In the latest installment of As The Association Turns, leaks are being deployed to writers and columnists with information about how Derek Fisher allegedly had a side deal with Stern. You can read all of the details and get caught up here.
In the N.B.A. Lockout, the Owners Stand United, That Huge Fine Notwithstanding - NYTimes.com
Stern did acknowledge one divide between his owners: those who are in favor of the deal the union rejected last week — a 50-50 split of revenue and no hard salary cap — and those who are "rethinking" that offer. "But I believe that a majority of teams are in favor of making the deal that we were offering to the players," Stern said. "And I’m trying very hard to keep that deal on the table."
This is why the league will win among other things. Stern crafts his media answers so well. His comments make it sound like the offer of 50/50 is about to go away and that he's doing his best to keep it on the table. That's where most pundits believe things will finish at when all is said and done. This is just a little subtle pressure -- similar to when he went on his media tour before the mediation sessions -- to get players to put pressure on the union leaders to accept the offer. No one on the union side works the media like Stern.
Last year we had Kobe's White Hot photo shoot that gave us just one more reason to mock the guy. Now, Shaq's book coming out gives us some more fodder (some NSFW text on the site),
He was so young and so immature in some ways, but I can tell you this: everything Kobe is doing now, he told me all the way back then he was going to do it. We were sitting on the bus once and he told me, "I'm going to be the number one scorer for the Lakers, I'm going to win five or six championships, and I'm going to be the best player in the game." I was like, "Okay, whatever." Then he looked me right in the eye and said, "I'm going to be the Will Smith of the NBA."
Any ideas for posters in the ESA?
Raja Bell could be heading overseas (h/t moni). I know many of you would prefer he not be given an out when the lockout is lifted. Brian T. Smith confirmed that but Bell's agent said nothing is imminent. So, this is just like every other player that could be heading overseas.
I don't see how anyone goes over now. Most leagues, if not all, are well underway. And don't laugh, but it's possible that we get a new deal in the next two weeks. It would be bad timing to head over only to have to turn around and come back (assuming they have an NBA contract). It seems the best time to have headed overseas was a couple of months ago.
If you're on the fence about the Pro Player Charity Classic, prices have now dropped a bit and Brian T. Smith is reporting that Alec Burks will be attending despite playing in a Pro-Am game in Indy the night before. Now we're just missing Miles and Hayward from having a full training camp roster (of those under contract).'
Also, SmithTix tweeted that there will be a ticket venue at the doors the night of the game which will have no fees.
An economist is saying that cancelled NBA games aren't affecting Oklahoma City's economy,
The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce says every time the Oklahoma City Thunder plays a game, they pour $1.3 million into the economy.
With 16 home games already canceled, that might lead some to believe we've already missed out on more than $20 million. "Not so," says University of Chicago Economist Allen Sanderson. "I think the real number is closer to zero."He said the money people would have spent on beer, popcorn and tickets will -- and is -- being spent at other businesses around town.
That's roughly the same impact that Jazz games have on the downtown economy. I'm not an economist -- I don't even play one on the Internet -- but it would seem to me that not all of those dollars are being spent elsewhere. Tickets, popcorn, and beer aren't cheap. It wouldn't be hard to spend $200-$300 a night to go to a game for 2-4 people. I doubt that if games aren't going on that people are still spending that money. They may be spending some, but not all of that. And he says it's going to happen every night that there would be a game?
Maybe I'm just not familiar with the layout of OKC. Maybe it's more conducive to spending money in OKC? But I know there's no way Salt Lake is getting that money regardless.