Spmusic Mondays: Whatcha Thinkin', Mr. Lincoln?
(1 Cent): Lakers Need To Kidd Around
Okay, after watching my Lakers get their butts handed to them by a veteran Pistons team and then lose yesterday to the Cavs because no one but Kobe stepped up ... I think we're in need of some help.
When Kwame comes back from injury, it's not going to make us that much better. In fact, Brian Cook isn't even getting any burn -- and he's our best big-man shooter next to Odom -- so I don't think having another big body will help.
There are some rumors that the Nets are willing to part with Kidd. The Nets aren't winning with Kidd and Carter (and with Jefferson, when he's healthy). They aren't getting any younger. All three of their contracts add up to about $44.4 million (the NBA salary cap is at about $53 million). It would make sense for New Jersey to trade Kidd and Carter; build around a younger Richard Jefferson and Nenad Krstic. Here's a proposal:
Lakers Get: Jason Kidd - PG
Nets Get: Kwame Brown - C, Vladimir Radmanovic - SF, Sasha Vujacic - SG, Chris Mihm - C and some type of 2007 draft pick.
The salaries match up (I tried it in ESPN's Trade Machine) and this is why I think it would be good for both teams.
For the Nets, it gives them a more than serviceable center in Brown, which will alleviate the pain of having Krstic out for the season ... it will also be great insurance, for example, if Krstic's knee injury is career ending or he doesn't come back to full form. The trade also gets them an above average (maybe a 5.5 or a 6 out of ten) small forward in the Radman ... he's proven with playing time to be effective ... and with the Nets' bench, he'll get plenty of it. They'll also have a very serviceable back up shooting guard in Vujacic -- which I'm sure they don't have now. Mihm's $4 million+ comes off the books after this year, but you could sign him for a lot cheaper next year (and would allow them to not have to use Great Uncle Cliffy or Jason "I Have Less Game Than Checkers" Collins, which is a very good thing). Plus, they get a pick in this really deep 2007 draft. Serviceable players to more than just fill your team's holes (eeww), some cap relief on the way and a draft pick. Seems like a good deal to me.
For the Lakers, they obviously get one of the top 3 point guards in the league (hey, I'd know -- he's on my fantasy team). Who would you want over him right now? I don't mean for the future, I'm talking about to win a championship right now? Maybe Nash ... maybe Tony Parker ... maybe Billups ... hmm ... that's about it. Plus, Kidd gets you rebounds and is a potential triple-double every night. Can you imagine the free looks Kobe and Odom would have on the break with Kidd running the point? It makes me giddy already.
Also, this would help ease some of the froncourt logjam, freeing up some playing time for Cook and furthering the development of Andrew Bynum. Even better, this would relegate Smush Parker (whom I love to death ... but c'mon) to the bench in a better suited roll.
Here's how I would imagine the line-ups and their top reserves:
New Jersey Nets
PF - Kwame Brown** (Injured for another week)
SF - Richard Jefferson** (Injured until early March)
C - Mikki Moore
SG - Vince Carter
PG - Marcus Williams
Bench
SF - Vladamir Radmanovic
SG - Sasha Vujacic
PG - Eddie House
SF - Bostjan Nachbar
Los Angeles Lakers
PF - Lamar Odom
SF - Luke Walton** (Injured for another week)
C - Andrew Bynum
SG - Kobe Bryant
PG - Jason Kidd
Bench
PF - Brian Cook
PG/SG - Smush Parker
SF/SG - Maurice Evans
C/PF - Ronny Turiaf
PG - Jordan Farmar
Again, it makes New Jersey a tad deeper with allowing the first step towards being under the cap (assuming they would move Vince Carter too) and getting another 2007 pick. This makes the Lakers have a very nice trio in Kobe/Kidd/Odom and allows for some of our bench players to have more playing time.
It makes sense! Just do it! Get Kupchak on the phone, pronto! Make it happen ... for my sanity!
(2 Cent): Didn't Even Know!
While skimming through the CD's at the store the other day, I came across one I didn't realize had come out. Brian McKnight put one out in 2006 some time entitled Ten (I'm assuming his 10th album) so I decided to give it a try ... I'm a McKnight fan and have his last 5 CD's or so (I started listening to him about '95-'96).
There was no hype for me with this one ... never heard anything on the radio ... I still expected a solid CD, though, and he came through. There was only one song that I thought was exceptional (i.e., can be one of my favorite tracks from him of all his CD's), but there only like 2 (out of 15 tracks) that I would say are not repeat listenable which is a good thing ... just a smooth production all the way through.
Here you get classic McKnight -- good vocals with range, the love and heartache ballads, a couple of interesting tunes. Overall, I'd give it a 7.5 out of 10 -- I just got it and I'm sure it will grow even more on me. It's above an average album with deeper words and feelings than the "usual" R&B stuff. If you're a B-Mac fan you will want to have it.
**My Fav Five**
1) Track 9, "Again" - This has to be one of my favorite McKnight songs of all time ... a great theme for an R&B song because I (if not many) can relate to something like this ... an awesome beat and vibe ... of course, his killer crooning skills in effect.
2) Track 6, "A Little Too Late" - Another song that has a unique theme; a good song to put on when you're feeling in the dumps by a girl ....
3) Track 1, "Used To Be My Girl" - A very sweetacle beat ... good bass line ... good hook, too.
4) Track 5, "Unhappy Without You" - Another good, unique take on a relationship and its feelings ... nice, more upbeat tune.
5) Track 3, "Find Myself In You" - A cool little diddy, with an almost old school 80's R&B feel to it ....
(1/2 Cent): I Was Worried Because ...?
At first glance, I thought I was a goner because I was only up by 30 fantasy points (FP's) and he still had Marcus Camby to play (he had been questionable all week due to a pulled groin ... most likely dude has been hanging out with Eddie Griffin too much).
It turns out all that worrying was for not (naught?). I ended up winning pretty big and it wouldn't have mattered if Camby played (unless he scored over 50 FP's). So, the Busdrivers are doing what they do best ... taking fools to school (yeah, hasn't gotten old in 10 years). Next week puts me up against J.D. for the 3rd time this season. I'm 2-0 against him ... can I make it 3? Will he pull off a bigger upset than the Dixie Chicks? Tune in next week to find out! Same 'cent' time. Same 'cent' web site.
Week 15: W - 345 to 289.92 ... W-L Record: 13-2 (First in division; first in league)
Week 15 Fantasy Co-Studs: Amare Stoudemire (PHO, C): 44.5 FP's and Dwayne Wade (MIA, G): 47.75 FP's ... I wanted to congratulate one of my favorite players, Amare, for having a dominating week ... more weeks like this and it's all over!
Week 15 Fantasy Dud: Cuttino Mobley (HOU, G): I thought he'd be good because he scored about 24 and 25 FP's the last two weeks ... put up 7 FP's in his first game and ended the week with 18 FP's ... needless to say ... I dropped him like it's hot.
-------------
Until this Friday ... have a good Valentine's Day ... hope you bought that special someone something special ... and pray that I don't get sick ... I feel a little sumthin'-sumthin' coming on. Don't forget to write in your comments and questions by clicking the Comments link below or writing to HCP2007@gmail.com.
HCP
Okay, after watching my Lakers get their butts handed to them by a veteran Pistons team and then lose yesterday to the Cavs because no one but Kobe stepped up ... I think we're in need of some help.
When Kwame comes back from injury, it's not going to make us that much better. In fact, Brian Cook isn't even getting any burn -- and he's our best big-man shooter next to Odom -- so I don't think having another big body will help.
There are some rumors that the Nets are willing to part with Kidd. The Nets aren't winning with Kidd and Carter (and with Jefferson, when he's healthy). They aren't getting any younger. All three of their contracts add up to about $44.4 million (the NBA salary cap is at about $53 million). It would make sense for New Jersey to trade Kidd and Carter; build around a younger Richard Jefferson and Nenad Krstic. Here's a proposal:
Lakers Get: Jason Kidd - PG
Nets Get: Kwame Brown - C, Vladimir Radmanovic - SF, Sasha Vujacic - SG, Chris Mihm - C and some type of 2007 draft pick.
The salaries match up (I tried it in ESPN's Trade Machine) and this is why I think it would be good for both teams.
For the Nets, it gives them a more than serviceable center in Brown, which will alleviate the pain of having Krstic out for the season ... it will also be great insurance, for example, if Krstic's knee injury is career ending or he doesn't come back to full form. The trade also gets them an above average (maybe a 5.5 or a 6 out of ten) small forward in the Radman ... he's proven with playing time to be effective ... and with the Nets' bench, he'll get plenty of it. They'll also have a very serviceable back up shooting guard in Vujacic -- which I'm sure they don't have now. Mihm's $4 million+ comes off the books after this year, but you could sign him for a lot cheaper next year (and would allow them to not have to use Great Uncle Cliffy or Jason "I Have Less Game Than Checkers" Collins, which is a very good thing). Plus, they get a pick in this really deep 2007 draft. Serviceable players to more than just fill your team's holes (eeww), some cap relief on the way and a draft pick. Seems like a good deal to me.
For the Lakers, they obviously get one of the top 3 point guards in the league (hey, I'd know -- he's on my fantasy team). Who would you want over him right now? I don't mean for the future, I'm talking about to win a championship right now? Maybe Nash ... maybe Tony Parker ... maybe Billups ... hmm ... that's about it. Plus, Kidd gets you rebounds and is a potential triple-double every night. Can you imagine the free looks Kobe and Odom would have on the break with Kidd running the point? It makes me giddy already.
Also, this would help ease some of the froncourt logjam, freeing up some playing time for Cook and furthering the development of Andrew Bynum. Even better, this would relegate Smush Parker (whom I love to death ... but c'mon) to the bench in a better suited roll.
Here's how I would imagine the line-ups and their top reserves:
New Jersey Nets
PF - Kwame Brown** (Injured for another week)
SF - Richard Jefferson** (Injured until early March)
C - Mikki Moore
SG - Vince Carter
PG - Marcus Williams
Bench
SF - Vladamir Radmanovic
SG - Sasha Vujacic
PG - Eddie House
SF - Bostjan Nachbar
Los Angeles Lakers
PF - Lamar Odom
SF - Luke Walton** (Injured for another week)
C - Andrew Bynum
SG - Kobe Bryant
PG - Jason Kidd
Bench
PF - Brian Cook
PG/SG - Smush Parker
SF/SG - Maurice Evans
C/PF - Ronny Turiaf
PG - Jordan Farmar
Again, it makes New Jersey a tad deeper with allowing the first step towards being under the cap (assuming they would move Vince Carter too) and getting another 2007 pick. This makes the Lakers have a very nice trio in Kobe/Kidd/Odom and allows for some of our bench players to have more playing time.
It makes sense! Just do it! Get Kupchak on the phone, pronto! Make it happen ... for my sanity!
(2 Cent): Didn't Even Know!
While skimming through the CD's at the store the other day, I came across one I didn't realize had come out. Brian McKnight put one out in 2006 some time entitled Ten (I'm assuming his 10th album) so I decided to give it a try ... I'm a McKnight fan and have his last 5 CD's or so (I started listening to him about '95-'96).
There was no hype for me with this one ... never heard anything on the radio ... I still expected a solid CD, though, and he came through. There was only one song that I thought was exceptional (i.e., can be one of my favorite tracks from him of all his CD's), but there only like 2 (out of 15 tracks) that I would say are not repeat listenable which is a good thing ... just a smooth production all the way through.
Here you get classic McKnight -- good vocals with range, the love and heartache ballads, a couple of interesting tunes. Overall, I'd give it a 7.5 out of 10 -- I just got it and I'm sure it will grow even more on me. It's above an average album with deeper words and feelings than the "usual" R&B stuff. If you're a B-Mac fan you will want to have it.
**My Fav Five**
1) Track 9, "Again" - This has to be one of my favorite McKnight songs of all time ... a great theme for an R&B song because I (if not many) can relate to something like this ... an awesome beat and vibe ... of course, his killer crooning skills in effect.
2) Track 6, "A Little Too Late" - Another song that has a unique theme; a good song to put on when you're feeling in the dumps by a girl ....
3) Track 1, "Used To Be My Girl" - A very sweetacle beat ... good bass line ... good hook, too.
4) Track 5, "Unhappy Without You" - Another good, unique take on a relationship and its feelings ... nice, more upbeat tune.
5) Track 3, "Find Myself In You" - A cool little diddy, with an almost old school 80's R&B feel to it ....
(1/2 Cent): I Was Worried Because ...?
At first glance, I thought I was a goner because I was only up by 30 fantasy points (FP's) and he still had Marcus Camby to play (he had been questionable all week due to a pulled groin ... most likely dude has been hanging out with Eddie Griffin too much).
It turns out all that worrying was for not (naught?). I ended up winning pretty big and it wouldn't have mattered if Camby played (unless he scored over 50 FP's). So, the Busdrivers are doing what they do best ... taking fools to school (yeah, hasn't gotten old in 10 years). Next week puts me up against J.D. for the 3rd time this season. I'm 2-0 against him ... can I make it 3? Will he pull off a bigger upset than the Dixie Chicks? Tune in next week to find out! Same 'cent' time. Same 'cent' web site.
Week 15: W - 345 to 289.92 ... W-L Record: 13-2 (First in division; first in league)
Week 15 Fantasy Co-Studs: Amare Stoudemire (PHO, C): 44.5 FP's and Dwayne Wade (MIA, G): 47.75 FP's ... I wanted to congratulate one of my favorite players, Amare, for having a dominating week ... more weeks like this and it's all over!
Week 15 Fantasy Dud: Cuttino Mobley (HOU, G): I thought he'd be good because he scored about 24 and 25 FP's the last two weeks ... put up 7 FP's in his first game and ended the week with 18 FP's ... needless to say ... I dropped him like it's hot.
-------------
Until this Friday ... have a good Valentine's Day ... hope you bought that special someone something special ... and pray that I don't get sick ... I feel a little sumthin'-sumthin' coming on. Don't forget to write in your comments and questions by clicking the Comments link below or writing to HCP2007@gmail.com.
HCP
posted by HCP @ 11:50 AM
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