Jason Kidd gives away Olympic gold medal

One day after reading about Jason Kidd switching from Nike to Peak, a Chinese company, Jason Kidd is giving away an Olympic gold medal to Elaine Wynn of Wynn Casino.

"Last summer, we stayed at the Wynn for (what seemed like) a lifetime, close to three weeks," Kidd told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "We met at a banquet, we got to talking, and she really understands the game.

"I told her I'd make a deal with her, that if we won the gold medal, I'd give it to her. She thought I was kidding. But I told her I had one already, and the way they treated us at the Wynn, it was the least I could do."

Call me skeptical (I've surely been called worse), but I can't imagine someone treating him so well that he'd give away an Olympic gold medal. There must be more to this...

Jason Kidd dumps Nike for Peak

It's been a big NBA offseason for players turning down mediocre paychecks and no playing time in the U.S. and going overseas where opportunities are more prevalent.

Is Jason Kidd next? OK, he'll still play for the Dallas Mavericks this season, but the footwear he'll sport no longer will have the Swoosh. Before making his trip back to the U.S. after the Beijing Games, Kidd announced he will wear shoes made by Peak, a Chinese company, and ditch Nike. The timing on Kidd's departure is interesting, because the market in the U.S. has been flooded recently with many of his old retro classics. Kidd also spent a brief time sporting Jordans in his career.

One of the things that David Stern will be most noted for his how he helped to internationalize the game of basketball. The European defections so far and the likelihood of a huge increase in defections going forward shouldn't surprise anyone.

I guess the next logical step is foreign sponsorships of NBA players.

Markieff Morris arrested for shooting BB gun from dorm

Kansas University incoming freshman Markieff Morris is facing a battery charge after allegedly firing a BB gun from his dorm window.

The 18-year-old, a member of coach Bill Self's 2008 recruiting class along with his twin brother, Marcus, has been ordered to appear Sept. 10 in Lawrence Municipal Court, the Lawrence Journal-World reported Wednesday on its Web site.

Campus police said shots were fired about 11:15 p.m. Saturday from a room in the Jayhawker Towers. A 47-year-old Wisconsin woman was in the dorm's courtyard about the same time and reported being shot in the arm with a plastic BB.

"We take this matter very seriously," Self told the Journal-World on Wednesday. "Poor judgment was used by bringing an Airsoft gun, [one] that can be purchased at Wal-Mart, on campus that can shoot plastic BBs."

What a horrible sense of judgment!

Ben Gordon: "Done" with Bulls, considering Europe?

With Kirk Hinrich, Larry Hughes, Ben Gordon and #1 overall draft pick Derrick Rose, the Bulls backcourt was certainly crowded. According to Ben Gordon, however, it is likely to be less crowded.

"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.

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.

Although it's more likely that Gordon stays in the NBA with one of the other 29 teams, he would be the biggest name so far to defect to Europe.

Cavs acquire Mo Williams in 3-team deal

The Cleveland Cavaliers need to get help for LeBron James (before he leaves to Europe to make $50 Large). While they got help in Mo Williams from Milwaukee, they still aren't a legitimate title contender.

Here's the anatomy of the 3-way deal between Cleveland, Milwaukee and Oklahoma City:

Cleveland gets: Mo Williams (from Milwaukee)

Milwaukee gets: Damon Jones (from Cleveland), Luke Ridnour (from Oklahoma City) and Adrian Griffin (from Oklahoma City)

Oklahoma City gets: Joe Smith (from Cleveland) and Desmond Mason (from Milwuakee)

Carlos Boozer Willing to Consider Europe?

Josh Childress surprised many when he accepted the 3-year offer from Oliampacos that will earn him more than the Hawks offered. It's a trend that will surely continue for a number of reasons, but primarily because of money. Due to the strength of the Euro and other European currencies vs the US$, foreign teams have the ability to offer more money than NBA teams can offer.

For a mediocre to nice players like Childress, he will have the opportunity to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond. I would expect other players at his ability level to take a payday and increased responsbility with a European team. It will be much more shocking though if Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, or another big star makes the jump.

Kobe and LeBron have mentioned they would consider it if they were offered $50 million per year. It makes sense to consider it. In the NBA, they will earn (salary-wise) under $20 million. It would be hard to turn down a $30 million/year pay increase. Or, at least, it would make sense to use for bargaining purposes.

The latest player to say he'd consider playing in Europe is Carlos Boozer.

Boozer, who is eligible to opt out of the final season of his six-year, $68-million contract next offseason, said he would be open to all offers — including with a foreign team.

"As a business decision, we definitely would have to look at it," said Boozer, in Beijing as a second-time Olympian. "But it doesn't mean that you're on the next flight out."

He said he would "absolutely" consider the possibility, "if my wife was down with it and the money was right."

The landscape of the NBA and international basketball could be very different 3-5 years from now. Stay tuned...

Hawks match offer for Josh Smith

Although terms of the deal were not disclosed, the Atlanta Hawks matched the offer sheet from the Grizzlies for forward Josh Smith. Only 22 years old, Smith's numbers have improved every year:

2004-05: 9.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.8 spg, 1.9 bpg
2005-06: 11.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.4 apg, 0.8 spg, 2.6 bpg
2006-07: 16.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.4 spg, 2.9 bpg
2007-08: 17.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.5 spg, 2.8 bpg

He was the only player in the NBA to average at least 1.5 spg and 1.5 bpg last year.

Top 10 NBA Trios?

Chris Broussard ranks his Top 10 NBA Trios. Here's the list:

1. Boston: KG, Allen, Pierce
2. San Antonio: Duncan, Parker, Ginobili
3. Lakers: Kobe, Bynum, Gasol
4. Houston: McGrady, Ming, Artest
5. New Orleans: CP3, D. West, Chandler
6. Phoenix: Nash, Amare, Shaq
7. Detroit: Billups, Hamilton, Rasheed
8. Dallas: Nowitzki, Kidd, Howard
9. Washington: Arenas, Jamison, Butler
10. Philly: Brand, Iguodala, Miller

Here's how I would modify this list:

1. Boston: KG, Allen, Pierce - no arguments here
2. Lakers: Kobe, Bynum, Gasol - If healthy, Bynum should continue where he left off before getting hurt.
3. Houston: McGrady, Ming, Artest - Artest is in contract year and will now be playing for a winner. He's one of the league's best all-around players when he's in the right frame of mind.
4. San Antonio: Duncan, Parker, Ginobili - Play great together, but Duncan's getting older and Ginobili's wreckless style will start taking more of a toll.
5. Phoenix: Nash, Amare, Shaq - Nash, Stoudemire, Marion would have in top 3 for me.
6. Dallas: Nowitzki, Kidd, Howard - Solid all-around although Dirk is a little soft, Kidd's getting older and Howard's a moron.
7. Washington: Arenas, Jamison, Butler - Key is Arenas' health. Jamison has long been underrated and Butler stepped up big last season.
8. Detroit: Billups, Hamilton, Rasheed - Probably on down side as they get older.
9. New Orleans: CP3, D. West, Chandler - CP3 is my favorite player, but other 2 are solid - not great.
10. Philly: Brand, Iguodala, Miller - Sixers should continue their strong second half with the addition of Brand. Iguodala is a mediocre #1, but one of league's top 10 #2's. Miller was main reason for Sixers strong second half.

Josh Howard - another stupid decision

Before Game 3 of their first-round playoff match vs the Hornets, Josh Howard admitted to his "off-season" marijuana use.

He explained: "What I was stating was just [in response to] a random question he asked me about the marijuana use. I just let him know that most of the players in the league use marijuana and I have and do partake in smoking weed in the offseason sometimes and that's my personal choice and my personal opinion. But I don't think that's stopping me from doing my job."

Apparently, that's not all he does in the off-season.

Police said an officer saw a black Lexus and a silver Volkswagen speeding along U.S. 421 late Thursday night. The officer stopped the Lexus, and Howard was identified as the driver. Authorities didn't identify the other driver.

He is charged with speeding (94 mph in a 55 mph zone), careless and reckless driving, and speed competition. He has been released from the Forsyth County jail on a written promise to appear in court Sept. 23.

The driving 94 mph in a 55-mph zone isn't smart, but many of us probably wouldn't feel like we're driving 94 mph if we were on a wide-open highway with little traffic around us. I'm not sure if U.S. 421 has one, two, three lanes, but "drag racing" could have killed someone.

This is just another example of Josh Howard showing poor judgment.