The Credits 6/23/09

Here are today's Links:

• Phil Jackson mulls coaching Los Angeles Lakers mostly at home - ESPN
  Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson said in a radio interview Tuesday that he will make a firm decision about returning to the bench next season by "early July" and that he will also explore the possibility of letting Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis coach more road games in Jackson's place. Jackson Jackson In the interview with ESPN Radio in Los Angeles (710 AM), Jackson insisted that health concerns would be the only reason that prevented him from completing the final season of his current coaching contract. He also revealed that the concept of Rambis coaching the team regularly on the road -- theoretically sparing Jackson, who turns 64 in September, from the rigors of travel -- has already been discussed internally.
• Lakers' draft day choices - OCRegister.com
  With 3 picks in NBA draft, champions face many possibilities.
• Magic Johnson ranks as best No. 1 pick in history of NBA draft - Ian Thomsen - SI.com
  Claiming to know the greatest draft pick of all time in each of the top 30 slots is a good way to start an argument. In this case, I leaned toward draft picks who helped create team success. While going through the lists year by year, I was reminded just how difficult it is to find impact players -- even when dealing with a top-three pick. To go through the draft lists over the last six decades is to realize that the likes of Bill Russell and Michael Jordan are rarely discovered.
• A look back at Lakers' first-round draft picks - OCRegister.com
  Who were the booms - and who were the busts?
• Lakers on Twitter at Lakers.com BasketBlog
  Here’s our current Lakers Twitter Roster

Click on through for more links and to discuss today's events...

• Hardwood Paroxysm " Blog Archive " Looking Good in Black
  People who wear black: Will Smith, certain Bob Dylans, the Devil (probably), bizarro Mark Twain, Darth Vader, Hot Topic staff, Johnny Cash, and, now, Richard Jefferson. In one swift motion, the Spurs have turned three aging vets with expiring deals into a versatile, dynamic swingman that solves their problems on the wing. This is why the trophy case in San Antonio is full, and this is why Tim Duncan goes to sleep every night with a smile on his face.
• Bruce Bowen Waves a Classy Goodbye - TrueHoop By Henry Abbott - ESPN
  There has been some speculation that longtime Spur Bruce Bowen might be waived by Milwaukee and return to San Antonio, but there are two mild indications that won't happen: * For one thing, Bowen is close to Blazer assistant Monty Williams, who just told Blazers Edge that he does not think Bowen will return to the Spurs. * For another, Bowen just posted a very classy goodbye and thank you to his San Antonio fans on the San Antonio Express-News website:
• Source: Deal sends Minnesota Timberwolves' Randy Foye, Mike Miller to Washington Wizards - ESPN
  The Washington Wizards are close to a deal that would send the No. 5 pick in Thursday's draft, Oleksiy Pecherov, Etan Thomas and Darius Songaila to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Randy Foye and Mike Miller, a league source told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher on Tuesday.
• Pistons Trade Amir Johnson for Fabricio Oberto's Contract -- NBA FanHouse
  Just hours after being traded from the Spurs to the Bucks, Fabricio Oberto is reportedly on the move yet again, this time going to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Amir Johnson.
• Stephen Curry, Blake Griffin, and Hasheem Thabeet: Inside the Numbers - TrueHoop By Henry Abbott - ESPN
  We're inundated with more stuff than ever, yet when it comes to raw data about a player's tendencies, there's still a lot that even most basketball junkies don't know. Synergy Sports is on it. They supply sortable video and data to NBA teams, and have been developing meticulous reports on this year's draft class. They were nice enough to send some samples of their research to TrueHoop. These are multiple-paged spreadsheets with evidence plucked straight from video. Here are some highlights of what the reports deliver:
• The Case Against Ricky Rubio, Brought to You by ... ? - Sactown Royalty
  Who is trashing Ricky Rubio?
• Rubio Shouldn't Get a Free Pass - SportingNews.com - The Baseline
  At what point do we start calling Rubio a prima donna, or accuse him of having an attitude? I know that everyone (but Brandon Jennings) who plays in Europe becomes a knight and saint rolled up in one. And fine, maybe Rubio just doesn't want to mess with his formerly sky-high stock. But really, this is ridiculous. It's almost like Rubio and his management are taking it for granted that he's better and more important than his fellow PG prospects.
• X’s & O’s of Basketball: Draft Thoughts, Will the Knicks Get Rubio?
  In an otherwise uninteresting upcoming NBA draft, the biggest story in my opinion will be whether or not the Knicks (who draft eighth overall) pull out all the strings to get Ricky Rubio who appears to be the perfect fit to quarterback D'Antoni's 7-seconds-or-less offense. The Knicks aside, Rubio is perhaps the most intriguing pick in this year's draft because of his upside but he's also the riskiest pick because of his youth and the financial cost it will take to get him.
• Which Prospects Deserve the Hype? -- NBA FanHouse
  As we roll on toward the 2009 NBA Draft, FanHouse's Matt Moore and Tom Ziller turn their attention toward the players who deserve the hype.
• Five NBA General Managers Feeling Heat -- NBA FanHouse
  This is the time of the year when NBA executives earn their salaries, making the decisions that often determine the success or failure the following season.
• Which Prospects Deserve the Hype? -- NBA FanHouse
  As we roll on toward the 2009 NBA Draft, FanHouse's Matt Moore and Tom Ziller turn their attention toward the players who deserve the hype.
• Sam Bowie, Portland Trail Blazers - No. 2 -- first round, 1984 - NBA Draft Busts - Photos - SI.com
  The NBA is littered with busts at or near the top of the first round. Here is just a sampling of the worst, starting with Bowie. His selection underscores the cardinal rule behind NBA Draftology: You can't draft for need. The Blazers, flush with Jim Paxson and Clyde Drexler on the wings, needed a center and passed on drafting Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and John Stockton. Bowie struggled with injuries throughout his 10-year run and finished with career averages of 10.9 points and 7.5 rebounds.
• X’s & O’s of Basketball: Breaking Down the Kansas Ball Screening Fist Offense
  (Reminding you to stay the smartest fanbase in the NBA.  Sharpen up on your basketball X's and O's.)

Audio/Video:

Phil with John Ireland

The BS Report

Lakers.com Podcast (w/ Mitch Kupchak)

Lakers.com w/ Shannon Brown's dad

NBA Fanhouse