Create-a-Caption: Ronny Turiaf is disconsolate (Ball Don’t Lie)

 LA Lakers  No Responses »
Dec 042012
 

I’m sorry, Ronny Turiaf. But with rookie sensation Robert Sacre being recalled from the D-League by the Los Angeles Lakers, you’re no longer the unquestioned best Gonzaga-bred dance celebrator on an L.A.-based NBA franchise. I know it’s difficult for you to believe and accept, but I’m afraid we’re just going to have to figure out a way for you to deal with this news. May I suggest dancing and celebrating ?
Best caption wins another recent instance of bad news for Mr. Turiaf . Good luck.
Image comes courtesy of our friend @cjzero .
In our last adventure : Marcin Gortat is gonna wash that man right out of his hair . Wait. No hair. Never mind, then.

Clippers Add Ronny Turiaf: Fan Reaction (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

 LA Clippers  No Responses »
Jul 262012
 

The Los Angeles Clippers continue to make moves in the offseason to improve their club and address specific needs. The Clips have a lot of guards, but they need some quality big men inside who can pull down some rebounds and play some good defense. A few years ago the Clippers were not an attractive free agent destination, but now they are the type of team that is intriguing to those athletes that are looking to join a winning franchise. The latest addition is Ronny Turiaf, a veteran big man who will add size inside and veteran savvy to the lineup.

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5 Available Players Boston Celtics Must Target

 Boston  No Responses »
Jul 262012
 

The Boston Celtics have made a number of nice moves this offseason, but still have some remaining roster spots to fill.

With 13 players under guaranteed contract, Boston has only the bi-annual exception ($1.9 million) or minimum contracts to offer incoming players, so their options are limited.

With it looking more and more likely that Michael Pietrus will not be returning, who else could the Celtics pursue on the market?

Here’s a look at five remaining players who could all help fill a need in Boston.

 

5. Ronny Turiaf, C

Turiaf is a tough competitor and hustle player that contending teams just love to have around.  He won a championship with the Miami Heat last season and at times during the playoffs started for them at center.

Adding Turiaf will help make up for the departure of Greg Stiemsma and allow Kevin Garnett to log more minutes at power forward.

The Celtics would likely have to use their bi-annual money, as Turiaf opted out of his deal with the Miami Heat so that he could earn a contract larger than the veteran’s minimum.

 

4. Michael Redd, SG

Once thought to be done in the NBA, Redd enjoyed a rejuvenation with the Phoenix Suns last season while playing in 51 games.

Still a talented long-range shooter, Redd chipped in over eight points a game for the Suns last year and is thought to be a high character guy that would fit in well in a veteran locker room.

Redd could help offset the loss of Ray Allen and would likely only cost the veteran’s minimum.

 

3. Matt Barnes, SF

Nothing about Barnes’ game is extremely impressive, but he can help out a team in a number of ways.

A good wing defender, Barnes spent the last two season with the Los Angeles Lakers, starting 16 of the 58 games he played in.

With Jeff Green returning from heart surgery as the primary backup at small forward, Boston could use some insurance at the position.  Barnes could also take over the three-point shooter/wing defender role Pietrus played last season.

 

2. Nate Robinson, PG/SG

Could we see a Robinson revival in Boston?

The 28-year-old spent parts of the ’09-’10 and ’10-’11 seasons with Boston before being traded in the Kendrick Perkins deal that brought Jeff Green to the Celtics.

Robinson is perhaps the best guard left of all the free agents, putting up 11.2 points and 4.5 assists for the Golden State Warriors last season.

His addition would mean an upgrade over Keyon Dooling and a dangerous shooting combination with Jason Terry coming off the bench.

 

1. Kenyon Martin, PF/C

While some may refer to Kevin Garnett as a “fake tough guy,” I’m not sure the same can be said about Kenyon Martin.

Adding Martin would bring a new dynamic of toughness to the Celtics bench and would bring an interesting dynamic to practice every day between KG and K-Mart.

Martin can play either power forward or center off the bench and still managed to swat away 1.6 shots per 36 minutes last season, his highest ratio since ’01-’02.

Read more Boston Celtics news on BleacherReport.com

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Heat Should Conclude Free Agency with Greg Oden Signing

 Rumors  No Responses »
Jul 132012
 

Before the Miami Heat and Ray Allen agreed to a deal this time last week, Marcus Camby was scheduled to meet with the team. 

In the process, a small admission was revealed by management that, despite how committed Miami is to revolutionize the concept of versatility in the NBA, it’s lack of size isn’t exactly ideal. 

Which is why, if former first pick Greg Oden is indeed interested in playing for the Heat for the veteran minimum, it’s a gamble the team can afford to take.

Keep in mind, the Heat finished 21st in team defensive statistics last season, which is compiled by a team’s overall rebounds, blocks, and steals per game. They also finished 11th in the same category during the NBA Playoffs.

ESPN writer Tom Haberstroh offered a compelling argument on why Miami was better off going with a non-conventional, shooter-heavy lineup around the big three.

Moreover, the article also implicitly fueled the notion that Miami’s defense is fueled by its offense. Nevertheless, did we really need an elaborate statistical breakdown of every lineup featuring the big three to prove that the Heat aren’t at their “best” with Ronny Turiaf or Joel Anthony on the floor?

I’ll leave that for you to decide.

Meanwhile, Greg Oden is a career 55 percent FG shooter whose averaged 8.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks when he’s managed to stay healthy. Miami plays in a conference that is heavy on big man, and, at the risk of wearing down LeBron James and Chris Bosh by frequently playing them out of position, some reliable size that isn’t also an offensive liability could pay dividends over the long run.

It’s also important to note that the Heat never played a team featuring Dwight Howard in the last two postseasons.

Is it a big deal? Maybe not. But the Heat did lose two of the three games he played in when Miami faced Orlando last year during the regular season.

At the end of the day, the Heat have more than enough reason to cap off free agency with an Oden signing as opposed to another wing like Grant Hill or a trampoline (shout out to King James) like John Lucas III?

And unlike the Rashard Lewis addition, this seems like an opportunity that would legitimately be low-risk and high reward for Miami.

Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com

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NBA Free Agents 2012: Underrated Centers Still on the Market

 Rumors  No Responses »
Jul 042012
 

Dwight Howard isn’t the only center worth pursuing this summer. It won’t be the end of the world for teams like the Nets or the Mavericks if they fail to land Superman via trade.

Though none of these guys are going to knock anybody’s socks off with their defensive prowess, there are plenty of solid options for backup centers on the free-agent market this year. Even better, teams won’t have to give up half of their rosters in order to get them, and these players aren’t going to cost much at all.

Here’s a look at some of the free-agent centers still available who can make an unexpected impact off the bench in 2012-13.  

 

Ronny Turiaf

When he opted out of his contract with the Heat following this year’s championship run, Turiaf essentially signaled the end of his short stint with Miami. The Heat went with Dexter Pittman rather than Turiaf, leaving him to explore the free-agent market, where he could find some success.

The seven-year vet isn’t going to start for anyone, but he could be a solid bench option who can log over 15 minutes per game and make his presence known on the boards. Plus, he’s smart with his shot selection; he’s never attempted a three-pointer in his career, which is always a plus for a backup center.

Teams looking for a cheap, experienced defensive post presence off the bench could find their guy in Turiaf, and according to his agent, Mark Bartelstein, the calls are already rolling in: Bartelstein told the Sun Sentinel’s Shandel Richardson that he has received “a lot of interest” from teams.

 

Hasheem Thabeet

This is someone whose NBA career has all but officially been declared a bust. Since he was selected by the Grizzlies with the second overall pick in the 2009 draft, he’s played for three teams and has had little success with any of them, never averaging more than 13 minutes or 3.6 rebounds per game.

But it may be too early to close the book on Thabeet, and a team willing to give him a shot could be pleasantly surprised. He’s an extremely low-risk signing at this point, and if he ever lives up to his potential, he still has time to develop into a decent NBA center.

It takes a long time to develop big men in this league, and Thabeet only has three years of experience under his belt. Furthermore, he’s never been with one team long enough to truly begin to get a feel for any system, and no team has been willing to expend the time and patience necessary to nurture him. 

Thabeet is only 25 years old; there’s still hope for him.

Greg Stiemsma

The Celtics were notoriously soft in the middle this season until Kevin Garnett transitioned into a role as a center, but Stiemsma wasn’t a terrible option to spell him off the bench.

Despite the fact that he only has one year of NBA experience (and 50 games worth of D-league experience), he established a decent defensive presence for Boston, logging 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in just 13.9 minutes per game. He’s only 26 years old, so he still has room to develop.

As a restricted free agent, he doesn’t have the same freedom to explore the market as some of the other available centers, but he’s still managed to draw interest from the Timberwolves, who hosted the center over the weekend. If the Celtics decline to match any offers he receives, he will be a solid pickup as a backup.

 

Tony Battie

Even at 36, Tony Battie still has it. He may have averaged less than two points per game in 2011-12, and his per-game points and rebounds totals may have been perilously bad over the last four years, but he offers a young team a veteran presence up front who can still log around 15 minutes per game.

The Sixers are in the midst of a rebuilding process and don’t have any use for an aging center, but as free agency winds down, Battie could be a solid pickup for a team that still needs a backup.

There are plenty of teams that could still use a cheap, 6’11″ veteran up front to help nurture the younger, inexperienced players. 

Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com

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