it. Monroe plays inside far more willingly and comfortably than did Hawes.

Monroe, I've been told, also has a right-handed jump hook in addition to his natural lefty jump hook. As a lover of post play, that's a beautiful thing.

One more thing on Cousins for which he rarely receives credit is egolessly handling the attention directed towards his teammate John Wall.

Wall was the man expected by observers very early to become the draft's No. 1 choice and often had the ball in his hands. Cousins had enough maturity to handle not being the offense's focal point.

The Kings research indicated Cousins was well liked by his teammates. Whereas the nay-sayers question - even before his selection - wonder if his NBA teammates will respect him. Now, those folks are scary and uninformed how the process works.

If the Kings choose Cousins, it becomes their organization's job to work with Cousins firmly, intelligently and consistently. Coach Paul Westphal will have to show more toughness from the get-go and show the young player who is controlling the situation.

Westphal has to learn how to get the most out of Cousins and how to manage the 19-year-old he'll be watching grow up and mature before his eyes. In fact, the Kings organization - ownership, front office, coaching staff and players - will become part of Cousins' maturation.

If the Kings are fortunate enough to choose Cousins, the ability to walk his way through reaching his potential could become franchise-altering.

It's rare for Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie to give up any hint of information, but Tuesday he said his team "had the 33rd pick at this point."

Petrie chooses his words thoughtfully, always to a fault of the reporter probing for information, but the inclusion of 'at this point' seemed to indicate he certainly be open to moving up to get a player surprisingly available or moving back and possibly getting two second-rounders for one.

One never knows when it comes to that Petrie brain other than to know it's usually working.

During our conversation Tuesday, Petrie called and asked my opinion, saying it wouldn't be a draft if I didn't tell him what he should do with the pick.

That's a running joke between us because in 1998, he allowed me, then the Sacramento Bee beat writer, to watch Jason Williams work out. I was so impressed with Williams' athletic, ballhandling and passing ability, the next day I wrote Williams should be the choice.

Petrie would rather that had not been written and not so coincidentally, I've not seen an entire player workout since. Heaven forbid, I would be able to see every player's workout. That won't happen again, I don't think.

Now if he really wanted my opinion, he'd allow me see the workout,s then, more importantly, let me sit in the players interviews. The easy part is analyzing talent. It's checking out the mindset that will be handling the pressure and immediate financial windfall a first-rounder receives.

And after talking with Petrie, it hit me I'd been played - again. He'd gotten more opinion from me than I'd gotten from him.

They call him Worldwide or Uncle

It's freaking me out how much attention William Wesley is receiving these days. He's called Worldwide (allegedly given to him by Jalen Rose) or Uncle (that's by the current generation of players), but back in the day, he was just Wes.

The guy was everywhere. During the course of covering the Kings during the season, he'd pop up in Philadelphia or Detroit or Golden State or New York. Even then he had enough sense not to go to New Jersey since nobody else was either.

And we're talking 20 years ago, Wes had all types of hook-ups. He had more juice than Minute Maid and on a number of different fronts. He's comical but chill.

The low-low (staying out of the main frame) was Wes' forte.

And now, during these days of Media Gone Wild, there are folks who act like he's the pilot for the most interesting man in the world. Surely, he's the most mysterious man around the NBA.

However, until Wes finds Bin Laden or halts next year's expected lockout, he has some things to show me.

And no, I don't know exactly how Wes earns his living. Yes, I asked numerous times, and if memory serves me er what he said when it really didn't mean anything to me, he just said, "he knows a lot of people."

The only reason I asked Wes what he did was I was curious how my man got all over the country. I knew I had to write a couple of stories a day to have my airfare and hotel paid for by a newspaper.

But I'd never heard of Wes in any trouble, so not knowing what he did was no big thing. There are a couple of cats like Wes around the league. They'd just be everywhere without discernible reason for being there.

However, those guys have come and gone and Wes remains in the cut.

Check out ESPN's 30-for-30 on Escobars

If you don't like soccer, then make it a point to watch the 30-for-30 presentation on Pablo and Andres Escobar and there respective connections with Columbian soccer. Not only are their stories enthralling, but the soccer footage is amazing.

Quick hitters

Did Cleveland's Mo Williams really tweet he was on his knees begging the Cavs not to trade him?

Would that make you try to trade his butt faster, like it would me?

Chris Paul recently said he was open to being traded by New Orleans.

That's good because he couldn't prevent the Hornets from trading him, anyway.

When did things change to the point where players believe they should have their situations orchestrated to win a title instead of working through the process each year. If it was good enough for Michael Jordan, Jerry West and the rest, it seems like it should be good enough for these young boys.

Projections are key to drafting

The madness preceding the National Football League and National Basketball Association drafts is a unmitigated sickness with which we'll just likely will have to deal.

The conversations about the talents of potential draftees is cool. However, anyone who even hints of knowing, on May 24, which players will be selected when and by whom on June 24 is fooling themselves.

OK, I might bet a couple of pennies that Washington will use the draft's No. 1 choice overall on Kentucky's John Wall. After that, forget it. There are too many unknowns (i.e., trades, workout impressions, behavior, off-the-wall selections) the day before the draft, much less a month prior, to have a true clue.

Yet, here's what makes draft success such a difficult assignment. It's not what you are looking at now, but what you foresee in the future.

It's tricky enough to judge how good players are now, especially after seeing some of them for just one collegiate season, much less how good they'll be four years from now.

Talk about unknowns! If you have any kids, this needs no explanation. If you don't, look back at your life five years ago and remember what you projected for your life today.

If I ever were given the opportunity to make one of those draft calls, I'd be looking for an obvious advantage. Some players will be Paul Bunyan strong. Some will be Usain Bolt speedy. Some will be Tyreke Evans big and strong. Another will be Chris Paul-Rajon Rondo quick. There has to be some attribute that makes a player stand out. Some can have Stephen Curry-ridiculous, lights-out shooting ability. And Curry also has other crazy skills.

Speaking of unknowns, how many of us believed following Cleveland's blowout victory in Boston in Game Three of the Eastern Conference semifinal series, LeBron James would appear to have one foot out of Ohio? And Mike Brown would have both feet removed from the Cavaliers leadership by owner Dan Gilbert.

Brown won 127 games during the past two regular seasons and was fired Sunday night. Granted, the Cavs did not get to the NBA Finals, much less win the title.

Brown was a victim of expectations he helped create with the regular-season success. Couple that with James' impending free-agency and running into a Boston Celtics squad playing at an incredible and heretofore unforeseen level, Brown was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

And remember, Brown was the 2008-09 NBA Coach of the Year.

Clearly, Brown's offensive approach left much to be desired and why he kicked J.J. Hickson's athletic butt to the curb, I do not know. But that seems like a lot of success only for a guy to get canned. That's the frigid way of the pro sports world.

Moreover, how does Cleveland land a coach - especially one with other options - without knowing if James will return. That might be an influential factor, most would say.

While on the coaching carousel, it was the 2006-2007 season in which the Boston Celtics and coach Doc Rivers fashioned a 24-58 record.

Way back then, there were many Boston fans and journalists who believed Rivers was incapable of leading the Celtics back to glory. They wanted Rivers fired and if General Manager Danny Ainge could get a ticket on the bus out of time, so be it.

The Celtics spent the 2007-08 season winning the NBA title and I wouldn't bet against them winning the 2009-2010 championship. Not after the defense they've played during these playoffs. They could be arrested for what they've done to Cleveland and now are doing to Orlando.

This squad, under the guidance of the coach many wanted fired, have been the epitome of the word, 'team.'

My pick of two conference final sweeps went down the drain Sunday night when Amare Stoudamire showed his wares and the Lakers suddenly couldn't handle Phoenix's zone in Game Three of the West finals. L.A leads, 2-1, going into Tuesday night's Game Four.

I still like the Lakers to win the series and advance to an NBA Finals collision with the Celtics.