First Cup: Thursday

• Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle: "Here are a couple of things for you to chew on. I already know you Yao haters will say these are meaningless statistics because he never won a championship, and I don’t mind you minimizing it, but at least admit that if the numbers were bad or reversed you know darn well you would hold it up as evidence of Yao’s ineffectiveness. I’m not trying to say Yao is an all-time great. My point in giving it to you is to put the brakes on the over-the-top bashing. The Rockets had a winning percentage of .584 (284-202) in games in which Yao played, and a winning percentage of .594 (699-478) in games in which Hakeem Olajuwon played. That translates to a 48-24 average season with Yao and a 49-23 average season with Dream. Obviously Yao’s career pales in comparison to Olajuwon, but numbers like those are why Shaquille O’Neal said if Yao had stayed healthy he would have gone down as one of the games top-five best centers. I disagree but a full healthy career, and it is seems clear that Yao would have been in the discussion. There are some of you who say Yao was never the best center in the game. That’s crazy."
• Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle: "Most of us thought it was sad that it was already over. That’s how Rockets owner Leslie Alexander described it, even though he had advised Yao to cherish his family and the career that he had. Yao, however, refused to indulge in any self pity. There were moments during his announcement that he had to pause to gather himself and a few occasions during the ceremony that followed that the emotions seemed to grab him. But through most of his announcement and the press conference that followed, he smiled easily and often, especially when he was joined by his friend Colin Pine, his interpreter and tour guide through the NBA in those first seasons with the Rockets. He laughed a few times and joked when Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was surprised to have been handed a microphone to ask a question. Yao made it clear that his playing career was over, with no thoughts of returning for national team competitions or China Basketball Association cameos. His involvement in the sport, however, would continue. He would become increasingly involved with the Shanghai Sharks, the team with which he won the 2002 CBA Championship and has since purchased. He spoke of continuing his work with young players. NBA commissioner David Stern had spoken of involving Yao with the NBA efforts in China."
• Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times "There are several lessons Andrew Bynum could take if he watched Yao Ming announce his retirement Wednesday in China after an accomplished nine-year career ended because of recurring injuries. Should Bynum be wary of a similar fate? Will Bynum's career be cut short because of continuous trips to the trainer's room to treat his wobbly knees? Will his legacy be tainted like Yao's with wondering what Bynum could've accomplished had he stayed healthy? And will Bynum eventually need to adopt a plan the Rockets prescribed for Yao in which he wouldn't play more than 24 minutes per game? It's insensitive and distasteful to make it sound like we're putting betting wagers on Bynum's health. But I'm raising these questions simply because Yao's case study may provide another reminder of how fragile Bynum's career is. It's one of the many reasons why I argued the Lakers shouldn't be pinning Bynum as the future of their franchise because it's currently unclear what Bynum's injury-free season in the 2010-2011 actually means. The surgery and long-term rehab Bynum had on his right knee that caused him to miss the first 24 games of the regular-season ensured a fully healthy knee the rest of the season, but does that mean the injury bug escaped him or is this simply a transitional period before something bad happens again?"
• Jeff Miller of The Orange County Register: "OK, let’s see here ... One day, he was a high schooler. The next day, he was a Laker, the youngest player ever drafted into the NBA. After selecting him, the Lakers hired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, one of the league’s greatest players ever, to personally coach him. The first two points of his NBA life came on a dunk. Early in the 2008-09 season, at age 21 and only 165 games into his career, he signed a contract extension worth at least $42 million and possibly $58 million. Before his 23rd birthday, he was a two-time NBA champion. The only Lakers who will make more money than him next season are named Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. So, yeah, we believe Andrew Bynum feels entitled, wholly and 100-percent entitled."
• Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman: "If the 2011-12 NBA season is a shortened one, the Oklahoma City Thunder just might have all the ingredients to do some serious damage. As if things weren't lining up perfectly already for a surging Thunder franchise, the prospects of a condensed calendar of games now could benefit Oklahoma City more than any other team in the league. The Thunder has five factors in its favor in the event the current lockout threatens its 82-game schedule, which was released Tuesday: youth, experience, health, depth and continuity. No other team has as much in reserve in all five of those categories as the Thunder. It has to be an extremely cozy spot for Thunder fans, the vast majority of which expect nothing short of an NBA Finals appearance next season. ... A shortened season is never on any fans wish list. But given its potential impact on the Thunder, it quickly becomes an intriguing possibility."
• K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune: "Joakim Noah has returned to the United States after French basketball officials requested the Bulls' big man further rehabilitate the right ankle he sprained late in the season, sidelining him for three games. Noah received this news as he underwent a routine medical exam last week in Paris while he prepared to join the French national team in training for the European championships. FIBA.com first reported the news, which the Tribune confirmed. The French Basketball Federation released a statement saying, 'In an act of transparency, the FFBB sent the medical reports to his club and his agent.' Bulls officials can't comment on any matters involving players because of the NBA lockout."
• Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News: "It appears Les Bleus have their point guard. The French Basketball Federation has obtained insurance sufficient to cover the contracts of its NBA players, paving the way for the Spurs’ Tony Parker to play in the Eurobasket tournament in Lithuania later this summer. The announcement came via a post on the official website for FIBA, the sport’s international governing body. The question of insurance for international players has been a hot-button issue since the start of the NBA’s lockout July 1. Typically, the NBA agrees to pay to insure 80 percent of a player’s salary, with foreign federations left to foot the remaining 20 percent. With a work stoppage in effect, however, the NBA has been unwilling to pick up its share of the tab, leaving the often cash-strapped international teams to shoulder the full financial burden. For the French federation, that meant securing coverage for more than $125 million worth of NBA contracts. Earlier this summer, Parker said he wouldn’t consider playing this summer unless his contract was insured."
• Chris Vivlamore and Tim Tucker of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Efforts by the Atlanta Spirit ownership group to sell a majority stake in the Hawks have accelerated since the group’s sale of the Thrashers last month. People familiar with the process say representatives of a potential buyer are doing due diligence — examining financial records — as the process moves toward a possible offer and more detailed negotiations for the basketball team and Philips Arena operating rights. The people familiar with the situation, speaking exclusively with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, would not identify the potential bidder because of confidentiality agreements, but described the process as moving fast. They said no offer or exclusive negotiating agreement is in place but that the potential bidder, who might have partners, has the financial wherewithal to complete a transaction. The potential buyer has accountants and lawyers working extensively on the matter. ... Spirit partners Michael Gearon Jr. and Bruce Levenson could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Gearon is in Asia on other business. Under the deal being discussed, current ownership would retain a significant minority stake. Gearon has previously stated his desire to retain his stake."
• Lacy J. Banks of the Chicago Sun-Times: "Bulls marketing chief Steve Schanwald urges Bulls fans not to fear if the NBA lockout cancels the 2011-12 season. 'None of our fans will lose money,’ Schanwald said Wednesday. ‘If there is no season, we will refund their money with interest.’ That’s good news for fans, who already have purchased some 16,000 season tickets, plus thousands of single-game tickets. The same goes for corporate sponsors, suite renters and advertisers. 'The Bulls have been around a long time and expect to be around much longer,’ Schanwald said. ‘As long as we are in business, we will treat our season-ticket holders, our sponsors and other supporters fairly.’ Is the lockout hurting Schanwald’s summer marketing? 'Not at all,’ he said. 'We’re still open for business. We’ve receiving phone calls, we’re answering questions, we have a season-ticket waiting list, and season tickets and single-game tickets are selling like hotcakes. We’re also selling sponsorships. So [the lockout] is not really on our radar.' "
• Marc Berman of the New York Post: "If Knicks season-ticket holders are also locked out of the Garden in November, they at least will receive refunds -- with an interest rate better than standard savings accounts. The Post has obtained a letter sent to Knicks season-ticket holders on July 1 which specifies any cancelled games will be refunded with interest on a monthly basis. According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the lockout interest rate is 1 percent, with calculations beginning Oct. 1. Each letter sent out was personalized. The letter read, in part, 'If any 2011-12 preseason or regular season games are cancelled due to a work stoppage, all Season Subscribers will have the option of receiving a refund with interest on a monthly basis, or have money left on account with interest. More specific details about refunds or credits will be shared at the appropriate time.' "
• Staff of The Seattle Times: "Q: Do you regret your decision to leave UW early? Isaiah Thomas: No, I don't. I had the best three years of my life at the University of Washington, but it was time for me to move on. Q: How do you feel about the NBA lockout? Thomas: I don't know what to think. I mean, I've never had money so it's not a problem financially for me. I can't wait to just get things started, to get situated in Sacramento. Q: Are you excited to play with Jimmer Fredette? Thomas: Yes. He's like the Justin Bieber of basketball. Everywhere we go, people are crying over him. Q: Have you had a chance to talk with Jimmer? Thomas: Yes, he's a great guy. He's like a shorter version of Jon Brockman. So humble and so talkative. Very polite."
• Staff of The Dallas Morning News: "Mavericks guard J.J. Barea and his girlfriend, actress and model Zuleyka Rivera are expecting a child, according to a report from Primerahora.com. Rivera, a former Miss Universe, will have to leave production of her new project called 'Passionate Heart.' 'All this took me by surprise, but I feel very lucky,' she wrote to Primerahora.com, as translated from Spanish. 'I come from a very close family and I understand that a baby is a blessing. I'm sorry I had to leave this soap opera, it was another opportunity for my growth as an actress and achieve my professional goals. However, both JJ and I are happy to start a family together and I know God will reward us with a healthy baby and many more opportunities for both.' "

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/31205/first-cup-thursday-165

Lance Berkman Reegie Corona Juan Miranda Colin Curtis Kevin Russo Curtis Granderson