林書豪 Jeremy Lin"s Offense & Defense Highlights 2016-05-02 Playoffs R1G7 Hornets VS Heat
As free agency madness approaches, don"t forget about Jeremy Lin.
The star of a brief state of NBA euphoria known as "Linsanity, Lin opted out of his contract with the Charlotte Hornets, according to the Charlotte Observer, forgoing a $2.2 million player option to explore unrestricted free agency.
It was an anticipated move that could net Lin an eight-figure deal because the NBA salary cap expanded by a third and the point guard market isn"t particularly deep. He may be able to get as much as $12 million to up his career earnings beyond $40 million.
Lin will hold meetings in Palo Alto, Calif., with three clubs, according to ESPN"s Chris Broussard.
Last season Lin averaged 11.7 points on 41.2 percent shooting, 33.6 from beyond the arc, and chipped in three assists per game as a reserve for the Hornets.
Among the suitors could be the New York Knicks, with whom Lin broke onto the NBA scene in dramatic fashion.
"It"s not looking likely, because they just traded for Derrick Rose," Lin said at the World Economic Forum in China. "But I will say, ever since I left I"ve been open to going back, and I still am. Never say never. That"s the one thing in the NBA: Never say never. So I"ve always been open. But right now, I"m not sure it"s the best timing. But if it happens, it happens."
The deal: Four years, $98 million with the Miami Heat
The analysis: Whitesides remarkable transformation from castoff to max player is officially complete. Hewas going to get a max offer this summer, and within hours of free agency beginning the big manhad two: one from the Heat, and another from the Dallas Mavericks.
After sleeping on it, Whiteside agreedto a four-year deal to stay on South Beach with the team that rescued him from the NBA scrap heap last season.
The grade: B+
Signing Whiteside to this kind of deal certainly comes with some risk. Theres a reason he bounced around the world before eventually finding a home with the Heat, and it had nothing to do with his massive frame or talent. Still, the thought was Whiteside would wind up working out if he stayed with a an organizationlike the Heat, with plenty of infrastructure around him. By agreeing to remain in Miami, hes assured that will happen.
One other thing that brings this grade up a hair: Whiteside, per multiple reports, is willing to be flexible to help bring Kevin Durant to Miami. That could help the Heat quite a bit.
Jeremy Lin
The deal: Three years, $36 million (including player option for the third season)
The analysis: This was one deal that made too much sense not to happen. The Nets were in desperate need of a starting point guard, and Lin was said to be intent on finding a starting job. Combine the fact he can be a marketing sensation for a Nets team in need of attention and Lins longstanding relationship and affection for new Coach Kenny Atkinson, and this had to happen.
The grade: A
Just like the marriage itself, this deal is a great one for both sides. The Nets got a steal getting Lin to come to them at about $12 million per season, given hes arguably the second-best point guard available and they so badly needed a starter. But Lin getting a player option after the second year will allow him to get back into the market at 29 if he so choosesmaking this a good deal on his end, too.
Bradley Beal
The deal: Five years, $128 million
The analysis: This deal was always going to happen. When Beal and the Wizards didnt come to an agreement on a max contract extension last fall, the expectation was theyd get one done once free agency began, as that would net the Wizards an extra several million dollars in salary cap space. So it came as no surprise when, early on the first day of free agency, the two sides hammered out an agreement for a full max contract for the 23-year-old shooting guard.
The grade: B
For the reasons stated above, this deal was always going to happen. The Wizards did well to not give Beal any kind of option on the end of the deal, so presuming hes healthy theyll have him locked up all the way through his mid-20s the ideal time to have a player under contract. Because it comes with some risk, though (Beal has only played 70 or more games once in his four year career) this cant get a top grade, though.
Andre Drummond
The deal: Five years, $128 million (early termination option on the fifth year)
The analysis: Like Beal, this was always going to happen. Drummond, an all-star center and one of the best young big men in the game, is the centerpiece of Detroits rebuilding project under Coach Stan Van Gundy, and has a close relationship with owner Tom Gores. This was just a matter of getting the deal done.
The grade: A
The only thing that could take this down from an A grade, given Drummonds age and stature within the league, is the early termination option. But the Pistons gained about $15 million in space to improve the roster around him by waiting from the fall until now, making that trade off worth it. Now well see how Detroit uses the extra money at its disposal.
Nicolas Batum
The deal: Five years, $120 million with the Charlotte Hornets
The analysis: For the past month, the recurring word about Batums free agency was he was going to eventually agree to a five-year deal to return to the Hornets, who had traded for him a year ago and watched him lead them into the playoffs.
It had seemed Batum might be more interested in surveying the market after agreeing to meet with the Mavericks and phone conversations with a couple of teams Friday morning, including the Washington Wizards. But Batum and the Hornets eventually cameto an agreement on a five-year contract and took the French guard off the market before sunrise.
The grade: A
This deal couldnt have gone better for Charlotte. Everyone knew the Hornets needed to hang onto Batum after they dealt away a former lottery pick in Noah Vonleh to get him from the Portland Trail Blazers last June. But not only did the Hornets hang onto one of the most sought-after free agents on the market, they also convinced him to take about $30 million less than themaximum over the life of the contract. Those savings could help the Hornets keep Marvin Williams and Courtney Lee, their two best free agents theyre likely able to keep. Charlotte would love to keep Jeremy Lin, but hed like a starting job something he cant get with the Hornets. That combination of getting a must-do deal done and saving money at the same time makes this an easy grade.
[NBA free agency guide: The latest updates, rumors and analysis]
Jordan Clarkson
The deal: Four years, $50 million with the Los Angeles Lakers
The analysis: Clarkson was one of several restricted free agents who was never expected to leave his current team. And, just a few hours after the start of free agency, the Lakers made sure he stuck around locking up Clarkson to a four-year deal to keep one of their young core pieces in place for years to come.
Clarkson may become a Jamal Crawford-like presence off the bench in Los Angeles as a scoring guard, but hes been a home run of a selection as the No. 46 pick in the 2014 NBA draft. Along with DAngelo Russell, Julius Randle and Brandon Ingram, the No. 2 pick in this years draft, Clarkson is part of what Los Angeles hopes will become an attractive core to free agents next summer and beyond.
The grade: B-
This contract is fine, and right about what Clarkson was supposed to get if he got a back-loaded offer sheet in free agency. If the Lakers had allowed him to receive one of those offer sheets, they wouldve had Clarkson locked in at an artificially low contract this year and next, giving them more salary cap space to spend. But the per-year rate wont be terrible on this deal, and the Lakers wont have to deal with a massive salary cap spike in the back half of the deal now, either.
The deal: Five years, $139 million with the Toronto Raptors
The analysis: Toronto gets its man. DeRozan will now be in position to shatter just about every franchise record after agreeing to return to the team hes spent his entire career with since being the No. 9 pick in the 2009 NBA draft.
DeRozan has his flaws. Hes not a great shooter, and hes not really capable of guarding small forwards. But hes excellent at getting to the foul line, is a good midrange shooter and is a leader of this Raptors team alongside Kyle Lowry. After Toronto put together the best three-year stretch infranchise history, bringing back DeRozan is a sign the Raptors will carry the success theyve had into the next few years.
The grade: B+
Five years for DeRozan isnt ideal, but hes now locked up for his age27-31 seasons basically covering the rest of his prime. And because he gave Toronto a bit of a discount, to the tune of about $13 million over the life of the deal, the Raptors mayfind a way to also bring back their other prominent free agent, Bismack Biyombo. Considering this was expected to be a five-year max, though, the Raptors did well to get him for less.
[Sources: Bradley Beal, Wizards closing in on five-year, $128 million max deal]
Timofey Mozgov
The deal: Four years, $64 million with the Los Angeles Lakers
The analysis: The Lakers wanted a meeting with Kevin Durant, but couldnt get one. The Lakers wanted a meeting with Hassan Whiteside, but couldnt get one. So they wentafter Mozgov, locking him up within an hour of free agency beginning early Friday morning.
Mozgov never got on track last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers after struggling to recover from offseason knee surgery. He spent much of the postseason on the bench as theCavaliers won Clevelandsfirst championship in more than50 years. But instead of his market value taking a hit, he wound up with a similar deal to the one he wouldve likely nabbed if hed been a free agent a year agoafter helping to carryCleveland to within two wins of a title despite missing Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving with injuries.
The grade: C-
The Lakers got their man, and Mozgov will likely wind up being a better deal than, say, the contract Joakim Noah is closing in on with the Knicks for the same number of years and more money despite him being two years older. But even in the inflated cap environment the NBA finds itself in, this feels like an overpay. After mostly striking out the past couple of years in free agency, its understandable why the Lakers would need to overpay to get someone they want. And if Mozgov canregain his form from the 2014-15 season and postseason, this deal will look all right.
More on NBA free agency:
Clippers reportedly want to sell Kevin Durant on Big Four plan
Thunder hopes to sign Al Horford, reuniting him with college coach Billy Donovan
Joakim Noah expected to sign with New York Knicks
LeBron James opts out of Cavs contract, as expected
Boris Johnson out of contest for Conservative Party leadership - BBC News
LONDON If there"s one person you really don"t want to get on the wrong side of, it"s Cersei.
Boris Johnson who argued for the UK to leave the European Union, won, and then announced yesterday that he wouldn"t be running for prime minister after all no longer merely has the wrath of a nation to contend with.
Now, it appears he"s also upset the current ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.
Following Johnson"s announcement yesterday, Twitter went into a frenzy of memes. Plenty of celebrities also chipped in with their thoughts, including actor Ewan McGregor (who, judging by the tweet below, wasn"t exactly thrilled with Boris" recent decisions).
Late Thursday night, Lena Headey (a.k.a. Cersei "Burn them all" Lannister) took to Twitter to back him up.
Ouch.
She wasn"t the only Game of Thrones actor to support McGregor, either.
Daniel Portman who plays the mild-mannered Pod in the show and also retweeted McGreggor"s original post made his views pretty clear, too.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
Sushma Swaraj Welcomes Home Sonu Who Was Rescued From Bangladesh !
Although Hasinas grip on the ropes is strong, she appears strangely shaky dealing with the recent spate of targeted murders
July 1, 2016:
Bloodshed is not new to Bangladesh. It was born in 1971 at the cost of 30 lakh lives lost, and has, since then, seen many b****y upheavals. In comparison, the recent string of killings is discrete and few in number. Yet, this may might end up as a major concern for Bangladesh and the region if the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government doesnt get its act together.
Since 2013, nearly two dozen people have been killed, mostly hacked to death liberals, atheists and those blogging their criticism of radical Islam. Beginning last year, the guns were trained on unsuspecting victims an Italian and a Japanese aid worker, a Buddhist monk, a 65-year-old Sufi and a G*d-fearing professor who loved Sufi music. Over the last couple of months, the target has shifted to Hindus the single largest, yet dwindling 8 per cent minority. The victims are all commoners: a tailor, the priest of a nondescript village temple, a school teacher, and theres fear in the community.
Terrorist attack
Evidently it is a backlash of Hasinas gritty stance against the rapists and murderers of the 1971 war that was much appreciated by the majority of Bangladeshis. The trial initiated in her first term (2009-2014) saw nearly half-a-dozen criminals, including the top guns of the radical Jamaat-e-Islami (which sided with Pakistan in the Liberation War) and former ministers of the BNP-Jamaat regime sent off to the gallows.
The aim is crystal clear: to destroy the growth-oriented, secular-democratic image of Bangladesh that Hasina is trying to build and force the global powers, especially India, to withdraw support to her so as to bring political control back to the radicals. The attacks have been stepped up at a time when Bangladesh is taking quick steps to take advantage of the Indian growth story. And Indian corporates, for the first time in history, are taking Bangladesh seriously as an investment destination.
Security experts say its a new strategy adopted by the global terror network. Stray youths are radicalised and outsourced by local agents, who are far removed from the bigger plot. The responsibility is shared by different outfits such as Al-Qaeda or ISIS, to divert attention.
But instead of retaliating with administrative measures, the government has chosen to heap blame on the BNP-Jamaat coalition. However, the charge rings hollow as not a single murder has been solved. The police failed to extract clues from three assailants caught redhanded (by onlookers) in two separate incidents. One of them was later killed in an encounter (read fake encounter).
Meanwhile, the BNP is in complete disarray. The war crimes trial and corruption cases saw them running for shelter. Jamaat is surely a dangerous force. Though not popular, they grew in strength thanks to support from the former army ruler and founder of BNP, Ziaur Rahman. But, it is under tremendous pressure currently.
Free reign
On the contrary, theres no pressure on other radical forces such as the Hefazat-e-Islam and Hizb ut-Tahrir who are united in the cause of the caliphate.
The pan-Islamic Hizb ut-Tahrir was banned in 2009, but, Golam Mortoza, editor of Shaptahik says the government treated its activists with kid gloves. Its leader, Syed Golam Maola, who was put under house arrest, is drawing a salary as a Dhaka University professor. The organisation is active underground.
Hefazat leads students of unaffiliated Qawmi Madrasas, mostly funded by Islamists. They launched stormy protests in Dhaka in 2012-13 in support of Jamaat and, demanded stern action against a list of bloggers, many of whom were later killed.Hasina faced them head on in her first term. But Mortoza claims that last year, Bangladesh Railway offered Hefazat 40 acres of land in Chittagong.
Still, this does not mean Hasina is soft on radical Islam. After her father and the first prime minister, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1975, she is the best bet to build a strong Bangladesh. And there is no threat to her leadership either.
Yet, she is looking unsure.
The clue may lie in the uncontested 2014 election that was boycotted by BNP. It might have ensured she remained in power but it affected the morale. Moreover, absolute power invited unbridled corruption and rusted the party machinery. The next few months will decide how Hasina shapes the future of Bangladesh.
1994 - Bobby Bonilla vs NYC Reporter The Olympics are just around the corner and while this area can boast the local connection of Meghan Musnicki of Naples and Canandaigua Academy graduate with womens rowing, shes not the only local athlete taking a shot at the glory of the Games.Makayla Sargent missed graduation at Victor last weekend because she was en route to the U.S. swimming trials in Omaha, Nebraska. She didnt make the team in any of the three events she swam, but the fact that she even qualified to try is impressive.On Monday, Sargent was 22nd overall in the 400 individual medley with a time of 4:50.22 and on Tuesday, she swam the 200 IM and finished 53rd (2:18.51). In Thursdays 200 breaststroke, she touched at 2:36.36 (85th overall).A member of the Victor Swim Club, Sargent will begin her NCAA career this fall at the University of Florida, a program coached by Gregg Troy, who coached the 2012 U.S. Olympic team and is on the staff for the 2016 team. Ultimately, Sargent has her eyes on being part of the U.S. team for the 2020 Games and even though she didnt qualify this week, theres no doubt the experience offered solid lessons.Still a bit stunned over the Iceland upset of England at Euro 2016 earlier in the week. These kinds of things just arent supposed to happen, but its a reminder of why the games are played in the first place.Its also a reminder, perhaps hopeful, that one day the U.S. mens soccer team can shine on a global stage like this. Its been great to see the support for international soccer take so many strides in the U.S. over the last few years, but imagine the response if the U.S. advanced deep into a World Cup?Professional lacrosse is treating Victors John Maloney well these days. The rookie midfielder for the Chesapeake Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse, who just finished his NCAA career at Albany, has 4 goals and 3 assists in the 5 games hes played, but hes also second on the team with 22 ground b***s heading into the weekend.Maloney was named Rookie of the Week for Week 6 and has had 2 games in which hes scooped 8 ground b***s for the Bayhawks (4-4).Canandaiguas Dan Groot is in his eighth MLL season and second with the Ohio Machine (6-4). The midfielders played in nine games and has five caused turnovers to with 12 ground b***s.Page 2 of 2 - Victor graduate Liz Hogan and the Boston Storm of the new United Womens Lacrosse League are off to a 2-2 start. Hogans got a 2-1 record and is second in the league with a 14.00 goals-against average.Sad to see the news of Buddy Ryans passing and fair or not, h**l always be remembered first for his moment on the sideline with the old Houston Oilers ahead of his work as a defensive innovator.Thats what happens when you punch a fellow coach Kevin Gilbride during a game and TV cameras capture it. But even better was Ryans response afterward. Youd think he would apologize for the jab, but all he had to offer was: h**l be selling insurance in two weeks.Speaking of insurance and policies, former baseball player Bobby Bonilla got his annual check from the Mets for $1.19 million on July 1, even though he hasnt played since 2001.In short, Bonillas agent set up a contract with the Mets that deferred payment made possible through an insurance policy. So Bonilla will get a check from Mets for a cool $1.19 million every July 1 through 2035.Bob Chavez is the Daily Messengers sports editor. Contact me at rchavez@messengerpostmedia.com or follow me at @MPN_bchavez
Tesla Driver Killed in First Fatal Auto-Driving Car Crash
The U.S. announced Thursday the first fatality in a wreck involving a car in self-driving mode. The government said it is investigating the design and performance of the system aboard the Tesla Model S sedan. (June 30) AP
Model S with Autopilot engaged.(Photo: Tesla Motors)
The Ohio man who died while using the Autopilot feature on his Tesla electric carwas watching Harry Potter when he was fatally injured in a wreckwhile the car was in self-drive mood, according to a witness.
Joshua Brown, 40, of Canton, Ohio, died from injuries he sustained when a tractor-trailer made a left turn in front of his 2015 Tesla on a highway near Williston, Fla., in May.
The Autopilot system is designed to allow Teslas to cruise along highways without drivers having to steer, brake or accelerate. The car is supposed to stay in its lane and stop suddenly if traffic ahead comes to a halt.
Frank Baressi, 62, the man driving the truck that Browns car collided with,told APthat Brown was playingHarry Potteron the TV screen at the time of the crash.
"It was still playing when he died and snapped a telephone pole a quarter mile down the road," Baressi told AP. Baressi said he couldn"t see the film playing, but heard it.
There were no references to the moviein the police report, AP reported. And Tesla confirmed that it is not possible to watch movies on theModel S touch screen.
Just a month before the fatal accident, Brown posted a video on YouTube of his car using the same "Autopilot" feature to swerve and avoid a side collision.
Brown praised Tessys "Autopilot" feature for swerving as a truck tried to cut him off on an exit ramp.
I actually wasn"t watching that direction and Tessy (the name of my car) was on duty with Autopilot engaged, he said. I became aware of the danger when Tessy alerted me with the "immediately take over" warning chime and the car swerving to the right to avoid the side collision.
Brown wrote that he purchased the vehicle in mid-July of 2015, and was very impressed with the car and auto feature.
Brown was born in Great Lakes, Ill., in 1976 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1997, according to his obituary. He dedicated 11 years to the Navy SEALsand later created his own technology company, Nexu Innovations, Inc., according to his obituary.
Tesla founder Elon Musk tweeted his condolences on Thursday evening.
Syracuse, N.Y. June 30, 1991 was Mike Tirico"s first day on the job at ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut.
Twenty-five years to the day, he"ll work his last assignment for the "Worldwide Leader in Sports" in Paris, France.
Tirico will host coverage of the Poland-Portugal quarterfinal (2:30 p.m. ET) and post-match "UEFA EURO 2016 Tonight" studio show (5 p.m.) from the City of Lights.
He"ll sign off Thursday night and then one of the most prominent alums of the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University will look to a future with NBC Sports.
The journey to Paris 25 years in the making, that began in Syracuse as a local sportscaster at WTVH-5 before signing with ESPN in 1991, had some of the best stops in sports along the way.
Bristol, the mecca for sportscasters looking to coin the next catchphrase on "SportsCenter."
Greeting the patrons on the greenest grass imaginable at The Masters in Augusta, Ga.
The elegance of Wimbledon across the pond.
The energy of Green Bay, "The Black Hole" in Oakland or trying to raise your voice just to be heard over the "12th man" in Seattle as just the fourth-ever voice of "Monday Night Football."
Calling a basketball game while feeling the breath of a student section on your neck in Ames, Iowa, or Bloomington, Ind., or rubbing elbows with Jack Nicholson courtside at the Staples Center on the latest NBA assignment.
Tirico"s journey at ESPN has taken him to almost every corner of the sports globe. If he left any stone unturned, NBC has given him a map to find the rest, starting in Rio in August.
Tirico will team with fellow Syracuse alum Bob Costas for a championship Newhouse tag team at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Tirico has become one of the biggest names in sports broadcasting but always made time to recognize those that were unrecognizable behind the cameras at ESPN.
"During his 25 years with the company, Mike has made tremendous contributions to ESPN across the variety of sports and properties he has touched; even more important, he has developed lasting friendships with his on-air colleagues and so many ESPN employees behind the camera," ESPN"s Executive Vice President, Programming and Production, John Wildhack said. "We thank Mike for all he"s done for ESPN and we wish him the best in this new chapter of his career."
With a busy schedule that took him to the best gigs in sports, Tirico could be forgiven if Syracuse was only mentioned in passing, but in many ways he never left.
It is not uncommon to bump into Tirico in a concession line at the Carrier Dome or on the way to a class he was guest lecturer for on campus. He has worked with the Newhouse Advisory Board, the Sport Management Advisory Council and the Athletics Advisory Board. He is a member of the Syracuse University Board of Trustees.
Appearing on ESPN Radio"s "Mike and Mike (start at 32:00 mark)," host Mike Golic spoke of the reverance Tirico holds in Syracuse.
"Through our time here we have had the chance to meet a lot of big time people who are adored by the public," Golic said. "I have never seen a person bowed down to than when I do a game with Tirico at Syracuse. It is unbelievable. We did college games together and did one or two there and you want to talk about kiss the ring moments? Mike, it"s pretty amazing how you are treated there. It"s pretty cool."
"It"s my school. It"s my alma mater," Tirico answered. "Those people have been wonderful to me. We did the game right after 9/11, the first game back (Syracuse vs. Auburn on Sept 22, 2001). We drove up to Syracuse and it was a special time to be on our campus there at that point. With what happened in Orlando we are always reminded all the time how unimportant what we all do is. Sports is a gathering place that reminds us that we go forward and do stuff."
Tirico isn"t going far on the dial. He"ll been seen on NBC at the Rio Olympics, on the network"s NFL and golf coverage and more.
That said, it feels like the end of an era with Tirico moving on from ESPN.
For 25 years, he"s been there on our television screens and heard on the radio airwaves, wherever "there" was, helping ESPN rise from a little cable channel with the crazy idea to broadcast sports 24 hours a day to the multi-billion dollar brand owned by Disney it is today.
From "Sportscenter" to launching "ESPNews" and ESPN Radio to doing play-by-play, in the studio or reporting from the field at all the sporting events that mattered.
"The friendships will stay," Tirico told ESPN"s Scott Van Pelt about leaving ESPN. "I think that"s what is getting me through the emotional and the sad part. You leave with unbelievable friendships that will last me in life far longer than whatever letters define where I"m employed."
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Celebrities you may have forgotten are from Upstate New York
