Monday Donuts: 'Sheed, JJB And Amare - Let's Party!

Monday Morning Donuts includes: JJ Barea partying in Puerto Rico with a Miss World, Rasheed Wallace partying in Dallas with cougars and Amare Stoudemire in no mood to party in Phoenix ...

     DONUT 1: More confirmation that Rasheed Wallace was in Dallas on Saturday night, enjoying the social scenery at the Ritz. No confirmation, though, that his presence in town four days before the July 1 opening of Free-Agent Shopping Season has anything to do with the Mavs.

     DONUT 2: According to reporter Cash Sirois, JJB is back home in PR, where he gets the red-carpet treatment wherever he goes. He apparently was part of a 25^th birthday celebration and his date? A lovely who also happens to be a Miss World finalist.

    DONUT 3: Via Abbott, from Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press: "The Pistons' biggest problem isn't a dearth of talent. It's that their head coach and best player barely speak to each other. Both Michael Curry and Rip Hamilton are to blame, prone to varying degrees of ego and stubbornness …’’

     I guess I didn’t know that. As Detroit gets ready to use its cap room and re-make its roster, I guess it is pertinent to know that Rip Hamilton is an unhappy (available?) Piston. …

     DONUT 4: Some guidance from our man David Lord on what’s about to happen in the coming days, according to NBA bylaws:

    *Through 6/30 ...trades are allowed, can't talk to free agents about a contract because free-agents-to-be are still considered under contract with their old team through June 30
     *7/1 - 7/7 ....free agent negotiations can begin, trade talks can occur, but teams can't announce any business because nothing can be signed or locked in because of the moratorium, so there will be lots of talks and rumors and "a source said a deal is agreed" that get leaked
      *7/8 on ... new cap is now defined and free agents can be signed, trades can be made
      The reason the dates/issues are a little blurry: While all this goes on, the league is also doing its cap/tax/MLE/etc calculations. Those numbers have to be accepted as accurate by both the NBA and the union, before everything is official. Thus, the “unofficial’’ signings and even sometimes in some years an extension of the moratorium if there is mild disagreement between the suits.

    In other words: On July 1, we begin to learn a lot. On July 8, what we learned begins to show up on the “Transactions’’ wire.

    DONUT 5: Some people assume “these economic times’’ in the NBA mean there will be a thousand Shaq-sized moves. More likely: A hundred Quis-sized moves. Marquis Daniels’ option year is not being picked up by the Pacers because it would’ve paid him a salary of $7 mil. … which would’ve put them near tax territory. So for a couple of million dollars, they are letting go of a legit rotation player.

     Taking part in the big moves make the headlines. But taking advantage of some little moves can make your team.

     DONUT 6: Should we cross Raymond Felton off Dallas’ wish list? Of the impending free agent, ‘Cats exec Michael Jordan says: "I don't see any situation where he's not with us," Jordan replied. "I anticipate us keeping Raymond Felton, without a doubt."

    I have no feel whether MJ plays Poker successfully.

    DONUT 7: The Amare situation is about to get ugly in Phoenix. … How not-on-the-same-page are these people? He wants more money from a team that doesn’t even want him.

    DONUT 8: From France comes word that Roddy Beaubois played some 2-guard in his days there. If he’s the shooter he appears to be, and he’s a legit 6-3 (sez Donnie) with a 6-10 wingspan that makes him “play like he’s 6-5’’ (sez Donnie), there’s even more to like.

    Maybe he matures into a longer Jet … a combo guard with defensive aptitude?  

    DONUT 9: The Portland media (or the fans, or the management providing leaks?) continues to amuse. Over the weekend, there were many Blazers “scoops’’ to be had:

    *They’re signing Kidd.

    *They’re chasing Hedo.

    *They’ll get Milsap.

    *They want Andre Miller.

    People. … at some point, y’all are just throwing darts here. I mean, they want Kidd AND Miller? Wouldn’t that team bus get a little crowded?

    DONUT 10: I tried to explain this the other night on “GameNight’’ on 103.3 ESPN, but let me take another stab here: It’s too early to start penciling in where the Mavs rank in the West. … My man Choppy insisted on doing it, anyway (and did a darn complete job). … but he was obligated to rank the Utah Jazz right up there somewhere.

    Now, three days later, not only is Boozer opting out, but so is Okur. (And oh, if only Deron wasn’t contractually stuck there until the Summer of 2011!)

    Who ranks where? It’s too early, I tell ya.

    DONUT 11: Twitter. Join me. Be a follower. Which essentially means simply having access to the website twitter.com/fishsports

    DONUT 12: Two trade-rumor names about to get white-hot: Chris Kaman and Elton Brand. And yes, I want in.