Dwight is somewhat telling the truth this time.

I don’t think he was contacted before the Magic fired Stan Van Gundy and Otis Smith, but since his feelings were already known, he is the main reason they got fired.

The Magic are feed up with everyone, so it appears they are going to blow the whole thing up and start fresh with new coach, GM and players.

Dwight also takes a little shot at ESPN because of this…..

Dwight predicts that OKC will win the NBA Finals while making a point at how their fans support their team and star players. Which is a subtle dig at Magic fans.

It was all good just a Pepsi Swig ago.

Thumbs up for the car.

Thumbs way down for the outfit.

The only question is when did John Calipari buy this car?

A lot of hostility over in China.

I have heard that the Chinese get a lot of their rap music years after it comes out, so I wonder if they just started to listen to No Limit Records and this is what is causing all of the brawls.

Deadspin gives us a glimpse of what happened.

The American team is identified as the “New Orleans Hurricanes,” which seems an unfortunate choice of names, and Chinese social media sources suggest the argument came about due to neither side understanding each other’s language. It seems that sort of thing ought to be sorted out before an exhibition tour of China is launched, but according to Weibo user Shi Shiwu:

Zhejiang and American teams brawled ~~American player No. 17 had a nasty attitude from the start! Was an intense spectacle, tossed mineral waters filled the court. No. 17 picked up a stool and threw it at the spectators, in the end riot police showed up.

That is a pretty bad choice for a D League team name.

As you can see from the video the brawls in China make The Peace’s Elbow look like a love tap.

I can not confirm or deny that JR Smith’s sister Baby Precious was in attendance.

On the one hand (pun intended) I understand David West is focused on the task at hand, so he isn’t really thinking about Hi-5′s on his way to the Locker Room during halftime of an elimination game.

On the other hand, they are kids and he could at least extend a hand.  It isn’t like he doesn’t see them.

I understand the kids excitement, but why are there grown men (balding men at that) leaning over trying to touch a NBA player’s hand?

That is creepy to me, probably wouldn’t wash the hand for a week.

H/T LBS

I would say this is a little bit better candidate than Shaq.

Maybe Kupchak would want to go, even though the Magic situation is as unstable as the Lakers right now, with less talent.

Among the characteristics said to be most prized by Magic CEO Alex Martins is championship experience. So while there have been no public indications that Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak will be available or wants to leave Los Angeles, Kupchak is expected to be among the first wave of candidates the Magic pursue, one of the sources said.

In addition to reaching out to free-agent candidates, the team’s list also will include executives who are under contract with other teams. Martins also is expected to begin contacting teams Friday to ask permission to interview such candidates, and Kupchak — with multiple championships on his resume — will be among the obvious targets, sources said.

Kupchak has one year left on his contract, and made it clear after the Lakers were ousted in the second round for the second consecutive year that there will be some changes in the organization. Hiring Kupchak is not without hurdles — front-office sources find it difficult to imagine him leaving Southern California — but if the opportunity is right, the changes Kupchak alluded to could involve him.

According to NBC6 in Miami, the Knicks guard was arrested on an outstanding warrant stemming from not having a valid driver’s license.

The 26-year-old, whose real name is Earl Joseph Smith, was arrested around 9 p.m., Miami Beach Police spokesman Sgt. Bobby Hernandez said.

Smith was booked into jail just before midnight, records showed.

The details of the warrant were unknown.

Memorial Day weekend in Miami is Urban Beach Weekend, and having worked at a hotel in Miami Beach in a previous life when it was called Hip Hop Weekend, I can tell you there is a lot of activity going on that the police are hypervigilant about.

Especially marijuana, lots and lots of marijuana. I remember cars pulling into the valet and when the doors open, you see they are having a 1990′s Snoop Dogg video in the car.

Wonder if J.R. Smith was in town for that?

When you score 40+ you can wear what you want……..

Maybe….

The Wonder Woman bracelet was a nice touch, maybe gave him superpowers.

H/T Larry Brown Sports

I know what you are probably thinking……..

“Why does Lebron need a du rag?”

Listen, just because his hairline left him at the altar in 2005, doesn’t mean he should let the rest of his hair struggle.

It appears he has already finished The Hunger Games and has moved on to the sequel Catching Fire. See kids just because you don’t go to college doesn’t mean you can’t read books.  I commend Bron for not just watching the movie.

H/T @MsMeghanRose

The Magic I assume are like screw this we are getting rid of everyone and start fresh.

Maybe not a bad idea, but they all looked like idiots at that press conference when Dwight was talking about how loyal he was and saying how they were sending him his favorite candy to keep him.

A plugged-in league source tells SheridanHoops.com that the feeling is mutual, and Orlando is prepared to trade him sooner rather than later.

The source said that when Magic team president traveled to Michigan last weekend to speak in person with owner Rich DeVos, the conclusion was reached that not only was it time for Stan Van Gundy and Otis Smith to go, but Howard, too.

That means the Magic will be proactive in soliciting deals once next week’s draft lottery results are in, clearing up the lay of the land in terms of which teams can offer the most value in return.

Nets and Lakers appear to be the favorites, but you never know I mystery team might appear.

Chris Broussard might want to recheck those sources.

Here is what Shaq had to say.

“When I first heard about the vacancy for the Orlando Magic general manager position, I was clearly intrigued.” Shaquille O’Neal said in a statement. “I was drafted by the Magic, I have a great love for the franchise, and I have made the city of Orlando my home. Additionally, I have great admiration and respect for the DeVos family. However, this is not a job I have an interest in pursuing. I feel very fortunate to be with TNT and to have the best job in sports. I look forward to many more years with Charles, Kenny and E.J. I wish the best for the Magic and I am confident that they will select a great GM and coach.”

D Wade could be getting into the shoe design business.  Would you rock the above loafers if they were around $500 just to say you are wearing something Wade designed?

Personally, I will stick to Supermarket of Shoes, but here are the details.

Dwyane’s patent-cowskin-wingtips and suede-berry-slipper-skeakers are custom pairs, unavailable for the masses to enjoy.

Del Toro designer, Matthew Chevallard, initially made a few shoes for Wade, who in turn was so moved by the innovative designs that the company encouraged him to whip up a few pairs of his own. No further word on a complete collection but when the news breaks, you’ll be the first to know.

The gift and the curse of Kobe Bryant.

It is what makes him such an interesting player. The things he is still doing on the court are amazing, but then there are these interesting quirks and stats that make you wonder are those amazing things really helping or hurting the team.

On the one hand you know without him and his killer mentality the Lakers would basically be the Nuggets, but on the flip side, could that mentality be stunting the progress of players like Andrew Bynum who they need to become a superstar.

Interesting dynamic and something I speak about in detail here (Kobe Bryant Needs to Take a Step Back Before Lakers Can Take a Step Forward).

Here is the record he broke from Karl Malone.

In game five vs Thunder Kobe set the record for most FGA without an assist (33). Last year he got to #3 on that list with 29 FGA without an assist.

All I can say is watch and be entertained.

Lam Lam has been out of the news for awhile, but you knew that would last.

It appears that he will be bought out by the Mavericks meaning he will be a free agent. Some of have speculated he would be interested in coming back to the Lakers, taking his talents to South Beach or becoming a part of Flop City, but is there a team in the running we didn’t know about?

But a source with knowledge of Odom’s thinking says the New York Knicks would be “on the top of his list” if the Queens native becomes a free agent.

“Lamar is big on being comfortable,” the source said. “And New York is somewhere he can be comfortable.”

“He wants to find a place where he can end his career, and New York is ideal,” the source said. “He’s won championships in the past and he wants to win another. And to do it there would be great.”

No word if the Knicks have any interest.

Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum stated that he is totally healthy but would like to keep it that way.

According to ESPN LA Bynum will travel to Germany in September to undergo Orthokine therapy, the same type of new age treatment that the “Black Mamba” underwent last off-season.

The innovator of that treatment Dr. Peter Wehling, states that it’s supposed to regenerate tissue and promote  long term cure to inflammation and its resulting pain.

The enigma that is Bynum is coming off his best career season where he averaged career highs of 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds and made his first all star team.

One thing you should know about me is that I am not very sensitive.

If athletes screw up that is on them, I rarely have any sympathy for them. The #1 reason Allen Iverson isn’t in the NBA is because of Allen Iverson.

It wasn’t like he didn’t have opportunities to stay in the league. He blew them all, including one in Philadelphia, but as someone who grew up watching A.I. and could relate to him much more than Michael Jordan this video provided by SB Nation saddens me.

He didn’t want to leave the court. The fans didn’t want him to leave the court. The Sixers didn’t want him to leave the court.

Unfortunate his career had to end the way that it did.

I am sure he lives with that regret knowing it was mostly his fault every single day.

This is being reported by ESPN’s Chris Broussard.

A lot of people make fun of Broussard’s sources, but I am sure he say something as outlandish as this unless he was confident in his source.

If you looking at this glass half full, this is just a token interview to drum up some publicity for the Magic.  If you looking at it glass half empty you are thinking……….

WHAT IN THE BLUE HELL ARE THE MAGIC THINKING?

I hope they don’t think Shaq is a real doctor.  Even if he was a real doctor what is his qualifications to run a NBA team, besides being wrong that Andrew Bynum is better than Dwight Howard.

I actually hope they hire him, will make Michael Jordan look like Jerry West.

Our friends at Larry Brown Sports has another twist to the story.

Yes, I know what you’re thinking: Aren’t Shaq and Howard enemies? Apparently not.

Broussard reports that the “two privately have a friendly relationship and often send text messages to one another.” Shaq reportedly has been a confidante for Howard this season, and they apparently bonded over their issues with Stan Van Gundy, who also coached O’Neal in Miami.

If Shaq has been advising Dwight, that would explain why he has handle the situation so badly and this is the guy you want running your team?

For once the NBA did the right thing, but……

Did they only do it because it wasn’t star players? Because D Wade surely didn’t get suspended when he should have a few games back.  Sometime to ponder while you are watching Game 6

@WojYahooNBA: The NBA has suspended Udonis Haslem for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Pittman is a scrub, so probably won’t have that much effect on the Heat.

The suspensions is what Metta World Peace should have gotten for The Peace’s elbow.

The NBA will suspend Miami’s Dexter Pittman for 3 games, league source tells Y!

At last nights contentious Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers game 5 that was marred by flagrant fouls and a near beheading, with guys letting it all hang out on the court, Miami police stopped one fan from literally letting it all hang out.

The story from FoxSportsFlorida.com

A Miami police officer confirmed that a man was arrested during the second half of Miami’s 115-83 playoff win over Indiana for attempting to run onto the court wearing a shirt but having no bottoms on. The man was spotted before he could make it onto the playing surface.

The officer said in addition to his streaking ploy, the man made physical contact with another officer, which was described as battery. The man then was hauled off to jail, although specifics were not immediately available on his identity or the exact charges he faced.

A streaker is not a rare occurrence at sporting events (although it is generally reserved for outdoor sports because of possible issues handling the cold climate indoors) the circumstances around this streaker certainly make this a perfect story for the circus that is the South Beach nWo.

A few weeks back, during the Heat vs Knicks series Rick Ross was recorded saying he would pay “10 Stacks” for somebody to streak at the NBA finals wearing an MMG shirt. (You can see the video below)

Now this incident may be totally unrelated, but the report does say he was only wearing a t-shirt and Rick Ross is a such a staple at Miami Heat games you can almost call him Black Nicholson. It stands to reason that this guy may have been trying to get Ricky Rozay’s attention.

Besides the fact that he was arrested, the fan is pretty stupid though. Even if he managed to get on the court to show off his little Popeye Jones, Ross clearly stated that it had to be in the finals. I have watched enough Judge Judy to know that the streakers point would not stand up in court.