So Michael Beasley dropped a game-high 56 points in Sunday’s OKC charity all-star game and then dropped this lockout-inspired (but surely not Derek Fisher-endorsed) gem: “Fighting over 3 percent, that’s kind of retarded to me. But it is what is. We’ll come to an agreement.” I have two questions for you Michael Beasley. First, when you said this, did you know that you were talking to a reporter? If so: dude, come on. Second, did you know that said 3 percent represents more than 100 million dollars?- As if in reply to B-Easy, Arturo Galletti of Wages of Wins reminds us that even if they lose the entire season, the owners stand to make a billion dollars if they win the lockout. I would assume that this fact has Billy Hunter barfing in his sleep. Incidentally, though you might take issue with the exact formulation of their basketball metrics, WoW has been great on the lockout.
- As has Truehoop. Here’s Henry crisply summarizing both sides’ best arguments. And here’s Kevin laying out why revenue sharing might not quite work the way the league wants it to.
- Here, Beckley Mason of Hoopspeak wonders something that both Malcolm Gladwell and I have also wondered: why are a group of obscenely rich men–men who generally stand to add to their great fortunes by owning NBA teams, men presiding over a league that is exploding in revenue and popularity–attempting to leach money from the exact same uncommonly gifted people who make all of that possible? Oh right, see bullet two.
Archives For Malcolm Gladwell
K-Love, looking fit and trim. Photo by Judd Spicer
Judd Spicer is an award-winning, veteran freelance writer and was a colleague of mine at the City Pages, where he covered the Twins and Wolves. Recently though, he decided to leave the Midwest and relocate his writing desk to Southern California, the better to monitor the cutthroat world of pro beach volleyball (I don’t know if that last part is true). He’s a fine fellow and a sharp dresser and can be followed at Twitter here.
Kevin Love may be locked out, but the All-Star forward and reigning NBA rebound champ isn’t locked down. He’s just using the time during the league’s labor dispute to attack a different net.
The Timberwolves’ forward made his pro volleyball debut on Thursday morning at the world’s most historic and most competitive beach volleyball tournament, the Manhattan Beach Open, part of the Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series. Total prize money for the event is $200,000, making it the richest domestic tournament of the season. Love’s anticipated salary for 2011-12? Just a hair over $4.6 million.