DUST to DUST
by shrink on Jul 31, 2010 11:29 AM CDT
25 comments
Erick Dampier is not an impact player any more, but he has one of the biggest "impact contracts" in the NBA. Dampier is on the final year of a deal that pays him $13 million, but the contract is completely unguaranteed. He can be waived at any time and save his current team, the Charlotte Bobcats, a lot of coin.
The Bobcats have been rumored to be shopping his deal, but have yet to find a suitable offer. Worse, the clock is running out on them. Very soon, they will have to write that first paycheck to Dampier, and its going to have a lot of zeroes.
Surprisingly, the answer may be a trade to a team with ample cap space, like the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves financial positioning gives them the ability to provide a valuable service for the Bobcats (for a small fee of course) when it comes to Dampier. If CHA waives him, they just get the savings. However, if they trade him to a team like the Wolves, they still get the savings ..plus they create a $13 mil Traded Player Exception! The TPE has all the trade value of Erick Dampier with no salary costs, and a longer, one-year expiration date. It is a very valuable trade chip.
Meanwhile for Minnesota, trading for Dampier and waiving his unguaranteed deal themselves has no negative effect whatsoever. Any cap space they "trade," they get right back!
The price tag for Minnesota's service would be negotiable. We could do a straight deal for cash or a small future pick, and CHA fans on other websites have discussed how Delonte West and even Kostas Koufos could help them. A deal like:
Delonte West for Dampier + ???
.. would start by saving us the $500,000 guaranteed on West's deal.
For the Wolves, this deal is literally about creating something-from-nothing. And when you can get paid for "nothing," you're doing your job as a GM.
Wolves Updates 7/30
by SG on Jul 30, 2010 8:41 PM CDT
127 comments
Love wants to be a leader on the team and more
Pinter’s "The Dumb Waiter," another ’50s gem, finds two goons holed up in a claustrophobic basement waiting for instructions on their next assignment. Gus (Brian Hardie), the flummoxed junior member of this hit man team, can’t even remember what city they’re in and asks a multitude of unanswerable, increasingly bizarre questions of Ben (Jon Purcell), the consummate pro who polishes his shoes, straightens his tie and brushes his suit in preparation for the evening’s lethal doings.
Perhaps representing a Kafkaesque theme of a man thrust into circumstances that he doesn’t understand and can’t control, the dumb waiter comes to life in tormenting the two with a series of mysterious dinner orders scrawled on scraps of paper.
The cool, calm and collectedness of the killers in Pulp Fiction is nowhere to be found in the Arch-directed thriller that races to its climax before a door bursts open and in stumbles … well, you’ll see.
The pair was last seen together in F-Troupe’s 2009 run of The Pillowman, a spectacular work that garnered each OEAA acting nominations along with a best drama nomination for the show. The chemistry that allowed them to so convincingly portray siblings is still there in riveting performances full of a physicality that will leave you breathless in the equally breathless confines of their dank, subterranean lair.
It’s a shame that the Theatre Arts Guild passed on The Pillowman for this year’s nominations, but theirs is a butts-in-seats voting process that makes it very difficult for lightly attended works to gain much-deserved recognition.
This duo of short plays will probably meet the same fate with TAG. There’s a puzzling scene in "The Dumb Waiter" where an envelope containing a dozen matches is slid under the door. It’s not a good sign that, on what should be a busy Friday night, there were more matches in that envelope than paying customers in the audience.
Call F-Troupe the best company that you will never see.
But if you’re looking for heady dramas that are as thick and meaty as a cicada’s shell is thin and transparent, check out these powerful one-acts.
The Omaha Reader's excellent review of my brother's play. If you're in Omaha, you really should check it out. All the shows are at the Lied Center on Creighton's campus. More details here.
THE WORST
by Andy G on Jul 29, 2010 11:00 AM CDT
319 comments
All optimism and hypersensitivity toward Kahn-bashing (from the national media) aside, the Wolves are probably going to be one of the league's worst teams, next year. Here's a quick look at their competition, with an invitation to discuss who will be the league's worst team in 2010-11.
319 comments | 3 recs |
Wolves Updates 7/29
by SG on Jul 29, 2010 1:58 AM CDT
16 comments
Team signs Pekovic, Love named a finalist for Team USA, Brewer hosts camp to raise money for diabetes and more
Progress
by Stop-n-Pop on Jul 28, 2010 11:11 PM CDT
78 comments
Slowly but surely it's beginning to take shape. When I last checked in I asked about the official beer of Hoopusdom. After another week of working on the kitchen, perhaps we should vote for the official Canis Hoopus whiskey, as I've become much more fond of two fingers of bourbon instead of a cold frosty one.
This kitchen remodel has done strange things to me. I don't know why but ever since the drywall went up all I can listen to is rap about drug dealing. Perhaps it's something I inhaled during construction. Maynholup will be happy to know that I have added some Z-Ro to the playlist. Clipse and Ghostface Killah top the proceedings. Although, I suppose it isn't all about drugs. I'm really feeling the new Big Boi album. I haven't listened to this much hip hop since college (circa mid-90s).
Anywho, I thought I'd check in to set up a vote for the Official Hoopus Beer. We'll run a mini-tourney. Tonight's vote will be for the out-of-staters, the non-Minnesota beers that were dropped here in the comments or via email. Later on we'll run the homer beer poll. In the meantime, drop me a line about some good music to listen to while remodeling. I have a bad feeling my daughters will be talking about coke scales and cold product if I keep up the current play list. Plus, I'm in something of a music drought and I need some inspiration. Outside of the rap, my latest musical kick has been a journey through the 70s: Kraftwerk, David Bowie, King Crimson, Neil Young, Brian Eno, Can, T-Rex, Funkadelic, Television, and early Joy Division. Looking back at it all, it's pretty amazing how Bowie ruled the 70s. Ziggy, Hunky, Aladdin, and the masterwork Low. He didn't have their fanbase, but that's an influential run on par with Revolver, Rubber Soul...well, you know the rest. Low is one of those albums that has never, ever left the ipod.
I think my next musical kick will be something international. I like highlife and I'll never turn down anything Cuban. What say you?
Your 10-11 lineup depth charts
by Wim (Belgium) on Jul 28, 2010 6:31 PM CDT
38 comments
I'v always been a big fan of the system of writing down depth charts by writing the number of minutes next to the player.
As going over our roster was keeping me awake I decided to get out of bed and write down how I think our rotation should look like for the coming season.This is completely ignoring injury backup though. Only position where this could be a problem is the 1 as we have plenty of interchangeable 2/3's and 4/5's.
Please feel welcome to post your own!
Named as finalists for the USA World Championship Team were Chauncey Billups (Denver Nuggets); Tyson Chandler (Dallas Mavericks); Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies); Eric Gordon (Los Angeles Clippers); Danny Granger (Indiana Pacers); Jeff Green (Oklahoma City Thunder); Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers); Brook Lopez (New Jersey Nets); Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves); Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers); Rajon Rondo (Boston Celtics); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); and Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder).
The 2010-12 USA National Team coaching staff is led by Duke University’s Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski, and features as USA assistant coaches Syracuse University’s Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, New York Knicks head mentor Mike D'Antoni and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan.
The 15 finalists will reassemble Aug. 9 in New York City and train there Aug. 10-16. The official 12-man USA roster that will compete in the 2010 FIBA World Championship must be submitted to FIBA at the technical meeting that normally is held the day prior to the start of the competition."We had an outstanding week of training camp in Las Vegas and it is apparent we have a group of guys that are very focused, committed, and desirous of playing for USA Basketball. The identity of the team is still evolving, but it is pretty obvious we’re going to be very athletic; we’re going to be very strong in the back court; we think our shooting ability is underestimated, we think we’ve got a number of people who can shoot the ball; and so we’re pleased with our progress to date," stated Colangelo.
From the team's presser: Kevin Love moves on to the final 15 for Team USA.
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