FanHouse Tyronnlue

A to Z.

It sounds like the 1952 NBA All-Star Game, which featured Paul Arizin and Max Zaslofsky.

It sounds like the 1971 champion Milwaukee Bucks, who had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Zopf.

It sounds like the history of Lithuanian centers, from Arvydas Sabonis to Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

It also sounds like a good way to take a look at the 2009-10 NBA season:

Anthony Johnson and Tyronn Lue are reunited, and it feels so ... blech. The Magic's panic button teleported Lue from Milwaukee in exchange for doghoused Keith Bogans.

Florida Today's John Denton (linked above) intimates that the trade all but cinches that Jameer Nelson will (indeed) have season-ending surgery to repair his torn labrum; there had been (and possibly still is) a thimble of chance that Nelson would try to rehab and get back for playoffs, a la Dwyane Wade 2007.

With Jordan Farmar out for the next couple of months after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus, there have been discussions about whether the Lakers will look to make a move to bring in a backup point guard. The pickings are pretty slim out there at that position -- just ask the Suns. But if this rumor is to be believed, it would appear that the Lakers are trying to deal for a warm body nonetheless, and it's a familiar one: former Laker (and two-time NBA champion!) Tyronn Lue.

While Bell and Ridnour have health and injury issues, Tyronn Lue doesn't have either. But Lue's status appears to be up in the air as well. It is believed the Bucks have an offer on the table from the Los Angeles Lakers for Lue, with the Bucks receiving veteran big man Chris Mihm in return.

Most Laker fans remember Lue's time in Los Angeles fondly for some reason, but all I can remember is Allen Iverson stepping over him in disgust after hitting what was effectively the game winner in overtime of Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals. It's not like he'd be expected to play extended minutes though, and in fact, it's possible Lue would never see the court.

The Lakers are still a solid eight players deep (nine if you count Vladimir Radmanovic) even with Farmar sidelined, so this would only be an insurance move in case another guard were to go down with an injury. The Lakers are loaded with semi-serviceable bigs Josh Powell and DJ Mbenga, so dealing Mihm for a guard to sit on the bench seems like a logical move, and a harmless one at that.

Milwaukee has quietly ascended the Eastern ladder, sitting pretty in eighth place ahead of Chicago, Toronto and Philadelphia. The defensive turnaround Scott Skiles brought to Wisconsin has been a bit of a miracle, and deserves deep study. Skiles has used the same players Larry Krystowiak had and turned them into a top-10 defense, whereas the Bucks sat in the league's bottom third last season.

But some things never change, like Charlie Villanueva's consistent inconsistency. As always, the explosion-ready C.V. finds himself engulfed in the trade rumor circuit. Gerry Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (via BrewHoop) offers up two dandies centered on Villanueva, one a bit more blockbluster-y than the other. The less exciting version swaps C.V. and Tyronn Lue to Oklahoma City in exchange for one of the Thunder's veteran forwards (Chris Wilcox, Nick Collison or Joe Smith).

But the interesting version lands the Bucks Carl Landry, sends Lue to the Lakers (who need a back-up point since Jordan Farmar will be out until February), and gives Villanueva to Houston. As BrewHoop notes, Landry is a Skiles player through and through (not to mention a Wisconsin native). Villanueva, while a defensive liability, fits the Rick Adelman mold well. And Lue's greatest conquests came as a ballboy for the Lakers. Win, win, win.

Who needs Tyronn Lue? Who really needs Corey Maggette? Why waste your time with valuable free agents, when you can have ...

Matt Barnes!

Yes, that's right, the Suns have signed unrestricted free agent Matt Barnes, who you may remember from such hits as "that 2006-2007 season where he was good for about thirteen seconds" and ... um ... yeah. Barnes is long, reasonably athletic, and a great glue guy. He also was hardly used by the Warriors at all last season, despite their desperate need for a deeper rotation and his status as a team captain.

Still, this kind of conservative approach may be what's needed for the Suns, given that some of their bigger moves (so to speak) have not worked out well. This signing speaks of defense and a willingness to bring in guys that want to work. You have to be concerned with how quickly he fell from team captain to expendable, but for the league minimum, this is a value pick up, and a good one at that.

The Suns have spent most of the off-season trying to find a backup point guard to spell Steve Nash. But so far, every one of their targets have signed elsewhere. The latest player to fall off the Suns' radar is Tyronn Lue, who agreed to a two-year deal with the Bucks for around $3.9M.

The problem for the Suns has been that all they have to offer somebody is a veteran's minimum contract, which isn't enough to lure anyone of any significant skill. So who's left that might actually take those low dollars for a chance to play in Phoenix? Two names that have come up are Jason Williams of the Heat, and (at the moment, former) Clipper Shaun Livingston.

Williams would be an acceptable pickup I think, and Livingston is still on the road back from that famously horrific knee injury (that I refuse to link to anymore, it was so brutal). The Clippers renounced Livingston's rights, so he's now an unrestricted free agent. He'd be a great signing at the right price, but probably wouldn't be able to contribute until the second half of the season.

Short of the Suns signing one of those guys, they're looking at second year player D.J. Strawberry running the point, or getting a little exotic and using Boris Diaw. But Steve Kerr is all about making things interesting (or tearing the team apart, depending on your perspective) so I wouldn't be surprised to see Phoenix make a trade to fill this need before the start of next season.

So, I was totally kidding about Tyronn Lue understand his worth and probably signing with the Heat. Gotcha!

The next day, Lue skipped town, leaving Miami without undergoing the physical for the Heat. He's now reported to be in talks with the Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics. Which is kind of an upgrade, and sticks more with the "ring-chaser" reputation he's been building.

According to the Arizona Republic, Lue thinks Phoenix is his landing spot, saying "I think we're going to get it done in Phoenix." Lue's been courted by friend Shaquille O'Neal, but is also getting significant interest from the Boston Celtics and good friend Kevin Garnett.

Lue's obviously hunting for the best situation that can bring him a championship at age 31. Apparently he sees that as Phoenix. Glad someone still does.

If Tyronn Lue worked at your office, he would be the guy who attends all the 401(k) meetings, files all his life insurance documents in a prompt manner, and takes advantage of all those little programs that your work offers but that you don't get involved in because you've got indoor soccer practice or whatever. Because the one thing you have to say for the guy is he's at least realistic about his situation, and looking to maximize what he has.

After signing with the Mavericks last season in pursuit of a championship, Lue is in Miami tonight. He's there for Zo's Summer Groove. He told the Sun-Sentinels' Ira Winderman, though, that he's scheduled for a 5:30AM physical with the Heat. While the Heat say nothing is imminent, it would make a lot of sense. The Heat need a veteran point guard so that Dwyane Wade doesn't have to, and while Mario Chalmers' performance in Summer League play was impressive, you still want a veteran guy to limit turnovers.

Not only is Lue going to a team that could use him, but he's also apparently willing to sign for the lower-level exception. All told, this is pretty reasonable. It's kind of strange, with Phoenix and Boston both with interest in him, and both of those teams having much more of a chance at a championship. But Lue apparently sees a chance to play immediately, and there's something to be said for that. What, I'm not exactly sure. But something.

Dwyane Wade has seen his career evolve to a constant state of duplicity. There are always mirror images of status as a superstar. For example, he's simultaneously a fearless aggressor who has an uncanny ability to get to the rim, and attacks with such determination he's almost impossible to stop, even if you foul him. On the other, he winds up spending more time on his back than that chick I dated in college whose nickname I later found out was "Easy McGee." On one hand, he's a spectacular combo guard who's best when he's creating something off the dribble, using his quickness and athleticism to create separation. On the other, he can be a turnover machine when he's in charge of getting the ball up the floor. Last season was a microcosm of those problems, as he missed a substantial time due to a variety of injuries, but still didn't shut it down until late in the season (Pat Riley, I'm raising an eyebrow at you), and his turnovers were at an all-time high.

It looks like Wade has turned a corner of sorts, though. In a recent report by Ira Winderman of the Miami Sun-Sentinel, Wade indicated that he would welcome help at the point position.

"Do I want to set up the offense every time? No, I don't want to do that," he said, as his basketball camp wound down at Florida International University. "I would love to get somebody else in that can handle the ball, as well, at times, and make plays."

So what exactly does this mean, given the scarcity of the free agent market?

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 26th NBA Draft.

The Mavericks were caught trying to keep up with the Suns' and Lakers' roster changes in the West, but their trade for Jason Kidd seemed to be a step in the wrong direction. Thanks to that trade, the Mavs don't have a first round pick this year, so any help will have to come via some more trades (gulp.)

Picks: #51.

Needs: Size and athleticism, at either the center or the power forward spot. Quickness to spell Jason Kidd at the point.

Best case scenario: Rick Carlisle installs a new offense that will take advantage of Kidd's play-making skills, and the talents of Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard are showcased as well.