#kyrie irving? i think

[spiderbitesandvampirevenom]

shoutout to afro-indigenous folk. y'all are an extremely underappreciated part of the native community n i hope this reaches some of you :)

[goingextinct]

fans booing players cause they went to another team are stupid. they should celebrate actually bc its great for ME. imagine the fics bc of this, imagine the devastating rpf i can conjure inside my mind bc of this, IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES for my mind to turn this into porn ohhh i could go on and on

[azzifudd]

always on my mind

paige bueckers x azzi fudd

summary: Azzi has just finished dinner with her grandparents when the call comes. 

Azzi is confused because it’s barely been three hours since she said goodbye to Paige at the airport as their families drove them home on their return to the states from Argentina. 

They’d spent nearly the entire plane ride talking, even when Azzi had really wanted to nap, so Azzi can’t imagine what more Paige has to say to her, but she picks up anyway.

rated: teen

2.4k words

disclaimer: fictional!

[AO3 Link]

Paige Bueckers (USA Basketball) Facetime

Azzi has just finished dinner with her grandparents when the call comes.

Azzi is confused because it’s barely been three hours since she said goodbye to Paige at the airport as their families drove them home on their return to the states from Argentina.

They’d spent nearly the entire plane ride talking, even when Azzi had really wanted to nap, so Azzi can’t imagine what more Paige has to say to her, but she picks up anyway.

“Hello?”

“Azzi!” Paige’s face is too close to the screen and all Azzi can see is the bridge of her nose and one clear blue eye.

“Hi…” There’s a moment of silence as Paige just stares at Azzi. “Did you need something?”

“Oh, um, yeah!” Paige perks up like she’s suddenly remembering that she’s the one who made the call. “I’m gonna be playing some pick up with my guy Jalen tomorrow and I was wonderin’ if you’d wanna come.”

Azzi notices then that Paige seems almost nervous. In all the weeks they’d spent together playing basketball, Azzi doesn’t think she’d seen Paige unsure of herself for even a second, but the way her eyes keep darting back and forth betrays her.

For a moment, Azzi wants to say no. She’s exhausted from the tournament and the nearly full day of travel it took to get to her grandparent’s house in Minnesota.

But then Paige pulls the camera back from her face and Azzi sees a sweet, uncertain smile on Paige’s face, and she can’t bear to disappoint her.

“Okay.”

“Okay?” Paige seems surprised, but then she gives a little cheer and smiles so wide that Azzi blushes under the strength of it. “Aight! Cool!”

“Cool!” They sit in silence for an awkward moment, glancing around until they make eye contact through the cameras and begin to giggle.

“Who’s that?” Azzi asks, when they settle down. She points at the screen past Paige to the wall behind her.

“It’s Kyrie, he’s my favorite player.” Paige tilts her phone, showing a wall filled with posters of different NBA players, but mostly of this particular one.

“Oh, who does he play for?” Azzi asks, though she has to admit she doesn’t actually care. For some reason, she just doesn’t want to hang up yet.

“You don’t know Kyrie Irving?!” Paige sounds almost offended at the thought.

“Not really,” Azzi replies, with a shrug. “I don’t watch a lot of NBA.”

“Bruh, I gotta educate you.” Paige settles back on her bed, pulling out her iPad and opening Youtube. “We’ll start with the 2016 Finals.”

They stay up talking until after midnight. Azzi still doesn’t know much about Kyrie Irving, but she learns a lot about Paige Bueckers, and it changes everything.

//

“Azzi! Dinner’s ready!” Katie calls from the kitchen. Azzi has been spending almost all her time, outside of school, training and practice, holed up in the basement doing God knows what lately. It’s not quite like her daughter, who usually spends most of her time messing around with her brothers or hanging onto her parents, but Katie figures that her oldest might finally be hitting that moody teenager phase that everyone warned her about.

She scoops some stir fry into her bowl, joining her husband and sons who are already at the table. When another few minutes passes and Azzi still doesn’t show up, she goes to the door, yelling down the stairs.

“If you don’t get up here in the next thirty seconds, no phone for the rest of the night!”

Within seconds she hears feet clomping up the stairs.

“Mom! Okay! I’m coming!”

Azzi finally appears, giving her mom an annoyed look before brushing past her and serving herself a plate of dinner.

When she finally sits down at the table, she props her phone up on the table so it’s facing her. They can all hear some sounds coming from it.

“Azzi Fudd, I know you aren’t watching a video while we’re eating dinner.” It’s so unlike her to be so rude.

“Uhh, hey Mrs. Fudd. Mr. Fudd.” Paige Bueckers smiles sheepishly at her and waves through the screen.

“Oh, Paige.” Katie knows that Azzi and Paige had been keeping in touch since the summer. “You know you can call us Katie and Tim, sweetie.”

“Azzi’s going to have to put her phone away for dinner. She can call you back after dinner, alright?”

“Moooom.” Azzi whines, clearly embarrassed.

“I’ll talk to you later, Azzi.”

“Okay,” Azzi huffs. “Bye Paige.” Katie isn’t sure if she imagines it, but there’s something soft in the way her daughter says Paige’s name.

They hang up, and Azzi begins immediately shoveling food into her mouth.

“Azzi, slow down. Paige is still going to be there, but you won’t be if you choke because you aren’t chewing.”

Azzi scowls but she does slow down, chewing deliberately in her parents’ direction. When her bowl is empty, she reaches for her phone.

“May I be excused, please?”

“Not yet.”

“Ugh,” Azzi scoffs, rolling her eyes.

“Enough with the attitude, or did you not want one of your birthday presents early?”

Katie smirks as Azzi’s eyes bulge with excitement.

“I’m sorry!” Azzi bounces excitedly in her seat. “I’ll stop with the attitude, I promise.”

“Alright, we believe you, “ Tim says. “Well, we were talking to Paige’s parents the other day…” He lets the sentence linger, laughing when Azzi grows visibly annoyed.

“Dad!” She growls as her brothers mock her.

“Alright, alright. We were talking to them, and they agreed to let Paige come stay for the weekend for your sweet sixteen.”

Azzi barely lets him finish his sentence before she’s out of her seat, squealing with joy and giving her dad a big hug.

“Thank you! Thank you!” She throws herself into her mom’s lap, and though Azzi has been taller than her for about a year at this point, Katie still relishes every time her daughter lets her hold her this close.

“Does she know?! Can I tell her?” Azzi reaches for her phone, opening Facetime, and Katie can see her call log. The name Paige💗 fills the entire screen, non stop calls that must span the months since they had returned home from Minnesota.

“Go ahead.” Azzi leaps up, and they can hear the sound of barely half a dial tone before the call is answered.

Almost immediately, there’s a lot of chattering, then a lot of excited screaming. Katie shares a knowing look with her husband as their daughter talks excitedly with her best friend.

Azzi has never had a shortage of friends, but it’s becoming more and more clear that her relationship with Paige is something different, something special.

//

Jazmine is not sure what to think of Paige Bueckers. She knows what everyone else says about her, that she might be the best player to ever wear a UConn jersey, and that she uses that to chat up every attractive woman on campus.

But as they work on their research project, Jazmine isn’t sure she sees this supposed player that everyone talks about.

Paige is charming, yes, and very friendly, but there’s something guarded in her demeanor, like she’s always keeping part of herself locked away.

She is cute though, Jazmine can’t deny that, and fun to flirt with as they make progress on their presentation.

They’re about to wrap up for the night when Paige’s phone vibrates from where it is face down on the table. Paige picks it up, and Jazmine watches as her entire being seems to bloom at what she sees on the screen.

“Sorry, I have to take this.” Paige pops a headphone in, stepping out of the study room they’ve been working in. Jazmine watches through the glass as she holds the phone up to her face, speaking with whoever is on the other side.

Her face is soft, and the smile that lights up her face is so different from the near smirk that Jazmine has seen directed at everyone else. She only spends a few minutes on that Facetime, but even in that short amount of time, Jazmine can see the way her entire body language has changed. She barely knows this girl, and she can see it.

Paige hangs up, coming back into the room with another apology.

“No worries.” Jazmine shrugs. “Your girlfriend?”

All the blood in her body seems to rush to Paige’s face.

“Oh, um, nah.” She stammers. “It was just Azzi.”

Everything clicks into place. Azzi Fudd, Paige’s best friend, and partner in crime. Azzi doesn’t even go to UConn, though she has visited a few times, and yet she’s probably heard just as many rumors about their relationship as she has about Paige herself, and despite Paige’s denial, Jazmine knows what she saw.

She doesn’t know if Azzi is Paige’s girlfriend, her best friend, both, or neither. But she does know that Paige loves that girl. And anyone who had seen what she had seen, how Paige’s entire being lit up at the mere thought of Azzi, would know it.

//

Paige doesn’t hear the sound of the call over the pounding of her dribble and the squeak of her shoes. In fact, she only realizes her phone is vibrating because it interrupts her music.

It’s past midnight, and Paige knows there’s only one person who could be calling her. The only person she would answer for, at any time of day or night.

💗 Facetime

She swipes to accept the Facetime, sitting on the floor against the wall. With a boop, the call opens to show her best friend, clearly dressed for bed and frowning disapprovingly at Paige through the screen.

“I knew it. Why are you still at the gym?”

Azzi disappears for a moment as she turns off her bedroom light, but soon her face is visible again by the light of the screen and as she lays down in bed with the phone propped up close to her face.

“Can’t sleep.” Paige shrugs, it’s the truth, even if it’s the simple version of it.

“You wanna talk about it?” Azzi always wants to talk, and there’s little that Paige likes to do more than listen to her, but she still has trouble doing the talking herself sometimes.

“Tomorrow, okay? You should sleep anyways, I know you had a tough game tonight.”

Azzi rolls her eyes, but Paige can see the day weighing on her, the way her eyelids look heavy and eyebags darken the skin beneath her eyes.

“Fine, but you have to promise you’ll go back to your apartment after this.” Azzi buries her face into her pillow.

“Promise. After a few more shots.”

“You need to take care of yourself.” Azzi’s voice is drowsy, and Paige watches as her eyelids flutter as she begins to struggle to stay awake. “At least until…”

Her voice faded away as her eyes slipped closed. Paige leans in close, desperate to hear the end of that sentence.”

“‘Til what, Azzi?” She whispers. On one hand, she wants to hear what the other girl was going to say. On the other hand, it’s late and she knows how important it is for Azzi to get enough rest.

Luckily, Azzi’s eyes open and meet Paige’s, soft and so deep she feels like she could drown in them.

“Until I’m there to take care of you.” She says it so casually, so matter of fact. It steals the breath from Paige’s lungs.

She’s taken care of herself for a long time, and she’s always been proud of that. It wasn’t until she met Azzi that she let herself even open up to someone else, and she never thought that she would ever want someone to take care of her.

But it hadn’t even been a choice with Azzi. Before she had realized it, the other girl had wormed her way into Paige’s mind, her heart.

She thinks about the last time she had seen Azzi in person, the morning she had left Azzi’s house to head back to her dad’s to move to UConn. She’d woken her up, way too early, and nearly cried thinking about how much she would miss seeing Azzi’s grumpy face every morning.

She’d almost said it then. Those three words. Cocooned in a pile of warm blankets before the sun had even risen, Paige could pretend that they weren’t about to be separated for who knows how many months. She could pretend that this wouldn’t be the biggest test their relationship would face yet.

She had wished that she could have just stayed there, with the girl she liked, safe from the rest of the world. But the world didn’t work that way, and she’d left Azzi behind with a promise that they would always be truthful with one another, and that they would always be best friends, no matter what else happened between them.

It’s a promise Paige knows she will be able to keep. She can’t imagine a force on this earth that could keep her from Azzi, and she knows Azzi feels the same about her.

When Paige finally focuses back on the call, she sees Azzi asleep, with the camera still on her. She packs up her stuff, and takes the short walk back to her dorm with nothing but the sound of the crickets and Azzi’s soft breaths keeping her company.

By the time she finally slips into bed, it’s past 1AM and Azzi is deeply asleep on the other line. But Paige doesn’t hang up. She plugs in her phone and leans it against a pillow.

As she looks at Azzi’s peaceful face, she feels it swelling within her. That same urge from months ago to just say it. This time, secure in the knowledge that Azzi won’t hear it, she opens her mouth to say it.

But just at that moment, the wifi lags and the call drops. She stares at her home screen, a photo of her and Azzi from the past summer, her hair a patchy purple as she pouts at the camera. Azzi is beside her, beaming at her with that squinty eyed, dimpled smile that Paige knows is her Paige smile.

She flops to lay on her back. Maybe it was destiny that she hadn’t been able to say it. Because Azzi deserves to hear it from her mouth for the first time. And Paige deserves to get to say it to her, to get to see her face light up, and then to, hopefully, hear it back.

[qualitystart]

i really am quite uncomfortable with seeing people in baseball seemingly comfortable brushing off and minimizing marcus stroman having not just defended kyrie irving for posting a link to an extremely antisemitic, holocaust-denying piece of media, but doing some dogwhistling of his own. (i think some people may not remember exactly what happened so please refresh your memory if you don't.)

i saw people on twitter imply or outright state that the criticism of him for this is rooted in antiblackness and while he's definitely been subjected to a lot of racially-coded criticisms from both media and fans, that's not what's happening here.

[militantinremission]

Should Black America choose sides on Israel & Palestine?

Mainstream Media has been particularly single minded in its narrative of the (latest) 'Conflict' in Gaza. Palestinian hardship is mentioned, but the focus has been on the Israeli hostages and an International rise in Anti Semitism. For some reason Zionist Groups, and more than a few Zionist individuals have been trying to persuade (guilt) Black America into fighting for their Cause. We understand how Black support for a Cause gives it legitimacy, but should We? The Voices of New Black Media have 2 general opinions, but neither is Pro- Israel.

One Opinion in New Black Media says that We should have some degree of solidarity w/ the Palestinian People. We can identify w/ their struggle, so We should speak out against it. Some opinions offer more support than others, but this is the gist of that Side of the Argument. The other Opinion expressed, is more indifferent. This Opinion says that Black America has problems at Home that require Our attention. We have In House Cleaning to do that will take Time and Energy; fighting for another's Cause diminishes Our ability to 'Do for Self'.

Black 'Personalities' in Mainstream Media are trying to create a schism w/i New Black Media, but it honestly isn't that deep. Black America is not a Monolith, so No One is going after the Other. I don't see a problem w/ 'The Family' having 2 specific mindsets. One is introverted and the Other is extroverted; together they give The Family a panoramic view- from Our perspective. Both Sides identify Jim Crow style Racism on display in Israel, so it's hard to empathize w/ a State that condones that policy. Israeli Officials go On Camera, and nonchalantly excuse War Crimes as necessary for the destruction of Hamas. Black America can't 'Rock w/ That'.

Black America's reluctance to support Israel's actions in Gaza has gotten under the skin of a few Zionists. The Usual Suspects (Ben Shapiro, Ed Blum, Ari Emanuel, Rabbi Schmuley) took their shots, but Michael Rappaport & Juliana Margulies' comments stand out. Both actually believe that Blackfolk OWE Jewishfolk something! They both offered the (early 20th Century) argument of: 'You wouldn't do it to Blackfolk, so why are you doing it to (European) Jews?' Rappaport threatened to make a List, for the 'next time' We come Hat in Hand... Michael Rappaport's family owned the #2 Black Music Radio Station in NYC (WKTU 92.3FM) during his childhood. He also brags about playing basketball in Brownsville, Bklyn as a Teen. I guess he thinks that his friendship w/ Q- Tip, his marriage to a Black Woman, and fathering her babies makes him some kind of 'Negro Whisperer'(?)

Since the Issue of Anti- Semitism & Black America rose (again) around Ye and Kyrie Irving, We have been backtracking Our relationship w/ Eastern European Jews. Professor Black Truth has mentioned on a few occasions that NAACP President Walter White is DIRECTLY responsible for convincing Afrikan Nations to support recognition of Israel in The United Nations. Later, Ralph Bunch was instrumental in Israel's survival after Al Nakba; he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his effort. When We examine the investments of Jewish American Businessmen (Legal & Illegal) in the State Of Israel; focusing on the role that Black labor, culture, and entertainment played in amassing this 'investment capital'- what exactly do We owe them?

Michael Rappaport threatened to compile a List, but Black America is already at work on Ours. It's very interesting to see so many Global Leaders and Corporate Giants concerned about Israel's 'National Security'. The World's outrage over the carnage in Gaza has revealed a soft spot in this Cabal of Governments, Multinationals, & Media. Governmental and Corporate Entities tried to threaten The Masses into compliance, but it appears that the Protesters are more emboldened. Universities that initially threatened Student Protesters are now inundated w/ them. It's South Afrika all over again! The Same Entities running interference for Israel, did the same thing in South Afrika. It took sustained Global pressure to get Corporations to divest in South Afrika, which broke the System of Apartheid.

America calls Israel an Ally, but Israel has attacked and killed American Soldiers dating back to the U.S.S. Liberty. The State Of Israel has identified Black American Men as a threat to their National Security. Why would any Zionist expect Our Support? Israeli History- up to the present, is an account of unprovoked First Strikes against a weaker adversary. They are Masters of 'throwing rocks, & hiding their hands'. Israeli Officials and their Mainstream Media collaborators are quick to start the narrative on Oct. 7th 2023; but Zionist aggression against Palestinians go back to The Stern Gang & other Jewish Mobsters during the 1930s. In fact, Palestinians have been dealing w/ Zionism since Nathan Birbaum's 'pilgramages' began in the 1890s... Norm Finkelstein has been giving lessons about the History of Zionism on various platforms, and people like Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro (no relation) confirm him.

Palestinian support is easy to understand- the daily pictures of Gaza speak volumes. While We can feel for the people, We can also understand the view of those who feel indifferent. Palestinians are similar to 19th Century Irish. In Ireland, the Irish people claimed to be in solidarity w/ Indigenous (Black) Americans. In America, they were active participants in Our oppression. The Ku Klux Klan is an Irish creation. In a similar manner, Palestinians come to America, and also participate in the oppression of Indigenous Black Americans. They set up businesses in Black Communities that rarely hire locally. In the case of Bodegas and Smoke Shops, they allow Street Crews (Sets) to:

Congregate on their Premises

Make Marijuana Sales inside & outside of their Premises

Set up prostitution in Shop Basements

In this regard, 'these' Palestinians are no different from the (so called) Arabs who discriminate against 'Black' Palestinians & Arabs. They STILL enslave Afrikans across N. Afrika, and call Black Americans 'Abeed' (Slave). These Store Owners have more solidarity w/ Drug Dealers, than everyday Blackfolk. They tend to look at Us w/ the same expression that Israelis give them. It's ironic how Arab Americans tend to live in close proximity to Jewish American Communities. Despite the friction, Arabs & Eastern European Jews share more similarities than differences.

Both are descendants of Eurasian 'Marauder' Tribes. The Khazarians migrated West, into Europe; The Seljukian Turks migrated South, into Arabia. If we're being honest, 'Modern Day Arabs' are not indigenous to Arabia. The True Arabs are now referred to as 'Bedouins' and 'Nomads', and have been systematically removed from most of their Land, via The Arabian Slave Trade... Black America needs to get better acquainted w/ Geopolitics. We're quick to denounce injustice, but not so quick to read between The Lines. America is NOT a Democracy, it IS a White Supremacist Republic. The 'Smith- Mundt Modernization Act of 2012' ensures that EVERY IMMIGRANT understands and complies w/ the Anti Black element of American Society. We can show solidarity w/ Others, but We have to be mindful that We don't have ANY (Collective) 'friends'. We tried to be 'friendly' for decades, & were disrespected by EVERYONE. We don't have any more cheeks to turn.

-The Ball is now in their Court.

[fruitbasketball]

nba playoffs recap 5/22

wcf game 1

kyrie. andrew. irving. the man you are. the MAN. YOU. ARE.

i love you kyrie. idc what everyone says. maybe the earth is fucking flat. when you score 30 points on 12-23 shooting, you can think whatever you want. MY BABY D LIIIIIVE <3 100% FROM THE FIELD. WE GOT DUKE ON THE FLOOR TONIIIIIGHT!! of course luka played wonderfully, cool 30 piece, can work on that 3pfg but we got it. i am so happy but that team 3pfg… y’all. PLEASE. you GOTTA make these or kat’s gonna start pulling it and MAKING it.

minnesota shitterwolves. once again, jaden mcdaniels keeps you in the fucking game. one thing about ant - if he’s having a bad shooting night (and he was… having a bad shooting night… again…) he’s still gonna contribute. i mean y’all saw him on kyrie, and 11 boards and 8 assists. yeah i can’t yell at anyone too much which is disappointing. kat solid, rudy gobert solid, mike conley lackluster but he’s the reason they’re even in the wcf anyway, so imma leave it.

such a fun game tho. kyrie is a fucking magician. kyrie i love you. like GENUINELY i love you so much kyrie irving.

[urspopinionsareshit]

Random headcanons that I don't feel like writing long-winded explanations for

Stan collects football cards and Kyle collects basketball cards. Stan shoves his into a shoebox while Kyle has a binder with clear inserts.

Kyle tore his Kyrie Irving card up in a fit of rage

Despite being vocally sex positive as a teen, Wendy herself doesn't become sexually active until college

Kevin McCormick stayed at the Marsh house and had play dates with Shelly while Stuart and Carol attended their cult meetings

Stephen and Linda Stotch haven't had sex in eight years

Jimmy majors in broadcast journalism in college and is a reporter for a small town newscast before getting his big break in standup

Clyde's sister babysat for Shelly Marsh and Scott Tenorman when they were younger

Kyle hates Taylor Swift with a passion. He's gone on many a rant about her airing out her dirty laundry in her music and he ESPECIALLY hates "You Belong With Me".

Cartman, however, is a secret Swiftie.

Kyle loves the Beastie Boys

Jimmy gets elastics in every color of the rainbow whenever his braces get adjusted. He coordinates depending on the time of year (red and green around Christmas, red, white, and blue for patriotic holidays, rainbow in June, because "I'm an ally, f-fellas.")

On the other hand, the other three braces wearers opt for clear elastics. Kevin and Scott just don't care and Shelly thinks that colored elastics are futile since in her eyes, it won't help her appearance in any way.

Stan has Does the Dog Die? bookmarked. He's been spoiled many times, but he'd rather be spoiled than have a repeat of what his family and friends call "the Old Yeller incident".

Carol McCormick's family is from Arkansas

Post Covid/The Return of Covid Kenny is bald under his hat.

Butters and Kenny join the cheerleading squad in high school. Scott Malkinson is the mascot. Wendy quits cheerleading for good after the events of "The Hobbit" (and also because the squad never cheers for girls sports).

Both Randy and Sharon went through nasty awkward stages during early adolescence

[icanseethefuture333]

This is out of absolutely nowhere but is it weird that I want Nicki Minaj to divorce that dusty man? Like girly, please deal with your childhood trauma from your daddy and realise that your man is a dustyyyyyy. The dustiest of dusties ugh. I think that maybe because of all of the trauma in her family and how she was raised, she doesn’t think much of it and thinks it’s normal but no girl, noooo. Like she’s grown up around problematic men (her dad literally set the house on fire with her mom inside it) so that’s her norm. She could do SO MUCH BETTER UGH. Like Nicki you’re PRETTY. YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL AND YOU GOT OPTIONS STOP SETTLING FOR WHAT YOU THINK YOU DESERVE. And she gets so defensive about this dusty because she thinks she deserves him and it makes her look bad like omg Nicki stop, this ain’t it. Sorry I had to vent about this lollll

No because I was a big a fan of Nicki since I was a little girl and her marrying that man honestly broke my heart and I haven't looked at her the same since. Now I just use her for memes because thats just how I honestly view her, her behavior is a joke. All these female celebrities I noticed are big fat liars. They claim to be feminists but then will date men who talk to women terribly then on top of it they will date sex offenders and women beaters. It disgusts me. I know we can be trauma bonded to people because of childhood trauma but I just feel like Nicki at her grown age should know better. Even if it was true, like let's say her husband was falsely accused, why be with a man who has a negative reputation anyways? I feel like if I was dating someone and they got accused or was accused of SA, I wouldn't be with them no matter how much I love them because 1. I'm dismissing the victim 2. I'd be ruining my own reputation in the process. There's plenty of fish in the sea, why stay with a man who's accused of a felony? I definitely do think her childhood is a major factor and I even believe her relationship with Lil Wayne was toxic in some aspects as well. She idolizes him and when she heard him talk about women's bodies and big butts, she felt pressured to get plastic surgery. That's so awful for a young woman to go through. In some ways, Nicki is a very lovely person, but the negative and problematic things she's done out weighs that for me (being anti black with her comments, working with a blackfisher and betraying as well as attacking Leigh Anne on social media right after she just gave birth to twins, and made multiple songs with Chris Brown, I'm sure there's even more that i'm forgetting or don't know about). What I've learned is that unfortunately most celebrities will have to do things that are questionable due to their labels and PR pushing them to do things because they're binded by contract, or they get so fucked up and let the money get to their head. One person I admire to this day is Tinashe. I felt like she should of been a big superstar because her talent is exceptional, but I think universe saved her and protected her from that lifestyle fr. She has a loyal fanbase that loves her and she doesn't have to work with dusties anymore. Tinashe was forced to make a song with R.Kelly when she was only 22. On top of that being forced to make a song with Chris Brown when she didn't want to. She defended Kehlani when Chris Brown was bashing her when Lani was falsely accused of cheating on Kyrie Irving (when they weren't even together smh). Tinashe could of stayed silent and I'm glad she (as well as Zendaya!) came to her defense. I want genuine girl power and feminism back. I have been missing Destiny's Child because I miss girls being friends and being empowered together. I hope Flo in some way can have take over their crown.

[senatortedcruz]

2 hot sports takes: I think Kaliya Lincoln is gonna dominate for USAgym in the LA quad once the old guard hangs it up after Paris and I hate seeing Kyrie Irving happy

[theproloser34]

Aight, so first day of NBA free agency has ended and there are lots of thoughts and questions that remain

Big one is Kyrie Irving getting a 3 year contract with the Mavs so Luka is not gonna be alone with a #2 for hopefully a few years (or until Kyrie causes locker room drama or outside drama again)

Portland gave Jerami Grant a fuck ton of money, 5 year $160 million. So it’s safe to say Damian Lillard isn’t being traded anytime soon

Lakers actually doing some dope things. The Cam Reddish and Taurean Prince help a bit with their wing depth, and hopefully Gabe Vincent can continue the production he had on the Heat this playoff run

Chicago is doing their best? (Not really) They resigned Vucevic to a 3 year contract which… yay? I don’t think any bulls fans know or care anymore about him. But they did resign Coby White to a not so expensive contract for 3 years so that’s a dub

The Warriors actually resigned Draymond Green to a 4 year $100 million contract. So the core is staying together for a little bit longer. We’ll see if there continues to be locker room issues (Jordan Poole is gone now so Draymond’s punching bag is gone) and maybe they can make another title run. I’m not optimistic

The Suns do be looking pretty scary with all the good depth signings that they’re getting to back up Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, but I will wait to see how it goes in the regular season. The past few years of KD’s career has convinced me that he needs a lot of team chemistry to work well, so I need to see if the team works well together. That was their downfall this playoffs anyway

Finally the 76ers. This off-season is scary for them. James Hardeb is probably getting traded, so we gotta see what pieces they get back for him. They also lost Shake Milton and Georges Niang, which while they didn’t play much, still feels like it hurts. Lots of questions considering that they made no real moves the first day of free agency. We’ll just wait and see as my anxiety spikes over it

[tim-hoe-wan]

Without a doubt the KarJenners have done a lot of pr relationships. But I can’t understand those who think Kendall and her NBA boyfies are pr. Have they not seen NBA fans 😭. They’re gonna buy those jerseys and sneakers no matter who they’re dating. Only time they’re gonna get mad is if they pull a Durant, but that’s mostly temporary and a new city will just buy their merch again.

Everytime people say that about NBA players, especially if it’s cause Kendall is dating them, I kinda just laugh. I don’t even know if it’s pure inability to believe Kendall would date men or pure inability to believe their family could date for real. A lot of my friends work for the NBA, including your fave WS anon. Those players are nearly impossible to control and contain in ways pr relationships would require. Of all the members of the gc who work for celeb pr, those under the NBA really do the least exciting things or go on a near constant panic attack if they ever have to deal with Kyrie Irving. Like, do people believe athletes career, particularly an a young and active NBA player, flow the same way as showbiz celebs?

[nsfwrpg]

So do you think Kyrie Irving will resign with the Mavericks or do you think he will walk and leave Luka stranded?

Honestly at this point idk. As someone who pics the Mavs as their underdog team the past few seasons, they definitely have a better chance going far with him.

With that in mind, I think if we wants to have a good chance at another championship then just commit for a short-term deal, 2-3 years then if anything at least by the end of it you can go somewhere else where the grass is greener if it comes to that.

[7722-1]

i like kai's resilience i gotta learn from him. he took an L:

the day before yesterday when his friends crashed out in front of yachty and lizzo. that shi do be embarassing asf

the day after that with the magician's bs when sexy red was there which almost got him banned asf

and yesterday with the druski and kev when druski made fatphobic and racist jokes and made that kid cry

likeeeee bro if i was him 1. i'd overthink what ppl be saying about me and 2. worried when my career would be over bcuz i probz would get cancelled bcuz of my guest AAAAND 3. scared what my guests would think about me like lizzo, yachty, and sexxy red like bro

rn he's literally chilling like shit didnt happen

now kyrie irving is in his stream...

kai i need advice lol

[nbatrades]

New York Knicks Pluck Rose for a Second Time; Acquiring Derrick Rose from Detroit Pistons

On February 8th, 2021, the New York Knicks traded guard Dennis Smith Jr. and a 2021 second round draft pick (Isaiah Livers) to the Detroit Pistons for guard Derrick Rose. Detroit also received a trade exception.

When the New York Knicks dealt burgeoning star Kristaps Porzingis in a mega seven-player deal with the Dallas Mavericks, the trade was seen as a loss for the Knicks in the immediate but there was some hope for the future. The team acquired two first round picks from Dallas, but another piece for the future was Dennis Smith Jr.

A top-ten overall draft pick in 2017, Smith showcased scintillating athleticism but a questionable outside shot left more questions than answers in his future fit as a lead guard.

With the Knicks on a path towards another rebuild, Smith would get a chance to play during the second half of the 2018-19 season after the trade. The guard played in 21 games (18 starts) with the Knicks, amassing 14.7 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 5.4 APG and 1.3 SPG.

Though Smith had his moments like a 31-point outburst against the Detroit Pistons or a solid runner-up performance in the 2019 dunk contest, his efficiency numbers were concerning. His true shooting percentage was just 47.3%.

The Knicks continued to be one of the worst teams in the trade, going 7-24 over the final 31 games to finish 17-65. Despite having the worst record in the NBA, the Knicks had high hopes for the 2019 offseason.

New York was looking for luck in the lottery so they could grab the number one overall pick and select Duke star Zion Williamson. On the free agent front, the Knicks had two max salary slots and were eyeing stars like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard.

All of those goals would never come to fruition. New York fell to third in the 2019 draft and selected Williamson's college teammate RJ Barrett. Durant and Irving opted for crosstown rivals the Brooklyn Nets, while Butler went to the Miami Heat and Leonard chose the Los Angeles Clippers.

With not much of a backup plan, the Knicks signed several short-term deals with mid-tier free agents including Julius Randle, Marcus Morris Sr., Bobby Portis, Taj Gibson, Reggie Bullock and Elfrid Payton.

The new look Knicks got off to a rough start, going 4-18 in the first 22 games. Head coach David Fizdale was fired and replaced by assistant Mike Miller on an interim basis. The Fizdale exit had been in the cards.

After a November 10 108-87 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers dropped New York to a 2-8 record, Knicks president of basketball operations Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry addressed the media, saying the team had fallen short of expectations.

"We just felt like given that this is our 10th game, we felt that we had an obligation to come and speak to [the media]. Obviously, Scott and I are not happy with where we are right now. We think the team is not performing to the level that we anticipated or we expected to perform at, and that's something that we think we collectively have to do a better job of delivering the product on the floor that we said we would do at the start of this season. ... We still believe in our coaching staff. We believe in the plan Scott and I put together and the players that we assembled. But we also have to acknowledge that we haven't played at the level we expected to play at."

The statement seemed to be an early sign that Fizdale would be fired. Under Miller, the Knicks played slightly better but still were clearly not playoff caliber. New York reached 21-45, before the NBA season was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smith had done very little in his first full season with the Knicks as Fizdale went other routes with point guard. Rookie RJ Barrett started at the point in the season opener. Elfrid Payton and Frank Ntilikina also started as the season progressed.

Smith saw limited minutes initially with the Knicks and missed some time due to the passing of his stepmother. He saw spot minutes throughout New York's season of dysfunction and even started a few games. Throughout the season, Smith appeared in 34 games (three starts) and amassed 5.5 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.9 APG and 0.8 SPG in 15.8 MPG.

New York went on a full reset throughout 2020. The club let go of team president Steve Mills and replaced him with former NBA agent Leon Rose. Later on, Rose hired his former client Tom Thibodeau as head coach.

In the truncated 2020 offseason, New York added rookie Immanuel Quickley in a draft night trade and Austin Rivers in a separate trade. The moves created even more of a crowd in the backcourt. The Knicks gave Smith some time in preseason, but by the regular season he was mostly out of the rotation.

Smith played in just three (3.0 PPG and 1.0 APG in 9.3 MPG) of the team's first 24 games before he was moved with a second round pick to the Detroit Pistons for Derrick Rose. The situation had been so dire that Smith had even requested to play for the Knicks' G-League team in the G-League bubble right before the trade.

He ended his time in New York with 8.7 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 3.7 APG and 1.0 SPG in 58 games. The guard shot 38% from the field, 28% from the three-point line and 56% from the free-throw line.

After a strong season as a sixth man for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Derrick Rose was able to keep his career in drive by signing a two-year, $15 million contract with the Detroit Pistons.

The guard was expected to be in a similar role as a scorer off the bench for the Pistons. Star Blake Griffin missed start the season due to a knee injury and the Pistons season quickly fell off the rails. Detroit started the season 4-10 and fell out of the playoff race quickly.

The Pistons decided to rebuild somewhat, trading center Andre Drummond to the Cleveland Cavaliers and bought starting point guard Reggie Jackson out of his contract. The Pistons continued to lose, falling to 20-46 before the NBA season was shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Once the NBA season resumed in the bubble in Orlando, Florida, the Pistons did not qualify for the bubble due to their record. Rose was solid even though he dealt with a few minor injuries. In 50 games, Rose managed 18.1 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 5.6 APG and 0.8 SPG in 26.0 MPG.

The 2020 offseason saw Detroit continue its rebuild. The team drafted Killian Hayes seventh in the 2020 draft, and also acquired first round picks Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart through trades. The Pistons also added forward Jerami Grant though a sign-and-trade deal with the Denver Nuggets.

The Pistons began the year 1-7 and at 5-18, the club moved on from Rose, dealing him to the New York Knicks for Dennis Smith and a second round pick. As part of the trade, the Pistons created a $2 million trade exception.

Rose appeared in 15 games at the time of the trade and posted 14.2 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 4.2 APG and 1.2 SPG in 22.8 MPG. In 65 games with the Pistons, Rose put up 17.2 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 5.2 APG and 0.9 SPG. The guard posted shooting splits of 48/31/86 in that time.

When the Knicks acquired Derrick Rose, it seemed like the perfect match. Rose was reunited with head coach Tom Thibodeau for a third stint. The guard had previously been an MVP under Thibodeau's coaching with the Chicago Bulls. He then had somewhat of a rebirth rejoining Thibodeau with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Rose was brought in to add some scoring punch to a limited Knicks offensive lineup. New York was 11-14 when it acquired Rose. The team was ranked sixth in defensive efficiency, but was just 24th in offense.

Rose assumed a bench role, often playing with effective scoring rookie Immanuel Quickley, but he also closed many games with the starters. New York gradually played better as the season went on. With the team in eighth place with a 25-27 record, New York went on a massive run, going 16-4 over the final 20 games to finish 41-31. The finish got the Knicks to fourth place in the Eastern Conference after beating out the Atlanta Hawks in a head-to-head tiebreaker.

Rose played a significant part in New York's rise. The guard appeared in 35 games with the Knicks and compiled 14.9 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 4.2 APG and 0.9 SPG in 26.8 MPG. In the 937 minutes Rose was on the floor, the Knicks outscored opponents by 10.6 points per 100 possessions per NBA Stats.

The playoffs were a significant moment for the Knicks. The team faced the Atlanta Hawks and star Trae Young in the first round. Game One was the first postseason game played at New York's home arena Madison Square Garden in eight years. The game was very close throughout. In the fourth quarter, Knicks wing Alec Burks knocked down a three-pointer to give New York a 92-87 lead with 4:46 left in the game.

Atlanta answered with a 10-1 run in two minutes to take a 97-93 lead. Knicks wing RJ Barrett made a layup and forward Julius Randle knocked down a three to give the Knicks a 98-97 edge. A Trae Young three-point play was followed by two buckets from Burks that gave New York a 103-100 lead with 1:11 left.

Atlanta's Bogdan Bogdanovic nailed a three to tie the game with 55 seconds left. Barrett fouled Young on a drive with 28 seconds left and the guard hit two freebies to give the Hawks a 105-103 lead. Rose knocked down a midrange floater with 10 seconds left to tie the game.

After an Atlanta timeout, the Knicks took Rose out and put in defender Frank Ntilikina. With Ntilikina guarding him, Young was able to penetrate and make a contested floater with 0.9 seconds left. Randle was unable to get off a shot in time as Atlanta took a 1-0 series lead with a 107-105 win.

In the second game, Atlanta had control for much of the first half, taking a 57-44 lead at halftime. Coach Thibodeau went with Rose as a starter in the second half over Elfrid Payton. After Atlanta took a 67-55 lead with 7:43 left, New York went on a 21-8 run over the rest of the quarter to take a 76-75 lead into the fourth period.

The Knicks built a 10-point lead, but the Hawks tied the score 91-all with 5:06 left. Over the rest of the game, the Knicks outscored Atlanta 10-1 to tie the series with a 101-92 victory. Rose had a team-high 26 points and New York's bench outscored Atlanta's 55-22.

As the series scene shifted to Atlanta, Coach Thibodeau permanently moved Rose into a starting point guard role. The move seemed to work as Rose had 11 points in the first quarter and the Knicks took a 31-29 at the end of the opening frame of Game Three.

However, the Hawks went on a 22-5 run in the final 7:19 of the second quarter to take a 58-44 halftime lead. New York could never cut the deficit under single digits in the second half as Atlanta won 105-94. Rose had 30 points in the loss.

Game Four was close early on, but the Hawks turned a four-point halftime advantage into an 88-71 lead at the end of the third quarter. Young scored 27 points as Atlanta cruised to a 113-96 victory. In the series finale, Young had 36 points and Atlanta pulled away in the fourth quarter and held on for an easy 103-89 win. Atlanta won the series 4-1.

New York looked overmatched in the five-game series as its star Julius Randle struggled to score. Rose was a bright spot in the disappointment. He was New York's best offensive player, averaging 19.4 PPG on 47.6% from the field, 47.1% from the three-point line, 4.0 RPG and 5.0 APG in 35.0 MPG. By the end of the series, he did struggle to deal with the increased minutes and had a few "knick-knack" injuries by the end of it.

New York's surprise playoff appearance led to the team bringing back a group of free agents. The Knicks re-signed Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel to three-year contracts. After his strong playoff run, the Knicks rewarded Rose with a three-year, $43 million deal with a team option in the final year.

But the team knew there needed to be an infusion of offensive talent after its weak offensive performance in the first round. To address the issue, New York signed guard Evan Fournier from the Boston Celtics to a four-year, $78 million contract. The club also signed guard Kemba Walker to a two-year, $18 million deal.

The Knicks arrived to the 2021-22 season with increased expectations after the third place finish the previous season. The beginning of the season looked good as New York won five of its first six games. However, the team went 7-15 over the next 22 games. The Knicks see-sawed around the .500 mark, reaching 22-21 after 43 games.

The season would fall apart from that point. New York went 3-17 over the next 20 games to fall to 25-38. New York played better down the stretch but finished out of the playoff picture with a 37-45 record.

Rose began the season as a backup to Walker and continued to play with Quickley in the backcourt for the second unit. Ineffective play from Walker led coach Thibodeau to remove the point guard. That coupled with a rash of COVID-19 positive tests forced Rose into a few starts in December.

Rose injured his right ankle in a mid-December game against the Houston Rockets. Eventually, he underwent ankle surgery and was ruled out for eight weeks.

Rose was expected to return in February or March, but he later had a procedure on the same right ankle. He never returned as New York failed to qualify for the playoffs. Rose saw action in 26 games (four starts) and produced 12.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 0.8 SPG and 0.5 BPG in 24.5 MPG.

After the disappointing season, New York went back to the drawing board in the 2022 offseason. The club made a splash at the 2022 draft, offloading Walker, Burks and Noel along with draft picks in various deals to free up cap space.

New York used that cap space to sign guard Jalen Brunson from the Dallas Mavericks to a four-year, $104 million deal. The club also re-signed center Mitchell Robinson and added center Isaiah Hartenstein from the Los Angeles Clippers in a two-year, $16 million deal.

The Knicks looked to bounce back from a year out of the postseason. The team hovered around .500 but eventually fell to 10-13 after 23 games. That 23rd game was a pivotal moment for the franchise. In a Saturday afternoon jaunt with the Dallas Mavericks, the Knicks built an early 15-point lead in the first half. Over the next two quarters, Dallas outscored New York 93-46 in an embarrassing 121-100 defeat.

In response to the struggles, the Knicks removed Rose and Cam Reddish from the rotation while adding young guard Miles "Deuce" McBride in their place. Rose and Reddish joined veteran Evan Fournier as permanent bench fixtures.

With more minutes given to the defensive-oriented McBride and guard Quentin Grimes, New York picked up steam. The team strung together eight consecutive wins to reach 18-13. New York would trade wins and losses until the trade deadline. The club dealt Reddish and a first round draft pick to the Portland Trail Blazers for forward Josh Hart.

Hart proved to be the missing piece to New York's success. After he arrived, the Knicks went 17-8 over the final 25 games to finish 47-35, which was fifth in the East.

Rose received occasional minutes in garbage time after fans chanted for him to play at the end of blowouts. But he rarely played after his removal from the rotation. After the turn of the new year, Rose played just two minutes and 21 seconds. He appeared in 27 games, managing 5.6 PPG, 1.5 RPG and 1.7 APG in 12.5 MPG.

The Knicks returned to the playoffs after a season away and faced the fourth seed Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening round. Brunson had 27 points and Hart chipped in 17 points and 10 rebounds as New York took the first game in Cleveland 101-97.

Cleveland had a 20-point lead at halftime of Game Two and held on for a comfortable 107-90 win. Game Three saw Brunson and RJ Barrett combine for 40 points as New York routed Cleveland 99-79. Game Four was closer, but Brunson had a game-high 29 points as the Knicks pulled away with a 102-93 win.

In Game Five, Randle exited early with an ankle sprain. It didn't matter as New York dominated the offensive glass (17 offensive rebounds) in a 106-95 win. Rose played three minutes in the series.

New York advanced to the second round for the first time in 10 years and faced the eighth-seeded Miami Heat. With Randle out for the series opener, New York took an early double digit lead. Miami came back and took control thanks to a 31-20 third quarter advantage. The Knicks cut the deficit to three points on two occasions in the fourth quarter, but Miami held on for a 108-101 win.

In the win, Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler sprained his ankle and missed Game Two. Randle returned for that game and him, Brunson and Barrett teamed up for 79 of New York's 111 points in a six-point win. Butler returned for Game Three and had 28 points. Miami held the Knicks to 34.1% from the field and 20% from three in a 105-86 victory.

New York's offense was slightly better in Game Four, but Miami still led for much of the game and won 109-101. Facing elimination at home, the Knicks fell behind 24-14 in the first quarter. New York bounced back and led by 19 points in the third period. The Heat cut the lead to three points, but New York held on for a 112-103 win and made the series 3-2.

Brunson was amazing in Game Six, putting up 41 points. The game went down to the wire. The Knicks were down 92-90 with the ball and 30 seconds left but Brunson tuned the ball over and Miami eventually held on for a 96-92 victory. New York was eliminated 4-2. Rose did not play in the second round.

In the offseason, the Knicks declined Rose's $15.6 million team option for the 2023-24 season. He became a free agent after and he signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. Rose ended up appearing in 88 games in his second stint with the Knicks and amassed 11.2 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.4 APG and 0.7 SPG. The guard shot 45% from the field, 38% from the three-point line and 91% from the foul line.

Smith played in 20 games with the Pistons after the trade. The high-flying guard managed 7.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.0 SPG and 0.7 BPG in 19.6 MPG. The Pistons went 15-34 after the trade, finishing the 2020-21 season with a 20-52 record. Smith became a free agent after the season and signed a training camp deal with the Portland Trail Blazers. He made the Blazers team for the 2021-22 season.

The 2021 second round pick Detroit acquired originally was owned by Charlotte. It ended up 42nd in the 2021 NBA Draft. Detroit used the pick on 6-foot-7 tweener forward Isaiah Livers from the University of Michigan.

A local product from Kalamazoo, Michigan, Livers spent four years in college, evolving from 3.4 PPG as a part-time starting freshman to a double figure scorer in his junior and senior seasons.

In his senior year, Livers was second on the Wolverines team with 13.1 PPG and led the team in three-point shooting. However, Livers' season was cut short when he suffered a stress injury to his right foot in a March quarterfinal game against Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament. He later underwent surgery on the right foot in April.

The foot issue would bleed into Livers' pro career. He missed 2021 Summer League and was unavailable for 59 of the first 60 games of his rookie season. Overall, the forward appeared in 19 games (five starts) and posted 6.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.1 APG and 0.7 SPG in 20.2 MPG.

Livers also played four games for Detroit's G-League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise. Livers averaged 4.0 PPG and 2.3 RPG in 15.5 MPG. Detroit began the 2021-22 season 1-8 and never recovered. The team was 5-28 after 33 games. The second half of the year was a tad better as the Pistons went 18-31 over the final 49 games to finish 23-59.

After the season, the Pistons held the fifth pick in the 2022 draft and selected point guard Jaden Ivey. The team also acquired the 13th pick in the draft, center Jalen Duren. On the veteran front, Detroit dealt away forward Jerami Grant while adding Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and Bojan Bogdanovic in trades during the offseason.

Livers played two games for the Pistons' Summer League squad in Las Vegas, managing 14.0 PPG on 44.4% from the field, 4.5 RPG and 1.0 BPG in 30.1 MPG.

During the 2022-23 season, all of the change didn't matter much as Detroit was again one of the worst teams, getting off to a 3-15 start. At 15-42 after 57 games, the Pistons went 2-23 over the final 25 games to finish an NBA-worst 17-65. A key reason for the downfall was 2021 number one overall pick Cade Cunningham missing all but 12 games due to a left shin injury that eventually required surgery.

Livers missed 30 games due to various ailments including a right shoulder sprain, right ankle sprain and a right hip issue. He played in 52 contests (22 starts) and managed 6.7 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.5 SPG and 0.5 BPG in 23.1 MPG.

After the season, coach Dwane Casey resigned and Detroit hired Monty Williams with a then-record six-year, $78.5 million contract. The Pistons had the fifth pick in the 2023 draft and used it on athletic wing Ausar Thompson. The Pistons also added veterans Monte Morris and Joe Harris in trades.

Livers' injury issues continued into his third season. The forward suffered a grade III left ankle sprain and he missed the first 14 games of the season.

Detroit hoped that an established coach in Williams and continued development from its younger players would lead to growth. But the team continued to slide backwards. After winning two of its first three games, Detroit dropped an NBA record 28 consecutive games.

When he did return, Livers struggled to find his game. He appeared in 23 games (six starts) and shot just 34.5% from the field and 28.6% at the three-point line. Livers averaged 5.0 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 1.1 APG and 0.6 SPG in 20.4 MPG.

With the team at 3-36, Detroit made a move, dealing Livers, Marvin Bagley and two second round picks to the Washington Wizards for Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala. Livers showed promise as a potential three-and-D wing but injuries made it hard for him to be consistent.

In two and a half seasons with the Pistons, Livers managed 6.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.9 APG and 0.6 SPG in 94 games. The 6-7 forward shot 41% from the field, 36% from the three-point line and 79% from the free-throw line in that time.

Derrick Rose on his comfortability in joining the Knicks (via ESPN):

"Even though I couldn't say that at the time, I just wanted to be comfortable. Like I said, I've been knowing these guys ever since high school, eighth grade, high school, so coming here, like I said, it's family. I never really thought about anything else but really getting here and understanding they wanted me to help grow the young guys they've already got here."

On his relationship with Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau:

"The synergy we've got, I can't explain it. We're an odd couple, but for some reason, we understand the game. And the closest thing I probably can say is we're students of the game. We watch the game. We try to understand the game more and try to get better if not every day, every week, every month, every couple of months, every year. There's always room for improvement, and it's for the betterment of the team. Wherever I go, wherever he goes, we're always trying to win."

On playing with Knicks rookie guard Immanuel Quickley:

"It shouldn't be too hard [playing] with him. We're similar. He's getting double-teamed in his rookie year. There ain't too many rookies getting that type of attention. For him to see that kind of early, it's just going to make his game better. The game is going to slow down more. And he listens. That's the greatest thing about him: He listens. With that, you always got room for improvement. "He's a dog. He's a dog. I can't explain it. You've got to be a player to understand it. [If] we're in a fight, I know he's fighting."

Dennis Smith on the trade (via SNY):

"I was super excited, I was super excited. I was down in the G (League) and I was getting ready to play with the guys and have our first scrimmage, and I heard the news and I was just smiling all day. Super excited, couldn't really sleep that night and I'm just looking at it as an opportunity, fresh start -- like me and coach talked about -- and I'm going to make the most out of it."

Why his tenure with the Knicks never panned out:

"I can't -- I'm not sure,. But I will say I'm thankful for the opportunity that they gave me, and to all the people that supported me -- whether it's in media or even the fans that supported me -- I'm thankful for those guys as well."

On going down to the G-League and finding out about the trade:

"So, when I went down to the G (League), it was simply, simply just to play basketball -- I wanted to play basketball. Nothing else to it, like, 'Oh, he moved,' or, 'Such and such, whatever,' it's just I wanted to play basketball and I realized that would give me an opportunity to do that. So I took advantage of it and I went down there like I was ready to hoop. "I was down there with my boy, Myles (Powell), and I actually got close with a lot of guys on the team in the brief time that I was there. So that was just about hooping. And I was smiling hard because, like, I was excited for the opportunity. And I knew what kind of guy (Pistons) coach (Dwane) Casey was -- great coach, great person. So being able to be with him, I was looking forward to that."

On having a chip on his shoulder after the trade:

"It's super refreshing, and I'm going to go out there with a chip on my shoulder that I always had. I'm going to go out there and compete at a high level, try to execute and try to win games. In terms of coming out and trying to prove something, I think it's definitely more important to prove things to myself -- you know what I'm saying? -- and that's what I want to do. "I believe in myself and the people here that believe in me, and I think that's the first step to really tapping into some greatness here."

Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver on the trade (via Pistons.com):

"We welcome Dennis Smith Jr. to the Pistons family. Adding another young player who was a high draft pick alongside a draft asset advances our goals in building for the future. We thank Derrick Rose for his contributions on and off the court during his time as a Piston and wish him and his family well as they move forward."

New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau on Derrick Rose (via NY Daily News):

"He's still one of the elite players in this league."

If Rose is in shape:

"He's lighter than he's ever been. He's telling me this is as healthy as he's been."

On his familiarity as a coach with Rose previously in Chicago and Minnesota:

"It's obviously someone I'm familiar with. We've been through a lot of things together. But the biggest part is what I felt he could contribute to our team. I've always been partial to good players. If someone is a good player, I'm interested. And I think he'll add a lot to our team."

On Rose's ability to be productive everywhere he's gone:

"When you look at what he accomplished after (his time in Chicago), even when you went back to the year he spent in New York, he still averaged 18 points a game. He averaged 18 points a game in Minnesota, he averaged 18 points a game in Detroit. So he's always been able to contribute. When you look at his playoff numbers, he goes to a completely different level."

How adding Rose and Quickley together gives the Knicks more ballhandling capabilities off the bench (via ESPN):

"I think you see it often when you have multiple point guards out on the floor, it gives you another ball handler, secondary ball handler, and you can probably include Alec (Burks) in there, as well. So it gives us three guys that can go off the dribble, and all three are very efficient in pick-and-rolls. Their versatility allows them to actually blend with both groups. So I think we'll see some of that as we go forward, as well."

Pistons head coach Dwane Casey on bringing along Dennis Smith (via The Detroit News):

“It's going to take all of us to help him along, but our coaching staff will assign someone to him to watch film and to go over things with him and the players on the floor will be able to help him. We've got a great group of guys that are willing to mentor and help. That's something that I think won't take very long for him. “He's a smart kid and he's a basketball junkie. One of the first things he said was that he wanted to watch film. He shouldn't have said that because I'm going to take him up on it. He's a good kid, he's got an opportunity, and this is the first team to me as a coach.”

How he gravitates to players that have something to prove:

“It's one of those things where I've always identified with guys like that… You want to bring them into your culture and fit them into your culture. They have something to prove to us and to the rest of the league, whoever that person is. It's not a bad thing and you can look around in sports — New England's done it for years. "It's a little tougher with a young team to bring guys in, but I enjoy it. I enjoy coaching guys like that, taking the challenge on from a coaching standpoint, teaching standpoint, molding standpoint, and let's prove the rest of the league wrong.”

Pistons guard Saben Lee on what he'll miss about Derrick Rose (via The Detroit News):

"I'll definitely miss Derrick. He was a great guy and a great person aside from being a great player. Just being able to hang out with him and get different words of wisdom from him and [being able to] pick his brain."

On Dennis Smith:

"He's an athletic point guard. He can get to the rack and is a really good playmaker."

Image Credit:

Dennis Smith Jr. via Getty Images/Layne Murdoch Jr.

Derrick Rose via Getty Images/Nathaniel S. Butler

[callousclassroomcanary]

Small Ball?

It is no surprise to us that to be in the NBA, you have to be tall. However, over the recent years, the notion of small ball has seemingly taken the league by storm. Teams attempting to emulate the warriors dynasty have seemed to go all in on attempting to make their rosters as small and adaptive as possible. With the success and attractiveness of players such as Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, and Donavon Mitchell to name a few, it is no wonder teams want to go small. However, the notion that going small is what is best for teams moving forward seems to be a grave miscalculation for many teams.

While small ball lineups may be attractive for many teams as a way to keep up with the changing times, I don't believe the times have changed all that much. Take for example Steph Curry, arguably the main reason for this shift towards small ball in the NBA. While it would be great to emulate what Steph Curry does on a basketball court, players like this just do not exist in spades or at all. It is unreasonable to think that players will come around that have anywhere near the impact that Curry has, especially at his size. Being listed at 6'2', Curry has had his fair share of difficulties on the defensive end that have been exploited in the past. While not a terrible defender overall, he is no where good enough to stop anyone, and often his height is used against him, especially in the playoffs. The only reason this issue has not impeded on Curry's and others success on the court is often due to the fact that they are monsters on the offensive end. We have all heard it, you have to guard Curry from the parking lot. Such offensive players like Curry and others around his stature are allowed to be mediocre on the defensive end because of what they bring on the offensive end.

However, it is just that, they only have offensive capabilities. While non of there defenses are so atrocious as to cost their teams games single handedly, recent NBA success has shown us that small ball is not the trajectory for success that many teams thought it was. Take for example the last two NBA champion teams, the Boston Celtics and the Denver Nuggets. While there are smaller players on those team that had tremendous impact, height was a key factor in their success.

We hear it all the time, defense wins games, especially in the playoffs where they matter most. What does height offer you? It offers the ability to switch 1-4 maybe 1-5 depending on personnel. Jason Tatum, Nikola Jokic, Jaylen Brown, Aaron Gordon, LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, Luka Doncic are all players over 6'7'. Defense wins championships, and when you have not only stars but players with the height to disrupt passing lanes and crash boards, altering shots. Those are the plays that ultimately wins games in a seven game series. This notion that the team has gone towards small ball for success is a myth. No team who has had a small roster, other than the warriors have won a championship in recent years. We cannot base the entire structure of a team based on a player that is a once in a generation talent.

Height will always be a liability when it comes to defense. No matter how we look at it, basketball is a game where height matters. Look at LeBron's son Bronny; he is the same height as someone like Curry or Kyrie but cannot stay on the court, even though defense is supposed to be his strong suit. While one can argue that comparing him to legends such as Curry or Kyrie to be an unfair comparison, one cannot help but wonder why smaller players lack the impact that taller players have on games overall.

If we look at the other side of the spectrum, we see why players such as Embid and Jokic are such threats. Turns out, having true centers who are both seven footers goes a long way on impacting the game. While they are generational talents in their own rights, the impact that their size has on games is undeniable. The average height of players in the NBA currently is 6'6.5'. Contradictorily to what the public thinks, the NBA isn't getting any smaller, and that is for good reason.

[epuiseeparmedia]

Oh dear

Lebron James was absolutely not the MVP of the Olympic tournament, much less the USA team, but hey Nike needs to sell those shoes. Please don’t make comparison with Ronaldo because they share the same sponsor or have the same age (they actually don’t Lebron is older), it’s not the compliment you think it is.

Lebron James fled Cleveland after failing despite being call the second coming of Jordan, created a super team in Miami that over promised and underperformed, went back after he failed to get Miami coach fired, to get credit for Kyrie Irving job, with the help of the media. Left Cleveland again after putting them in a bad spot financially, ran to the lakers where outside of the Covid ring, that team can barely make into the playoffs despite the referees carrying his sorry behind like some Negreira shit. Oh he can statpad all he wants, people who watch basketball beyond YouTube deceptive highlights see him not defending, travelling, making offensive plays without being called out by the media or the official. Because like some Golden Child I won’t mention here, he is untouchable. His coaches failed him, his teammates failed him, it is never his fault. He needs more help but the help never get credits in victory.

ESPN and the media love Lebron that should tell you something.

Now Curry and KD deserved the MVP more but I guess that won’t do.