The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

[GoldenJet]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Putting together a nice streak of wins here, Trek. I gotta say, I do hope Liz wakes up soon.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story


1-21-15

The temperature in the room had to have climbed by twenty degrees. It wasn’t because of the weather or the buildings heating system. No, all of that was classic L.A. perfect.

The reason it had gone up was sitting across from him. Ballcap firmly affixed to his big head.

“We need a young big, a better one. West isn’t gonna be around forever and neither is Bogut, frail horse that he is.” Jim Buss folded his arms across his chest and drilled Ronnie with his eyes. “I’ve made some calls and we can get a young guy for West or Bogut and that Net’s first rounder.”

Ronnie could feel his cheeks burn with fury. “You made some calls?” His voice was low, a dull roar. “You went over my head?”

“It’s hard, I admit that, considering how big your head has gotten lately.”

Ronnie’s hand came flying down onto his desk, upsetting the pictures nearby and toppling many of them over. “You put our name out there for a deal that I haven’t even approved of?”

“I’m part owner, remember that,” Buss shot back.

Ronnie did remember that. It still gave him no right. It gave him no damned right at all. “I was working on something and the other team pulled out because of this crap!”

Buss shrugged. “Their loss, I guess.”

“You guess?!” Ronnie rushed around his desk and closed the distance between him and Buss. God, he was infuriating. “You are not the GM here. I am.”

“I don’t need to be reminded of that,” he muttered.

Ronnie wanted to pick him up off his fat tail and throw him against the wall. That would be satisfying. That would make him feel better … a lot better. But then he’d likely get fired.

And Liz’s medical treatment would go back to what it was before.

Buss stood from the chair, eyes dark. “You realize I own this team and, by extension, I own you.”

“Go to hell.” He turned but Buss’ hand fell on his shoulders. He stood, every muscle in his body demanding he turn and swing. Just one swing. It was all he needed. All he could possibly need.

Buss seemed to get that feeling and removed his hand promptly. “Gold, I don’t like the way you do things. I don’t like this team.”

Ronnie turned and snarled, “We’re winning, more than what you could have done!”

Buss’ eyes widened in surprise.

Ronnie pressed the attack. He couldn’t physically beat Buss to a pulp but he could verbally do it. “Your teams were losers. Disappointments.” He stepped a little towards Buss and Buss stepped a little back. “You failed.”

The meaning of the words weren’t lost on Buss. He looked away for a moment before his eyes narrowed. “You’re nothing but a lucky hack. A bum of a scout who fell into a desperate situation.”

“I have a better record than you do.”

“You have no talent, no ties to this team. You’re the worst kind of basketball person: one who has no loyalty.”

Ronnie balled his fists but didn’t swing. Instead, he turned to walk out.

“Your time is coming to an end, Gold and when it does we won’t be footing the bill for that vegetable of a woman.”

Ronnie took a sharp breath.

That. Was. It.

He turned back around but before he took more than a few steps forward the door behind him burst open.

“She’s awake!”

He stopped and turned towards his secretary. “What?” His eyes wavered as his mind tried to replay the words.

“She’s awake,” his secretary said again, happily. “They just called—”

He ran past her, not bothering to hear the rest.

He’d heard enough.

******

The drive to the hospital had been fraught with conflicting feelings. The joy. The guilt. The fear.

The fear was the biggest one. Would she remember him? Would she remember anything?

Would she be … would she be like the doctors said? Just there with part of herself?

Was that enough?

It had to be.

Right?

Right?

He wasn’t sure of much of anything except that he loved her and, whatever the situation, he was determined to take care of her. No matter what.

He had doubts and he wrestled with them. He’d been wrestling with them. But he loved her. That was a fact.

When he arrived in the parking lot, he grabbed the velvet box from his glove box, and pocketed it. He had to make his intentions known. Even if she didn’t know him.

When he reached her room, he found Dr. Chang outside it. He looked like he’d been waiting. “Mr. Gold—”

“Let me see her.”

Chang shook his head. “No, she’s resting now—”

“She’s been resting for months!” Ronnie took Chang by the collar and hoisted him up. “Let me see her!”

Chang glared at him. “Put me down. Now.” The usually even toned doctor sounded pissed.

Ronnie took a deep breath and did as he was told. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry … just … I want to see her. Please.”

Chang fixed his collar. “I understand and I’ll allow it … but she’s still quite disoriented. Don’t overwhelm her.”

Ronnie reached into his pocket and felt the velvet box. “Right,” he mumbled.

“Five minutes.” Chang put his hand on the door and looked back at Ronnie. “Understand?”

Ronnie nodded. Chang opened the door and he rushed through.

His breath was taken away. She was awake.

And her eyes were alive. They found their way to him. A smirk curled across her lips. “Ronnie.”

In that moment he lost everything and got it all back.

He went to her bedside, kneeled beside it, took her hand, and kissed it repeatedly, tears streaming down his face.

She reached over and stroked his hair, making soothing sounds.

Five minutes was a lifetime.

A beautiful lifetime.

[letsgocavs99]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

I'm serious, you could make watching paint dry interesting. I love this series, keep up the great work!

[BlueJays09]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

so happy you are updating again...never stopped following

[GoldenJet]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

I didn't cry. I didn't cry.

No, seriously, I didn't cry. But that was pretty beautiful. Did I technically call Liz waking up? I feel proud.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

I didn't cry. I didn't cry.

No, seriously, I didn't cry. But that was pretty beautiful. Did I technically call Liz waking up? I feel proud.

Thanks, man. Yes, you technically did call her waking up. I couldn't stretch it out much longer for the storyline to progress. We're now getting to the real nitty gritty of things ... really, really, interesting things.

*****************



1-25-15

She maneuvered closer to him, and gripped his hand tightly. “Don’t let go.”

She didn’t have to tell him that. He wouldn’t. He placed his free hand on her lower back and used it to guide her. Her other hand was firmly gripped on the rail. “One step at a time,” he reminded her gently.

She nodded, taking a deep breath. She tried to move forward but her legs again failed her. Ronnie held onto her tightly as she caught herself on the rail. “This is useless,” she cried out, the frustration clear in her voice. She slumped to the floor and put her head between her legs.

Ronnie bent down to talk to her but she waved him away. He hung back as the physical therapist stepped in.

It pained him to watch her sitting there but there wasn’t much he could do at this point.

“She’s making good progress.” Dr. Chang came over and stood by him. “How are you?”

Ronnie shrugged. Between Liz, the Lakers, and Buss … he wasn’t getting much sleep. Too many emotions swirling in him to do much more than lie in bed and stare at the ceiling. “I could be better. I’m just glad she’s okay.”

Chang offered a slow nod. “She’s doing remarkably better than we predicted. Still, some gaps in her memory persist. She recognizes you but continues to forget who I am.”

Ronnie half-smirked at that. She did remember him. She remembered just about everything about him. It wasn’t perfect, not like before … she was still foggy on how they met. How many times they’d broken up before.

It was almost like he got a reset with her. But it was at such a steep price. “She’ll remember it all at some point, right?” He turned to Chang, eyes searching.

The doctor must have been a damned good poker player. His face didn’t move, one way or the other. Told Ronnie nothing. “We’ll continue to monitor her progress.”

“I’d like to get her home soon.”

Chang shot him a withering glance. “Mr. Gold, she can’t even walk on her own. Her motor skills are very crude in many respects. Her memory is incomplete.” Chang shook his head. “I strongly recommend against her leaving this hospital any time soon.”

Ronnie sighed. It had been a long shot. “You’re right, you’re right,” he said as he ran his hand through his hair. “I just want her back. Back where I can see her every day without having to drive here.” He thought back to the velvet box on his dresser. He wanted her in his life permanently.

Chang’s face softened. “Look, this will be a long recovery. Months, at least, and even when she’s ready to leave here she won’t be free from the lingering effects. Her life will never be the same, Mr. Gold. It’ll be good. It may be great. But never the same.”

The words weighed down on him. He hadn’t given much thought to that. “What kind of effects?” he forced himself to ask.

Chang motioned to a further corner of the room and the two went there. “Her physical recovery will be trying, but her psychological recovery will be worse.”

“Worse?”

“Mr. Gold, lest we forget, she was beaten, severely. Her injuries were violent.” He looked at her, eyes sympathetic. “She doesn’t remember how she got here. Doesn’t remember suffering the injuries.” He refocused on Ronnie, his eyes hard. “Don’t make her remember that. Don’t bring it up. She needs to arrive at it on her own … but when she does it will be very painful. For her. For you.”

Ronnie felt like he’d been hit with anvil. He’d never considered that. Never thought about it after the first few months.

Desmond’s face flashed in his mind. His friend was still out there, somewhere.

And so was Gerard.

His mind flew to a thousand different possibilities, all of them worse than the last. Liz was alive.

She was awake.

Which meant she could identify Gerard. She was a witness.

A loose end.

Chang looked at him questioningly. “Mr. Gold, are you all right?”

Ronnie forced a nod. “Just tired. I think I’m gonna leave. Thanks, Doctor.” He gave Chang a light pat on the back and went over to Liz, who was back in her wheelchair now.

She reached out for his hand and he grabbed it. Her grip was weak. She looked at him, her eyes straining to hold back the tears. “I’m sorry.”

He bent down and kissed her lovingly on her forehead. “You did great,” he whispered. She was trying. She was fighting. “I need to get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow, all right?”

She looked at him for a long moment, like a child on their first day of school. She clearly didn’t want him to leave. But he had to.

Not for basketball.

“All right,” she said after a long moment. “Be back soon.”

He nodded, kissed her on the hand, and left.

He took out his phone and made the call.

“Michael, Ronnie. We need to talk.”

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story


1-26-15

Michael Jordan took a sip of his Scotch and measured Ronnie with his eyes. The young man had gotten a tan since coming to L.A. He looked better than the last time the two met, months ago. A lot had changed in those months.

Michael had hired a new GM. He had experience, had talent, and had determined that this season was probably a lost one. No surprise to Michael. They had made such a huge leap in year one there was bound to be a fall off in year two. Especially with the Wizards being as good as they were and the Heat being the Heat, their division was tough this year.

Breaking in a new point guard was also a bit trying as well. Harrow was in a bit of a learning curve. Noel was in a bit of a slump. Evans and MKG were continuing to play well but life in Charlotte was different without Gold there. The team felt less cohesive.

But they weren’t here about basketball.

Ronnie had asked for Michael’s help.

Michael wasn’t sure what he could do. “Look,” he started as he refilled his glass, “I don’t have the answers here. We tried my private security guys and they didn’t help Liz at all.” Michael had promptly fired them after that. He’d signed up with a new company but the guilt from Liz’s injuries hadn’t dissipated much since then.

“I know. I’m not asking for that. I’m asking for Vinnie. I want to talk to him.”

Michael gave Ronnie a long look. “You want to talk with him?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not.” Michael set his glass down and shook his head. “Vinnie’s a leach. Once he gets his claws in you, you can say goodbye. He’s washed his hands of you, take it as a blessing.”

Ronnie sighed. “I need him. I need the kind of protection he can offer. Gerard will come for her.”

“He won’t give it to you unless you give him something,” Michael shot back without hesitation. “All he does is take. Trust me.” He picked up his glass and took a sip of his Scotch.

Ronnie turned around and went out onto the balcony, the view overlooking the L.A. night sky. Michael followed him out. A slight breeze blew as the two stared out into the night.

“Well, what the hell do I?” Ronnie leaned on the balcony, shoulders slumped. “How do I save her?”

Michael tapped the side of his glass with his fingers, the memories of Liz's attack flashing through his mind, the guilt weighing on him. “I might have an idea.”

Ronnie turned, his face full of hope. “Yeah?”

Michael set his glass down and took out his phone. “I’m going to text you a phone number. That number is to an organization … a private security firm by name.” He looked back up at Ronnie. “They’re really a private army. Expensive. Very expensive … and brutal in their enforcement methods.”

“Brutal?”

“They worked Iraq,” Michael said as he finished texting the number.

Ronnie seemed to understand the implication. Iraq was a rough place and the private security firms who worked there were not the cuddly type. “Are they good?”

“If you want protection for Liz, they’re the best. They’re trained to keep people away.” Michael picked up his glass, took a deep gulp from it. He smacked his lips in satisfaction. “They don’t usually work for those who don’t have a big name. You’re not part of their crowd.”

“Will they meet with me?”

“They’ll meet with anyone if they have the money.” He leaned against the balcony wall, eyes scanning the city lights. It wasn’t much different now than during his playing days. L.A. always seemed to be both the city of progress and one stuck in time. “Call them tomorrow afternoon, after four. I’ll have made the introductions then for you.”

Ronnie nodded, a weary smile on his lips. “Thank you.”

Michael sighed, hoping this was the right play. If this was basketball, he'd know it was the right play. But this was life ... and he was much worse at life than he was at basketball. “Just make sure Liz is okay. That’ll be thanks enough.”

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Rapid Reaction: Nuggets 92, Lakers 81
By Rachael Hansen |ESPNLosAngeles.com
February 6, 2015



DENVER -- The Lakers (32-16) and the Nuggets (30-18) met again and this time the game was much more competitive than the last time. The Nuggets were dominated by the Lakers the last time these teams met but this time they got their revenge.


The game started out in typical Nuggets fashion: fast. Ty Lawson led the Nuggets offense, running up and down the court, and the Lakers struggled to keep up. By the end of the first quarter Denver was leading 29-17.


The Lakers early struggles to score would carry over for the rest of the game. Despite Kobe Bryant scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, the Lakers missed too many shots. The team shot an atrocious 36 percent from the field and turned the ball over 12 times.
Ty Lawson finished with 19 points and eight assists, and the Nuggets won with ease, the Lakers getting within four points of them only once.


Here are three takeaways from the game:


MIA


The Lakers starters not named Kobe struggled mightily in the game, none more so than Jabari Parker, who forced many shots that he missed. “He got into a funk out there today and he tried to shoot his way out of it,” said Coach Alvin Gentry. “He’s a scorer, a team player, but a scorer … he’s young. He’ll learn when to take those shots and when not to.”


Paging the Bench


The Lakers bench pulled a disappearing act, scoring only 14 points all game long. They were soundly outplayed by the Nuggets bench, who scored 30 points in the game, led by Anthony Randolph who scored 12 points.


All About Pace


The Nuggets pace once again helped them win a game and the Lakers, despite their injection of youth this season, struggled to keep up. The Nuggets and Lakers are playoff contenders and could see on another in the playoffs, depending on how the seeding pans out.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story


2-7-15

“It’s all there.” He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his freckled face scrunched up in concern. “I’ve double and triple checked, ma’am. The numbers are right.”

Jeanie Buss sat in her chair, dumbfounded. The sheet of paper in her hand barely registering to her. It couldn’t be true. It couldn’t be … could it? “You’ve checked with others?”

Willie nodded. He had been with the Lakers for over a decade now. He’d started out as just some accountant, fresh out of college. Now he was the chief financial officer for the team. He was all about the numbers. All about the life of the numbers.

He wouldn’t make a mistake.

Jeanie looked away from him, towards the picture on her desk of her family. It was taken years ago, when they were all much younger. When they were all much happier. “Willie, are you sure?”

“I wouldn’t bring this to you if I wasn’t.” He licked his lips, shaking his head. “The numbers aren’t lying. Everything I see says he’s been stealing money from the team. He’s been investing it in foreign players.”

She closed her eyes. That was the most damning detail of all. Her brother would do that. He wasn’t just investing it in foreign players, he was paying foreign big men. The kind of big men Jim had an affinity for. “I’ll take care of it,” she said as she stood.

There was only one thing left to do.


******


“What?!” He could feel the veins in his neck pulsating with every breath. “I didn’t do anything! I’m innocent!” He took the sheet of paper, balled it up, and threw it as hard as he could at his sister.

She only stood there and took it, her eyes glistening with tears but she wasn’t crying. “The numbers say you’re not. You’ve betrayed us.” The hurt in her voice was genuine.

He could feel it. He could reach out and grab it … and he wanted to throttle it. Gold had done this to him, gotten to Ngami who had betrayed him for wins. For a team that was built by that hack, Gold. “You can’t believe them! I’m your blood!”

“You’re a pain in the ***!” she screamed back, her control breaking, tears now flowing openly down her face. She got into his personal space, pushed him back. “You’ve done nothing to help, not since father died, not since you were gifted the GM position … God, why can’t you just be a decent human being!”

He clenched his fists, shaking from the fury. “You’re one to talk! You go and marry Jackson, you sit there and think you have it all figured out … you’ve always gotten everything you wanted. I just wanted the team but NOOO, I don’t get that, do I?”

She stood there and shook her head. “I can’t deal with you. This is over, Jim. We’re over. Do you understand me?”

“Empty threats,” he snarled.

She shook her head again. “No, not empty. I have the right to buy you out if Jimmy agrees I have cause.” She pointed at the balled up sheet of paper on the floor. “Once he sees that, he’ll agree. And you’re part ownership of the team will be over. You’ll walk away with a hefty sum of money … and we’ll finally be rid of you.” She turned to walk away.

He reached out, grabbed her arm, and forcefully turned her back around. “You can’t do that to me!”

“I can and I am!” She ripped her arm away from him and rushed out the door.

He stood there for a long moment before falling to a sitting position on the floor.

This was it. Jeanie was serious.

He took off his ballcap and tossed it away from him. He had just lost the Lakers.

He had just lost the best thing in his life.

[BraedenG33]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Wow. Thank god Buss is out of the picture . Excellent post. You really have a gift for writing. I could really feel the emotions of the setting when Jeannie was speaking to Jim. cant wait for more.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Wow. Thank god Buss is out of the picture . Excellent post. You really have a gift for writing. I could really feel the emotions of the setting when Jeannie was speaking to Jim. cant wait for more.

Thanks man! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I've finished off the regular season and playoffs (wow, what a ride!) and there were some really interesting developments in it. We'll be getting to them today as we finish up the season.

********************


2-9-15

The news had been talking it about for nearly two days now. And for nearly two days now, Ronnie had been battling against his own personal desires and what was right. Jim Buss was on his way out in a very quiet departure. Something had happened to the man and he seemed … empty now. Ronnie had only seen him via the TV but he’d seen enough to know that Buss wasn’t fighting back.

Which meant that, in some way, he acknowledged that what he had planned to do to Ronnie was wrong. He was innocent of the charges but not of trying to get Ronnie fired. Not of trying to hurt Liz.

But he was innocent of stealing money. Ngami had done that. Ngami had set him up and Ronnie had sat there and let him take the fall. For two days he had debated whether to tell the truth. Whether to make things right.

But for two days he had arrived at the same conclusion; Buss got what he deserved. Maybe it wasn’t right, maybe it was wrong, but he had gotten what he deserved.

At least that’s what Ronnie told himself.

His phone flashed a message. Ronnie picked it up, a smile on his face. It was from his brother, Rick.

The two hadn’t talked much in recent months. Many months, really. Rick was in his final year of high school and applying for school and scholarships. Ronnie remembered that process … it was hell. Stressful. Crappy. Rick didn’t need to do any of it because Ronnie had plenty of money to put him anywhere, but Rick wanted to go through the process anyway. He wasn’t going to turn down the money but he was going to make a good effort.

Just received acceptance to USC. L.A. is for the Golds!

Ronnie beamed. He texted back a congrats and went into his kitchen for another cup of coffee. It was nice to start the day off with good news.

He had a visit with Liz scheduled and hour from now. She was progressing slowly, but progressing. She could make it a few steps now before falling. That was an improvement but her memory was still spotty about some things. He wanted to tell her everything that had happened, that was happening right now, but Chang was certain it would overwhelm her.

Ronnie agreed with him despite wishing he didn’t have to.

He poured himself another cup of coffee and drank it slowly as he made his way upstairs. When Liz got back, he had everything prepared for her.

The bedspread was dark blue.

He finished his coffee, showered, and got dressed for the day ahead. Life was finally beginning to feel normal again, despite it being very much not normal. He exited the front door of his house and found the security officer there, on duty, as he normally would be.

“Sir,” the officer said with respect. He was tall, well-built, a soldier. He was part of the firm Michael had suggested. There was an officer posted at every entrance to the house.

Ronnie offered a weak nod. It was jarring to have him there but necessary, at least until he could determine Gerard’s status. He’d hired people to do that. He was thankful that he hadn’t gone and bought the biggest house on the L.A. market when he got here … the house he had was modest in comparison to most in L.A. Merely a six bedroom, four bathroom affair with two garages. A nice open property.

Oh, hell, it wasn’t really that modest by normal standards but in L.A. normal didn’t exist.

He got into his car and drove off, thankful that the security officers didn’t follow him to work. They wanted to, they took the protection thing seriously, but they didn’t. He had some assigned to Liz in undercover personas … he felt like he was running his own little empire.

That wasn’t really too far from the truth. The Lakers were an empire and, at this moment, he was one of the most important people in it.

How long that was going to last was anyone’s guess.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Rapid Reaction: Thunder 93, Lakers 82
By Rachael Hansen |ESPNLosAngeles.com
February 19, 2015



OKC -- The Lakers (35-17) took on the Thunder (36-18) for a battle between the two top teams of the Western Conference. Few expected the Lakers to reload and rebound so quickly after the last two disastrous, playoff-free, seasons. The Thunder have again been one of the most consistent and dangerous teams in the West. This game proved that in spades.


The Lakers quickly jumped out to a small lead in the first quarter, behind the play of an inspired Kobe Bryant. But Kevin Durant would not be out done and he began launching shots that found the bottom of the net. At halftime, the Lakers were down 12 points and looking like the inferior team.


The third quarter was about the Lakers bench, particularly Anderson Varejo, stepping up and helping that 12 point lead drop to only a four point one at the beginning of the fourth.


In the fourth, Kevin Durant took over once again and helped put the game out of reach. He finished with 24 points and Russell Westbrook finished with 21 points.


The Thunder let Kobe have his, letting him score 25 points, but froze out Jabari Parker. Parker only scored 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting and was frustrated by the defense of Durant.


Here are three takeaways from the game:


No Threes for Anyone


The game was not a game for fans of the deep ball. The Lakers shot only 23 percent from three and the Thunder missed every three ball they took. Both teams struggled from beyond the arc, especially with wide open looks. The Thunder abandoned the three ball early in the game but the Lakers stuck with it, throwing up 17 deep shots but hitting only five.


Struggling from the Post


The Lakers struggled to score and rebound in the post. The Thunder outrebounded the Lakers 42-32, and Serge Ibaka made them pay on the inside.


Jabari Jacks It Up


Jabari Parker hasn’t met a shot he doesn’t like and this was on full display this game. Parker jacked up the ball 17 times and his shot was off all night. “I’ve got to do better, be better at choosing my shots,” said Parker. Kobe Bryant could only shake his head when he heard the stats. “Yeah, he’s young,” was Kobe’s only response.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

League News

All Stars


East

John Wall (Wizards, 2^nd selection)
Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers, 3^rd selection)
LeBron James (Heat, 11^th selection)
Carmelo Anthony (Knicks, 8^th selection)
Brook Lopez (Nets, 1^st selection)
Derrick Rose (Bulls, 4^th selection)
Dwayne Wade (Heat, 10^th selection)
Paul George (Pacers, 2^nd selection)
Amar’e Stoudemire (Knicks, 8^th selection)
Greg Monroe (Pistons, 3^rd selection)
Jrue Holiday (76ers, 3^rd selection)
Andrew Wiggins (Celtics, 1^st selection)


West


Brandon Jennings (Suns, 2^nd selection)
Russell Westbrook (Thunder, 5^th selection)
Kevin Durant (Thunder, 5^th selection)
Blake Griffin (Clippers, 5^th selection)
DeMarcus Cousins (Kings, 2^nd selection)
Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers, 2^nd selection)
Andre Iguodala (Nuggets, 2^nd selection)
Gordon Hayward (Jazz, 1^st selection)
Kevin Love (Timberwolves, 5^th selection)
Cody Zeller (Hornets, 1^st selection)
Darren Collison (Jazz, 1^st selection)
Chris Paul (Clippers, 8^th selection)


Trades:



Spurs Trade Danny Green, Tiago Spitter to Magic for Aarron Afflalo


Analysis: The Spurs are desperate for an injection of something good in their team as they struggle to stay in the playoff hunt with a near .500 record. The Magic get out from under Afflalo's affordable but bothersome contract, while getting back two expiring deals that will further help free space for this upcoming summer.




Bobcats Trade Derrick Williams to Suns for Michael Beasley, 2015 1^st round pick


Analysis: The Bobcats were unwilling to pay Derrick Williams the monster contract he wanted, but the Suns were more than willing to take him and his contract demands. Williams returns to Arizona as the Suns send Beasley and a top-ten protected 2015 first round draft pick to the Bobcats. Both teams are fighting for playoff spots and this trade should help both in the long term. Williams has already agreed to a 5yr/$77.06M extension and the Suns look to be building something special out there in the desert.


Hawks Trade Al Horford to Cavs for Dion Waiters, Waiters signs 5yr/$60M extension



Analysis: The Cavs needed a bigger, more offensively capable interior presence than Thompson or Zeller could provide and traded the very capable and young Waiters for the veteran Horford in a move they hope will propel them into the playoffs for a deep run. For the Hawks, this was a no brainer move as the team is among the worst in the league and looks to be major players in FA this summer.


Signings:




Cavs sign Shannon Brown to a 1yr/$5.32M deal


Analysis: Brown, former Laker, Suns, and Cavs player, returns to Cleveland to become the running mate of Kyrie Irving. Brown has kept himself in good shape as he's waited for someone to call his name and looks to be a good fit in Cleveland's offense, as his ability to drive the lane and hit the three will help give new addition Al Horford space to operate in the paint.



Rajon Rondo signs 4 yr extension with Celtics


Analysis: The Celtics make an interesting move here, as Rondo is a player they have been trying to trade for a few season now but have never had the guts to pull the trigger. As the Celtics record stands now, they have a shot at the playoffs and Rondo certainly is having one of his better offensive years. But Rondo's offense has affected his assist numbers and the Celtics may be looking to unload him this offseason, if they don't make the playoffs or if Rondo become more of a headache. This move seems to be one to set up a future move this summer.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Rapid Reaction: Lakers 98, Timberwolves 91
By Rachael Hansen |ESPNLosAngeles.com
February 24, 2015



MINNEAPOLIS -- The Lakers (37-18) traveled to the north to face the Timberwolves (31-21) in a game facing off two of the conference’s better teams. The Lakers have jumped out to a surprise lead in the conference standings, and have won two straight against conference foes in dominating fashion. The Timberwolves would not be so cooperative.


The game started out with both teams trading threes, one from Chauncey Billups (who has taken over the starter role due to an injury to Trey Burke) and one from Kevin Love. Love, the former UCLA standout, has been his usual efficient self this season. Efficiency is something the Lakers lack in some games and in this half that was just as true as ever.


The team shot poorly from the field which helped net them a five point deficit heading into halftime. When the Lakers came out in the second half, they were a different team. The half started out with a bang as Jabari Parker was given the ball, immediately took it inside and dunked all over Kevin Love. The crowd seemed stunned at Parker’s athleticism while the Lakers’ bench was ecstatic.


The Lakers would play tight defense in the third quarter, allowing only 14 points, before the fourth rolled around and the shooters from both teams took over. The fourth was all about Kobe Bryant and Monta Ellis as the two engaged in a personal battle to see who could outscore the other.


It was a classic confrontation and one where the Lakers, thankfully, had the more veteran of the two. Kobe would score 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting, helping the Lakers squeak out of Minnesota with a win. Jabari Parker had 16 points and nine boards.


For the Timberwolves, Monta Ellis had 32 points on 12-of-30 shooting and Kevin Love would finish with only 11 points and two boards, being froze out of the second half by the Lakers big men.


Here are three takeaways from the game:

Still Got It


Kobe Bryant wasn’t about to be outdueled in a shooting. Especially by Monta Ellis. “Yeah, I remember when he was with the Warriors … he was a shooter then too. Same thing happened then as it did tonight,” said a pleased Bryant. He had a vintage performance on a night where the Lakers needed vintage.

Young and Growing


The Timberwolves are still a young team and still growing, but are showing that they can hang around against the best teams in the league. Though they lost tonight, the talent is there for them to make a deep postseason run should they make the playoffs. “We’ll get there and we’ll be fine,” said Kevin Love. “Tonight was an off-night for me … I won’t be having many more of those.”

Big Man Bogut


Andrew Bogut played a big role in helping limit Kevin Love in the second half, sticking to him like glue when Love would venture out to the arc. West had been assigned Love in the beginning of the game but that hadn’t worked. “We needed to switch up and that’s no reflection on David,” said Coach Alvin Gentry. “All teams do that. We’re no different.”

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Second Trimester Breakdown
By Rachael Hansen |ESPNLosAngeles.com
February 28, 2015

The All-Star Break has passed and so has the trade deadline. We’re in the final stretch of the regular season and the league is just getting more interesting by the day. Here’s what’s happening around the league.

Eastern Conference

1. 76ers (39-15)
The kids from Philly continue to ride the hot play of Holiday, Bynum, and their deep bench. Tyrus Thomas and Zach Randolph form a very difficult pair of big men to defend (especially when they play on the floor at the same time) while Spencer Hawes is providing some nice shooting touch. The 76ers frontcourt is by far one of the deepest in the league. It’s an advantage the team will have to continue to press in the playoffs.

2. Pacers (37-23)
The Pacers continue to chug along, bringing up the rear for the number two spot in the East. They’re not dominating as they were earlier in the season and some concerns have cropped up with Jordan Crawford, who’s looking for his own shot more as his irrational confidence (emphasis on irrational) continues to tell him to chuck it up. Crawford has been a bit cold of late and the Pacers record has suffered for it. With the trade deadline passed, they’re stuck with him till the offseason. No player on the team has more riding on this postseason than Crawford, who could be in line for a big contract if he plays well. If he doesn’t … well, there was a reason he was on the Wizards after all.

3. Bulls (35-22)
Derek Rose is the head of the Bulls but Noah is the heart. The big man with all the hustle is putting on quite a defensive show despite not wowing with his stats. True, Noah isn’t a scorer, but what he lacks in offensive capabilities he more than makes up for with his defensive prowess. Noah is averaging nearly two blocks a game and could be looking at a well earned DPY when the season concludes. Meanwhile, Rose continues to play well, looking more and more like the MVP of old. The Bulls, defending champs, are as strong as ever.

4. Wizards (32-24)
Someone in D.C. has to be messing with the record, because these are the Wizards … they shouldn’t be this good, right? Right?

Apparently not. The Wiz are playing like a team that has finally seen the light. Wall is having a year nearly as good as Derek Rose—yes, you read that right—and don’t even look at Bradley Beal’s deep ball stats as they may make your eyes pop out of your head. Tony Mitchell, now the starting small forward, has been a revelation while Nene and Seraphin continue to do the dirty work in the post. The Wizards might be legit.

5. Heat (30-27)
The people who can scarcely believe the Wizards are this good can also scarcely believe the Heat are this bad. The subtraction of Bosh, the addition of Gortat and Gasol, and everything in between wasn’t supposed to mess the Heat up like this. They were too good. Too great.

Flush that idea down the toilet. Miami is in trouble. Gortat and Gasol are playing decently, but James and Wade are continuing to carry the load. Wade, in particular, is playing really well but as Miami has seen in the past when D-Wade is being the best player on your team, you may have a problem. Can the Heat take the division back from the Wizards? And who’s head rolls in the offseason (not Riley’s)?

6. Cavaliers (28-30)
The Cavs made the big deadline deal to bring in Al Horford and Shannon Brown, the former through trade and the later through FA. Now the question is what that’s going to mean in the playoffs … if they make it that far. The Cavs are a team that is still trying to find themselves. Tyler Zeller has turned out to be the lesser of the Zellers and Cleveland is looking to big Al to save them. Horford, who has never played with a PG like Irving before in his career (pro or college) is about to become a big part of a Cavs resurgence or a Cavs disaster.

7. Pistons (27-29)
Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight want to play with two basketballs. Unfortunately for them, that’s against the rules. While Bledsoe and Knight continue to try and figure out who does what in the backcourt, the Pistons are hoping Knight’s season ends with him declaring for free agency (likely) and leaving the team. Knight, despite having statistical improvements every year he’s played, has not been well liked in Detroit. He’s neither a true PG or SG … he’s a combo guard who has far too much scorer in him. If the Pistons miss the playoffs, expect Knight to take the fall for it.

8. Nets (26-29)
Wilson Chandler and the Nets are trying to put it together, desperately so. Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, and Brook Lopez know that another year ticks off their combined clocks as they hunt for that first title. If they could bring it to Brooklyn, they’d be legends for the rest of their career … if they fail again, they’ll still just be the same old Nets players. The pressure is on Williams and Johnson to perform most of all, as Chandler doesn’t have to come back (though he likely will for the Nets are in deep cap trouble).

9. Celtics (26-31)
Rondo has his contract extension and the Celtics are now in perfect position to do something this offseason. The playoffs are still out of reach for this team as they continue to be led by Rondo and Wiggins. KG has announced he’ll retire at season’s end, ushering in an era without the Truth or the Big Ticket. Will Rondo and Wiggins be able to lead the Celtics to glory in the future? That’s the question fans are asking now. They could still make the playoffs, theoretically, but don’t hold your breath as the Celtics are entering a very tough stretch of the schedule.

10. Bobcats (25-30)
The wheels are coming off for the Bobcats, as the loss of Ramon Sessions continues to echo throughout this club. Ryan Harrow is not the PG that Sessions was, though he certainly can develop into a better version of him, Harrow’s lack of distribution is impacting the team. Williams is now gone, traded to the Suns, and Beasley is here (yay?) and now the Bobcats are betting on a prayer that Beasley can work here better than he has … well, everywhere else. Noel’s seeing a drop in his numbers, a sophomore slump, and MJs team is in need of some luck to get back into the playoff discussion.

11. Raptors (25-33)
Insert Andrea Bargani joke here.

12. Knicks (24-33)
You think Melo is regretting taking all that money? Yeah, me neither.

13. Hawks (20-36)
Dion Waiters arrives at his new team. Waiters is going to be the guy for the Hawks now as they muddle their way through the rest of this year, losing as many games as possible, and banking on two things: the draft and FA. They’ll have plenty of cap space but are likely to lose Parsons and Patterson, as neither is particularly enthused with playing in ATL.

14. Magic (16-42)
Shabazz Muhammad and his team continue to perform well. Don’t expect anything here expect positive reinforcement. The kids need a positive environment to grow in after all.

15. Bucks (15-41)
When Goran Dragic is your point guard and best player, you can’t expect to have many wins. It’s all right Bucks fans … Dragic isn’t going to be there forever. In fact, he may opt this year. Be excited!


Western Conference

1. Lakers (39-19)
L.A. continues to dominate. Since the trade for Haslem and the signing of West, the team has seen more wins than losses. Jabari Parker is in a dead heat with Andrew Wiggins for rookie of the year honors, as Kobe continues to play a well-rounded game. Andrew Bogut is finally awakening from his long nap (read, the last few seasons) and is shooting more efficiently than he has … well, ever. If Bogut and West continue to play well off one another, if Parker doesn’t succumb to the pressures of being in Lakerland, if Kobe continues to play well … maybe these Lakers have a shot at deep playoff run.

2. Thunder (38-20)
Of course, the Lakers number one rival to getting deeper into the playoffs is the Thunder. OKC is continuing to make a mockery of league scheduling, riding Westbrook and Durant to some fairly easy wins. Whereas OKC met with some resistance in the scheduling last year, this year it has been more than cooperative for them. The rest of the season should be pretty simple if they can stay injury free.

3. Trail Blazers (38-21)
Damian Lillard and Lamarcus Aldridge are leading the Blazers to some impressive wins, notching a few over the Lakers recently in close fashion. Don’t count on the Blazers going quietly into the playoffs. With Aldridge looking to become a free agent, I fully expect this team to rattle off some more impressive wins before the postseason begins, to help solidify a top two spot.

4. Nuggets (36-21)
George Karl’s crew continues to make the regular season fun to watch. Nothing new to report here other than how good McGee looks. Also, Ty Lawson continues to make people look silly.

5. Kings (34-24)
Sactown is seeing a resurgence that its fans have wanted for years. Isaiah Thomas, James McAdoo, Demarcus Cousins, Thomas Robinson, and Marcus Thornton are all playing at a high level and working together as a team, something that the Kings haven’t been in a long time. If they can continue to forge this new identity of theirs together, you’re going to see a very happy place come playoff time.

6. Timberwolves (31-23)
K-Love and the gang aren’t as high up in the standings as they’d like to be, but they are happy to be in the playoff race. Rubio is having the best season of his career as Ellis continues to score in bunches, exactly what he’s supposed to do, though he should probably lay off the three-ball. But this is Ellis we’re talking about so why even bother? The Twolves are winning and that makes things look very good for K-Love coming back.

7. Warriors (33-26)
Chris Bosh and Stephen Curry are looking good together and the Warriors are looking good in general. Oracle Arena is a tough place to play and it’s an even tougher place to play when the team is good. If they can stay injury free, look for the Warriors to make some noise in the playoffs.

8. Hornets (30-29)
New Orleans has recovered from its early season injury woes and is now looking to make up some ground. The last playoff spot is up for grabs for a number of teams, so expect the last part of the season to be a race to the finish. You won’t see anyone throwing games on this team.

9. Spurs (28-28)
Or this team, for that matter. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu are all on the wrong end of 30, are all getting older, and are all progressively realizing that the Spurs can’t possibly be this … average. Yet, they are. The Spurs are stuck in a rut and rumors are swirling that Parker and Manu are both possible casualties this offseason if the team doesn’t perform. Last postseason was seen as an aberration. If they fail to make to make it again, expect the Spurs to clear the deck.

10. Rockets (28-31)
Houston just can’t catch a break. Josh Smith came back, they rattled off some nice wins, and then Al Jefferson went down. Now the Rockets are playing without a full deck again and this team is drifting out of the playoff race.

11. Suns (27-32)
Maybe Derrick Williams won’t solve the Suns problems. With Beasley, at least, they knew what they had but Williams arrival in Arizona, seen as a very crowd pleasing move, hasn’t sparked the Suns to wins. Williams is having difficulty adjusting to the big mustache’s system and Jennings is being forced to carry more of the load, which he is totally willing to do. It’s just that’s probably not the best way to go about winning games, with one guy and all. There’s still time to make the adjustments needed but if the Suns fail to make the playoffs, no one will be surprised. They barely got in last year anyway.

12. Jazz (26-31)
Daren Collison is having the best season of his life and it couldn’t have come at a better time for the Jazz as they don’t have much else to show. Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter continue to grow (slowly) together but the Jazz knew this would be the likely scenario. This year is for growth. Next year is where the payoff has to happen.

13. Mavericks (25-32)
D12, Dirk, OJ, Kemba, and Granger … so many good to great talents and yet the team can’t seem to find a fit together. Something is off in the chemistry and many people are pointing at Dwight, who is reportedly unhappy with how the Mavs have filled out the roster. Despite surrounding him with shooters, Howard is having a statistically poor season. Someone has to go on the Mavs but who gets axed this offseason?

14. Clippers (25-34)
Chris Paul is marking the days. Sources say that Paul and Griffin both are eager to see this season end and assess where the organization is going. It’s never a good thing when your star players are both unhappy. The Clippers need to make a strong run towards the end to show that this team still has something to offer or else their stars could go from unhappy to trade demanding.

15. Grizzlies (17-42)
Evan Turner and Mike Conley, both former Ohio State players, are trying to right this sinking ship but the Grizz are too far gone. Now the fate of the offseason rides on the lottery. The Grizz traded a top-three protected pick to Philly for Turner, so if they get one of those top three spots they could mine this upcoming draft and retool. If not, then some tough decisions loom, notably what to do with Marc Gasol, who has professed his desire to stay in Memphis. Problem is, Memphis may not want to pay him what he’s more than earned.