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Gordon thinks he will be traded, also considers playing in Europe

The slow, drawn-out negotiations between Ben Gordon and the Chicago Bulls took a turn toward closure Friday night when the free-agent guard said he doesn't think he'll be a Bull next season. Ben Gordon Shooting Guard Chicago Bulls Profile 2008 Season Stats GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT% 72 18.6 3.1 3.0 .434 .908 "I guess it's safe to say I've played my last game in a Bulls uniform," Gordon said. Gordon, who has led the Bulls in scoring the past three seasons, said his agent, Raymond Brothers, has been speaking with other teams about sign-and-trade possibilities. "I'm pretty optimistic it'll happen," said Gordon, who averaged 18.6 points last season. "It's very likely." Brothers refused to name the teams he's spoken with, but added playing in Europe is also a possibility. He said the only certainty is Gordon will not sign the Bulls' one-year qualifying offer of $6.4 million. Bulls executive vice president John Paxson did not return a phone call seeking comment. Gordon admitted he's frustrated and "feels slighted" by the slow pace of negotiations with the Bulls. He said at this point it would be best for him to play elsewhere since Chicago's backcourt is seemingly full, with Derrick Rose, Larry Hughes and Kirk Hinrich. "It's a numbers game," he said. "Last season at the trade deadline, they brought in more guards and I saw my minutes drop and didn't understand why. This year, the problem's still the same. I don't see it getting better, so maybe it'll be a better situation for me personally somewhere else." Chicago offered Gordon a five-year, $50 million contract last season, but he turned it down. This summer, reports have surfaced saying Gordon believes he should be the Bulls' highest-paid player because he's their leading scorer. Chicago recently signed Luol Deng to a six-year, $71 million deal. "I've just got to wait and see what happens," Gordon said. "It's a tough time." Gordon spoke at the "Bowling Bash and Celebrity Fundraiser" thrown by his New Life Foundation in Yonkers, N.Y. The event was seeking to raise money for the sports department at Mount Vernon High School, Gordon's alma mater. The school, which has a vaunted basketball program that's produced several NBA players, is in danger of losing its winter and spring sports teams. Philadelphia 76ers forward Elton Brand, Charlotte Bobcats forward Emeka Okafor, UConn coach Jim Calhoun, rappers Irv Gotti and Heavy D and former world boxing champion Iran Barkley were among the celebrities in attendance

Packers make their choice with Favre; now they can wallow in it

From green and gold to green and white. From, "Go, Pack, Go" to "J-E-T-S." From the NFL's smallest market to the league's largest. Brett Favre's life did a 180 late Wednesday night, and it happened because Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson didn't trust Favre, and Favre didn't trust Thompson. Drag a razor across this controversy's beard and that's what you'll find under the stubble -- distrust, too much scar tissue and the simple yet mind-boggling fact that Packers management thinks Favre isn't good enough to win. If it thought otherwise, Favre wouldn't be the quarterback of the New York Jets today. Anyway, so much for the Packers wanting to protect Favre's "legacy." Remember that bit of PR fiction? The benevolent, caring Packers would be there to safeguard all things Brett -- that's what they said. But the protection broke down when Favre decided to unretire and return to Green Bay. Favre is a Jet because Thompson didn't want him to be a Packer. Or a Minnesota Viking. And who can forget that heartfelt "crossing the Rubicon" statement by Packers team president Mark Murphy when Favre was reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Any icier and you could have played hockey on it. AP Photo/Mike Roemer Brett Favre as he left Green Bay...ultimately for the last time as a Packer. For all those Favre critics who insist he's a drama queen, remember that he could have stayed in Green Bay, practiced, competed in an open competition with Aaron Rodgers and dared Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy to keep him on the bench. But he didn't. He left after several days because he has more respect for the Packers than the Packers have for him. Packers management thought Favre wouldn't push for reinstatement and report to camp, but he did. It thought he would take its $25 million of get-lost money, but he didn't. It thought it could break his will by refusing to release him or trade him to the Vikings, but it couldn't. And nice job on accusing the Vikings of tampering (the Vikes were cleared of any wrongdoing). Plus, wasn't it interesting that someone leaked a story that Favre allegedly called the Vikings on a Packers-issued cell phone (also untrue). If this were a divorce, then Favre would be the one getting the alimony. The Packers were so eager to ditch the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards, touchdowns and victories by a QB that they reduced the bidding war to two teams (the Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers). And they settled for a conditional fourth-round pick, which will bump up to a third-rounder if Favre takes 50 percent of the snaps (duh), and a second-rounder if he takes 70 percent of the snaps and the Jets reach the playoffs. Instead of Favre -- who earlier last season helped lead the Packers to the NFC Championship Game and finished second in the league's MVP voting -- Thompson would rather have three quarterbacks on his roster with a combined zero NFL starts. He'd rather have Rodgers than the most durable quarterback in the history of the game. Brett Favre 2008 Timeline The Brett Favre saga in Green Bay might be nearing a conclusion after the unretired quarterback said he and the team might be better off without each other. A look at how the story has unfolded: Aug. 6: Traded to New York Jets for conditional draft pick. Aug. 5: Left practice facility in the afternoon ... did not practice with the team ... met with Packers officials to discuss trade options ... tells ESPN's Chris Mortensen "the best thing for this team is for us to part ways" ... considers talking to the Buccaneers about a possible trade. Aug. 4: Favre reports to training camp and is added to active roster after passing physical Aug. 3: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reinstates Favre July 31: Favre offered $25 million to not report to camp July 30: Meets with Packers president Mark Murphy in Mississippi July 29: Faxes reinstatement request to NFL July 25: Favre tells Packers he plans to report to training camp July 19: Returns to Lambeau Field to attend Packers Hall of Fame ceremony July 16: Packers file tampering charges with NFL against Vikings July 11: Packers receive letter from Favre formally requesting release July 8: Favre asks for release with understanding he won't be starter July 6: Sends text message to Packers GM Ted Thompson July 2: Favre says reports of return were "all rumor" June 20: Favre tells coach Mike McCarthy he may want to play again April 9: Says he might consider comeback if opportunity was presented April 4: Agent reportedly contacts teams to gauge trade interest April 3: Denies rumors of a comeback March 6: Favre conducts retirement news conference Jan. 20: Packers lose NFC Championship Game to the Giants in OT -- Compiled by ESPN Research Why? It isn't just because Favre wanted to unretire. It can't be. It has to be something as fundamenta

Schedule highlights: Season opens with champs versus King James

The NBA's 2008-09 schedule is out ... and you know what that means. An equally anticipated document has to go with it: ESPN.com's first rundown of must-see games for the coming season to immediately input into your electronic calendar of choice. Oct. 28: Opening Night An earlier-than-usual launch to the season starts with a tasty TNT doubleheader, leading off with the new champs from Boston hosting LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers on ring night and capped by Greg Oden's long-awaited NBA debut in Blazers at Lakers. Oct. 29: Opening Night (continued) Elton Brand makes his 76ers debut in the same game that Jermaine O'Neal makes his official Raptors debut: Toronto at Philadelphia. Furtherm ore:Michael Beasley makes his pro debut at Madison Square Garden (along with Dwyane Wade's official return from injury) in Heat at Knicks, Ron Artest makes his Rockets debut in Memphis at Houston, and Oklahoma City makes its debut as a full-time NBA city with a visit from the Milwaukee Bucks. And ... ESPN dishes its own doubleheader doozy: Phoenix at San Antonio to renew year after year of recent playoff pleasantries, followed by Lakers at Clippers in a fitting bow for the Clips' new Angeleno point guard: Baron Davis. Oct. 30: Houston at Dallas (TNT) The Mavericks are one of two teams (along with Charlotte) that must wait until Thursday for their opening game, giving Mavs fans more time to fret that the Rockets' acquisition of Ron Artest reduces Dallas to the third-best team in Texas. Oct. 31: San Antonio at Portland (ESPN) The best of the Halloween fare, at least in NBA terms, is unquestionably Oden matching up with Tim Duncan. Nov. 1: Washington at Detroit (NBA TV) The league is still sorting out its full 96-game NBA TV schedule, but Wizards-Pistons has been confirmed as the opener of NBA TV's maiden doubleheader, which concludes with a Portland-at-Phoenix nightcap. [+] EnlargeJesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images If Yao can stay healthy, this could be a preview of the 2009 Finals. Nov. 4: Boston at Houston You don't have to wait long for a look at the NBA's reigning threesome of doom (Garnett, Pierce and Allen) throwing down against the new trio on the block (McGrady, Yao and Artest). P.S. How much playing time will the twins get in Phoenix at New Jersey ... also known as Robin Lopez at Brook Lopez? Nov. 5: Charlotte at New York Larry Brown returns to Madison Square Garden with his (latest) new team. We'll spare you the dates on Larry's returns to Denver, New Jersey, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Indiana, Philly and Detroit. Nov. 6: Houston at Portland (TNT) Yao Ming and Oden go toe-to-toe for the first time. Health permitting, of course. Nov. 9: Houston at L.A. Lakers The denizens of Lakerland who so badly wanted to see Artest in purple and gold will get their first dose of torture early. In L.A.'s first Sunday home game of the season, actually. Nov. 10: Portland at Orlando Oden will have lined up against Shaquille O'Neal (Nov. 1), Yao and Dwight Howard in a span of 10 days by the time he gets through this one. Health permitting, of course. Nov. 12: Atlanta at Boston Are the Hawks and Celtics rivals now because of what happened in the first round of the playoffs? Better question: Shouldn't Olympiacos be required to swing through Atlanta as part of the usual October spree of exhibition games against top European clubs? Nov. 13: Dallas at Chicago (TNT) Mavs owner Mark Cuban could know by this point whether he has won the race to buy the Cubs, which would make this somewhat of a home game for him and certainly spice up his relationship with Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, since Reinsdorf owns the White Sox. Nov. 14: Detroit at L.A. Lakers (ESPN) What sort of reception awaits Kwame Brown at Staples Center? Just a hunch: If history is any guide, Kwame needn't expect (or want) any mention of a cake. On the undercard: Kareem Rush's Philadelphia 76ers visit brother Brandon Rush's Indiana Pacers. Nov. 18: Cleveland at New Jersey LeBron and Jay-Z! In the same building! Exactly one week before LeBron goes to MSG to hang with Spike Lee and the Knicks! Cavs fans will want to avoid online consumption of the New York tabloids for a good few days before Thanksgiving. Nov. 20: L.A. Lakers at Phoenix (TNT) Kobe, tell me how many times do you think you and Shaq will be asked about recent rapping exploits? Detroit at Boston, incidentally, isn't exactly a bland appetizer for TNT. Nov. 21: Boston at Minnesota A hamstring strain prevented KG from playing in his first visit to 'Sota as an ex-Wolf last February. Hard to see him missing two in row, though. In Philadelphia, meanwhile, Baron and Elton will be in the same building for the first time since they did not end up on the same team as so many of us expected. And over in Oklahoma City, New Orleans is in town to play the OKC TBAs for the first time, which makes

Source: LeBron would consider European offer of $50 million a year or more

Jay-Z and the New Jersey Nets? Mike D'Antoni and the New York Knicks? Heck, the Cleveland Cavaliers' strongest competition for LeBron James' long-term services could be the deep-pocketed new kid on the block -- Europe. James A person close to James said Tuesday that the Cavaliers' superstar would strongly consider playing overseas if he was offered a salary of "around $50 million a year." James' current contract expires after the 2009-10 season, and while several NBA teams are working to create salary cap space for his impending free agency, none could offer a contract beginning at even $20 million a year. The Russian team CSKA Moscow and the Greek team Olympiacos, which recently gave Josh Childress a contract approaching $30 million over three years, have already contacted James, according to the person close to him. The person added, however, that no monetary or contractual discussions have taken place. While $50 million a year seems outlandish, it is within the realm of possibility, considering the $250 million contract David Beckham received two years ago to join the MLS, the $33 million Michael Jordan was paid by the Chicago Bulls in 1997-1998, the strength of the euro in comparison to the dollar, and the fact that European clubs are not bound by a salary cap. While several NBA players have left the league this summer for more lucrative contracts in Europe, no stars have done so -- or even considered it. Joel Litvin, the NBA's president of league and basketball operations, said the league is not concerned about this developing trend. "I don't want to say it's much ado about nothing, but we think it's overblown a bit," Litvin said. "It's not something we're losing sleep over. " But losing a player of James' magnitude would be nothing short of a nightmare for the NBA. "For the most part, the league considers the players to be fungible products," an official from the National Basketball Players Association said. "But LeBron is one of the three or four players the league would definitely hate to lose. If a team lost him or Kobe [Bryant] to Europe, it would lose its mind. It would be devastating." But both Litvin and the NBPA official said they don't foresee anything -- even the loss of a superstar -- leading the NBA to eliminate the salary cap and thereby compete financially with the European teams. "It would be disappointing to lose one of our star players, but I have no concern at all about the best players playing anywhere but in the NBA for a long time to come," Litvin said. "I'd be surprised if one of our top players chose to go to Europe but if it did happen, there are many players who would step up and fill the void." The source close to James said he would play in Europe only for a year or two before returning to the NBA. He said James would view it as an opportunity to popularize the game and himself overseas. He added that James would not consider himself to be playing in the "minor leagues." "Not at all," the person said. "He believes those guys are pros also." The entire scenario falls in line with James' stated goals of becoming a billionaire and "global icon." But the representative from the players' association will have to see James in a European uniform before he believes it. "First of all, we don't know that there's going to be a $50 million offer," the official said. "And secondly, he wouldn't be able to accomplish over there the things that he wants to do over here, which are to win NBA championships, MVP awards, etc." But he would be filthy rich and a global icon.

Barry signs with Houston, is third family member to play for Rockets

HOUSTON -- The Houston Rockets signed free agent Brent Barry to a two-year contract on Thursday, making him the third member of the family to join the franchise. Barry The 6-foot-7 Barry played 31 games with San Antonio last season and shot 43 percent (48-for-112) from 3-point range. A 13-year veteran, Barry will play for his sixth NBA team after stints with the Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Seattle SuperSonics and the Spurs. Barry's father, Rick, spent two seasons with the Rockets (1978-80) and his older brother, Jon, played for the team from 2004-06. Barry, 36, was a member of San Antonio's championship teams, in the 2004-05 and 2006-07 seasons. Among active players, Barry ranks eighth in career 3-point field goal percentage (.407) and sixth in career 3-pointers made (1,346). Barry won the NBA slam dunk contest in 1996. He was the league's most accurate 3-point shooter in 2000-01, making 48 percent (109-of-229).

Report: Bulls' Rose out for summer league

Summer is becoming a bad time of year for Bulls draft picks. Bulls rookie Derrick Rose will miss the rest of the NBA summer league due to tendinitis in his right knee, the Chicago Tribune reported Friday.Rose, the top pick in June's draft, will undergo an MRI, though the Bulls insist the injury isn't serious, the report said. General manager John Paxson said Rose will start a leg-strengthening program when he returns to Chicago, according to the Tribune. "They say it keeps happening because I'm young and my legs aren't strong enough," Rose told reporters in Orlando, according to the Tribune. Rose, who led Memphis to the national championship game in March, injured the leg during Tuesday's win over Indiana, then sat out games Wednesday and Thursday. The Bulls have been here before. Their top pick last year — Joakim Noah — missed the 2007 summer league with a rotator cuff tear.

Ranking the best available free agents

At midnight Wednesday, NBA free agents finally could change teams. As you might have noticed, there already has been plenty of action. Baron Davis stunned us by agreeing to a five-year, $65 million deal with the Clippers. Then, Elton Brand one-upped his buddy by bolting the Clippers for a five-year deal with the Sixers. Then, Corey Maggette bolted the Clippers for the Warriors, agreeing to a five-year deal worth about $50 million. Also, Chris Duhon is leaving the Bulls for the Knicks, DeSagana Diop is saying goodbye to New Jersey and returning to Dallas, Mickael Pietrus is jumping from the Warriors to the Magic, and James Jones is leaving Portland for Miami. So much for the sleepy, uneventful free-agency period we predicted. Only a handful of free agents have agreed to re-sign with their teams. Gilbert Arenas agreed to a huge six-year, $111 million deal with the Wizards. Jose Calderon quickly agreed to re-up with the Raptors. And Beno Udrih agreed to a five-year, $33 million deal to remain with the Kings. It's the restricted free agents who have struggled to get deals done. Though the Hawks' Josh Smith has earned some interest, it's been uncomfortably quiet for a number of restricted free agents, such as Emeka Okafor and Luol Deng. Teams are hesitant to offer big deals to restricted free agents because once the player signs an offer sheet, his former team has seven days to match -- which thus ties up cap space for a week. However, with all of the top unrestricted free agents off the market, the focus should shift to the restricted free agents. Now that Brand is leaving the Clippers, Los Angeles becomes one team flush with cash to spend on free agents. Even with Baron Davis' deal in the books, the Clippers should have $13.8 million to spend given the new $58.68 million salary cap number. The Warriors also have significant room, even after signing Maggette. Assuming the Warriors keep restricted free agents Andris Biedrins and Monta Ellis, the team should have roughly $9 million to $10 million of cap room to spend, depending on Maggette's starting salary. The Grizzlies got under the cap by trading away Pau Gasol for expiring contracts at the trade deadline. But Memphis GM Chris Wallace has been sending signals that the team might not spend its estimated $14.5 million in cap room this summer. The Grizzlies are hinting that they will wait until the summer of 2009, when they'll have more cap room. Meanwhile, the Sixers will use virtually all of their cap space on signing Brand. Here's a look at who's left on the market: Group I: Restricted free agents Only six first-round draft picks from the 2004 draft were signed to extensions last fall. That means some serious young talent is available this summer. These players' restricted status makes it likely they'll stay with their current teams, but at least they'll be in play: Smith1 .Josh Smith, Hawks: Smith has been the hottest restricted free agent, drawing interest from the Sixers, Clippers and Warriors. He's a freakish athlete who can score, rebound and block shots. What holds him back is his questionable attitude. Right now, only two teams, the Clippers and Grizzlies, are far enough under the cap to give Smith an offer sheet big enough to potentially scare the Hawks. Given Atlanta's messy ownership situation, would the Hawks match a huge offer from L.A. or Memphis? That's the big question right now. 2. Andre Iguodala, Sixers: Iguodala's decision to turn down a $57 million deal last summer is tough to justify. At the time, the Sixers appeared to be the only team with significant cap room; I'm not sure where he thought his next paycheck would come from. Now that Elton Brand's on board, expect the Sixers to do everything possible to lock him up. Okafor3. Emeka Okafor, Bobcats: Okafor turned down $13 million per season to hit free agency this summer. He's not the best player on this list, but he's the best young center on the market and one of the few guys in the league who's a lock to average a double-double. It sounds as if the Bobcats are open to a sign-and-trade if the right deal were to come along. 4. Luol Deng, Bulls: Everyone loves Deng's talent, including the Bulls. At least they used to. Injuries and a poor season have hurt his value around the league. Still, it's hard to see the Bulls not matching any offer Deng gets next summer. He declined a $57.5 million extension in October, so if he makes more than that, he'll come out ahead. It will be interesting to see whether the budget-conscious Bulls will take advantage of the market conditions and offer him much less. Biedrins 5.Andris Biedrins, Warriors: Biedrins didn't get the lucrative contract offer that several others did. He was looking for something in the five-year, $50 million range but got an offer that reportedly was substantially

Sixers strengthen low post play, sign Brand to five-year deal

PHILADELPHIA -- Elton Brand believed his career would end as an L.A. Story. Forced by an ultimatum Brand would not accept, the would-be movie mogul and two-time NBA All-Star instead opted to take his production east and see his name roll on the credits of Philadelphia's roster. Brand and the 76ers made it official Wednesday on a five-year deal worth $79.795 million, a shrewd move that promptly turned the emerging franchise into Eastern Conference contenders. "I'm prepared to do some big things this year," Brand said. For that kind of commitment, Brand should be ready. Last week, Brand opted out of his contract with the Clippers, but Los Angeles was expected to make a strong push to re-sign him. Instead, he spurned the Clippers once agent David Falk said he was offered a "take it or leave it" contract on June 30. The deal was nearly $20 million less than what Brand signed for in Philadelphia. "My intention was to try and work something out with the Clippers," Brand said. Falk said the greater insult came when he was told that Clippers owner Donald Sterling said he would be happy with the 29-year-old Brand's decision either way. Messages seeking comment left with the Clippers were not immediately returned. Falk also said the Golden State Warriors offered more total money -- about $90 million -- but Brand felt the 76ers were a better fit. Sixers president Ed Stefanski was on the phone with Falk shortly after midnight on July 1 -- the first day teams could begin negotiating with free agents. Philadelphia wanted to land a big man this summer and had Hawks restricted free agent forward Josh Smith in town last week for a visit, but he left without being presented with an offer sheet. Smith will look elsewhere, or possibly stay in Atlanta. The 76ers entered the summer $11 million under the salary cap, but even that wasn't enough to land a franchise-shifting free agent like Brand. Philadelphia was able to swing a deal with Minnesota that sent forward Rodney Carney and a future No. 1 pick to the Timberwolves as part of a trade that cleared an additional $2 million in salary cap space. The trade allowed the Sixers to offer a starting salary in the $14-million range. Brand had $16.4 million left on deal he signed in 2003. AP Photo The Sixers are hoping the addition of Elton Brand, right, will give the team the low post presence it lacked during last season. "All we kept saying was we needed an opportunity, and that opportunity came," Stefanski said. Brand's arrival signals the Sixers are ready to become a threat to contend in the East. He should immediately bolster the frontcourt, and his career numbers of 20.3 points and 10.2 rebounds over nine seasons make him one of only four active players to average a double-double. However ,Brand played in only eight games last season because of an Achilles' tendon injury. Brand said Wednesday night he was 100 percent and ready to go. "I won't let anybody down," he said. Brand was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 draft out of Duke and spent two seasons with the Bulls before he was traded to the Clippers. Brand had tried to leave Los Angeles once before as a restricted free agent. He signed an offer sheet with Miami, but returned to the Clippers once the deal was matched. Brand also founded Gibraltar Films and served as co-producer on a movie that starred Christian Bale. The Sixers had been pointing toward this summer since they traded 2001 NBA MVP Allen Iverson in 2006 and decided to rebuild. They started clearing contracts -- notably last season's trade of Kyle Korver to Utah -- to have enough cash under the cap to pursue a marquee free agent. Once Brand surprisingly rejected the Clippers, the 76ers had their man. Brand joins a Sixers team that is no longer the lottery-bound loser it was a year ago. Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala, Samuel Dalembert and the blossoming Thaddeus Young turned the 76ers into a surprise playoff team, even stretching Detroit to six games in a first-round series. Philadelphia coach Maurice Cheeks had his team playing hard every game and he earned an extension from Stefanski. The Sixers got only 5.2 points out of last season's power forward, Reggie Evans. "I feel even stronger and tougher once I've got Elton Brand behind me," Stefanski said. "I'd have to say, yes, we have closed the gap." Their starting lineup now looks like this: Miller and Iguodala in the backcourt; Young, Brand and Dalembert in the frontcourt. Willie Green, Louis Williams and Evans become the top reserves. The Sixers played an up-tempo style in the second half of last season that helped turn their season around. Stefanski said Brand -- even coming off an injury -- fits in fine with their running game. "This guy can run," Stefanski said. "This is the prototype power forward." Now, Philadelphia has made a move that shows it not only expects to make the playoffs -- it can

Speak up, Packers, if you don't want Favre

Did Green Bay Packers management get dropped on its head as an infant? Tumble down a long row of Lambeau Field concrete steps? Suffer a series of second-degree concussions? If not, there needs to be a shareholders meeting of the only fan-owned team in the NFL. Somebody needs to ask general manager Ted Thompson why he's gone underground on this Brett Favre un-retirement thing. [+] EnlargeJoe Robbins/Getty Images Which quarterback are the Packers better with: Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers? So far, the Packers' PR department has issued a "The Packers have no reaction." And Thompson, who wouldn't interrupt his vacation to comment, has been as useful as a grand piano in a marching band. But, of course, his silence says everything. Thompson doesn't want Favre back. Not now. Not after Favre's official "It's over" announcement. Not after backup Aaron Rodgers was handed the car keys for the minicamps and OTAs (organized team activities). And not after Thompson dropped Favre from the 80-man roster and then drafted two other quarterbacks. It all makes sense until you ask a simple, essential question: "Is my team better or worse with Brett Favre at quarterback?" That's it. Nothing else should matter. Thompson's job is to construct the best possible Packers roster. And if he thinks Rodgers is better than Favre, then Thompson needs to submit his resignation yesterday. Favre's agent, Bus Cook, called this scenario more than four months ago. He told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that Thompson did "nothing" to encourage Favre to continue playing. That could mean two things: Thompson respected Favre's decision, or Thompson wanted to staple gun Favre's name to the NFL retirement list. I'm going with the staple gun plot. When it comes to football, Favre is a grown kid. He played like a kid. He retired like a kid, all gooey, tearful and conflicted. He said he was retired, "but I know I can still play." So the Packers closed the book on the Favre era, even though they should have known better. Check that. Packers coach Mike McCarthy knew better (he predicted Favre's "itch" to return), but Thompson didn't. Or didn't want to. Thompson ought to be in Hattiesburg, Miss., right now, asking ... no, begging Favre to return. Whatever it takes -- ride shotgun on Favre's tractor, wear Wrangler jeans, spring for the worms at the local bait and tackle store -- Thompson should do it. This can't be about agendas, egos, strategic plans, salary caps or Rodgers. Had Favre done what everyone expected him to do earlier this year -- announce he was coming back in 2009 -- then Rodgers still would be on the bench. This can't be about agendas, egos, strategic plans, salary caps or Rodgers. If Favre had done what everyone expected him to do earlier this year -- announce he was coming back in 2009 -- Rodgers still would be on the bench. And anyway, if the Packers are so thrilled with Rodgers' potential, why exactly did they draft Brian Brohm in the second round and Matt Flynn in the seventh? Favre is a living, breathing soap opera, but in a good way. We all know this. He's playing ... he's retiring. Playing ... retiring. What else is new? He waffles. But when you're just 38, and you can still throw the ball through sheet metal, and your team is good enough to make a long playoff run, well, waffling is an acceptable emotion. He was weary in March, now he's not. It happens. Ignore for the moment that Favre is a three-time MVP, a nine-time Pro Bowler, owns a Super Bowl ring along with just about every meaningful passing record, and is coming off a 4,000-plus-yard/28-touchd ownseason. Instead, stay in the present. The only NFL quarterbacks better than Favre right now are: Tom Brady. Peyton Manning. And, uh ... Williamson on Favre If Brett Favre does return to play in the NFL this season, where would he fit? A breakdown of 32 QB situations, including Green Bay's. Story See what I mean? There are 32 teams, and Brady and Manning are the only two QBs you can absolutely, positively say are superior to Favre. And just to be polite, I'll add Ben Roethlisberger, Carson Palmer, Donovan McNabb, Matt Hasselbeck, Drew Brees and David Garrard to the mix. That's eight. Maybe. So there are at least 24 other teams, including the Packers, who have starting quarterbacks less desirable than Favre. Again, nothing against Rodgers, who finds himself between a rock and a legacy, but if the goal is to win as many games as possible, Thompson has to embrace Favre's possible return. On the flip side, Favre owes it to the Packers to publicly announce his intentions. Back-channeling is nice, but the secret is out on this one. So release a statement, whatever, and tell everyone what you want to do. No more vague, half-denials. Look, Michael Jordan retired three times before it stuck. It didn't make him any less of a legend, any less of a Chicago Bulls icon. His ca

Beasley takes Round 1 with fellow top draft pick Rose

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Michael Beasley stood in the doorway to the gym an hour before gametime, iPod in his left hand, head bobbing slightly as he chatted with new Miami Heat teammate Mario Chalmers. He was the picture of cool. And on the court, his demeanor didn't change much. If Beasley was the tiniest bit anxious about his first pro outing -- one that came against the Chicago Bulls and Derrick Rose, the only player selected before him in last month's NBA draft -- he hid the nerves perfectly. Beasley scored 28 points in 23 minutes, lifting Miami past Chicago 94-70 on Monday in the Orlando summer league opener for both teams. It was the ninth-highest scoring performance in Orlando summer league history, and true to his form, Beasley wasn't the least bit impressed. "Could have played better," he said. "Could have got a couple more assists, made a couple extra passes, got a couple more rebounds, could have got a couple stops early on." He was 9-for-21 from the field, with nine rebounds and 19 points in the second half -- matching the total that Bulls forwards Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas managed in the entire game. The Bulls started with Thomas guarding Beasley, switched to put Noah on him midway through the first quarter, and neither had much of an answer. "He's a great player on the pick-and-roll and he's going to be someone who'll be very tough to guard," Noah said. "I mean, I was very impressed. He was very comfortable in everything that he wanted to do and he did a great job." Meanwhile, Rose had some moments, but simply never took over the game offensively the way Beasley did. The guard who spearheaded Memphis' run to the NCAA title game this past season finished with 10 points on 3-for-8 shooting, with four assists and five turnovers -- mostly while being guarded by Chalmers, who hit the big shot as Kansas beat Rose's Tigers in overtime in that national championship game. [+] EnlargeFernando Medina/NBAE/Getty Images Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley got their first tastes of the NBA in the Heat's and Bulls' summer league opener. "We didn't win," Rose said, "so I think I played horrible. But tomorrow's a new day." Kasib Powell had 15 points and Chalmers added 11 points and six assists for Miami. Demetris Nichols and Keith Langford both had 13 points for Chicago. Each team plays five games in the six-team, weeklong summer league, which also features entries from Indiana, Orlando, New Jersey and Oklahoma City. Summer league games are really glorified scrimmages, each team dressed in practice gear, with no fans in the bleachers. But Beasley vs. Rose garnered plenty of attention, which Beasley tried to ignore. "You can put the Jolly Green Giant out there," Beasley said. "I'm going to still play, man." Many players from the first game, Indiana-Oklahoma City, stuck around to watch the top two draft picks. A slew of NBA coaches and executives made sure to get good seats around the court before tipoff. Heat forward Dorell Wright, who had just flown home from California, decided to make the 3½-hour drive north to watch the former Kansas State forward he hopes to be teammates with next season. "I like to see the young guys," Wright said. "And he's going to be good." He didn't disappoint. Beasley's first shot was blocked by Thomas -- "I caught a flat, man," Beasley said -- but that was a rare lowlight. He split defenders off the dribble for layups. He rebounded his own missed 3-pointer, turned toward the basket and laid it back in. He switched at the perfect time on some pick-and-rolls, denying Rose the chance to penetrate. "He's a great player," Rose said. "He's a force." Beasley wasn't perfect. He forced some shots, especially early. He picked up three fouls in the opening minutes, and even though players can't foul out in summer league, Heat coach Keith Askins decided to teach the rookie a lesson and sat him for the second quarter. "I'm going to let him play as long as he wants," Askins said, "as long as he stays out of trouble." This much is already clear: With Beasley alongside Dwyane Wade, the Heat expect to be far removed from the 15-win wreck of a season they endured last year. The Bulls couldn't stop him from scoring, and couldn't even stop him from singing during stoppages of play, either. (Yes, they did ask.) "I didn't want to," Beasley said. "I was happy, singing a happy song." After his first pro outing, so were the Heat. "Well, he's a hell of a basketball player," Askins said. "But we already knew that

What other free-agent surprises can we expect this summer?

So much for our nice, orderly summer. What was supposed to be a humdrum offseason has been thrown into disarray in just 48 hours by the unexpected free agencies of Baron Davis, Elton Brand and the Sonics (or the Claymations or the $75Mers or whatever they're calling themselves now); already, two of the three have changed cities. In doing so, the rest of the free-agent chase is suddenly upside-down. Most notably, no longer does Philadelphia own the most cap room. With Davis gone to the Clippers (and Kate Hudson and Jessica Alba spared the annoyance of rubbing elbows with the commoners in Oakland), the Warriors now have $6 million more in their war chest than Philly. They don't seem afraid to use it, either. That, in turn, means teams with restricted free agents no longer can rest quite so comfortably with the assurance that they'll be able to match any offer -- not if Golden State wants to drive up the prices on the likes of Emeka Okafor, Luol Deng, Andre Iguodala and Josh Smith. As a result of those events and a few others like them, we have way more to discuss than we thought we would at this point in the summer. So let's break it down. Here's one man's quick look at the top questions from free agency so far and what some of the answers might be: What does Golden State do now? Well, the team has started with the right plan. The Warriors have swung for the fences with the other star free agents out there, offering their pile of cap space to Gilbert Arenas and Brand; Arenas seems nearly certain to say no, but Brand will at least ponder an offer worth $20 million more than the Clippers are bringing to the table. If Brand takes the Warriors' offer, it will be an ironic reversal of the loss of Davis to L.A. earlier this week. On the other hand, the Brand-Davis dual free agency seemed so unusually well choreographed that it's hard to imagine Brand landing in Golden State. So let's suppose that one falls short, too. In that case, the Warriors have a few options. First, they can make a run at restricted free agents, with Josh Smith likely the first choice, given Atlanta's bumbling ownership. They'd overpay him, but to nab a restricted free agent, a team almost has to. Second, Golden State can go after the other top unrestricted free agent, Corey Maggette. He doesn't fit a need necessarily, but he can really score, and Don Nelson always has found uses for players like that. And Maggette probably would use only about half of the Warriors' available cap room, leaving enough space to make a run at another quality player through either free agency or trade. The latter might be the more promising alternative. The Warriors are far enough under the cap that they could, for instance, just trade a second-round pick to New Jersey for Vince Carter (not that I've heard this, mind you … I'm just saying). A number of other trades are available, too -- it would just depend on which other team's unwanted contract they wished to take on and how cheaply they could get it. As for the specific void at point guard left by Davis' departure, the Warriors have one other option if nothing else works out -- a seemingly too-sensible-not-to-happe nswap of Al Harrington to Chicago for Kirk Hinrich. ----------------- ------------------------- ------------------------- ------------- Howgood are the Clippers now? Assuming Brand stays, they're decent … and that's about it. I'm not sure they're even a playoff team in the West. Seemingly everyone is talking about the 2005-06 Clippers who won 47 games and comparing this bunch to that group, but what about the gang from 2006-07? That team had Brand, Maggette, Chris Kaman, Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley healthy all year, and it went 40-42. Replace Maggette with Al Thornton, and replace Sam Cassell with Davis, and you basically have the 2008-09 Clippers … except with Mobley halfway to the glue factory and no depth whatsoever. So we're really supposed to buy that they'll rocket into the West's upper crust? I wonder whether everyone is overlooking the personality angle, too. On paper, few pairings seem more flammable than Mike Dunleavy and Baron Davis. Dunleavy is a control guy at the offensive end who likes to call set post-up plays over and over, while Davis has bristled under every coach who didn't give him free rein to launch contested 3s off the dribble with 21 on the shot clock. Don't get me wrong, Davis is a fantastic player. But I wonder how it's going to work when Dunleavy calls 4-down six plays in a row and whether Davis' disdain for structure ultimately will cause him to underachieve the same way he did for Tim Floyd, Byron Scott and Mike Montgomery. While I'm on a roll, one other thing -- let's not overreact to Donald Sterling spending money on talent. Signing both Davis and Brand takes the Clippers to the salary cap … and that's it. Granted, that's a pleasant departure from the days in t

Rose ticketed for allegedly driving 106 mph in 65-mph zone

CHICAGO -- Derrick Rose, the No. 1 pick in last month's NBA draft and the newest Chicago Bulls point guard, is headed to court next week because of an April traffic ticket. Rose was allegedly driving 106 mph in a 65-mph zone on April 15, two weeks after he declared for the draft and left the University of Memphis. He was driving a 2008 Land Rover registered to his management firm, the Wasserman Media Group. He was picked up on the Reagan Tollway, his attorney told the Chicago Tribune. The lawyer, Terry Ekl, told the Tribune that it was Rose's first traffic ticket. Rose could get a maximum of one year in jail because of the speed he was driving, but first-time offenders often are assigned traffic school and must pay a fine. The offense is a misdemeanor.

Rose 'very happy' landing with Bulls; Paxson to begin talks with Deng, Gordon

CHICAGO -- His name and face were all over the arena, and a highlight video showed Derrick Rose's best college and high school moments. He hit jumpers. He threw down vicious dunks. He twisted his body like a contortionist while flipping in layups and left a long line of defenders staring helplessly. Bulls GM John Paxson, left, and new head coach Vinny Del hope Derrick Rose can provide leadership for a young Bulls team. The Chicago Bulls hope the trend continues after taking Rose, who grew up on the city's South Side, with the No. 1 pick in last week's draft even though they continue to preach patience. "We can't sit up here and throw the weight of the world on him," general manager John Paxson said at Rose's introductory news conference Monday. Instead, they threw a No. 1 jersey on him, giving him a uniform number to match his draft spot and his position. They also placed his namesake flower on each chair. Whether the point guard who led Memphis to a record 38 wins and the NCAA championship game can help the Bulls blossom following a dismal 33-49 season remains to be seen. "This is still a team game," Paxson said. "We think Derrick's got tremendous qualities that will serve him well for the next 10 or 15 years." Those qualities led the Bulls to take him over Michael Beasley. Instead of the high-scoring forward from Kansas State, they picked a dynamic floor leader who averaged 14.9 points and 4.7 assists in his lone season at Memphis and who also happened to grow up in the rough Englewood neighborhood a few miles from the United Center. Rose said there were "a lot of distractions, kids wanting to go out a lot." He chose to ignore those distractions and tag along with his older brothers, spending long days playing at Murray Park until his mom would call him home. That set him on a course that led to stardom at Chicago's Simeon Career Academy and Memphis, where he had the Tigers in position to win the championship until he missed one of two free throws with 10.8 seconds left in regulation. The Jayhawks' Mario Chalmers then hit the tying 3-pointer and Kansas won in overtime. Rose's new basketball home features six championship banners hanging from the rafters, along with Michael Jordan's and Scottie Pippen's retired numbers. He's old enough to remember the end of that era and this strange habit his brother Dwayne had. "I remember when they were playing Utah when I was a little kid, every time Jordan got the ball in his hands my older brother Dwayne used to turn off the TV and everybody used to get mad at him," Rose said. He's not sure why his brother did that. All he knew was joining the Bulls is a "a dream come true" and that he's "very happy" they picked him. To that, a grinning Paxson said, "Better be." This was a day for the Bulls to celebrate, to smile. But they still have important issues to address involving Ben Gordon and Luol Deng. The team's top two scorers last season, both are restricted free agents after turning down five-year extensions worth more than $50 million last fall and resolving their situations is Paxson's top priority. Few teams have the cap space to sign them. Even so, Paxson doesn't expect it to be a quick process. "I'd like to think it'll happen fast, but it probably won't," Paxson said. "We're going to have dialogue this week with them and their agents, and it's important that we get this process started. They'll know where we stand. We'll know where they stand." With Rose's arrival, the Bulls figure to have a crowded backcourt. Incumbent point guard Kirk Hinrich could play shooting guard, although that would put him in a crunch for minutes with Gordon, Larry Hughes and Thabo Sefolosha. A trade would seem to be in order, and Hinrich would be a logical candidate since the five-year, $47.5-million extension he signed before the 2006-07 season is not as lucrative as the five-year, $60-million deal Hughes got from Cleveland in 2005. Whether they make a deal or not, Paxson vowed the Bulls will be better next season. He expects young players such as Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah to improve, and he envisions Rose becoming the floor leader Chicago lacked. He'll have to adapt to new coach Vinny Del system, which will rely on the pick-and-roll and a fast tempo, and he'll have to handle the pressures that come with being the No. 1 pick and playing in his hometown. "I want pressure," Rose said. "When you have pressure, that lets you know you're doing something right."

The Best Available Free Agents

Iguodala 1. Andre Iguodala, Sixers: Iguodala's decision to turn down a $57 million deal last summer is tough to justify. At the time, the Sixers appeared to be the only team with significant cap room; I'm not sure where he thought his next paycheck would come from. He had a great regular season, but a woeful postseason has put his stock back in check. He's coveted by the Grizzlies, but the chances of them prying him away from Philly look very slim. 2. Josh Smith, Hawks: On talent and potential, Smith should be on top of this list. He's a freakish athlete who can score, rebound and block shots. What holds him back is a questionable attitude. Nonetheless it appears the Hawks have to re-sign him. Given the Hawks' ownership woes, Smith is one of the few restricted free agents a team with cap space may try to pluck away -- the same way the Hawks did with Joe Johnson a few years ago. I could see the Sixers making a run at him. Okafor 3. Emeka Okafor, Bobcats: Okafor turned down $13 million per season to hit free agency this summer. He's not the best player on this list, but he's the best young center on the market. Still, there's no guarantee he'll get more money from another team. I'm sure the Grizzlies will be interested, but they know the Bobcats will match. I don't see him going anywhere, but a sign-and-trade isn't out of the question here if the negotiations go on too long. 4. Jose Calderon, Raptors: Calderon played at an All-Star level this past season. When T.J. Ford went down with injuries, he became the leader of the Raptors and proved to be the best true point guard on the free-agent market. The Raptors say they'll match any offer for Calderon and I believe them -- especially now that they've agreed to a trade with the Pacers that will ship T.J. Ford to Indiana. As it stands now, he's their only point guard. Still, don't be shocked if the Sixers make a big offer to him. They need a long-term replacement for Andre Miller and I hear Sixers GM Ed Stefanski is a big fan. Deng 5. Luol Deng, Bulls: Everyone loves Deng's talent, but so do the Bulls. At least they used to. Injuries and a poor season have hurt his value around the league. Still, it's hard to see the Bulls not matching any offer Deng gets next summer. He declined a $57.5 million extension in October, so if he makes more than that he'll come out ahead. It will be interesting to see if the budget-conscious Bulls will take advantage of the market conditions and offer him much less. 6. Andris Biedrins, Warriors: Biedrins didn't get the lucrative contract offer that several others did. He was looking for something in the five-year, $50 million range and got an offer that was reportedly substantially lower. Biedrins falls a little bit into the Anderson Varejao category -- energetic big man whose stats don't tell the whole story in terms of on-court contributions. Given that he continues to improve and he's only 21 years old, it's hard to believe the Warriors wouldn't match an offer. Ellis 7. Monta Ellis, Warriors: He's young and he can score. But his restricted status is going to hurt him. No team has the money to offer him more than the midlevel, and he probably feels as though he's worth considerably more than that. He's a player who may be better off taking the one-year tender from the Warriors so that he can be an unrestricted free agent in 2009. 8. Josh Childress, Hawks: Childress doesn't get nearly the respect or hype of many of his teammates in Atlanta, but he's been a devastatingly effective sixth man and who might still be expendable given all of Atlanta's wing talent. He probably can't get more than a midlevel deal on this market, but he'd be a bargain at that price. Gordon 9. Ben Gordon, Bulls: Of all the players who turned down lucrative contract extensions last summer, Gordon made the most mind-boggling decision. He turned down a five-year, $50 million deal that seemed above market value on a down season. For him to recoup that money this summer seems almost impossible … and now that the Bulls have added Larry Hughes to the mix, it's no longer clear where Gordon fits into the picture. There isn't a huge market for undersized 2-guards with streaky jump shots. Gordon is most likely to be the top restricted free agent not to have his offer matched, but he's going to struggle to get a huge offer from anyone. Gordon may be better off taking the Bulls' one-year tender offer. 10. Nenad Krstic, Nets: Before his knee injury last season, Krstic looked like he'd be locked up by the Nets. Now the uncertainty over his health could hurt his value. Philadelphia is one team to watch for. Sixers GM Ed Stefanski was a fan while he was back in New Jersey. A sign-and-trade is another possibility for the Nets.

NFL's Giants slapping $20,000 fee on some seats

NEW YORK - New York Giants season-ticket holders better prepare to dig deeper into their wallets just to keep their seats. More from the New York Post Subway Series matchups at a glance Mets' Church begins rehab assignment Knicks snare Italian star Complete Euro 2008 coverage More from The New York Post The Super Bowl champions will slap fans with one-time fees of up to $20,000 for the right to buy season tickets at the new Meadowlands stadium starting in 2010, the team announced yesterday. The fees, known as "personal seat licenses," will apply to all sections in the 82,500-seat stadium and are the first of their kind charged by a New York sports team, said Giants co-owner John Mara. Personal seat license prices will range from $1,000 to $20,000. The licenses give season-ticket holders first crack at seats — but fans will still have to buy tickets to the eight regular-season and two pre-season games. The team said 90 percent of the seats in the upper level would sell for $1,000, while only 5,000 seats in the lower bowl will sell at the highest price of $20,000. Mara said the team examined all options for financing the $1.6 billion stadium before settling on the license fees. "We have spent months exploring our various options regarding the financing of the construction of the new stadium," he said. "Given construction costs and NFL and lender requirements for paying down our debt, and after much thought and analysis, we decided this PSL program is necessary." What's Hot:Whitlock: The irresponsible white media Goodman: Chicago's big mistake Vote for your favorite Yankee moment Bulls take Rose with No. 1 pick Wolves, Grizz swap Mayo, Love Sharapova stunned | Roddick, Blake too Garza 1-hits Marlins; Rays sweep Top stories | Rumors | Video | Photos Mara admitted he is worried about infuriating longtime fans. "I'm very concerned about that," he said. "We tried hard to come up with a plan that guarantees everybody the opportunity to stay in the new building." The first payment is due within 30 days of receipt of the notice. Final payment will be due in March 2010. Among the region's other sports teams involved in major construction projects, the Yankees and Mets have ruled out such licenses. The Jets, who will share the new stadium with the Giants, sent season-ticket holders a survey this week on the issue. Seat licenses are currently sold by 12 NFL franchises and are privately sold and listed on Web sites like eBay, where fans attempt to flip their licenses at a profit.

Ten things that should happen in the draft … but won't

1. Kevin Love gets love In a perfect world he'd be gone by 8 p.m. ET. But that won't happen. In any other recent draft -- with the exception of 2003 -- Kevin Love would have been an automatic top-five selection. Blame his moms and pops for not getting busy a few years earlier, because he would have had his own sweepstakes in 2005 and 2006, when Andrea Bargnani and Andrew Bogut were the top choices. Jamie Squire/Getty Images The best for Kevin McHale to get fans to forgive him for trading KG? Draft O.J. Mayo. 2. "And with the third pick, the Minnesota Timberwolves select … O.J. Mayo The whole Miami thing (Shawn Marion not opting out, Pat Riley having questions about Michael Beasley's "character," last-minute secret workouts of point guards) messed up the most perfect fit in the draft. Mayo is perfect for the Wolves. The perfect complement to Al Jefferson, the perfect mystique and sexiness to build a PR campaign around, the perfect draft pick to make up for Rashad McCants and not have Minnesota rely on Marko Jaric's eight points per game at shooting guard. The perfect player who in a few years could make a city forget the hell Kevin McHale put them through for getting rid of KG. 3. The Bucks pick anyone but Joe Alexander The center/power forward-by-committee continues. At 6-foot-8, Alexander is the type of high-risk player the Bucks have been stockpiling since the Ray Allen era ended five years ago. Still in search of that big-time big (Yi Jianlian, Bogut, Charlie Villanueva, Dan Gadzuric), the Bucks are addicted to spending high first-round draft picks on players considered "projects." Alexander is no Kevin Pittsnogle, but he's still a project. 4. The Nuggets trade J.R. Smith and a future No. 1 pick to the Sonics for the fourth pick … And draft Russell Westbrook. How beautiful would that be? Westbrook in the backcourt with AI? The enigma that has become J.R. Smith can move elsewhere, taking the mental mistakes that have haunted him in the past two playoffs. Regardless of whether Melo is in a Nuggets uniform in November or whether George Karl is the coach in January, Westbrook -- the second coming of Baron Davis -- would fit in Denver as Tim Russert did in the "Meet the Press" chair. 5. The Spurs draft a player from America Be honest, it's time for Pop to stay home. It's time for him to draft east of Crenshaw and west of Brooklyn. The Spurs need to rethink their international approach and realize that they already have two of the three best foreign players in the world, and the chances of getting one more are anorexic. It's time to find another Bowen instead of discovering the next Ginobili. The Lakers lost to Boston in six but took the Spurs out in five, so shouldn't DeAndre Jordan or Chris Douglas-Roberts seem attractive to San Antonio? 6. The Pistons pick CDR to become Rip Hamilton's protégé Every star needs an understudy, someone who can carry on his legacy. Think of how Detroit lucked out with Rodney Stuckey "studying" under Chauncey Billups this season. As one of the best backcourts of this generation starts to age, Dumars could lay the blueprint for the next phase by drafting the player everyone knows is going to be Rip reincarnated. That's much more important right now than trying to trade Sheed. 7. J.R Giddens (New Mexico) and Mike Taylor (Iowa State) hear their names In every draft, certain players remain on the board because of persistent questions about their character and professionalism. In this year's draft these two will be affected the most. (Michael Beasley also will be affected, but for him to drop from No. 2 to No. 3 is essentially irrelevant.) Each has major talent but has not been able to shake the baggage attached to him during his college career. (Taylor was kicked out of school after his junior season and played last season in the NBA Development League; Giddens was suspended at New Mexico in 2007 for "not being a good teammate.") It's always said that the "B" in NBA stands for business, not basketball. Giddens and Taylor are about to discover how real that really is. 8. The Lakers trade Lamar Odom and the 58th pick to Sacramento for Ron Artest Someone from the Lakers needs to go, and they need Ron-Ron to beat the Celtics next season. Odom is the most attractive trade bait GM Mitch Kupchak has with which the Lakers would be willing to part. 9. A GM takes a real risk on Bill Walker He's been labeled as the new Vince Carter … which may not be a good thing. Walker, if he chooses to seriously work on his game in the next three to five years, could be the steal of this draft. He could make the Vince analogies an insult. With the right team and the right amount of patience, he could be another Gerald Wallace or Jason Richardson, but more athletic and more explosive. Scary, ain't it? 10. "The Chicago Bulls select … Michael Beasley" Derrick Rose is too good to pass up, but once GM John Paxson finds out he can't move

Sources say Heat looking to trade out of No. 2, take guard later

If the Miami Heat's recent activities are any indication, they are not going to select Kansas State forward Michael Beasley with the No. 2 pick in Thursday's NBA draft. With the first selection, the Chicago Bulls are leaning strongly toward drafting Memphis point guard Derrick Rose. While the Bulls say they won't announce their decision until draft night, Bulls GM John Paxson admits that Chicago is "probably leaning a certain way." ESPN.com has been reporting since the draft lottery that Heat president Pat Riley has reservations about Beasley. While Beasley is a talent, Riley seems to be uncomfortable with his personality and seems dead set on finding a point guard to pair in the backcourt with Dwyane Wade. To that end, Riley staged two separate secret workouts in Miami on Tuesday. The first, a source told ESPN.com, was for Arizona point guard Jerryd Bayless. The second was for USC guard O.J. Mayo, who confirmed to ESPN.com that he worked out for the team. [+] EnlargePeter Aiken/Getty Images Michael Beasley had a monster freshman season at Kansas State, but he might not fit the Heat. In conjunction with the workouts, the Heat have been actively shopping the second pick in the draft with an eye on selecting Mayo or Bayless lower while acquiring another asset. If the Heat don't find any takers, sources told ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Tuesday night that Mayo was told by Heat brass -- which included Riley, general manager Randy Pfund and coach Erik Spoelstra -- that he is in contention to be selected outright at No. 2. After the Heat were informed that Shawn Marion would not opt out of his contract, sources said Riley began calling teams looking for serious offers for the second pick. The Heat then brought in Mayo and Bayless. Both workouts lasted about 90 minutes. It's the second time the Heat have worked out Bayless and Mayo, and according to sources, Riley believes both are special talents. Bayless had an "amazing" workout, according to the source. He "shot the lights" out and performed even better than he had in his first workout for the Heat. They believe he can be a full-time point guard in the pros, similar to Chauncey Billups. The source said Mayo was also "great," and in addition to shooting the ball well, he performed well in some of the ballhandling drills. The Heat believe Mayo could be a Gilbert Arenas-type point guard. The same source said Riley is enamored of Mayo's and Bayless' shooting ability and believes both can be a point guards in the NBA. In addition to any questions about attitude, a number of high-ranking NBA sources told Katz that one of the main reasons the Heat wouldn't select Beasley is the hope that they will land Utah's Carlos Boozer in a year when he can opt out of his contract. Boozer has a home in Miami. With the Heat now identifying two lottery picks whom they would be comfortable with, and with questions about Beasley, it's looking more and more likely like they are going to trade their pick. So the question is … who is going to win the Michael Beasley sweepstakes? After talking to numerous sources around the league, here are the top four contenders: Jamie Squire/Getty Images O.J. Mayo's stock has been rising after workouts with multiple teams the past week. 1. Memphis Grizzlies The Grizzlies have a huge hole at the power forward position (since trading away Pau Gasol) and see Beasley as an elite talent to pair up with Rudy Gay. The Grizzlies can offer a number of deals that could entice Miami. They could include the No. 5 pick, Mike Miller and the Heat's choice of either Kyle Lowry or Mike Conley. Adding Miller and a point guard would allow the Heat to be very flexible with whomever they draft at No. 5. They could add another guard such as Bayless or they could go big with a player such as Brook Lopez or Kevin Love. 2. Los Angeles Clippers The Clippers can offer the Heat someone Riley desperately covets: Elton Brand. A swap of the No. 2 pick and Marion for Brand and the No. 7 pick works under the salary cap and helps both teams with their needs. Why would Riley pull the trigger on that trade now, when he could just make a run at Brand in free agency next summer? Sources said the Heat would like to get Brand to Miami as soon as they can and lock him up to a long-term extension this fall. At No. 7, it's possible the Heat could still get Bayless. The Clippers like Marion and Beasley, but they could actually use the No. 2 pick to grab Mayo. Mayo has been coveted by the Clippers for a while. The Heat would have to weigh their interest in Brand against their desire for Boozer in 2009 in this scenario, however. 3. Seattle SuperSonics Kevin Durant covets Beasley as a teammate. They were best friends growing up and want to play together. The Sonics think Beasley is the perfect complement to Durant. They'd be willing to take back more salary to make it happen. Sour