On Kurt Thomas: Don’t Dare Question My Au-thor-i-tie!

ESPN’s Chris Broussard, along with Ric Bucher are two of the best NBA analysts in the sports journalism game. The WWL leaves the pop-pom waving for the Lig to others while these two get real news.

This morning Broussard, after speaking with a long time scout, said the second best late trade this season (the LA Lakers getting Pau Gasol being number one) is not Shaquille O’Neal but ahem – drumroll, Kurt Thomas going to San Antonio. That’s right. KT.

While other pundits and think they knows were hufffing the Big Shaqtus glue, this author said of all acquisitions, Thomas was the second-most important acquisition. What’d I say about KT?:

Rating the Latest Flurry of NBA Trades

The NBA trade deadline has come and gone. In the coming weeks we will come to understand which GMs were proactive and which were reactive. And in the coming weeks we will know which moves brought their teams greater success and which moves were busts.

It is going to be a very interesting stretch run.

1. The Lakers go —- Pau!

The Los Angeles Lakers trade for Pau Gasol was so good it invited conspiracy theories. It was so good that San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich advocated for the league to have the ability to determine that a trade was “stupid” and have it rescinded.

For Phoenix, 30 Games Until the Truth Is Told

The Los Angeles Lakers were in an unenviable position last night in Phoenix. Win against and you’re supposed to because the Suns are getting acclimated to the Big Philanderer, Shaquille O’Neal. Lose, and Phoenix becomes an instant NBA media darling with O’Neal as a conquering hero.

Fortunately LA won, 130-124, led by Kobe Bryant’s 41 points. And fortunately Shaq’s biggest effect was on the back of Raja Bell’s – a perpetual-motion hack machine – head with a little less than three minutes remaining in the game. (Now for my NBA officiating crew rant…)