Yesterday, @JonesOnTheNBA put out a series of tweets pondering how many followers Michael Jordan would have on twitter.
The domination of the NBA on Twitter has been well documented. Everyone from Shaquille O’Neal to the NBA Store has an account and each have used twitter to further their brand while at the same time have managed to build a rapport with the fans. Players who may be end of the bench guys have taken this platform to put themselves out there. Let the fans see the person not the players and build a following that will possibly turn into previously nonexistent marketing opportunities.
Hooped Up has put together a great list for The All-Twitter First Team, and as a fan I can hardly complain. The other major sports are way behind in the Twitter game, but it sure would be cool to see some of these NBA people on twitter…
Michael Jordan
I don’t even care what he says. Just to get a glimpse into what goes on in the mind of someone who has achieved that level of greatness would be a treat.
Charles Barkley
For all his foot in mouth moments – when he speaks everyone wants to listen. It wouldn’t be much different on Twitter where I am sure he would instantly have more followers than most active players.
Gilbert Arenas
He may have left the blog world but twitter seems to be the perfect platform for him. His brand of keepin’ it real would give @dwighthoward, @the_real_shaq a run for their money.
Stan Van Gundy
If you have ever heard his post game press conferences or in game mike’d up segments you will agree with my sentiment. SVG – Dwight Howard twitter conversations need to happen ASAP
Latrell Sprewell
Haven’t heard much about him since he turned down that contract, but it would be nice to check in as to how he is keeping his family fed these days.
Lebron James
Touted as the next coming, he hasn’t embraced technology like the other athletes of his caliber. His current image isn’t very appealing to the fans and use of a service like Twitter could help.
Sam Mitchell
As a Raptor fan I miss getting my daily SMitch fix. His quick wit and dry sense of humor would instantly make him my favorite person to follow on Twitter.
Phil Jackson
His other half @Jeaniebuss is already on twitter but having the Zen Master spit knowledge on twitter would be the NBA equivalent of @RevRunWisdom
Dikembe Mutumbo
I want him on twitter not so much for what he has to say but that idea of then reading his tweets aloud in the Dikembe voice. Say it with me – “Who want’s to tweet with Mutumbo”
Stephen Jackson
Just so @stackmack could have her namesake on twitter and we become graced with the wisdom Mr. “I make love to pressure” Jackson has to offer.
Got any NBA personalities you want to see on Twitter? Throw them in the comments.
If you care to hear more from me, you can follow me on twitter @Nat77
Steve Nash – 
Nate Robinson – 
Ron Artest – 
Rasheed Wallace – 
Shaquille O’Neal – 
Didier Mbenga – 
Monta Ellis – 
Vladimir Radmanovich – 
TJ Ford – 
Jordan Farmar – 
Over a month into free agent signings, most of the big deals are done and teams are making minor adjustments to fill up that last roster spot. With the economic climate such, a bunch of teams are choosing to head into the season with a light roster of just 13. There are still some players out there who have game left in them but are casualties of said economic climate. For most though, it won’t be long ’til they find a home and get back to doing what they do best.
Allen Iverson: The fact that he is still looking for a home is unreal to me. He may carry baggage, but this guy can still ball. He still has to get used to the idea of playing second or third fiddle but I do believe he can help about 80% of the teams in the league. At a price of approx. $2-4 million a year, he should be able to find a home soon and begin the process of proving the doubters wrong.
Joe Smith: At 34, we may be seeing the decline of Smith as his knee pads get larger than Hakeem’s. Still, he can rebound, give you some scoring in the post and that short jumper while being sound on the defensive end. A good team player, he would be a good fit on a championship-contending team. Smith had a good run with the Cavaliers and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him re-up there soon.
Jason Williams: Can’t fault the guy for choosing to retire after signing a contract with the Clippers but coming out of retirement, when teams are saving up for 2010, may not have been the wisest choice for this once dynamic point guard. The Knicks took a look but turned away and he may not find the deal he wants but there are teams who could use his veteran presence along with that streaky shooting ability.
Jerry Stackhouse: Age and Injuries remain in play when considering adding a player like Stackhouse to a roster. If he is healthy, he is a swingman who can provide some scoring off the bench and provide leadership in the locker room. Maybe Phoenix? That way he can use the trainer who extended Grant Hill’s career by about 5 years…
Ronald “Flip” Murray: This guy has taken a lot of heat and walked around with an overrated tag on his back. Last season, he finally got comfortable in his role off the bench for the Hawks and proved to be a solid contributor. Just as it looked like he had found a home, the Hawks signed Crawford making Murray expendable. He may not work for every team but there is still demand for players like him out there.
Bruce Bowen: Bowen doesn’t have the same quickness but he is a smart player who can give a contending team solid minutes off the bench. He can still shoot that corner 3 with his eyes closed and there are always teams that could use that. With age and everything he has already accomplished, if Bowen doesn’t land with a contender he most likely will bow away from the game and possibly return to the bench in another capacity int he future.
Ime Udoka: For a guy who was being molded into the future Bruce Bowen, things came apart in a hurry for Udoka. He provides solid perimeter defense, a decent 3 point shot and a winning mentality. He has learn’t from one of the best and could be a very valuable player on a playoff roster. He needs to find the right fit but right now it seems he is more concerned about the right $$ on the paperwork.
Luther Head: He can shoot and that in itself should get him a job sooner rather than later. Head is not a pure PG and the fact that he was waived by the Rocket’s before his rookie contract was up may raise a red flag for possible suitors. He is a decent defender, undersized to guard other SG’s in the league but has amassed a ton of experience in his young career. He could be had on the cheap and fit in well into a teams rotation.
Desmond Mason: Mason has fallen off in the last couple of seasons and seems to be the odd man out in the youthful OKC lineup. The one time high flyer has lost a step and his offensive game is on the decline. However, he still rebounds fairly well for his position and shows up on the defensive end. He could prove to be a serviceable guy coming off the bench for 10-15 minutes a night but there are still questions of age and injuries.
Anthony Carter: The Nuggets need to find a way to get this guy back. He may be old and struggle to appear on the scoring sheet, he is comfortable on a team that has been fairly successful over the past few seasons. If Denver passes on him he may be waiting around for a while before another team comes calling.
Its game day! With that comes the final installment of “Listmania” and I hope you enjoyed the series as much as I did writing it.
Stephon Marbury – $18.6 million in 2008 – I truly believe that this guy got shafted – Bad timing, bad situation but some of its on him all leading him into being a casualty of the system. He is way past his prime and will be lucky if a team threw out MLE money at him but when you been raking in the millions sitting on your couch, it can’t be all that bad.
Jason Kidd – $21.37 million in 2008 – A Guaranteed Hall of Famer with some off the court blemishes, Kidd is running on fumes. Dallas took a gamble on him trying to win now and I would be shocked to see any team give him contract longer than 3 years and it would probably total the salary he made this past season.
Allen Iverson – $22 million in 2008 – A new team, a new look. Iverson had his most disappointing season, riddled with injuries and a situation where he wasn’t comfortable. Another future HoF’er who isn’t quite ready for his new role, nor is he ready to slow it down. Teams will want him but probably for 2 years, I would love to see him do a full circle and reunite with Larry Brown.
Wally Szczerbiak – $13 million in 2008 – Wally sure didn’t help his value in the playoffs. His contract was way too inflated and spent the last few years being used in trades for salary cap space. He has one thing going for him, he can shoot and every team needs one of those just not at $13 million a year. He will find a team or stick with the Cav’s but his bi-monthly paycheck will likely be half of what he is used to.
Mike Bibby – $15.2 million in 2008 – It worked out well for Atlanta making it to the playoffs for 2 straight years and I wouldn’t be surprised if they re-signed Bibby but he is not a $10+ million player anymore. He would be a good veteran for them and with most teams keeping their wallets shut this off season he may not have too many options going forward
Shawn Marion – $17.2 million in 2008 – He wanted to be the man and once he left Phoenix he was exposed for all his weaknesses. He cheats on D, tries too hard for the big plays and is pretty weak in the half court sets. He can still jump out the arena and is an above average rebounder for his position but I don’t see him getting more than $8 million a year from any team.. we are in a recession after all.
Rasheed Wallace – $13.7 million in 2008 – Talks about walking away from the game are premature. There will be the teams that wouldn’t touch him with a 10 foot pole but that has nothing to do with basketball. He may not see offers in the double digits but I think there are teams that could use his services at 7-8 million and he should command more than Marion just on defense alone.
Malik Rose – $7.65 million in 2008 – I had to look back at the history on this one. Career Averages of 6ppg to go along with 4rb’s earned him this fat contract? He has been in the league 12 years but I think we will see him back next year warming some bench and being the veteran voice the locker room, but there is no way he is making more than $2 million a year to do that.
Rasho Nesterovic- $8.4 million in 2008 – A serviceable backup center, that’s about all he is now and won’t command much attention in terms of sought after free agents. I wouldn’t be surprised if he takes a lot less to go play for a contender again – San Antonio anyone? There have been rumblings of him returning to the Raptors and I love the idea but only for the right price. Let’s NBA!
Andre Miller – $10 million in 2008 -It got ugly towards the end in Philly even though the team has enjoyed some level of success since he joined them. His averages are still good and he has stayed relatively healthy and will be high on the list of teams like Miami but they are worried about 2010 and may not have the $$ he wants to see on the offer sheet.
