All salary figures are via Sham Sports. Player options are included in the contract commitments and will be noted. Team options are not included (except for rookie deals) and will instead be listed in the free agents section.

Boston Celtics

2013-14 Contract Commitments- $76 million

Free Agents- Chris Wilcox, Keyon Dooling, Dionte Christmas, Kris Joseph and Darko Milicic

Off-season issues- Boston is in a tough spot. They’re over the luxury tax threshold and have serious question marks about some of their key players. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are in the twilight of their careers and Rajon Rondo has a long recovery ahead after tearing their ACL. Their offensive struggles (24th in offensive efficiency, which is actually up from last year) limit their ceiling as a team, but they don’t have the flexibility to make major additions.

It basically comes down to one choice for Boston: make another run at it with this group or start moving veterans for other pieces.

If they keep guys like Pierce and Garnett, there really aren’t many moves to be made. With only the taxpayer MLE and draft picks to work with, they would likely focus on adding a backup center and point guard. Their bigs lack length outside of KG (unless Fab Melo makes a big leap forward) and Rondo is really the only point on the roster.

If they go the other route, things become far less predictable. The timing seems poor to trade Rondo, so he’d probably stay at least for now. Pierce and Garnett would have some value to contenders, but they shouldn’t expect a king’s ransom for either given their advanced age. Players like Avery Bradley and Jeff Green would be key parts of the team in the short term, though they would need to find new centerpieces to complement Rondo (assuming he stays).

Team Outlook- The Celtics are at a crossroads. Pierce and Garnett are nearing the end of their stellar careers and Rondo may not be 100% early in the season due to his ACL recovery. If they choose to keep the team together, they still have the pieces to make the playoffs in a shallow Eastern Conference. However, they could take some steps towards building their next contender.

Brooklyn Nets

2013-14 Contract Commitments- $86.3 million (Includes $1.1 million player option for C.J. Watson)

Free Agents- Andray Blatche, Keith Bogans, Jerry Stackhouse and Josh Childress

Off-season issues- After a flurry of spending last year, the Nets are basically locked into being a really expensive 5-seed. The Nets have some solid offensive talent behind Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez. However, their defense is below average and they lack quality options beyond their big 3.

The Nets should scour the bargain bin looking for “D and 3″ oriented wings. They need better options than Jerry Stackhouse and Keith Bogans off the bench. A solid backup center would also be hugely useful, though it’s frequently difficult to get one on a budget.

Their one saving grace could be the massive expiring deal of Kris Humphries. At $12 million, that could be a very useful piece in trade. It will be trickier to extract a useful piece without the benefit of a sign-and-trade or major assets that they can move though. Taking on someone like Amare Stoudemire or Andrea Bargnani isn’t likely to significantly improve their situation.

Team Outlook- The Nets blew their wad last season, which will make it difficult for them to make significant improvements. They’re an above average team, but they spent a lot of money to get there. Gerald Wallace was a disaster this past season, and Joe Johnson’s contract is going to get even more painful as his play fades. They will need some combination of improved play from those two, some inspired budget additions and a magical Humphries trade to threaten the real contenders.

New York Knicks

2013-14 Contract Commitments- $74.6 million (Includes $2.9 million player option for J.R. Smith, which is likely to be declined. Does not include $3.1 million for Jason Kidd, who announced his retirement.)

Free Agents- J.R. Smith (see above), Renaldo Balkman, Kurt Thomas, Rasheed Wallace, Kenyon Martin, Chris Copeland (restricted) and Pablo Prigioni (restricted)

Off-season Issues- Much like their Brooklyn brethren, the Knicks have a lot of money commited to a solid but not stellar roster. Carmelo Anthony had a great year and they lit teams up from three, but they gave up far too many quality shots on the other end to be dangerous (23rd in eFG%, 18th in defensive efficiency).

The Knicks have some issues with keeping their role players together. Keeping J.R. Smith is crucial since they won’t have the cap space to replace his scoring punch. Their bench takes a huge hit if they can’t keep him. They may have to go well into the tax to do it. Kevin Martin and Pablo Prigioni are also free agents. Both played quite a few minutes in the post-season.

Filling out their roster could be tricky. They only have seven players under contract with Kidd’s retirement and one of them was close to useless this year (Marcus Camby). A veteran minimum starting wing that can defend and hit 3′s would be a godsend. A backup defensive big to spell Chandler would also be huge.

Team Outlook- Melo and Chandler are huge pieces for their team, Iman Shumpert could turn into a nice guard, and Ray Felton is serviceable at the point given their other financial commitments.

The rest of the roster is where things get tricky. Amare Stoudemire is their second best scorer when he’s healthy, but they need to find ways to use him without killing everything else they’re trying to do. Starting him moves Melo back to the 3 and kills their defense, bringing him off the bench limits his scoring potential. They have similar issues with Steve Novak, who is an excellent floor spacer but struggles defensively.

They have to keep Smith whatever the costs, otherwise things are going to get tough for them. After that, they have to plug a few holes depending on what kind of lineup they use.

Philadelphia 76ers

2013-14 Contract Commitments- $45.4 million (includes $2.9 million player option for Kwame Brown)

Free Agents- Andrew Bynum, Nick Young, Dorrell Wright,  Royal Ivey, Damien Wilkins, Jeremy Pargo and Malik Waayns

Off-season Issues- That Andrew Bynum trade didn’t really work out too well. Now the Sixers have a big decision to make on a guy that hasn’t played a minute for their team.

Andrew Bynum fits their needs almost perfectly. Philadelphia really needs help up front and doesn’t have a player that can consistently make shots. Bynum is a great finisher inside (career TS% of 60) and can be a big boost to their interior defense and rebounding.

There’s a giant “if” involved with that last paragraph though. Bynum has trouble staying healthy and his knees are always going to be an issue. I have no idea what his next contract will look like because of that. I would hesitate to give him a big contract, but we frequently see teams lose all sense when big men are involved. This is especially true with Bynum, who is one of the best in the league when he’s actually on the floor.

If the Sixers part ways with Bynum, they’ll have around $10 million to play with under the cap. That may be enough to bring in a significant player, but it’s not enough for them to target the top free agents unless they make some cap-clearing moves. A solid frontcourt player and an efficient wing scorer would be likely targets.

They also have pending contract issues with most of their roster which could force some moves. Only Jrue Holiday and Thaddeus Young are signed past next season (with options for Jason Richardson and Arnett Moultrie).

The most crucial player is Evan Turner, who doesn’t quite fit their existing roster and has a qualifying offer of almost $9 million for next season. He could be trade bait. Spencer Hawes is another guy that may or may not stick around, though they’d need significant new additions in the frontcourt to replace him.

Team Outlook- The Sixers looked like a playoff team at the beginning of the year, but had a disappointing season marred by injury troubles to their big man. Holiday and Young both took solid steps forward, but this team needs serious upgrades to their offense and some more dependable size. Will they take the risk with Bynum again? There may not be better options for them.

Toronto Raptors

2013-14 Contract Commitments- $72.9 million (includes $4.6 million player option for Linas Kleiza and $2.7 million player option for Aaron Gray)

Free Agents- Sebastian Telfair, John Lucas III ($1.6 million team option), Dominic McGuire, Alan Anderson and Mikael Pietrus

Off-season Issues- Toronto made a bold move in acquiring Rudy Gay during the season. His contract is a bit steep, but he’s probably the most talented player they could have spent that money on given that Toronto isn’t exactly a hot free agent destination.

My bigger issue with that acquisition is how he fits with the big contracts already on the roster. Andrea Bargnani ($11 million) and DeMar DeRozan ($9.5 million) are both handsomely compensated for their scoring as well and neither one contributes much in other areas.

One of those players has to go, and it will most likely be Bargnani. The Raptors are probably going to have to eat a bad contract in the move given his recent injury troubles, poor defense and fading shooting accuracy.

Even after dumping Bargnani, there are major issues on the roster. Their frontcourt could use some depth (Ed Davis was more valuable to Toronto than Memphis in my opinion) and they need better shooters. A backup point guard would also help, especially given Kyle Lowry’s injury history. They are capped out and don’t have a first round pick, so any additions are going to be limited.

Team Outlook- Toronto has some talent, but it’s hard to get excited about this roster. Gay and DeRozan don’t complement each other well on the wing and their frontcourt is suspect. I’m sure the plan is to rely on second year players Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross for improvement, who do have some promise. They’re pretty much in NBA hell now and it will take something drastic to escape.

The post NBA Off-Season Primer- Atlantic Division appeared first on Flapship Sports & Entertainment.

I’m going to keep these team notes a little shorter than last time. Instead of writing the same stuff twice, I’ll direct you to the original article I wrote.

College Basketball Preview

Dropped out- Colorado- Andre Roberson going pro definitely hurt their cause.

Also considered- Wichita State (I’m not nearly as high on them as ESPN writers Jason King  or Andy Katz though), Tennessee, UCLA and Iowa

20) Wisconsin Badgers

They always find a way to finish in the top-4 in the Big Ten (Yes, I know have 4 teams ahead of them. Conference standings vs overall standings, ties, ect.). Sam Dekkar should take on a much bigger role this season and the return of Josh Gasser will help.

19) Marquette Golden Eagles

The unexpected defection of Vander Blue is a big blow to Marquette. With their leading scorer moving on, they’ll need more production from a solid freshman class to contend.

18) Virginia Commonwealth Rams

Juvonte Reddick and Treveon Graham will lead the way as VCU presses their way to another solid season.

17) Syracuse Orange

Michael Carter-Williams left as expected, but C.J Fair will be back to lead the team. Syracuse will need several former role players and/or newcomers to step up to be a real threat this year. Look for Jerami Grant to have a breakout season.

16) Indiana Hoosiers

The addition of transfer Evan Gordon gives them a slight bump from the past rankings. They will still need big contributions from players like Noah Vonleh to stay in the Big Ten race.

15) Connecticut Huskies

There weren’t any major changes for the 2013-14 season for UConn. They’ll still have an extremely talented backcourt and some question marks inside.

14) Gonzaga Bulldogs

Kelly Olynyk left for the draft, but their backcourt will still be loaded and they have options up front in Sam Dower and Przemek Karnowski. They should take their usual place as one of the top mid-majors.

Sam Dower is ready to step up.

13) Georgetown Hoyas

Much like last time, I’m a little too high on the Hoyas for my liking. However, if Greg Whittington is eligible, they should be in for a solid regular season (the tournament is another story). They should have a solid backcourt with D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera stepping into a bigger role and a little more depth up front than last year.

12) Memphis Tigers

Adonis Thomas went pro and Tarik Black finally went through with his rumored transfer shortly after I wrote the original article. However, They still have the dangerous perimeter trio of Joe Jackson, Geron Johnson and Chris Crawford. They’re a little green inside, but sophomore Shaq Goodwin and freshman Austin Nichols have the talent to step up.

11) North Carolina Tar Heels

They slipped a little in my rankings with Reggie Bullock going pro, but they still have some interesting players. P.J. Hairston was a scoring machine after he joined the starting lineup and James Michael McAdoo is still an elite talent. They will need more help from Marcus Paige and newcomers Isaiah Hicks, Kennedy Meeks and Nate Britt with Bullock moving on.

10) Michigan Wolverines

The Wolverines lost their starting backcourt to the NBA, but they still have enough talent to be a major threat in the Big Ten. Mitch McGary, the tournament’s breakout star, will be back as well as gifted wing players Glen Robinson III and Nick Stauskas. If freshmen Zak Irvin and Derrick Walton can be anywhere near as productive as last year’s group, the Wolverines won’t slip much. Still, it’s hard to call them a true favorite until we see how they play without superstar Trey Burke.

9) Oklahoma State Cowboys

The other OSU shoots up the rankings because Marcus Smart surprisingly stayed in school. He likely would have been the #2 pick in the draft, but he’s back to try to lead the Cowboys to a conference championship. He needs to improve his shooting efficiency, but he will be one of the most talented players in the country.

Besides a top-tier point guard, Oklahoma State will also have a number of talented wing players led by fellow draft prospect Le’Bryan Nash. Their frontcourt isn’t as strong and they’ll need to improve their outside shooting, but their athleticism and defense will make them difficult to handle.

8) Kansas Jayhawks

The Jayhawks won the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes, which drastically improves their outlook (I know I had them at 12 in the original, but that was me reaching for options more than real faith). They still have more question marks than the teams in front of them (especially at PG), but adding a talent like Wiggins can pay huge dividends. Memphis transfer Tarik Black is nearly as important given their lack of proven options up front. That addition takes a lot of pressure off Perry Ellis and newcomer Joel Embiid.

7) Ohio State Buckeyes

They will definitely have to adjust without Deshaun Thomas, but there is still talent on the roster. They strong at the point with Aaron Craft and Shannon Scott and have a variety of athletic wing players led by LaQuinton Ross and Sam Thompson. They’re not particularly strong inside, but they should get by with Amir Williams.

6) Louisville Cardinals

Rick Pitino’s team should put up a solid title defense. Losing Gorgui Dieng is a big blow. However, several key players from this year’s team will be back, led by Russ Smith. Montrezl Harrell will have to step up inside and newcomers Chris Jones and Terry Rozier have big shoes to fill at the point.

5) Duke Blue Devils

Duke has some question marks in the paint, but they’re loaded on the perimeter. Jabari Parker has star potential and transfer Rodney Hood was solid as a freshman. With Quinn Cook and Rasheed Sulaimon back, the Blue Devils will be able to spread the floor. If Amile Jefferson, Josh Hairston and Marshall Plumlee can protect the paint, they should get a #1 seed.

4) Arizona Wildcats

Grant Jerrett unexpectedly went pro, but the Wildcats should be fine. Nick Johnson and Duquense transfer T.J. McConnell form a dangerous backcourt that will complement their deep frontcourt. Freshman Aaron Gordon is expected to make a big impact and Kaleb Tarczewski and Brandon Ashley could take a leap forward this year.

3) Michigan State Spartans

Gary Harris and Adreian Payne both spurned the draft, so the Spartans will be a force to be reckoned with next year. They should both be All-American candidates. Keith Appling is also back to run the offense and Branden Dawson could break out given his physical gifts. That’s a solid core of veteran players that few teams can match.

2) Florida Gators

The Gators aren’t quite as loaded as their SEC rival, but your team is in good shape when top-10 recruits like Kasey Hill and Chris Walker might not start. Patric Young bypassed the draft to anchor the defense again and Scottie Wilbekin will keep the offense on track. Transfers Damontre Harris and Dorian Finney-Smith will bolster a roster that already had several promising players.

1) Kentucky Wildcats

Noel and Goodwin left as expected, but Calipari’s team is still loaded with young talent. Julius Randle and Andrew Harrison could both be top-5 picks next year and several others could eventually make the lottery. The main questions will be chemistry related since they have more than enough talent and depth to win it all.

There you have it – the post draft entry deadline college basketball preview. Feel free to mock me below!

The post College Basketball Preview – Post Draft Entry Deadline appeared first on Flapship Sports & Entertainment.

8.5 hours.

OMG that’s 37 minutes per episode. Commercial free.

Let’s dive into this.

Season 1 is 22 episodes. Minus commercials they clock in around 21 minutes. 21*22 = 462 minutes

Season 4′s 15 episodes run an average of 37 minutes! 37*15 = 555 minutes

Thus, Arrested Development Season 4 will contain way more content than any season previously released. Why is no one talking about this? We’re getting way more content than I’d expected!

I just blue myself.

The post Arrested Development Season 4 will be longest season yet appeared first on Flapship Sports & Entertainment.

1) Cleveland Cavaliers- Nerlens Noel, PF, Kentucky

The Cavs seem to have all the luck. However, this pick doesn’t look like as much of a home run as their last two #1 picks.

They could really use a small forward, which makes Otto Porter a possibility. Ben McLemore could work too assuming Dion Waiters is a full-time bench player. They definitely need outside shooting.

However, they also need defensive help, and I don’t think you can make a #1 pick based on positional need. You have to go for the top talent, the guy who’s most likely to make a major impact on your franchise.

Assuming he’s healthy, that’s Noel. He’s not a great scorer, but Nerlens can make a huge impact on the defensive end. He has real potential as a rim-protector and has the agility to cover the pick and roll as well. Anderson Varejao is a solid center, but he’s had serious injury issues and only has two years left on his contract.

Porter would be the safe pick, giving them a solid, well-rounded player at a position of need. However, Noel has more star potential and big men with his length and athleticism are hard to come by. Thus, he’s our top pick in the first 2013 NBA Mock Draft.

Fuck that kid.

2) Orlando Magic- Trey Burke, PG, Michigan

Burke may not be the #2 player on the board (though you can make that argument), but he makes the most sense for the Magic. They appear to have long-term options at center (Nikola Vucevic), forward (Tobias Harris and Maurice Harkless) and shooting guard (Arron Afflalo). Point guard looks like their biggest area of need, though you can’t rule out Ben McLemore based on value.

Orlando likely would have preferred Marcus Smart, but point guard is a big need for them and Burke was extremely productive at Michigan. He doesn’t have the physical gifts of past top picks at the position, but Trey has more advanced point guard skills than most prospects and can produce as a scorer or passer. There’s some question how well he’ll be able to penetrate at the NBA level, but you could do worse when it comes to point guard prospects.

3) Washington Wizards- Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown

This is a great fit for Washington since he’s arguably the top prospect on the board and fits an area of need. A big man also would have worked, but with Noel gone there aren’t any stellar options near the top of this draft. With John Wall and Brad Beal entrenched in the backcourt, small forward is the next logical target. Martell Webster and Trevor Ariza aren’t exactly answers at the position.

Porter might be the safest prospect in this draft. He has great length and a high skill level that allows him to make plays in a number of ways. He should minimally be solid and has the potential to be a Luol Deng type wing player. With no stellar option up front, that seems like a no-brainer for the Wizards.

4) Charlotte Bobcats- Ben McLemore, SG/SF, Kansas

Michael Jordan and Rich Cho will probably do backflips if this happens. They need more talent wherever they can get it, and McLemore is a viable option at any spot before them. While they need frontcourt help pretty desperately, the value at this spot is way too high.

McLemore was very good at Kansas, averaging 16 points on only 11 shots. He is a top-tier athlete and has a great shot from deep. He needs to be more aggressive and will need to improve his ball-handling and ability to create his own shot. However, he has as much upside as anyone in this class and should minimally be a starter in the league.

5) Phoenix Suns- Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana

The Suns are a mess right now, so you could argue they’d take a guy at any position if they felt he was the best talent. That said, they’re not likely to get an upgrade over what they have at point guard or up front.

Shooting guard is definitely a spot where they can upgrade though and Oladipo is an interesting player. He has always been a great athlete, but this year he showed progress offensively. He made more of an impact attacking the rim and was more consistent with his outside shot. Given his effort level and defense, he’s definitely a guy that should stay in the league for a while. There are questions about his scoring ceiling, but he’s the best option in an underwhelming draft.

6) New Orleans Pelicans- Shabazz Muhammad, SG/SF, UCLA

The Pelicans (it’s going to take me a while to get used to that) have a tough decision here. The presumed top targets are gone and they don’t have as many glaring needs as most teams near the top of the draft. They seem relatively set in the backcourt (Eric Gordon, Greivis Vasquez and Austin Rivers) and I don’t see them taking a power forward with The Unibrow on the roster. Center (Alex Len or Rudy Gobert) could be an option if they don’t think Davis can handle the 5 down the road, want a big, physical option to complement Davis and Ryan Anderson and/or they don’t trust Robin Lopez.

Small forward makes the most sense to me given that they don’t have a legit option at the position. Shabazz had a disappointing season where he didn’t show much outside of scoring and rebounding. That said, he’s a solid athlete with good length that should make an impact defensively. He’ll score, but may not do it efficiently and could struggle to get his own shot. However, he’s worth the shot on a rookie deal.

7) Sacramento Kings- Michael Carter-Williams, PG, Syracuse

Who knows with the Kings. They have a lot of players with some talent, but the pieces don’t totally fit together. I’d assume they don’t take a power forward with Jason Thompson and Patrick Patterson on the roster. Center probably isn’t a high priority with DeMarcus Cousins hanging around. It’s hard to know what they’ll do on the wings with Marcus Thornton and Tyreke Evans (temporarily) on the roster. Point guard could be another target even though Isaiah Thomas played well down the stretch.

Given that there’s no obvious wing player pick, we’ll go with Carter-Williams. He just looks like the kind of guy the Kings would take. He has the physical tools to be a solid player down the road, but still needs a lot of work on his shooting and decision-making.

8) Detroit Pistons- Anthony Bennett, PF, UNLV

While he’s not a perfect fit, I think the Pistons go with Bennett. They really need a small forward, but would have to reach in order to take one. He’s the best talent on the board and could conceivably end up as a small forward.

Given his athletic profile and skill set, I’d say he’s more of a power forward though. He has the bulk of an NBA 4, can finish inside and is a capable rebounder. He shot the three well in college, but it’s not the strongest part of his game. I’m also not sure he has the ball-handling ability to create his own shot from the perimeter. Defense is also an issue no matter which spot he plays.

I think he can be solid if given the chance to play the 4, but will struggle if forced to play the 3. It seems like he’d play more small forward in Detroit. They did start Jason Maxiell at the power forward spot, but that was likely as a placeholder for Andre Drummond.

9) Minnesota Timberwolves- Alex Len, C, Maryland

They have their starters inside with Kevin Love and Nikola Pekovic, but they could use some insurance since both have had injury issues. He could also potentially replace Love if he leaves in free agency/gets traded. The T-Wolves could really use a shooting guard with a good outside shot, but that seems like a bit of a reach at this spot.

Len was mentioned as a top-5 pick earlier in the year, but his stock has slipped a bit due to inconsistency (and a foot issue more recently). He certainly looks the part with good length, solid athleticism and good touch around the rim. However, he had numerous games where he didn’t make the impact that his talent would suggest. Part of that may be due to inconsistent guard play at Maryland preventing him from getting the ball in the right spots, but many will point to a lack of aggressiveness. He’ll also have to add strength to live up to his potential.

10) Portland Trailblazers- C.J. McCollum, PG, Lehigh

The Blazers are fairly set in their starting lineup, but could really use some production off their bench. McCollum would give them a scorer/ball-handler that can contribute at both guard spots. He was absolutely lighting up scoreboards before a foot injury ended his season with solid efficiency.

11) Philadelphia 76ers- Cody Zeller, PF/C, Indiana

The Sixers thought they had their answer inside when they acquired Andrew Bynum, but he’s going to be a free agent after playing zero minutes this year. Even if he comes back, they could probably use a power forward that has the ability to play the high post and cover the pick-and-roll. If Bynum doesn’t come back, a big man who can run the floor and be a threat offensively would definitely help. That could be Zeller.

Zeller has lost some momentum with his stock, but he’s still an athletic, skilled big man who can make plays in transition. He definitely needs to bulk up and occasionally struggled against length at Indiana. However, he can be a solid offensive option if he shows off his jumper more often with his mobility and finishing ability.

12) Oklahoma City Thunder- Steven Adams, C, Pitt

I don’t suppose they could somehow use this pick to get James Harden back, right?

With Kevin Martin hitting the free agent market, they could really use another scorer that can stretch the floor. There aren’t a lot of good options at this point, with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as the only realistic option.

While they could go that route, Adams makes a lot more sense to me. They have to be thinking about a defense-minded center at some point to replace Kendrick Perkins, whose salary is out-pacing his production. This pick also doubles as a high-upside pick to add a piece that would be difficult to acquire at a reasonable cost. Adams isn’t a finished product yet, but his size and defensive prowess could pay big dividends down the road.

13) Dallas Mavericks- Rudy Gobert, C, France

Admittedly, I don’t know much about Gobert other than the fact that he’s huge (9’7″ standing reach!). The Mavs eventually need to start rebuilding and going foreign could be the route they go to add a high upside player. His size would definitely be helpful considering Chris Kaman is going to be a free agent and they are probably going to horde their cap space to go after Dwight Howard.

I could also see them going after Dario Saric, another foreigner that I can’t intelligently comment on other than he’s a 6’10″ guy that can handle the ball.

The real question in this draft is who goes #2? Our 2013 NBA Mock Draft thinks it’s Trey Burke.

14) Utah Jazz- Shane Larkin, PG, Miami

The Jazz really need to add a young point guard with potential one of these years. Most teams would kill to have talents like Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter inside and a promising wing like Gordon Hayward. Tossing Mo Williams and Randy Foye out there at the point though is far from ideal.

Larkin is small for an NBA point guard, but he’s very quick and can hit the three. Finishing inside is probably going to be a problem for him at the next level, but that will be less crucial for the Jazz given they can pound it inside.

15) Milwaukee Bucks- Dario Saric, SF, Croatia

Yeah, I don’t really know what to think of the Bucks. They were relatively solid at every position last year, but all three of their starting caliber guards will be free agents. They might be in a position where they really need a point guard, though finding one at this point in the draft won’t be easy.

I’ll just throw in the top-rated guy on most of the prospect guides I’ve looked at and move on.

16) Boston Celtics- Gorgui Dieng, PF/C, Louisville

I’m going to assume they’ll keep the team together, so they could really use a lengthy defender. KG is getting old and their other bigs are a bit undersized.

Dieng isn’t much of an offensive threat, but he was the defensive anchor for an elite defensive team. He has the length and instincts for that to carry over to the next level.

Grabbing a point guard as an injury fill-in/backup for Rondo is an option too, though the players left at the position aren’t exactly thrilling.

17) Atlanta Hawks- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG/SF, Georgia

18) Atlanta Hawks- Mason Plumlee, PF/C, Duke

Most of Atlanta’s roster is going to hit free agency, so there are a ton of different directions they can go. Al Horford and Jeff Teague are the only guys I would guess will be back, so I’m going to assume they pick up a couple of athletic options.

Pope may not have star potential, but he put up solid numbers for a bad Georgia team. He’s a decent athlete that can hit the 3, but isn’t likely to be a top scoring option.

Plumlee has always been an explosive player, but he finally flashed more skills this season. I’m still not sure he’s more than an interesting backup, but it never hurts to add size when the opportunity presents itself.

19) Cleveland Cavaliers- Tim Hardaway Jr., SG, Michigan

Since I had the Cavs going big at #1, they need to fill their other need and grab a wing that can shoot here. Hardaway has always been an intriguing player even if the production hasn’t always been there. He has good length and is an impressive athlete that can finish above the rim. He can also hit the 3, though he’s been somewhat streaky over his career. He’s not going to create his own shot with regularity, but that’s less of an issue on a roster that features Kyrie Irving.

20) Chicago Bulls- Reggie Bullock, SG/SF, North Carolina

I expect the Bulls to go one of two routes: a defensive-minded center or a wing player that can hit the 3. I think Coach Thibodeau would have an orgasm if they could get Gorgui Dieng, but he’s off the board. Mason Plumlee wouldn’t have been bad either. The next option would be Jeff Withey, but he’s probably a little slow for their liking. Center probably makes more sense given that they can find wings on the cheap in free agency, but the options aren’t stellar.

So, that’s why I have them going with Bullock. He has good length and stellar range on his jumper. He also has the ability to finish at the rim and developed into a decent ball-handler. He’s not going to end the team’s long quest to find a legitimate shot-creator next to Rose, but he would give them another option besides playing Deng and Butler 48 minutes per game next year.

21) Utah Jazz- Dennis Schroeder, PG, Germany

Doubling up on point guards? Sure, why not?

Schroeder made a name for himself at the Nike Hoop Summit with his athleticism. He’s very quick and can do some damage off penetration. He also has the length to make an impact defensively. He still needs some work, but I’ve seen a few writeups comparing him to Rajon Rondo.

22) Brooklyn Nets- Jeff Withey, C, Kansas

The Nets defense can use some work and they’re unlikely to find a starter at this point. Withey is the biggest impact defender left and they can use a backup for Lopez anyways.

Withey is a little slow and isn’t going to set the world on fire offensively, but he definitely has the size and shot-blocking instincts to hold up inside.

23) Indiana Pacers- Kelly Olynyk, C, Gonzaga

I think the Pacers would be pretty happy if they could get Olynyk at this spot. They need some more offensive punch off the bench and Kelly was one of the most dangerous scorers in college basketball. He can score down low or step out and hit jumpers. He’s likely to have issues with defense and rebounding, but he should get by coming off the bench.

24) New York Knicks- Allen Crabbe, SG/SF, Cal

The Knicks can use another wing and love 3′s, so Crabbe could be their guy. He can shoot the ball from anywhere on the floor and has good length. He’s not a stellar athlete and could struggle to guard SF’s, but would still help their depth quite a bit.

25) Los Angeles Clippers- Jamal Franklin, SG/SF, San Diego State

The Clippers were already pretty solid, so the best athlete makes sense here. Franklin was a beast at SDSU, racking up an unusual number of rebounds for a player his size while leading the team in scoring as well. He’s not a great shooter, but he can do virtually everything else. He could be a very interesting player off the bench for a contender.

26) Minnesota Timberwolves- Glenn Rice Jr., SG, D-League

As I mentioned earlier, The T-Wolves desperately need some help at shooting guard. Rice wasn’t stellar at Georgia Tech, but has been very good in the D-League. He’s a good athlete but is streaky from outside. That last part is less than ideal for Minnesota, but we’re at the 26th pick in a weak draft.

27) Denver Nuggets- Sergey Karasev, SF, Russia

The Nuggets don’t necessarily have an immediate need for production, so they can take a risk on a foreigner. He has a reputation as a good shooter, which is something they can use.

28) San Antonio Spurs- Lucas Noguiera, PF/C, Brazil

Yeah, I’m on the run of foreigners. The Spurs have a history of taking a chance on guys that may or may not join the team in the hopes of future rewards. Noguiera is a raw big man, but San Antonio can be patient with him.

29) Oklahoma City Thunder- Archie Goodwin, SG, Kentucky

As I said before, the Thunder are going to need another scorer at some point. This late in the draft, it’s worth taking a shot on Goodwin’s raw talent. He’s a solid athlete that can get to the rim, but needs some work on his outside shot and decision-making.

30) Phoenix Suns- Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Greece

Honestly, I just wanted to type that mouthful (Alright, I copy/pasted. Whatever). Apparently he’s an extremely raw prospect with great length and some ball skills. I don’t know, I just like that name.

The post Flapship’s 2013 NBA Mock Draft appeared first on Flapship Sports & Entertainment.

Why Monster Week is AMAZING

The centerpiece show during Monster Week is River Monsters.  “Extreme angler” Jeremy Wade travels the globe to investigate deaths and attacks on humans by large fish.  He goes everywhere from Thailand, India, Indonesia, South America, Central America.  He even fishes the cooling pond at Chernobyl in the Ukraine.  No, he doesn’t catch a three-eyed fish, but it’s all still fascinating.  Seven times out of ten, he catches a giant catfish.  Some as huge as a small bear.  He even does experiments with various sea creatures.  Jumping into shallow lakes and surrounding himself with eels, sitting in a pool with piranhas, letting vampire like lamprey eels bite him.  Crazy shit.  This dude is determined!  And yes, he looks like an older, British Joel McHale.  In the season finale, which airs next Monday, he’s going to fish Loch Ness in Scotland!

What. The. Fuck.

In addition to River Monsters, you can catch up on episodes of Finding Bigfoot during Monster Week. A show which is more ripe for comedy than thrills and chills.  I’m still waiting for a witness to describe a sasquatch’s massive, swinging dick.  The term “Squatchy” will enter your personal lexicon.  Seriously, one of the bigfoot hunters is named Bobo.  BOBO!

Are you super-psyched to watch a special about a giant, man eating crocodile the size of a school bus?  What about a show about huge Burmese pythons?  How about a couple of specials about scientists hunting for THE KRAKEN!  Deep sea diving to film an actual colossal squid!  I’m running out of different words for giant!  If that doesn’t tickle your pickle, then how about a couple of specials on mermaids?!  Video, witness accounts and even an actual mermaid corpse!  DAMMMMNNNNN!!!

If you need more reasons why you should never, ever get in any body of water other than a pool… wait, sometimes there are alligators in pools.  So, don’t get in your pool either.  Anyway, tune in to Monster Week like right now.  Set your DVR’s and thank me later.

Let us know what you think in the comments below!

The post The Best Thing You’re Not Watching: Monster Week appeared first on Flapship Sports & Entertainment.

Even with this week’s big returns in TNA, this biggest news may be a departure.  D’Lo Brown apparently D’Lo’d his way right out of Aces and Eights on Impact! by first stepping on the young guys’ toes by insisting that he face Kurt Angle, then swearing on his colors that he would take care of Kurt Angle, then making his match with Angle an “I Quit” match and finally tapping out when reinforcements didn’t arrive.  Sure, Bully Ray and Ken Anderson kind of screwed D’Lo by not sending in the troops, but even when he hadn’t been retired for 10 years, when was D’Lo Brown and Kurt Angle ever even close to a fair fight?  While Anderson stands to move up in the organization with Brown’s departure, it is unclear what motivated Bully Ray to turn on the man who had been his key mole.  Regardless of why, D’Lo Brown went from the very powerful position of Vice President of Aces and Eights to a man without a country…

Over on WWE programming, D’Lo’s old Nation of Domination cohort, Mark Henry and the epitome of what the NOI stood against, Sheamus really kicked their differences of opinion into high gear with a combination of tomfoolery and feats of strength.  On Raw, Mark Henry beat Tensai and then Brodus Clay in successive tugs-of-war, reminding the world just how entertaining and impressive Mark Henry’s exhibition’s can be.  Then, The World’s Strongest Man almost beat Sheamus in a tug-of-war, but The Great White let go of the rope so Henry would fall and then Brogue Kicked him.  Next, on SmackDown, The Pride of Silsbee, Texas beat Sheamus at arm wrestling, only to have the shifty Irishman sucker him into a left-handed rematch that ended in another Brogue Kick…

Brief Results

4.29.13  WWE Monday Night Raw

Ricardo Rodriguez (with Alberto Del Rio) rolled up Zeb Colter (with Jack Swagger) to beat Big E Langston (with Dolph Ziggler and AJ Lee) and Colter in a triple threat match for the right to name the stipulation for the World Title match at Extreme Rules.  Let me tell you, there were shenanigans.

Randy Orton beat Cody Rhodes when he countered a Disaster Kick with an RKO.

Naomi (with Cameron) defeated Brie Bella (with Nikki) by disqualification when the Bellas twinned out and got caught.

Dolph Ziggler (with AJ Lee and Big E Langston) Zig Zagged Kofi Kingston to prove that (just like before he was champion) Dolph Ziggler is better than Kofi Kingston.

Jack Swagger (with Zeb Colter) forced Zack Ryder to tap to The Patriot Lock.

Alberto Del Rio (with Ricardo Rodriguez) forced Antonio Cesaro to tap out to the Border Cross Armbreaker and then announced that the World Title Match at Extreme Rules will be a ladder match (which I’m not sure even favors him).

The Shield defeated John Cena and Team Hell No! in a six-man tag team match when Cena’s leg gave out and Roman Reigns capitalized with a spear.

5.1.13  WWE Main Event

Kofi Kingston defended the United States Championship against Antonio Cesaro using Trouble in Paradise.  This was a great match and the icing on the cake was Cesaro’s post match beatdown of Kingston, which he walked away from with a handful of dreads.

Justin Gaybriel beat Heath Slater with a 450 Splash.

5.2.13  TNA Impact Wrestling

Chris Sabin beat Zema Ion and Sonjay Dutt in an X-Division match when he pinned Ion with a cradle piledriver.

Rob Terry beat Joey Ryan, Robbie E and Jesse Godderz in a 3-on-1 handicap match when he hit Ryan with a Freakbuster.

Kurt Angle forced D’Lo Brown to tap to the Angle Lock.

Taryn Terrell and Mickie James beat Gail Kim and Tara in a tag team match when Terrell rolled up Tara for the pin.

Sting beat Matt Morgan to earn a shot at Bully Ray’s World Title when The Blueprint passed out in the Scorpion Deathlock.

5.3.13  WWE Friday Night SmackDown

Ryback beat a very game Daniel Bryan with Shellshocked.

Fandango beat Zack Ryder with a top rope leg drop.

Alberto Del Rio/Ricardo Rodriguez beat Dolph Ziggler/Big E Langston (with AJ Lee) and Jack Swagger/Zeb Colter when Ziggler tapped to the Border Cross Armbreaker.

Randy Orton defeated Damien Sandow with an RKO.

Dean Ambrose pinned Kane after hitting a headlock driver, thanks to a distraction caused by the rest of Shield.

Special Recognition

YouTube Special:  Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes

Sign of the Week:  “I (Heart) Horse Men” – It’s either broken English professing a sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with or something much darker.  Either way it wins.

Line of the Week:  Dolph Ziggler, in assessing Zeb Colter’s chances against Ricardo Rodriguez: “He’s got that old man strength.”

Gyne of the Week:  Kaitlyn – Apparently she’s acquired a secret admirer and I’d like to remind her that she also has many overt admirers.

The post Weekly Wrestling Wrecap #22 appeared first on Flapship Sports & Entertainment.

Baseball hardly qualifies as a “high-impact” sport,  however, in the last week we have seen a prime example for the two avoidable (or much more easily controlled) concerns for irreparable harm in the game.   One is a concern toward player safety, the other being a perfect example of safety being used against the game.

Using Safety Against the Spirit of the Game

I start with this because it’s the far less discussed tenet underlying player safety concerns in MLB.  On May 1st, AJ Pierzykski entered the batters’ box as a pinch hitter for the Texas Rangers down 5-2 with 2 outs in the 9th inning.  Addison Reed throws an inside slider that has a little too much high-and-tight swing to it.  AJ gets hit.  Before I go any further let me preface this by saying that, unlike many, I’m indifferent towards AJ Pierzynski. My gut says he’s a great teammate but a prick on the street. It really doesn’t matter though for this issue.

Juuuust a bit inside.

Sadly the video replay has been pulled across the board, but I’ll do what I can by providing a video of what one of the best baseball minds in the game says about the matter.  I will never go on the record saying that guys shouldn’t be able to protect themselves with whatever body armor they feel necessary in sport (within reason).  You are reading from the same guy that quit his baseball career by age 12 because he was scared shitless of being beaned.  I can’t imagine what a 90+ mph pitch striking muscle feels like, let alone bone.

What I am saying though is that we’re, on occasion, seeing an unintended consequence of this protection by players leaning into pitches to get a base (see screen capture above).  Once upon a time there was a level of acceptable tact to this practice.  If you had the mental fortitude to see a ball coming in at you and – in that second – deduce that you could let it hit you as it’s hitting a safe fat/muscle laden area of the body, you ‘earned’ the base. You paid your due by way of a stinging bruise.  The reason “taking one for the team” (like Roger Dorn in the video below) is acceptable is that it’s your body’s natural instinct to get the fuck out of the way of the ball.

It’s a feat in all-that-is-manly testosterone to just stand in there and take one.  AJ provided us with the absolute worst-case scenario of body armor.  Because of this bionic elbow padding, AJ shows absolutely no concern to avoid this pitch as it tails in toward him, not one iota.  In fact he clearly has an OPPOSITE reaction and leans his elbow into the pitch.  I’m trying my hardest not to take it a step further and point out that he then jaws at the pitcher like there was intent behind it. Eh, like Steve Stone eloquently put it, that’s just AJ being AJ.  The underlying issue transcends this one player.  This issue, which seemingly started with Barry Bonds, isn’t an epidemic by any stretch yet, but something MLB and its fans will need to keep an eye on going forward.  I’m all for player protection, but when they use that protection to essentially cheat the system and impede on the spirit of the game, we have issues.  Hopefully MLB has already started contacting players about this baseball version of “flopping” before fans really start getting a whiff of its putrid stench.

Batters are in Full Armor, but Pitchers Wear Nothing

May 7th.  JA Happ throws Desmond Jennings one of a thousand pitches in MLB for the evening, except this one comes back at 120mph with a return ticket back into Happ’s skull.  It’s happened before. See: Bryce Florie.

My biggest issue with this is that much like player safety in the NFL, sweeping reform will not take place until a player is killed on the field.  It’s the ultimate in a reactive vs. preventative culture.  In the case of the NFL, I’m a bit more sympathetic to the cause.  This game is predicated on brutal violence.  You risk pieces of your fanbase every time you soften the game. Like I said above, these are our gladiators, and this is our coliseum.

In baseball, however, things are so much more preventable without damaging the fabric of the game.  I mean, these guys are on the mound a mere 60 feet and 6 inches away from the bat.  Presuming your 90mph heater gets deposited right back down your throat at around 120mph, we can use simple math to note that you will be given a whopping one-third of ONE second to react to this missile.  Good luck with that.

JA Happ had no chance of avoiding this result.

The reason these injuries aren’t rampant, the same reason that no one does anything proactive to protect themselves, is that it takes a perfect storm of events to reach a catastrophic conclusion.  It’s human nature to weigh the pros and cons of any situation.  A face guard is obtrusive, both visually to the viewer and physically to the player.  That said, I refuse to believe that technology cannot produce a light-weight, durable-yet comfortable face guard option for a pitcher.  The rare times I am called upon to pitch for a 12″ softball league, you better believe I’m at least wearing a mouth guard and leaning back after the pitch just like that scared 12-year old kid in the batters box.

In reality, this is an issue that needs to be addressed from the youth ranks upward. This actually is an ongoing debate at the youth levels, and it kind of scares me at how many parents argue on the side of tradition in this one.  Sure, it’s going happen to one in a thousand kids, hell maybe one in ten-thousand.  And of those, that comebacker maybe only has a fractional chance of truly scarring your kid for life, if not worse.  But this isn’t some “country gone soft” issue.  It’s a very serious issue and if we started the kids with proper protection from the get-go, then it wouldn’t be obtrusive to them going forward because it would just be “another piece of equipment” that they are used to.

Every single player is expected to protect their testicles, but who gives a shit if they bust their face wide open and damage their brain?

Welcome to the coliseum.  Are you not entertained????

The post Protection in Major League Baseball (a rant) appeared first on Flapship Sports & Entertainment.

This is what I’ve posted on a couple of message boards and then a less annoying one to Facebook. So you know that means I like it a lot. Why exactly is that, you might ask? Why do I love Frank Turner’s ‘Tape Deck Heart’ so damn much? Well, let me tell you.

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard the soon-to-be-mega-single from the album – “Recovery”. If you haven’t, well, check it out:

When you’re done listening to that for the 18th time straight, let’s get on with the rest of the album. The true “OMFG” songs are easily the aforementioned “Recovery”, as well as just plain fantastic, artful, and expansive tracks like “Losing Days” and “Plain Sailing Weather”. If you have no idea who Frank Turner is, I absolutely adore Rolling Stone’s summary of him: “The onetime singer of U.K. hardcore band Million Dead, Frank Turner is a grown-ass Englishman who turns out highly quotable, sometimes deliriously catchy rants about life after punk.”

He’s right. He does.

‘Tape Deck Heart’ is actually Frank’s 5th album, and it’s 12 tracks of awesome. Of course, if you download the iTunes version, you get 5 extra tunes giving you a meaty 17 track album to have on pretty much all day long. Turner is a fantastically capable musician, who mixes sounds – any given song can be both sad, happy, slow, exciting. Just try to get through “Four Simple Words” – which is simply about the dude wanting to dance – without wanting to do so yourself… or at least bob your head and get all excited.

So with Frank Turner’s “Tape Deck Heart”, I can safely say I’ve found the first “leave it on all day on repeat” album of Summer.

9/10

The post Frank Turner ‘Tape Deck Heart’ Review appeared first on Flapship Sports & Entertainment.

The Undertaker was all over WWE TV this week, and I‘m not talking about video packages or promos.  These were actual new matches on free television.  On Raw, The Deadman teamed with his brother and Daniel Bryan to face The Shield in a six-man tag team match that tore the house down.  The match itself was absolutely captivating (and I’m not huge on six-man tags) and I have to assume it was the career highlight for all three members of The Shield.  Then Taker went toe to toe with Dean Ambrose on SmackDown, finishing The Shield’s finest with Hell’s Gate (which should have stayed The Devil’s Triangle, since it’s a triangle choke).  It was a treat to see so much Deadman and it speaks volumes about the potential WWE management see in the Shield, Dean Ambrose in particular.  In what has to be considered a response to/attempt to capitalize on Big Evil’s return, TNA even brought back their own dark icon: Sting (who saved Hulk Hogan from Aces and Eights, baseball bat style)…

Apparently Ryback took umbrage with some remarks made by Mick Foley and he called out the Hall of Famer on Raw.  After the usual “friends try to talk some sense into Foley” sequence of events (during which John Cena gave Mick a chair), The Mickster confronted Ryback in the ring.  The confrontation saw Ryback take Foley’s chair and bow up, but Cena made the save before any harm came to the legend.  Then, the aggressor became the victim as Shield descended on Ryback.  At first, JC acted like he was going to lay back and watch the beating, like Ryback did last week.  But finally, Cena’s conscience got the better of him and he made the save, running off The Hounds of Justice.  Then Cena’s dislkike for Ryback got the better of his conscience, and he FU’d The Big Hungry to end Raw…

Brief Results

4.22.13  WWE Monday Night Raw (Cordelia Day Edition)

R-Truth beat Antonio Cesaro pretty quickly with a Little Jimmy.  So, not only is Cesaro capable of losing to Americans, he is particularly vulnerable to black people.  They should book Cesaro against Otunga so we can see just how black you have to be.

Damien Sandow (with Cody Rhodes) dragged the neck of Brodus Clay (with Sweet T and The Funkadactyls) across the top rope and rolled him up with a handful of tights for the win.

Dolph Ziggler (with AJ Lee and Big E Langston) hit a Zig Zag to beat Chris Jericho (who was distracted by Fandango’s music).

Sweet Tensai (with Brodus Clay and The Funkadactyls) beat Cody Rhodes (with Damien Sandow) using a Senton Splash.

Big E Langston beat Zack Ryder with The Big Ending.

Dean Ambrose dodged a diving head butt and hooked both of Daniel Bryan’s legs to propel The Shield to victory over The Undertaker and Team Hell No!.

Fandango beat William Regal with that dip into a Flatliner move.

AJ Lee beat Aksana, Naomi, Tamina and Layla in a #1 Contender’s Divas Battle Royal by pretending she was knocked out in the center of the ring for the whole match then running the swerve from the end of Saw.

4.24.13  WWE Main Event

The show kicked off with JBL goading Mark Henry into a 4 man gauntlet match.  First, The World’s Strongest Man beat one Uso after another in short order.  Then he kicked out of a Cobra from Santino Marella to hit The World’s Strongest Slam for another win.  Unfortunately, The Great Khali (with Hornswoggle and Nattie) proved to be a little more difficult, and, after taking a Hindu Chop, Henry rolled out of the ring and was counted out.

4.25.13  TNA Impact! Wrestling

Taryn Terrell surprised Tara (now from Chicago, IL?) by rolling her up for the pin when the veteran started the kicking-dirt-onto-her routine.

Rob Terry beat Jesse Godderz (with Robbie E).

Los Mexicanos retained the TNA Tag Team Championships against Austin Aries and Bobby Roode when Christopher Daniels (who had been running down Aries on commentary for the whole match) accidentally took out Roode and Chavo cleaned up with a frogsplash.

Velvet Sky used a rollup to successfully defend the Knockouts Championship against Mickie James, despite suffering a leg injury.

4.26.13  WWE Friday Night SmackDown

Jack Swagger (with Zeb Colter) beat Alberto Del Rio (with Ricardo Rodriguez) in a no disqualification match by wearing him out with a kendo stick and throwing a ladder on him, then finishing him with a gutwrench powerbomb.

Layla beat Aksana with a pinning combination she calls Infinity.

Big Show KO Punched Sheamus off of the top rope (just cleaned his fucking clock) for the win when Mark Henry caused a distraction.

Wade Barrett dodged a Knee Trembler and hit a Bullhammer on William Regal in a startlingly short match.

Mark Henry beat Randy Orton by disqualification when Sheamus ran in and Brogue Kicked the World’s Strongest Man.

The Undertaker forced Dean Ambrose to tap to Hell’s Gate.

Special Recognition

YouTube Special:  The Undertaker and Team Hell No! vs. The Shield.

Sign of the Week:  “Swagger, work permit?” (in England)

Line of the Week:  “[ODB] looks a little bit like Steven Van Zandt with a boob job”- taz

Gyne of the Week:  Tara.  P.S. Chicago has bottomless strip clubs.

The post Weekly Wrestling Wrecap #21 appeared first on Flapship Sports & Entertainment.

Rose has jumped up and down excitedly as the Bulls knocked off the higher-seeded Nets. Then came Game 1 against the Heat, where the Bulls shocked the world with Joakim Noah playing at less than 100%, Luol Deng in the hospital, Rose doing what he’s doing, and Kirk Hinrich nursing his old lady calves on the bench.

Now comes a fresh, sexy rumor for Senior NBA Writer Alex Kennedy over at Hoopsworld.

Word out of Chicago is that Rose may suit up for Game 3, which will be played this Friday. Suiting up doesn’t guarantee that Rose will play, but being in uniform on the bench rather than donning a suit would be a step forward for the 24-year-old. Nothing has been confirmed at this point, but it’s a possibility.

Now wouldn’t this be fun? Of course, as is often the case, the “source” in the story goes unnamed. It happens. I’d rather read about rumors of Rose returning than continue watching him jump up and down and “GO UP STAIRS!!!” on the sidelines while his teammates battle it out on the court as they have.

Are we near the end of the ugly D-Rose suits era?

The Bulls play Game 2 against the Heat tonight at 6pm CT. One has to imagine that LeBron is going to just go ballistic. We will see what happens – but can you imagine a Bulls team up 2-0 coming back to the United Center and getting their MVP back?

I know I can.

The post Ok, stay with me – Derrick Rose might return for Game 3 appeared first on Flapship Sports & Entertainment.