It has been an interesting week for B.J. Armstrong of the Wasserman Media Group, who weighed in on on Derrick Rose‘s potential long-term future in New York and confirmed that Donatas Motiejunas isn’t reporting to the Rockets after having his offer sheet matched. Earlier in the week, Armstrong also provided his thoughts on another client, Draymond Green, telling Sam Amick of USA Today that the NBA’s rule changes are designed to make money rather than to improve the game. Specifically, Armstrong criticized the league’s “unnatural acts” rule which has penalized the Warriors big man for flailing his limbs and kicking opponents.
“People flail, people do things, and their bodies respond in certain ways,” Armstrong said. “I think it (Green’s play with James Harden last Thursday) is a no-call. … When I played, I would never, ever try to run Reggie Miller off the line because I knew Reggie. If I ran at him, and I was trying to run him off the line, I was going to get kicked. I knew that, and people around the league knew that. And players always adjust.”
Here’s more from around the Pacific division:
- In an interesting piece for The Vertical, Adrian Wojnarowski notes that the Warriors – along with the Spurs – made an effort to trade up in the 2011 NBA draft to select Jonas Valanciunas with the No. 5 pick. Ultimately, the Raptors kept that selection and took Valanciunas themselves, while Golden State and San Antonio got decent consolation prizes — they ended up with Klay Thompson and Kawhi Leonard, respectively.
- Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is “dead serious” about trying to move the club into a new arena when its lease with the Staples Center expires, writes David Aldridge of NBA.com. Aldridge’s piece provides plenty of other interesting tidbits on the Clippers, including a look at Lawrence Frank‘s role in the team’s basketball operations department.
- The fifth overall pick in the 2012 draft, power forward Thomas Robinson is still just 25 years old, but he has lived a nomadic existence in the NBA so far, having spent time with seven teams in just five seasons. Mark Whicker of The O.C. Register examines how Robinson is fitting in this year with the Lakers as he looks to find a consistent role in the NBA.
Leonard wasn’t drafted by the Spurs.
Technically, you’re right. But the Spurs and Pacers had basically announced that trade at the time (George Hill for the pick), so the Pacers drafted for the Spurs.
Dray is a baller but that dude likes to kick people in the nuts and that’s not cool
Yeah he pulled a dumb move on Adams, and I think he should’ve been suspended at that time.
Its in very poor judgement that the league and its officials have penalized him on DIFFERENT PLAYS ever since that didn’t warrant the penalties given.
LeBron deserved that technical for stepping over a rising player on purpose just to be cocky.
This thing with Harden is pathetic. He fell backwards leg went up and Harden fell into his foot and barely clipped Harden’s lip.
But of course Harden milked it like he always does… This isn’t a drama class dude.