You Need To Get Real Familiar

With Jimmer Fredette.  I haven't talked about him at all, but I've been watching him.  The 6'2" guard out of BYU is the nation's leading scorer in college basketball averaging 26.7 ppg.  He's been filling it up at a high rate and in impressive fashion.  From first half buzzer beaters from half court to pulling up eight feet behind the three point line nonchalantly, he's definitely on NBA scouts' radar.  He's worked very hard on his game by doing dribbling drills in a dark hallway and playing pickup ball with prison inmates.  Yeah, you read right.  PRISON INMATES.  Anyone who can ball with murderers and can live to tell about it, gets mad props in my book. Tomorrow night, he faces #9 San Diego State where it's rumored that 20+ NBA scouts will be in attendance. Here's some highlights of Jimmer's 47-point performance against Utah from this season.



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Blake With The Reverse Alley Oop

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Nene Headed To South Beach???

Word out of Denver is that Carmelo Anthony isn't the only one that's not happy in Denver.   Nene of the Denver Nuggets wants to be traded and has listed three teams he would like to play for.  The Miami Heat is one of them. This comes to no surprise seeing the Carmelo drama that carried on for months was a total distraction for the team. Nene has some issues with Denver's front office as well.  He has an early-termination option that he can exercise in the offseason.  He believes that he isn't getting the attention that he deserves.  Either way, this would be a great move for both Nene and Heat.  The Heat desperately needs an interior toughness with Haslem out due to injury. With Nene's current salary, it may be hard for him to accept a mid-level exception from Miami.  But a sign-and-trade may do the trick to get him to South Beach to join the SuperFriends.

Source: CBSSportsline.com

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Jennings Out, DeRozan In

Brandon Jennings of the Milwaukee Bucks has been sidelined by a broken bone in his left foot for the last 14 games.  Because of that, he has withdrawn from this year's Sprite Slam Dunk Contest at NBA All Star Weekend and being replaced by DeMar DeRozan (above) of the Toronto Raptors.  DeRozan was a runner up in last year's contest in Dallas.  Jennings is seeking a return from injury in a few weeks but doesn't want to risk possibly injuring it again by practicing for the dunk contest.

Here's a thunderous dunk by Mr. DeRozan on Tyrus Thomas of the Charlotte Bobcats from earlier this season:



Source: NBA.com

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The Most Interesting Man in the NBA

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Nets Done With Pursuit Of Carmelo

News out of Newark, New Jersey is that the Russian billionaire and owner of the New Jersey Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov, has announced that the Nets will no longer pursue Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets. This comes days after Denver gave permission to New Jersey to speak with Carmelo to see if a deal can be done.  Prokhorov spoke with the media about the situation:

"I'm not happy with the way ... this deal has gone until now.  It has taken too long. It has been played out in public and it certainly has taken a toll on the players and I believe that it has cost us several games. I think management did a great job, but there comes a time when the price is simply too expensive. I'm instructing our team to walk away from the deal."

Carmelo saying that, "I don't want to talk to nobody.", probably didn't go over so well with the Russian playboy billionaire.  Personally, I don't think this deal is dead.  For them to construct a complex deal as it was, to now scrap it is unbelievable. I think both sides hated the fact that it has gone on too long in the media.  Both can step away from the table for a bit, and pick back up talks later. The Nets and Nuggets have time between now and the trade deadline in February to come to an agreement.  What intrigues me is what will the New York Knickerbockers do seeing that their neighbors across the river have backed out.  Time will tell....

Source:ESPN New York

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The Knicks Back In The Running???

According to ESPN's Chris Broussard, the New York Knicks have called up the Memphis Grizzlies to get involved in a three team deal that would land Carmelo Anthony in New York while O.J. Mayo of Memphis goes to Denver.  The Knicks have stepped in because they strongly believe that Carmelo will not sign the three year, $65M extension with the New Jersey Nets.  I'm sure the Nuggets' organization sending a threat to New Jersey about dealing Melo to the Knicks last week probably got the Knicks attention as well.  The Knicks probably will have to part with Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, or Landry Fields in order to get a deal done.  I'm still not sure about this deal.  I understand that Carmelo is a pure scorer.  He can fill it up in a hurry, but the Knicks are going to have to give up a lot in order to get him at MSG.  A major deal like this can mess up the chemistry on the squad and derail the rest of the season.  If they get Carmelo and not make the playoffs, they can reload in the offseason.  I'm sure it's a gamble that's worth taking....

Source: ESPN New York

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