Terence J. Turner: July 2009 Archives

Editors Note: I know the summer is not over, but all the important moves have been made and anything after Odom resigning isn't front page news...Well other than Boozer being traded...which still isn't that big of deal....

Professional basketball fans across the nation were able to enjoy a pretty active Off-season for their beloved NBA. Certain franchises felt the need to improve, while others decided to pursue mediocrity for various reasons.

So, here are some things that I took from the summer that was.....

Here is the video that made Pacman Jones a household name. It shows the events leading up to the unfortunate shooting. I will let you be the judge and jury.

Thanks to Dimewars.com and ESPN for the clip.

Let me introduce (or re-introduce to hardcore tennis fans), Richard Gasquet.

He has been cleared to play again by the International Tennis Federation, who had banned Gasquet for 75 days due to some doping violations. He tested positive for cocaine.

The circumstances behind his drug use is where the story gets funny....borderline hilarious.

"'In the sports story system the people are represented by two separate, yet equally important groups. The bloggers who investigate crime, and the "businessmen" who aided the offenders in their crime. These are their stories."

This one is real simple everyone. Anderson Varejao signs a 6 year, $50 Million deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers. I guess everybody has to eat.....

What disturbs me is that everyone in the league has been talking about making cost-cutting moves. If the economic state of the league wasn't as such, Trevor Ariza wouldv'e been able to sign a Rashard Lewis-type deal. Thats an opinion based off of precedent.

The question has to be asked in situations like these, what exactly are they paying for? Varejao only made 42 starts last season, and averaged a little over 8 points a game. So if my math is correct, He is getting about $8 million a year, to be average?

Furthermore, I know every move that Cleveland makes is criticized due Lebron James, but did they make any significant moves this free agency? Artest is a Laker. Ariza is a Rocket. Hedo is a Raptor. Maybe Lebron should have hit the recruiting trail like the Celtics did. Yeah they traded for Shaq, but did that really mean anything? If anything, Cleveland will be the front part of a TNT double header at least 70% of the time this season.

If/when Lebron James contract is up next summer, Anderson Varejao will be the highest paid Cleveland Cavalier......I'll let that marinate for a while.

We will charge Anderson Varejao with Theft by Deception.