Former Boston Celtics Player Kendrick Perkins says Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen once held a boxing match, while beefing with each other.
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"It was a point in time where Rondo was up there as probably like top five point guards in the league," Perkins explained in an interview on SiriusXM NBA Radio, this week. "You had Derrick Rose, you had Chris Paul, and then the next person that was coming to mind was Rondo. Like a Tony Parker, but Rondo was right there. He was making multiple All-Star games, breaking assists records, getting triple-doubles. ... And it was the 2009-2010 season—no, 2008-2009, where [it] came up that, you know, New Orleans was—Chris Paul wanted out, I guess. And it was rumors started to circulate and it was brought to the table that what if we trade Rondo and get CP."
"It was even to the point where we brought boxing gloves to the gym and they got on boxing gloves," Perkins added. "We made them box it out for like two rounds."
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Adam Silver Discusses The NBA’s Return With Players
Adam Silver discussed the logistics of an NBA return with the league's players, this week.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver spoke with player representatives from the National Basketball Players Association, which included executive director Michele Roberts, NBPA president Chris Paul and a number of other players, regarding the logistics of the league's return.
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"This could turn out to be the single greatest challenge of all our lives," Silver warned, noting that 40% of the league's revenue comes from game night earnings.
Silver pointed that that "The CBA was not built for extended pandemics," explaining that future salary caps and basketball-related income could be affected by the situation.
The commissioner went on to say that the league could resume playing from a single arena to limit air travel: "There's no point in adding risk for flying all of you city to city if there's not going to be fans," Silver said. "We think it would be safer to be in a single location, or two locations, to start."
Silver plans to return with a full-playoff run, but is considering play-in tournaments, which would give more teams a chance to compete who were robbed of a late-season playoff push.
"Until there's a vaccine, or some cocktail preventing people from dying from the virus, we are going to be dealing with this collectively," Silver told the players. "The ultimate issue is how much risk we're all comfortable taking."
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NBA & ESPN Reveal H-O-R-S-E Competition Participants
NBA and ESPN have announced its first-ever H-O-R-S-E competition and there are going to be some amazing players involved.
Sports fans have been deprived of content throughout this quarantine period and sports leagues around the world are well-aware of that. The NBA is taking matters into their own hands and are coming through with a competition that will certainly get fans excited. We reported over the weekend that the NBA would have a H-O-R-S-E competition with some of the NBA’s best players. This is a classic game amongst basketball players and now, the NBA will be turning it into a primetime event.
The eight participants have been revealed and it is surely going to be a lot of fun. The players are split into two groups, with the winner of each group advancing to the finals. In group 1, we have Chauncey Billups, Tamika Catchings, Mike Conley Jr, and Trae Young. Meanwhile, group 2 features the likes of Allie Quigley, Paul Pierce, Chris Paul, and Zach Lavine.
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On Sunday, April 12th at 7PM EST, the quarterfinal matchups will take place. The players will be in their respective homes where they all have nets set up. The four semi-finalists will play on Thursday, April 16th at 9 PM EST. That same night, the winner of the entire tournament will be crowned.
Let us know in the comments below who you think is going to come away with the win.
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Lil Wayne Reveals His Favorite Players In Today’s NBA
When Lil Wayne isn’t watching the Lakers, he is watching some of the NBA’s finest young players.
Lil Wayne is one of the greatest rappers of all time and when he isn’t writing new songs and recording new music, he can be found watching live sports. Basketball is easily one of his favorites and it is well-documented that he is a huge fan of the Los Angeles Lakers. Recently, Wayne went on the “All The Smoke” podcast with Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes where he spoke about his love of Kobe Bryant and a whole range of other topics.
Sticking to sports, Wayne was asked about who are some of his favorite players in the NBA right now. As a Lakers fan, Wayne made sure to acknowledge LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the entire Lakers bench. From there, he spoke about a plethora of veteran players, as well as some young guns were thrown into the mix.
The aforementioned veterans were Chris Paul, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. From there, Wayne spoke about two of the league’s standout rookies, Ja Morant and Zion Williamson. Wayne was particularly impressed by Ja Morant who was making the Memphis Grizzlies look like a bonafide playoff team.
With Wayne’s comments in mind, it’s clear that he is paying attention to the next generation of players. If you get name-dropped by Wayne, you must be doing something right.
Cam Newton Tells Chris Paul His Feelings On Panthers Situation
Cam Newton went on IG Live with Chris Paul and gave his true thoughts on the Carolina Panthers fallout.
Cam Newton was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL just a few years ago although due to injuries, he has been having problems keeping up with his former self. Because of his propensity for getting injured, Newton was released by the Carolina Panthers and is now a free agent. Prospective teams would want him to do a physical before signing a deal although with the Coronavirus going around, Newton is in a state of purgatory.
In light of everything that has happened, Newton went on IG Live where he spoke to NBA star Chris Paul about everything that has gone on this last month. Newton admits that he feels like a "fish out of water" and that the Panthers are the only thing he knows. Regardless, he is committed to getting back on the field.
“It’s so much possibility for me right now, but the fact that this corona situation has hit, I’m not a person to blame or do any of that things, man, it’s business,” Newton said. “But at the same time, I think I have been affected in a lot of ways, and it’s just [unfortunate], but yeah, at the end of the day, man, I’m going to let the ball play how it play, man, and go from there.”
There are certainly numerous teams that could benefit from Newton's presence although it could be a while before he can start negotiating with prospective teams.
Be sure to stay tuned for updates on free agency as we will be sure to bring them to you.
Chris Paul Reflects On Kobe Bryant & Vetoed Lakers Trade
Chris Paul was famously supposed to be a member of the Los Angeles Lakers before David Stern swooped in.
Back in 2011, the Los Angeles Lakers were about to pull off the greatest finesse known to mankind. They had made a trade with the New Orleans Hornets that would send Chris Paul to Los Angeles and somehow, the Lakers would save $40 million in the process. At the time, the Hornets were in shambles and were technically owned by the league. Commissioner David Stern felt like the deal was a bit of a farce so he decided to veto it, much to the chagrin of Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, the Lakers, and fans of the purple and gold, all around the world.
Stern and Kobe have both passed on since then and recently, Paul joined Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes for an episode of the "All The Smoke" podcast. In the clip below, Paul talked about the vetoed trade and how it disappointed him greatly. It was his one chance to get to play with Kobe Bryant and it was ultimately squandered.
This trade is easily one of the biggest what-ifs in the history of the NBA. Had the trade been made, Paul could have had a title and Kobe could have matched Jordan's six rings. In the end, the Lakers dynasty came to a screeching halt while Paul had an entertaining yet unsuccessful tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers.
At this point, all we can do is look back and wish things were different.
Chris Paul Describes How COVID-19 Test Kept Him From His Kids
Chris Paul had a harrowing experience after coming home in the midst of waiting for his Coronavirus test results.
Chris Paul, just like many other players in the NBA, had to get tested for the Coronavirus after it was revealed that Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz got it. Paul was given a clean bill of health and is currently at home resting comfortably. In fact, he was recently on the “All The Smoke” podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, where he spoke about his experiences.
As he says, testing was actually quite the harrowing experience. Paul was tested and then got on a flight home from Oklahoma. When he got to his house, he couldn’t even go inside because he had no clue if he was positive or negative. Paul says it took three hours before he got his results back although, in the meantime, he had to sit out in the driveway.
“When I left Oklahoma to come [home], I hadn’t gotten my [COVID-19 test] results back. So I got back to my house, I hadn’t seen my kids since All-Star Weekend. Couldn’t go in the house, though,” Paul said. “I sat in the driveway for three hours because I hadn’t gotten my test back. I could see my kids, but I couldn’t go touch them…That was tough in itself.”
Paul went on to say that everything that’s going on is crazy and that he hopes to be back on the court sooner rather than later, if possible, of course.
NBA players are going through a hard time right now and Paul is no different. As fans, we are feeling that itch for sports, as well.
Chris Paul Confronts Young Heckler Sitting Courtside
Chris Paul wasn't going to let himself be disrespected.
Chris Paul has been having an outstanding season with the Oklahoma City Thunder. When he was traded to the team, there were fears that they would be bottom feeders with no chance of making it to the NBA playoffs. Instead, they have been the shock of the season. They are currently fifth in the Western Conference and have a legitimate shot at overtaking the Houston Rockets for fourth. If this were to happen, they would have home-court advantage in the first round of the postseason.
Last night, Paul and the Thunder defeated the Boston Celtics, in Boston. At one point during the game, Paul took exception to something that was said by a fan who was sitting courtside. As you can see in the clip below, Paul walks up to the fan and shakes his hand before giving him a bit of an earful. The teenager was sitting with some of his friends and seemed shocked by the exchange.
Fans get caught talking spicy all the time and because NBA players are so close to the fans, they can talk back and engage in the banter. This was a teachable moment for the young Celtics fan and Paul made sure to be the adult in the situation. With this in mind, we hope the fan thinks twice before disrespecting one of the best point guards in the league, again.
Chris Paul Reacts To Knicks Trade Rumors
Paul isn't thinking about trades.
Knicks fans were rocked with the news early this week that Chris Paul is a target for their team in the offseason. ESPN's Frank Isola tweeted that the Knicks were "gathering intel" to build a good trade deal for Chris Paul this summer. "The Knicks, according to NBA sources, have been gathering intel on All Star Chris Paul and could make a run at him this summer," he tweeted. "Paul, 34, carries a huge contract but he’s had a resurgent season in OKC & is proven leader." Although the Knicks fan base has been divided on how they feel about the news, Chris Paul himself appears clear-minded about the situation.
Paul was asked after a game how he felt about the trade rumors, and he kept it real with reporters about what is really on his mind. “I imagine playing in Boston on Sunday, that’s the only thing I think about," Paul stated, referencing his team's next game. "Shoot, I haven’t seen my kids since All-Star. Might not see them until April, that’s the only thing that’s on my mind," he continued. Paul has nearly been in the league for two decades so this isn't the first time he's had to deal with trade rumors.
Knicks Could Make A Run At Chris Paul This Summer: Report
The New York Knicks have reportedly begun "gathering intel" on Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Chris Paul.
The New York Knicks will have plenty of cap space to work with once again this summer, as the team's perpetual rebuild has led them no where thus far. Shocking, but true.
Unlike last year, when the Knicks struck out on their top tier targets, there won't be many coveted superstars on the free agent market for them to spend their money on. There is, however, one future Hall of Famer that has surfaced as a potential trade target for the Knicks this off-season. And he just so happens to be a former client of the Knicks' newly appointed president, Leon Rose.
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Citing "NBA sources," Knicks insider Frank Isola reports that the organization has begun "gathering intel" on Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Chris Paul, and they could make a run at him this summer when they'll have plenty of cap space available to pay off his exorbitant contract. Paul, who will turn 35 in May, is owed $41.3 million next season, and an additional $44.2 million in the 2021-22 season.
Despite the hefty contract and concerns about his age, there's no denying CP3's impact on the court. Some expected the Thunder to hit the reset button and trade the veteran point guard after acquiring him in the Russell Westbrook deal last July, but he has proven to be a valuable piece in their rebuild. OKC is one of the most surprising (in a good way) teams this season, currently seeded sixth in the Western Conference with a record of 38-24.
Paul, who earned All Star honors for the 10th time this year, has appeared in 61 of OKC's 62 games, averaging 17.5 points, 6.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals along the way. The Knicks are in desperate need of a point guard (in addition to every other position) and although they may find one in the draft (RE: LaMelo Ball), it appears as though the team will be closely monitoring the CP3 situation this off-season.