Greg Oden Interested In Joining Miami Heat
Ugly As This
Despite Greg Oden saying recently that he plans on taking off the entire 2012-13 season to rehab his knee, his agent, Mike Conley, told the Miami Herald that Oden may be ready by December.
Oden, who was released by the Portland Trail Blazers in February is interested in playing for the Miami Heat, Conley said.
“Greg has talked about Miami,” Conley said. “He has interest. He’s not retiring.”
A center of Oden’s caliber—with a big assumption he’s healthy—is something the Heat obviously lack. With Ronny Turiaf and Joel Anthony carrying the load in the middle—and coach Erik Spoelstra sometimes starting the currently-injured Chris Bosh at the five—the arrival of a new big man can’t come soon enough in Miami.
Memphis Grizzlies Sign Guard Jamaal Tinsley
Fraud
The Memphis Grizzlies signed Jamaal Tinsley, the former Indiana Pacers point guard who hasn’t played in nearly two years, the middle of the 2007-08 season, and was told to stay away from the Pacers because of his off the court distractions and his displeasure with his diminished role. He was presumably signed by Memphis to replace Allen Iverson, who is dealing with a personal issue after his displeasure of coming off the bench. That’s what I call irony.
The Grizzlies have already committed their back-court to Mike Conley and O.J. Mayo but are looking for a veteran to rain in the youngsters from time to time. In his seven seasons with Indiana, Tinsley averaged 10.4 points and seven assists. The assists average puts him seventh among active players.
General manager Chris Wallace said the Iverson situation was not a factor in the decision. Liar. His signing could have come four years from now it’s not like general managers where banging on the Tinsley family door asking whats he’s been up too.
Coming out of Iowa State University, Tinsley was originally drafted by the Vancouver Grizzlies with the 27th pick in the 2001 draft and from I saw I thought he had game maybe be some type of Tim Hardaway clone, expect he turned out to be a fraud Tinsley.
Allen Iverson Already Unhappy In Memphis
Surprising?
Allen Iverson made his debut for the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night in Sacramento and wasn’t too bad, returning from a partial left hamstring tear, scoring 11 points in 18 minutes in the Memphis’ 127-116 overtime loss.
“I had no problems with the hamstring,” Iverson said afterward. “I had a problem with my butt from sitting on that bench so long. That’s the only thing I got a problem with.”
Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins took out Iverson down the stretch of the fourth quarter, allowing Mike Conley to finish up regulation.
“I’m not a reserve basketball player. I’ve never been a reserve all my life and I’m not going to start looking at myself as a reserve,” Iverson said after the game. “To answer the question, ‘No, I’m not a bench player. I’m not a sixth man. Go look at my resume and that will show you I’m not a sixth man.”
Hollins seemed to be skeptical about Iverson starting anytime soon.
“He hasn’t even been with the team until just a couple of days ago,” Hollins said. “He’s going to come off the bench. He hasn’t played all preseason, hasn’t played the three regular-season games (leading up to Sacramento). He only practiced three days in training camp before he got hurt so there’s no way I would trot him out there in a starting role.”
Hollins said afterward he doesn’t think a three-guard lineup with Mike Conley, O.J. Mayo and Iverson will work. citing too many defensive deficiencies.
Either your going to come to Iverson’s defense or use his antics like a speed bag in preparation the Manny Pacquiao/Miguel Cotto fight. No matter what corner you choose, just remind yourself where the cause and the effect of his career has lead him to, Memphis. Kinda reminds me of someone in Buffalo.
