DeSagana Diop with the worst free-throw miss in NBA history

DeSagana Diop has been in the NBA since 2001. He's a professional that is paid to play basketball and, occasionally, shoot (if not make) free throws. Making 8 of 10 puts him at the top of the line at his position. Missing half isn't great, but it can be overcome.This, from Saturday's game against the Washington Wizards, cannot be argued away: We all make mistakes. I'll toss in one typo for every 400 words published. I'll confuse "than" and "then" in a tweet. Missing a free throw like this, though, is like me attempting to write the word "their" and instead typing "L:JKWEFKIYJBillyJoel^^%$^BLWF&."

Which, admittedly, may happen someday. Hat-tip to Cameron Smith and SportsGrid.

Favors fined $25K

Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors has been fined $25,000 for throwing a ball into the stands during the third quarter of a 94-91 loss Thursday night against Dallas. 

The league announced the fine Saturday.The incident occurred with 24.8 seconds remaining in the third in a physical game that saw four technicals called.Favors, a second-year pro, acknowledged he lost his cool after getting called for another offensive foul.Jazz point guard Earl Watson received a technical shortly before Favors' ejection. Watson was standing up for a teammate when Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki smacked the basketball out of Favors' hands.Nowitzki wasn't penalized for his actions, though he did receive a technical at the end of the first half for spiking the ball hard onto the court.

Favors fined $25K

Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors has been fined $25,000 for throwing a ball into the stands during the third quarter of a 94-91 loss Thursday night against Dallas. 

The league announced the fine Saturday.The incident occurred with 24.8 seconds remaining in the third in a physical game that saw four technicals called.Favors, a second-year pro, acknowledged he lost his cool after getting called for another offensive foul.Jazz point guard Earl Watson received a technical shortly before Favors' ejection. Watson was standing up for a teammate when Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki smacked the basketball out of Favors' hands.Nowitzki wasn't penalized for his actions, though he did receive a technical at the end of the first half for spiking the ball hard onto the court.

Favors fined $25K

Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors has been fined $25,000 for throwing a ball into the stands during the third quarter of a 94-91 loss Thursday night against Dallas. 

The league announced the fine Saturday.The incident occurred with 24.8 seconds remaining in the third in a physical game that saw four technicals called.Favors, a second-year pro, acknowledged he lost his cool after getting called for another offensive foul.Jazz point guard Earl Watson received a technical shortly before Favors' ejection. Watson was standing up for a teammate when Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki smacked the basketball out of Favors' hands.Nowitzki wasn't penalized for his actions, though he did receive a technical at the end of the first half for spiking the ball hard onto the court.

Utah's good endings

At season's start, the Utah Jazz were an afterthought in the Western Conference. They no longer had a Hall of Fame coach or a top three point guard. They were downright awful after parting ways with both coach Jerry Sloan and point guard Deron Williams last season, going 8-17 after the All-Star break. Only the Minnesota Timberwolves, who finished the season with 15 straight losses, had a worse post-break record in the West.

The Jazz are seemingly in player-development mode, with four lottery picks from the last two Drafts in their rotation. But they also lean on two former All-Stars (Devin Harris and Josh Howard) and a pair of serious All-Star candidates (Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap).

After four weeks of the season, that mix stands in fifth place in the conference with a 9-5 record. The Jazz have won eight of their last 10games. And they're not taking advantage of a weak schedule either. They're in the middle of the pack when it comes to schedule strength, with wins over the Sixers, Nuggets and Clippers.

Utah's strong start is not easy to figure out. Watching them, you see that they play hard and play together, and that, of course, is critical. But the numbers don't spell out a clear formula for their success.

Through Jan. 18, the Jazz rank 11th in the league in offensive efficiency (101.3 points scored per 100 possessions) and 10th defensively (98.3 allowed). Their defense has been more consistent over the 8-1 stretch. Their offense has been ridiculously good (113 points per 100 possessions) in their last four wins.

On each end of the floor, there are four factors (shooting, rebounding, turnovers and free throws) that affect efficiency, and of the eight total factors, the Jazz rank in the top five in only one. They rank fifth in the league in turnover ratio, committing just 14.4 per 100 possessions.

Utah's good endings

At season's start, the Utah Jazz were an afterthought in the Western Conference. They no longer had a Hall of Fame coach or a top three point guard. They were downright awful after parting ways with both coach Jerry Sloan and point guard Deron Williams last season, going 8-17 after the All-Star break. Only the Minnesota Timberwolves, who finished the season with 15 straight losses, had a worse post-break record in the West.

The Jazz are seemingly in player-development mode, with four lottery picks from the last two Drafts in their rotation. But they also lean on two former All-Stars (Devin Harris and Josh Howard) and a pair of serious All-Star candidates (Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap).

After four weeks of the season, that mix stands in fifth place in the conference with a 9-5 record. The Jazz have won eight of their last 10games. And they're not taking advantage of a weak schedule either. They're in the middle of the pack when it comes to schedule strength, with wins over the Sixers, Nuggets and Clippers.

Utah's strong start is not easy to figure out. Watching them, you see that they play hard and play together, and that, of course, is critical. But the numbers don't spell out a clear formula for their success.

Through Jan. 18, the Jazz rank 11th in the league in offensive efficiency (101.3 points scored per 100 possessions) and 10th defensively (98.3 allowed). Their defense has been more consistent over the 8-1 stretch. Their offense has been ridiculously good (113 points per 100 possessions) in their last four wins.

On each end of the floor, there are four factors (shooting, rebounding, turnovers and free throws) that affect efficiency, and of the eight total factors, the Jazz rank in the top five in only one. They rank fifth in the league in turnover ratio, committing just 14.4 per 100 possessions.

Utah's good endings

At season's start, the Utah Jazz were an afterthought in the Western Conference. They no longer had a Hall of Fame coach or a top three point guard. They were downright awful after parting ways with both coach Jerry Sloan and point guard Deron Williams last season, going 8-17 after the All-Star break. Only the Minnesota Timberwolves, who finished the season with 15 straight losses, had a worse post-break record in the West.

The Jazz are seemingly in player-development mode, with four lottery picks from the last two Drafts in their rotation. But they also lean on two former All-Stars (Devin Harris and Josh Howard) and a pair of serious All-Star candidates (Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap).

After four weeks of the season, that mix stands in fifth place in the conference with a 9-5 record. The Jazz have won eight of their last 10games. And they're not taking advantage of a weak schedule either. They're in the middle of the pack when it comes to schedule strength, with wins over the Sixers, Nuggets and Clippers.

Utah's strong start is not easy to figure out. Watching them, you see that they play hard and play together, and that, of course, is critical. But the numbers don't spell out a clear formula for their success.

Through Jan. 18, the Jazz rank 11th in the league in offensive efficiency (101.3 points scored per 100 possessions) and 10th defensively (98.3 allowed). Their defense has been more consistent over the 8-1 stretch. Their offense has been ridiculously good (113 points per 100 possessions) in their last four wins.

On each end of the floor, there are four factors (shooting, rebounding, turnovers and free throws) that affect efficiency, and of the eight total factors, the Jazz rank in the top five in only one. They rank fifth in the league in turnover ratio, committing just 14.4 per 100 possessions.

Bulls’ Rose agrees to extension

It seemed like something out of a movie script the moment the Chicago Bulls took Derrick Rose with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

The latest twist? A maximum contract extension.

That’s just another milestone in a rapid and steady rise for the point guard from the city’s South Side to stardom with his hometown team.

The reigning NBA MVP agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Chicago Bulls worth approximately $94 million, a person familiar with the situation said.

The Chicago Tribune, citing anonymous sources, first reported the deal.

The person spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the deal had not been finalized. The extension will start in the 2012-13 season, when Rose is eligible to make about $16 million. The Bulls scheduled a news conference for Wednesday, though they won’t say what it is for.

“It’s something big, but I think I want to talk more about it (Wednesday), with my family and everybody being there,” the star point guard said after the Bulls’ preseason victory over Indiana on Tuesday night. “But it’s definitely something big.”

And, teammates say, it was well-earned.

“We’re all very excited for him,” Carlos Boozer said. “He deserves it. He puts in a lot of effort. I wish the contract was for 10 years.”

The chance to join Rose in the backcourt was a big draw for Richard Hamilton. The veteran shooting guard signed with the Bulls last week after being bought out by the Detroit Pistons, and so far, he likes what he sees.

“He works hard,” Hamilton said. “He’s young. He’s 23 years old and the way he plays on the floor is the way he practices. In order to be great in this league, you just can’t turn it on (during) games. He really has a great work ethic.”

The deal is more of a formality than a surprise. Rose and general manager Gar Forman had indicated it would get done, and it was not hard to see why they wanted to stay together.

The Chicago product went from Rookie of the Year to All-Star to MVP in his first three seasons, becoming the youngest player to win that award. About the only thing he doesn’t have is a championship ring, and that’s what weighs on him as he enters his fourth season—not the money.

“I think I live a humble life,” Rose said. “Of course, I know I’ll be able to afford whatever I want, but other than that, there aren’t too many things that excite me. Me winning is one of the things. Me being around my family, that’s another. Money, that’s the last thing I think about.”

The Bulls came close to winning it all last season, winning a league-high 62 games and advancing all the way to the Eastern Conference finals before losing to the Miami Heat.

Now, they’re looking for more.

Rose has repeatedly pointed the finger at himself for the Bulls coming up short against the Heat in the playoffs. He worked on his inside game in the offseason after expanding his shooting range in previous years, but it’s hard to imagine him accomplishing much more than he did last season.

Rose delivered one of the best seasons by a point guard. He also joined Michael Jordan as the only Bulls players to win the MVP award.

The South Side product established himself as one of the league’s best players, averaging 25 points and 7.7 assists while leading Chicago to its best season since the championship era with Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

For Rose, the contract extension is just another milestone in a rapid rise from the city’s rough Englewood neighborhood to a starring role with the Bulls.

He helped Simeon Career Academy become the first Chicago Public League team to win back-to-back state championships, then led Memphis to the NCAA championship game before the Bulls drafted him with the No. 1 pick in 2008 after defying long odds to win the lottery.

“The Bulls are loyal,” Rose said. “They’ve stayed loyal with me, showed that they trusted me by picking me to come here. I just feel blessed, and I’m just happy that I’m here.”

Bulls’ Rose agrees to extension

It seemed like something out of a movie script the moment the Chicago Bulls took Derrick Rose with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

The latest twist? A maximum contract extension.

That’s just another milestone in a rapid and steady rise for the point guard from the city’s South Side to stardom with his hometown team.

The reigning NBA MVP agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Chicago Bulls worth approximately $94 million, a person familiar with the situation said.

The Chicago Tribune, citing anonymous sources, first reported the deal.

The person spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the deal had not been finalized. The extension will start in the 2012-13 season, when Rose is eligible to make about $16 million. The Bulls scheduled a news conference for Wednesday, though they won’t say what it is for.

“It’s something big, but I think I want to talk more about it (Wednesday), with my family and everybody being there,” the star point guard said after the Bulls’ preseason victory over Indiana on Tuesday night. “But it’s definitely something big.”

And, teammates say, it was well-earned.

“We’re all very excited for him,” Carlos Boozer said. “He deserves it. He puts in a lot of effort. I wish the contract was for 10 years.”

The chance to join Rose in the backcourt was a big draw for Richard Hamilton. The veteran shooting guard signed with the Bulls last week after being bought out by the Detroit Pistons, and so far, he likes what he sees.

“He works hard,” Hamilton said. “He’s young. He’s 23 years old and the way he plays on the floor is the way he practices. In order to be great in this league, you just can’t turn it on (during) games. He really has a great work ethic.”

The deal is more of a formality than a surprise. Rose and general manager Gar Forman had indicated it would get done, and it was not hard to see why they wanted to stay together.

The Chicago product went from Rookie of the Year to All-Star to MVP in his first three seasons, becoming the youngest player to win that award. About the only thing he doesn’t have is a championship ring, and that’s what weighs on him as he enters his fourth season—not the money.

“I think I live a humble life,” Rose said. “Of course, I know I’ll be able to afford whatever I want, but other than that, there aren’t too many things that excite me. Me winning is one of the things. Me being around my family, that’s another. Money, that’s the last thing I think about.”

The Bulls came close to winning it all last season, winning a league-high 62 games and advancing all the way to the Eastern Conference finals before losing to the Miami Heat.

Now, they’re looking for more.

Rose has repeatedly pointed the finger at himself for the Bulls coming up short against the Heat in the playoffs. He worked on his inside game in the offseason after expanding his shooting range in previous years, but it’s hard to imagine him accomplishing much more than he did last season.

Rose delivered one of the best seasons by a point guard. He also joined Michael Jordan as the only Bulls players to win the MVP award.

The South Side product established himself as one of the league’s best players, averaging 25 points and 7.7 assists while leading Chicago to its best season since the championship era with Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

For Rose, the contract extension is just another milestone in a rapid rise from the city’s rough Englewood neighborhood to a starring role with the Bulls.

He helped Simeon Career Academy become the first Chicago Public League team to win back-to-back state championships, then led Memphis to the NCAA championship game before the Bulls drafted him with the No. 1 pick in 2008 after defying long odds to win the lottery.

“The Bulls are loyal,” Rose said. “They’ve stayed loyal with me, showed that they trusted me by picking me to come here. I just feel blessed, and I’m just happy that I’m here.”

Bulls’ Rose agrees to extension

It seemed like something out of a movie script the moment the Chicago Bulls took Derrick Rose with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

The latest twist? A maximum contract extension.

That’s just another milestone in a rapid and steady rise for the point guard from the city’s South Side to stardom with his hometown team.

The reigning NBA MVP agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Chicago Bulls worth approximately $94 million, a person familiar with the situation said.

The Chicago Tribune, citing anonymous sources, first reported the deal.

The person spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the deal had not been finalized. The extension will start in the 2012-13 season, when Rose is eligible to make about $16 million. The Bulls scheduled a news conference for Wednesday, though they won’t say what it is for.

“It’s something big, but I think I want to talk more about it (Wednesday), with my family and everybody being there,” the star point guard said after the Bulls’ preseason victory over Indiana on Tuesday night. “But it’s definitely something big.”

And, teammates say, it was well-earned.

“We’re all very excited for him,” Carlos Boozer said. “He deserves it. He puts in a lot of effort. I wish the contract was for 10 years.”

The chance to join Rose in the backcourt was a big draw for Richard Hamilton. The veteran shooting guard signed with the Bulls last week after being bought out by the Detroit Pistons, and so far, he likes what he sees.

“He works hard,” Hamilton said. “He’s young. He’s 23 years old and the way he plays on the floor is the way he practices. In order to be great in this league, you just can’t turn it on (during) games. He really has a great work ethic.”

The deal is more of a formality than a surprise. Rose and general manager Gar Forman had indicated it would get done, and it was not hard to see why they wanted to stay together.

The Chicago product went from Rookie of the Year to All-Star to MVP in his first three seasons, becoming the youngest player to win that award. About the only thing he doesn’t have is a championship ring, and that’s what weighs on him as he enters his fourth season—not the money.

“I think I live a humble life,” Rose said. “Of course, I know I’ll be able to afford whatever I want, but other than that, there aren’t too many things that excite me. Me winning is one of the things. Me being around my family, that’s another. Money, that’s the last thing I think about.”

The Bulls came close to winning it all last season, winning a league-high 62 games and advancing all the way to the Eastern Conference finals before losing to the Miami Heat.

Now, they’re looking for more.

Rose has repeatedly pointed the finger at himself for the Bulls coming up short against the Heat in the playoffs. He worked on his inside game in the offseason after expanding his shooting range in previous years, but it’s hard to imagine him accomplishing much more than he did last season.

Rose delivered one of the best seasons by a point guard. He also joined Michael Jordan as the only Bulls players to win the MVP award.

The South Side product established himself as one of the league’s best players, averaging 25 points and 7.7 assists while leading Chicago to its best season since the championship era with Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

For Rose, the contract extension is just another milestone in a rapid rise from the city’s rough Englewood neighborhood to a starring role with the Bulls.

He helped Simeon Career Academy become the first Chicago Public League team to win back-to-back state championships, then led Memphis to the NCAA championship game before the Bulls drafted him with the No. 1 pick in 2008 after defying long odds to win the lottery.

“The Bulls are loyal,” Rose said. “They’ve stayed loyal with me, showed that they trusted me by picking me to come here. I just feel blessed, and I’m just happy that I’m here.”

Talks resume toward ending NBA lockout

Talks aimed at ending the NBA lockout have resumed, two people with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday, with a quick settlement necessary to start the season by Christmas.

The discussions began quietly Tuesday and are expected to continue through the Thanksgiving holiday, the people told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the talks were supposed to remain confidential.

The talks between representatives of the owners and players are now centered on settling their lawsuits: The players filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league in Minnesota and the league filed a pre-emptive suit in New York, seeking to prove the lockout was legal.

Neither side commented on the talks, first reported by Yahoo Sports, though the league said in a statement it "remains in favor of a negotiated resolution" to the lockout.

The news revived the hopes of saving the Christmas slate, when the league schedules some marquee matchups to kick off its national TV package. The NBA finals rematch between Dallas and Miami was to headline three games this season.

The league had wanted to open a 72-game schedule on Dec. 15, pushing the start of the playoffs and finals back a week, if players had agreed to the last offer. But players rejected the owners' most recent proposal on Nov. 14, announcing instead they were disbanding the union to pave the way to sue the league.

The plan now would be for 66 games if a resolution comes soon. The league played a 50-game schedule in 1998-99 during its last lockout, when a deal didn't come until January, so there's still hope of some games this season even if it doesn't include Christmas.

Commissioner David Stern has said it would take about 30 days from an agreement to the start of the regular season.

David Boies, one of the attorneys representing the players, has repeatedly said he hoped the league would be compelled to settle rather than risk a potentially lengthy trial that could end with players being awarded about $6 billion in damages.

Because the union disbanded, it cannot negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, but the settlement talks could lead to that. The CBA can only be completed once the union has reformed.

When talks broke down, the sides were still divided over the division of revenues and certain changes sought by owners to curb spending by big-market teams that players felt would limit or restrict their options in free agency. Owners are insistent on a 50-50 split of basketball-related income. Union officials indicated they could be open to that, even though they were guaranteed 57 percent in the old CBA, but only if the league conceded on some of the "system" issues.

With the union no longer representing the players, it was unclear who was involved in the new round of talks. NBPA executive director Billy Hunter is officially part of the players' legal team so he's able to take part in the talks, though his participation in negotiations could strengthen the league's contention that the disclaimer strategy was a "sham" and the union hadn't really gone anywhere.

Talks resume toward ending NBA lockout

Talks aimed at ending the NBA lockout have resumed, two people with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday, with a quick settlement necessary to start the season by Christmas.

The discussions began quietly Tuesday and are expected to continue through the Thanksgiving holiday, the people told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the talks were supposed to remain confidential.

The talks between representatives of the owners and players are now centered on settling their lawsuits: The players filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league in Minnesota and the league filed a pre-emptive suit in New York, seeking to prove the lockout was legal.

Neither side commented on the talks, first reported by Yahoo Sports, though the league said in a statement it "remains in favor of a negotiated resolution" to the lockout.

The news revived the hopes of saving the Christmas slate, when the league schedules some marquee matchups to kick off its national TV package. The NBA finals rematch between Dallas and Miami was to headline three games this season.

The league had wanted to open a 72-game schedule on Dec. 15, pushing the start of the playoffs and finals back a week, if players had agreed to the last offer. But players rejected the owners' most recent proposal on Nov. 14, announcing instead they were disbanding the union to pave the way to sue the league.

The plan now would be for 66 games if a resolution comes soon. The league played a 50-game schedule in 1998-99 during its last lockout, when a deal didn't come until January, so there's still hope of some games this season even if it doesn't include Christmas.

Commissioner David Stern has said it would take about 30 days from an agreement to the start of the regular season.

David Boies, one of the attorneys representing the players, has repeatedly said he hoped the league would be compelled to settle rather than risk a potentially lengthy trial that could end with players being awarded about $6 billion in damages.

Because the union disbanded, it cannot negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, but the settlement talks could lead to that. The CBA can only be completed once the union has reformed.

When talks broke down, the sides were still divided over the division of revenues and certain changes sought by owners to curb spending by big-market teams that players felt would limit or restrict their options in free agency. Owners are insistent on a 50-50 split of basketball-related income. Union officials indicated they could be open to that, even though they were guaranteed 57 percent in the old CBA, but only if the league conceded on some of the "system" issues.

With the union no longer representing the players, it was unclear who was involved in the new round of talks. NBPA executive director Billy Hunter is officially part of the players' legal team so he's able to take part in the talks, though his participation in negotiations could strengthen the league's contention that the disclaimer strategy was a "sham" and the union hadn't really gone anywhere.

Talks resume toward ending NBA lockout

Talks aimed at ending the NBA lockout have resumed, two people with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday, with a quick settlement necessary to start the season by Christmas.

The discussions began quietly Tuesday and are expected to continue through the Thanksgiving holiday, the people told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the talks were supposed to remain confidential.

The talks between representatives of the owners and players are now centered on settling their lawsuits: The players filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league in Minnesota and the league filed a pre-emptive suit in New York, seeking to prove the lockout was legal.

Neither side commented on the talks, first reported by Yahoo Sports, though the league said in a statement it "remains in favor of a negotiated resolution" to the lockout.

The news revived the hopes of saving the Christmas slate, when the league schedules some marquee matchups to kick off its national TV package. The NBA finals rematch between Dallas and Miami was to headline three games this season.

The league had wanted to open a 72-game schedule on Dec. 15, pushing the start of the playoffs and finals back a week, if players had agreed to the last offer. But players rejected the owners' most recent proposal on Nov. 14, announcing instead they were disbanding the union to pave the way to sue the league.

The plan now would be for 66 games if a resolution comes soon. The league played a 50-game schedule in 1998-99 during its last lockout, when a deal didn't come until January, so there's still hope of some games this season even if it doesn't include Christmas.

Commissioner David Stern has said it would take about 30 days from an agreement to the start of the regular season.

David Boies, one of the attorneys representing the players, has repeatedly said he hoped the league would be compelled to settle rather than risk a potentially lengthy trial that could end with players being awarded about $6 billion in damages.

Because the union disbanded, it cannot negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, but the settlement talks could lead to that. The CBA can only be completed once the union has reformed.

When talks broke down, the sides were still divided over the division of revenues and certain changes sought by owners to curb spending by big-market teams that players felt would limit or restrict their options in free agency. Owners are insistent on a 50-50 split of basketball-related income. Union officials indicated they could be open to that, even though they were guaranteed 57 percent in the old CBA, but only if the league conceded on some of the "system" issues.

With the union no longer representing the players, it was unclear who was involved in the new round of talks. NBPA executive director Billy Hunter is officially part of the players' legal team so he's able to take part in the talks, though his participation in negotiations could strengthen the league's contention that the disclaimer strategy was a "sham" and the union hadn't really gone anywhere.

Hunter’s actions in NBA labor

After Billy Hunter made the grand stand of marching out of Friday’s bargaining session, refusing to negotiate below 52 percent of the NBA’s revenue split, a strong movement within the Players Association emerged that vowed the union will never let him act so unilaterally again.

From superstars to midlevel players to rookies, there’s an unmistakable push to complete the final elements of the system and take this labor deal to the union’s 400-plus membership. Beyond that, there’s an even larger movement to push Hunter, the Players Association’s executive director, out the door once these labor talks are done. All hell’s broken loose within the union, and no one is exactly sure how they’re going to get a deal to the finish line.

“Billy can’t just say it’s 52 or nothing, and walk out again,” one league source involved with the talks told Yahoo! Sports. “That will not happen again. It’s time that the players get to make a decision on this, and there won’t be another check lost before they do.”

Rest assured, there’s a vast gulf in the union, and it’s growing with the passing of every day. Players Association president Derek Fisher’s(notes) letter to the players convinced no one otherwise. NBA commissioner David Stern and the owners know it, and it’s part of the reason they won’t raise their offer of the BRI revenue split to 51 percent. There are system issues that need to be resolved for players, but this deal gets done at 50-50, and that’s been true for a long, long time.

In the end, there are two courses for the union: Take the deal largely on the table or blow this up, decertify and lose the season fighting the NBA in the federal courts.

Only, it’s too late to decertify. Everyone wanted to do it back in July when the lockout started, and Hunter refused. His decision had nothing to do with legal strategy, nothing to do with leverage or getting the best possible deal for the players. It had everything to do with what it always does with Hunter: self-preservation. He worried about losing power, losing his job, and he sold everyone on a toothless National Labor Relations Board claim that’s going nowhere.

Hunter’s actions in NBA labor

After Billy Hunter made the grand stand of marching out of Friday’s bargaining session, refusing to negotiate below 52 percent of the NBA’s revenue split, a strong movement within the Players Association emerged that vowed the union will never let him act so unilaterally again.

From superstars to midlevel players to rookies, there’s an unmistakable push to complete the final elements of the system and take this labor deal to the union’s 400-plus membership. Beyond that, there’s an even larger movement to push Hunter, the Players Association’s executive director, out the door once these labor talks are done. All hell’s broken loose within the union, and no one is exactly sure how they’re going to get a deal to the finish line.

“Billy can’t just say it’s 52 or nothing, and walk out again,” one league source involved with the talks told Yahoo! Sports. “That will not happen again. It’s time that the players get to make a decision on this, and there won’t be another check lost before they do.”

Rest assured, there’s a vast gulf in the union, and it’s growing with the passing of every day. Players Association president Derek Fisher’s(notes) letter to the players convinced no one otherwise. NBA commissioner David Stern and the owners know it, and it’s part of the reason they won’t raise their offer of the BRI revenue split to 51 percent. There are system issues that need to be resolved for players, but this deal gets done at 50-50, and that’s been true for a long, long time.

In the end, there are two courses for the union: Take the deal largely on the table or blow this up, decertify and lose the season fighting the NBA in the federal courts.

Only, it’s too late to decertify. Everyone wanted to do it back in July when the lockout started, and Hunter refused. His decision had nothing to do with legal strategy, nothing to do with leverage or getting the best possible deal for the players. It had everything to do with what it always does with Hunter: self-preservation. He worried about losing power, losing his job, and he sold everyone on a toothless National Labor Relations Board claim that’s going nowhere.

Hunter’s actions in NBA labor

After Billy Hunter made the grand stand of marching out of Friday’s bargaining session, refusing to negotiate below 52 percent of the NBA’s revenue split, a strong movement within the Players Association emerged that vowed the union will never let him act so unilaterally again.

From superstars to midlevel players to rookies, there’s an unmistakable push to complete the final elements of the system and take this labor deal to the union’s 400-plus membership. Beyond that, there’s an even larger movement to push Hunter, the Players Association’s executive director, out the door once these labor talks are done. All hell’s broken loose within the union, and no one is exactly sure how they’re going to get a deal to the finish line.

“Billy can’t just say it’s 52 or nothing, and walk out again,” one league source involved with the talks told Yahoo! Sports. “That will not happen again. It’s time that the players get to make a decision on this, and there won’t be another check lost before they do.”

Rest assured, there’s a vast gulf in the union, and it’s growing with the passing of every day. Players Association president Derek Fisher’s(notes) letter to the players convinced no one otherwise. NBA commissioner David Stern and the owners know it, and it’s part of the reason they won’t raise their offer of the BRI revenue split to 51 percent. There are system issues that need to be resolved for players, but this deal gets done at 50-50, and that’s been true for a long, long time.

In the end, there are two courses for the union: Take the deal largely on the table or blow this up, decertify and lose the season fighting the NBA in the federal courts.

Only, it’s too late to decertify. Everyone wanted to do it back in July when the lockout started, and Hunter refused. His decision had nothing to do with legal strategy, nothing to do with leverage or getting the best possible deal for the players. It had everything to do with what it always does with Hunter: self-preservation. He worried about losing power, losing his job, and he sold everyone on a toothless National Labor Relations Board claim that’s going nowhere.

Watch Kevin Durant dominate an Oklahoma State

Because the NBA didn't start to bargain with its players until after the summer ended, we can safely say that Durant had the busiest offseason of any NBA star. Others may have rushed off to sham marriages or shilled for sneaker companies overseas, but Durant took part in both the Rucker and Goodman leagues, and it appears as if autumn (with no NBA games until at least the start of December) won't be much different.

Here's the video of his time spent running the option with an OSU fraternity in an intramural flag football battle, as filmed by Adam Kemp. In it, student George Overbey discusses just what it took to get Durant to toss on his familiar number 35 again, along with a series of unfamiliar flags dotting his team shorts:

Durant's (characterized by Overbey as "the nicest guy ever") final tally? Four touchdowns and three interceptions. Probably par for the course for someone with that wingspan. He also drew a police escort as his massive blacked-out van pulled away following the game, but that's also par for the course on some of Sigma Nu's wilder nights.

Click the jump to see one of Durant's lowlights, an interception, from the contest. Video courtesy of Jeff Johnson of OStateIllustrated.com.

Watch Kevin Durant dominate an Oklahoma State

Because the NBA didn't start to bargain with its players until after the summer ended, we can safely say that Durant had the busiest offseason of any NBA star. Others may have rushed off to sham marriages or shilled for sneaker companies overseas, but Durant took part in both the Rucker and Goodman leagues, and it appears as if autumn (with no NBA games until at least the start of December) won't be much different.

Here's the video of his time spent running the option with an OSU fraternity in an intramural flag football battle, as filmed by Adam Kemp. In it, student George Overbey discusses just what it took to get Durant to toss on his familiar number 35 again, along with a series of unfamiliar flags dotting his team shorts:

Durant's (characterized by Overbey as "the nicest guy ever") final tally? Four touchdowns and three interceptions. Probably par for the course for someone with that wingspan. He also drew a police escort as his massive blacked-out van pulled away following the game, but that's also par for the course on some of Sigma Nu's wilder nights.

Click the jump to see one of Durant's lowlights, an interception, from the contest. Video courtesy of Jeff Johnson of OStateIllustrated.com.

Watch Kevin Durant dominate an Oklahoma State

Because the NBA didn't start to bargain with its players until after the summer ended, we can safely say that Durant had the busiest offseason of any NBA star. Others may have rushed off to sham marriages or shilled for sneaker companies overseas, but Durant took part in both the Rucker and Goodman leagues, and it appears as if autumn (with no NBA games until at least the start of December) won't be much different.

Here's the video of his time spent running the option with an OSU fraternity in an intramural flag football battle, as filmed by Adam Kemp. In it, student George Overbey discusses just what it took to get Durant to toss on his familiar number 35 again, along with a series of unfamiliar flags dotting his team shorts:

Durant's (characterized by Overbey as "the nicest guy ever") final tally? Four touchdowns and three interceptions. Probably par for the course for someone with that wingspan. He also drew a police escort as his massive blacked-out van pulled away following the game, but that's also par for the course on some of Sigma Nu's wilder nights.

Click the jump to see one of Durant's lowlights, an interception, from the contest. Video courtesy of Jeff Johnson of OStateIllustrated.com.

The Heat are Dwyane Wade's team

Brian Windhorst, Heat Index: Fact. It was a fact before James got there, during the regular season, and during the postseason. James is the more talented and perhaps the more vital player to the Heat. But Wade is the captain and the emotional leader. He also remains No. 1 in fans' hearts.

Ethan Sherwood Strauss, HoopSpeak: Fiction. While I'm cool with players getting a healthy chunk of BRI, I'll stop at individual players owning teams. Calling the Heat "Wade's team" is a fun way to tweak LeBron, but I'm not sure what such a statement even means. Also, the media consensus on this dramatically shifts in response to events. 

Tom Haberstroh, Heat Index: Fiction. Honestly, if we must play the fill-in-the-blank game with "The Heat are ____ ____'s team," then I don't see how any name makes sense other than Micky Arison.

Beckley Mason, HoopSpeak: Neither. In my opinion, Dwyane Wade and LeBron's relationship is one of the most interesting in sports. I've heard and read that James sees Wade as a kind of big brother, and I get the sense that the Heat were and are Wade's team. Still, LeBron is the superior player and the redundancy of their skill sets complicates the traditional 1-2 "pecking order." 

Ryan DeGama, Celtics Hub: Fiction. But I'm not sure they're LeBron's team either. What, practically, does the designation even mean? That Wade should always take the last shot? I think Miami is largely where it was a year ago on this front. That doesn't strike me as any major reason for concern.