HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

The Next Drama?  If you thought the “Dwightmare” was bad, keep in mind that what played out in Orlando will be the new normal.

Admittedly, some players will handle the process differently and some of the teams will be more proactive at keeping things in-house, but with contract extensions now bad business in the NBA, more and more would-be free agents are going to opt to hit free agency and land new five year deals than calming the media storm with three-year extensions.

There are a few player situations to watch in the coming months, and here is what we know today:

Chris Paul – Los Angeles Clippers  Before you get too excited, Chris Paul is likely staying in L.A. with the Clippers long-term. The wheels would really have to fall off in a major way and if you look at the moves the Clips have made to surround Paul with veteran talent, CP3 has gotten everything he’s wanted. If things go toxically bad, maybe he explores other teams, but the word from CP3 and from the Clippers is they will do a max contract in July and both sides have an understanding on how it will play out.

Josh Smith – Atlanta Hawks   You can lump Josh Smith into the “would rather stay” bunch. Smith likes what the team is trying to do and he is onboard with the game plan. He has made it clear to virtually everyone in the organization that he’s not spending his career watching the NBA Finals, and he’s put the pressure and the onus on them to put a winner around him.

Now there is some truth to the idea that new Hawks’ GM Danny Ferry is a bit ruthless and, like Rob Hennigan in Orlando, he may realize that dealing Josh at the trade deadline might return more pieces than he can acquire in free agency, especially if paying Josh a max-level deal in July is on tap.

It’s not out of the question that Josh Smith is traded, so if there is a name on this list to watch it’s likely Smith.

The Hawks say they are building around Josh Smith and Al Horford, but with Josh hitting unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career in July, there is risk.

Andrew Bynum – Philadelphia 76ers  Sources close to Andrew Bynum say he is beyond thrilled about the situation in Philadelphia. He’ll get the chance to be his own star, be the focal point of the team and remain in the discussion as an All-Star starter.

Bynum is in the final year of his deal and, like all of the names on this list, is not signing a contract extension. The 76ers say they are OK with the risk, because they feel they acquired a marquee center that will stay long-term.

Unless the wheels completely come off the franchise, a new deal for Bynum is almost assured because those that know him say he will not leave the money on the table to walk away and Philly has been given some level of assurance that Bynum is OK with what this new situation means for him. There have been no “commitments” made, but like Chris Paul and the Clippers, the 76ers understand where they stand with Bynum long-term.

The “will he stay or will he go” story will dominate the NBA for the life of this labor deal, and maybe that was by design. Nothing generates hype and interest around the NBA game more than a good trade rumor and with how the system is now constructed, the major name players will always hit free agency rather than extend, which means the “Dwightmare” won’t be the last circus we have to endure.

Fortunately, a lot of the guys in similar situations are likely staying where they are, but if injuries strike or things go toxically bad early in the season, things could warm up fast, especially in Atlanta.

Catching Up With Patric Young  Florida forward Patric Young has been mentioned as an NBA Draft prospect since his freshman year. He is a 6’9 bruising forward that averaged 10 points and 6 rebounds for the Gators last season and is entering his junior year at Florida.

Young took part in last week’s adidas Nations skills camp and genuinely looked like a man among boys with a clearly defined NBA body and a relentless attacking style of play.

Young talked with HOOPSWORLD about the upcoming season and where he sees himself next year:

It’s Called The Orthokine-Therapy  For about two years now there has be a new procedure that athletes with knee and joint pain have been flocking to – fans have started calling it the “Kobe Procedure” or “the Germany Surgery”, but the real name is Orthokine-Therapy.

Orthokine is a used to treat osteoarthritis and joint pain and it involves removing anti-inflammatory proteins from the patient’s own blood, which are then injected in the area of pain and discomfort.

Developed by molecular biologist Dr. Julio Reinecke and German orthopedic surgeon Dr. Peter Wehling, the process attacks the biological mechanisms that cause osteoarthritis and joint pain blocking the protein that contributes to the breakdown of cartilage.

The procedure is still very experimental, but almost everyone who has had it raves about the results. It reduces pain and discomfort in the joint and adds range of motion and stability to athletes that struggle with joint pain, specifically knee pain.

More than a dozen NBA players have had the procedure, with Lakers guard Kobe Bryant being the most famous case study because of how bad his knee was and how well he recovered.

Gilbert Arenas had the procedure done again this summer, as have Greg Oden, Grant Hill, Brandon Roy and countless others. New 76ers center Andrew Bynum is going to have it done in the coming weeks.

The procedure is basically strategic injections of a compound compromised of the patient’s own proteins and the recovery window on the process is very, very small.

The procedure is a therapy for joint discomfort, so annual injections will become the norm for those that have had the procedure, so when you hear that athlete X is having the procedure again, that’s absolutely normal.

If you want to read more about Orthokine check out these articles: The Orthokine-Therapy study, The Clinic For Molecular Orthopedics and the Orthokine website.

The Deal That Almost Was  As the Orlando Magic embark on a rebuilding effort after dealing Dwight Howard, it becomes clear why the Magic didn’t go all in on Ryan Anderson, who was signed and traded to the New Orleans Hornets after receiving a four-year $34 million offer.

The Magic couldn’t rationalize that kind of financial commitment to Anderson knowing they would be losing Dwight Howard and embarking on what needs to be a losing campaign this season in order to jump start a rebuild.

Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune is reporting that Anderson was almost a member of the Utah Jazz before the Hornets upped the offer.

The sign-and-trade deal likely would have sent power forward Paul Millsap to the Magic, but ultimately the Jazz pulled back and bowed out on Anderson.

The Jazz have opened contract extension talks with Millsap and are hopeful they can keep him. If Millsap opts to explore free agency in July as a means to maximize his next deal, it’s likely the Jazz explore trading him, rather than risk losing him for no compensation.

The Jazz say they are committed to Millsap long-term and have put their money where their mouth is, however the new Collective Bargaining Agreement limits what Millsap can get in an extension deal

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