BallinEurope, the European Basketball news site

Ever since the Los Angeles Lakers’ dreary loss to the Orlando Magic last Friday and straight through to yesterday’s brickfest in a loss to the Indiana Pacers, this fan’s thoughts are turning to – OK, now nearly obsessed with – making a trade to shake things up.

First and foremost, BallinEurope feels for Pau Gasol. While the Lakers’ game right now might best (and most charitably) be described as “disorganized,” particularly in the offensive sets where The Triangle is no more, it *feels* like Kobe is subtly, slowing freezing out Gasol.

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So, Lamar Odom is going to the New Orleans Hornets in a deal involving Chris Paul landing with the Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol heading to the Houston Rockets and Luis Scola getting with the Hornets. No, wait, none of that is happening. For “basketball reasons,” apparently.

Now poor Odom himself (last season going for 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.31 stocks) doesn’t know what’s up, but right now he’s asking a couple of philosophical questions. And like all such good queries, this one just leads to more questions…

Posted Mr. Kardashian on Facebook at about 10.45pm EST last night (their time): “When a team trades u and it doesn’t go down? Now what?”

Here’s what: Odom’s next recorded response seems to have been, according to Orange County Register sportswriter Mike Bresnahan, to lock himself out temporarily. Odom reportedly just might skip first day of Lakers training camp because “You don’t want to go no place you’re not wanted.”

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In the midst of surely his most frustrating off-season ever, Rudy Fernandez has proclaimed … he’s taking a break.

On Fernandez’ official site Rudy 5, the disgruntled Portland Trail Blazer yesterday bilingually wrote the following blog entry:

“After an irregular World Championship in which we couldn’t reach our goal, winning a medal, and were we weren’t able to play at our level, now we have to look ahead and think about the future. The project of Spanish basketball continues and now we have to think about getting back to play at our best level in the European championships in 2011 in Lithuania with the 2012 London Olympics on the horizon. Personally, I’ve tried to focus on the tournament and not think much about my professional situation, and I’ve tried to fight till the end.

“Now, it’s time to rest a little before going back to work.”

Except that there’s no way it’ll be as simple as that – the getting back to work bit, BiE means. Fernandez has been well vocal about his desire to get the hell outta Portland before the 2010-11 NBA season tips off, from demanding a trade to announcing that what he’d really like is to play “on the Blaugrana – next to his friend Ricky Rubio…”

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Where will Fernandez land?

Though Rudy Fernandez was not dealt on NBA Draft Day and appears to be staying put with his team, it may be that his days with the Portland Trail Blazers are numbered: He has reportedly “fallen out of favor with coach [Nate] McMillan,” Wesley Matthews has joined the Blazers, and Fernandez is now “officially” getting shopped around.

So what’s next for Rudy? Nobody knows and everybody’s waiting.

The chief suitor for Fernandez’ talents would appear to be FC Barcelona. Not only are the Blaugrana apparently waiting to decide on contracts for Gianluca Basile and/or Roger Grimau in the hopes Fernandez might be freed up.

And according to Spanish-language website Sport.es, that’s exactly where Fernandez wants to go: “Rudy and his representatives have commented that his desire is to play on the Blaugrana – next to his friend Ricky Rubio – and that would be his first choice should he decide to leave the NBA.”

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Your patience has been rewarded, BallinEurope Euroleague fans, and after a weekend of beers and World Cup football hard work trawling online, the 2010/11 BiE Euroleague Transfers Table is complete. You may find it by clicking here or by selecting the tab on the homepage.

Any corrections or even rumor reportage are happily accepted and much appreciated, but let’s take it easy out there, guys: For example, Lebron James ain’t coming to Europe, okay?)

Enjoy!
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EUROLEAGUE TRANSFERS 2009/2010

Updated: 13 April 2010 13.14 CET

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NB: Please note that only names in bold are officially confirmed transfers. Others listed are rumors published by various media or online discussion forums. Continue Reading…

"C'mon! Don't trade me!"

With only three NBA games going last night, the most surprising story of the American evening needn’t have been too mind-blowing, but Sasha Vujacic’s performance in the Los Angeles’ Lakers surprisingly easy 101-89 win over the San Antonio Spurs was among the more remarkable at least.

Vujacic ended up with eight points on 3-of-3 shooting in the win and played 14 minutes. Sasha started the second quarter with a lineup full of showroom models just waiting to be taken away before the NBA trade deadline later this month: Along with Pau Gasol, Vujacic hit the floor with Jordan Farmar, Josh Powell and Luke Walton – all subjects of trade rumors in the past two weeks.

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Euroleague officials announced a pair of contract signings to kick off the week today: AJ Milano stole away long-time Zalgiris player Jonas “The Bull” Maciulis from his homeland of Lithuania, inducing him to sign a two-year deal in Italy. On the other hand, Maciulis’ countryman Ksistof Lavrinovic will stay right where he has played for two seasons, as the center re-upped with Montepaschi Siena through 2011-12.

And Lithuania was involved in a third deal as well when Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv officially announced the day’s coup: The signing of Chuck Eidson, who led Lietuvos Rytas to a ridiculous five titles last season, including the EuroCup competition in which he was named MVP.
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According to ESPN’s Chad Ford and Draftexpress, Nenad Kristic is leaving Russia and Triumph Lyubertsy. And since the story even ran on ESPN last night, it seems to be more than just a rumor. Sources say that GM Sam Presti of the worst NBA team so far, the Oklahoma City Thunder, is making this move to bring Nenad back to the NBA.

According to the hoop, Kristic will pay back all the money he received so far from Triumph in order to get out of his contract.

Triumph is probably tanking the season with this move, since they are already eliminated from the Euro Cup, and the Russian Cup is well behind their expectations.

The Blazers Blog at Oregon Live posted this video of Rudy Fernandez arriving at the airport in Portland. In some way to me it looks like Rudy is a perfect James Bond character, doesn’t he?