John Lackey for Joe Kelly/Allen Craig Trade has had Nightmarish Results for Red Sox

            The trade that sent John Lackey to the St. Louis Cardinals for Joe Kelly and Allen Craig looks shoddier by the day. The Boston Red Sox dealt Lackey—the No. 2 starter in its World Series championship team in 2013—at the trade deadline in last year’s turbulent season with the aim of building for the future. However, neither Kelly nor Craig has yielded any positive results for Boston.

             Kelly (2-5) boldly proclaimed he would win the American League Cy Young this season. Kelly's prediction has burnt into flames. The right-hander was optioned to Pawtucket following another dismal performance in Tuesday night’s loss—surrendering five runs on eight hits in just 3.2 innings of work in the 6-4 defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles.

Safe to say Joe Kelly won't be winning the AL Cy Young this season. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

            Now holding the third-worst ERA (5.67) in the American League, Kelly has been demoted to the minors—an embarrassing moment for the 27-year-old who grabbed a headset from WEEI’s broadcast setup during the Red Sox’s Winter Weekend at Foxwoods and spontaneously announced, “I want your listeners to know, I’m going to win the Cy Young this year. Just letting everyone know so when I win it you heard it here first.”

            Instead of competing for the Cy Young race, Kelly has been shipped down to Triple-A, where his biggest enjoyment could be sharing a dugout with his longest-standing teammate and fellow disappointment, Allen Craig. The first baseman/outfielder, Craig hasn’t seen action in the big leagues since May 9. He played woefully for the Red Sox in his short stay in the majors this season, batting .135 with one home run and a pair of runs batted in.

            Craig has seen a steep decline since being a major factor of the St. Louis Cardinals’ championship season in 2011. That regular season he hit 315/.362/.555 with a .917 OPS. He hit four home runs in the postseason—three coming in the World Series against the Texas Rangers, including one in the title-clinching Game 7 victory for St. Louis.

            The following season Craig hit 22 home runs and recorded 92 RBIs. He earned a five year, $31 million contract in the offseason. Craig made his first All-Star appearance in 2013. He batted .375 in the World Series against Boston.

            Nagging foot problems, though, have crippled his once-promising career. Craig hit a combined .237 for the Cardinals before being traded to the Red Sox last season. As a member of the Red Sox, he started just eight games and batted .135 in 59 plate appearances.

            Since his demotion to Triple-A this May, Craig has hit .290 with a .429 on-base percentage, .403 slugging percentage and .832 OPS. But the right-handed hitter—once known for his power at the plate—has registered only eight extra-base hits (five doubles and three homers). Manager John Farrell still believes Craig isn’t ready to return to the majors, a concerning sign for a player that is under contract in Boston through 2017, and making $25 million in that time span.

            It’s anyone’s guess as to which player has the ability to turn his career around. Skepticism has begun to arise among league executives and scouts with regards to Kelly's and Craig's ability to ever contribute on a regular basis for a MLB team. The Red Sox, though, maintain their hope that both Kelly and Craig can produce for the team in the near future. Lackey certainly has been productive since Boston washed their hands of him. The 36-year-old right-hander posted a 3.46 ERA in two starts for the Cardinals in the 2014 playoffs and currently owns a 3.35 ERA.

            Some believe Kelly has a better chance to right his career ship. He is better off as a power pitcher that relies on his velocity, rather than operating as a finesse hurler. His inconsistencies, however, have led many to believe he won’t amount to anything more than a mediocre No. 4 starter at best. There are others who surmise Craig has a better chance of turning his two-year slump around because of his past success. The detractors of Craig, however, will point to his career demise since his foot issues arose.

           The optimistic Red Sox fans—if any still exist—hope both Kelly and Craig become effective MLB players. As of now, the Lackey for Kelly and Craig swap has been an utter failure for the Red Sox, who traded for two players currently in the minors in exchange for a veteran who has pitched in two decisive World Series contests. 

George Karl's Desire to Trade Star Center DeMarcus Cousins Part of a Growing Patern

            George Karl wants to run another superstar out of town. Karl, named head coach of the Sacramento Kings on Feb. 11, desires the team’s front office to part ways with DeMarcus Cousins via a blockbuster trade. According to a report from Yahoo Sports!/FOX Sports 1 NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Karl is imploring the Kings brass to wash their hands of Cousins. Here’s a piece of Woj’s report:

            Karl has been recruiting Kings vice president of basketball operations Vlade Divac and multiple players on the Kings' roster to unite with him in making the case to owner Vivek Ranadive that Cousins needs to be traded, league sources said.

            Since the end of the 2014-15 season, Cousins has become aware of Karl’s campaign to move him – including teammates telling Cousins, sources said. All around the Kings and Cousins, there is a growing belief the coach-player relationship is irreparable. Trust is a constant theme with Cousins, and he’s been unable to build any with Karl, sources said.

            No one in the Sacramento organization – not coaches, nor players, nor support staff – wants to imagine the combustible scenario awaiting Karl and Cousins should the Kings try to reunite them in training camp.

            Cousins has had his share of detractors since entering the league. His defense, laziness and inability to coincide with the team's head coach have been criticized. Though Cousins is not a model player—at least in terms of his mental toughness and work ethic—the talented big man is not at fault for being unable to co-exist with Karl.

            A 24-year-old first-time All-Star in 2014-2015, Cousins emerged as arguably the NBA’s top center last year, showing signs of maturity in the process.  In fact, Divac gave the young center immense praise in March, saying Cousins is the most talented big man he has ever seen.

             "I've been in basketball a long, long time, and I have to say he's the most talented big guy I have ever seen," Divac said of Cousins, who recorded the third-most double-doubles this past season (47) despite missing 23 games due to injury/illness. "Shaq [Shaquille O’Neal] wasn't talented -- he was just strong. I was talented, but I wasn't strong."

            The burden of the failed player-coach relationship falls on Karl. The 2012-13 NBA Coach of the Year, Karl has a history of butting heads with his team’s alpha dog, so it’s no surprise he has quarrels with Cousins, who posted 24.1 points, 12.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per contest with a 25.2 player efficiency rating (PER)—the seventh-best mark in the NBA.

DeMarcus Cousins is coming off a career-year for the Kings, but head coach George Karl wants the star center out of Sacramento. (Troy Taormina/USA Today Sports)

             Karl is responsible for Ray Allen’s departure from the Milwaukee Bucks. Allen led the Bucks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2001—losing to the Allen Iverson-led Philadelphia 76ers in seven games—but was dealt to the Seattle Supersonics at the trade deadline two seasons later.

            "It came too much to an abrupt end," Allen said of his Bucks career. "It still seemed like there was more to be done here. Ultimately, I think it was the whole George Karl relationship. We started butting heads and it ended up not working.”

            The United States men’s basketball team made the mistake of hiring Karl to be head coach of the 2002 squad. The US had an embarrassing sixth-place finish in the 2002 Olympics—the only time the US has failed to win the gold since the International Olympics Committee granted professionals the opportunity to participate in the Games in 1992.

            Naturally, Karl had a scapegoat for the team’s catastrophic performance in the 2002 Games. The victim was Paul Pierce, the Boston Celtics’ budding star who was coming off his most impressive season as a pro in which he led the league in points scored. Karl—who before the tournament began told Pierce he was the team’s best individual offensive player—called the young guard/forward a “selfish player.” He said Pierce’s defense was lacking throughout the entirety of the Games. Pierce did not take Karl’s comments lightly. Prior to a regular season contest between the Celtics and Bucks in November 2002, Pierce ripped Karl to shreds when asked what he learned from playing for Team USA.

            ''I learned not to go play USA basketball if George Karl is the coach,'' said Pierce.

            ''I don't think he's a players' coach, straight up,'' said Pierce. ''It wasn't only me, but a number of the players didn't respond to what he was saying or understand what he was trying to do. But me, I just play my part. I'm never going to question what he needs to do in practices, what he needs to do in games."

            ''We had a great coaching staff, [San Antonio's] Gregg Popovich [to name one assistant]. We had personalities on the coaching staff that you could get along with, but it was hard to read [Karl] at times, what he wanted out of certain people.''

            Need more examples of Karl butting heads with star players? Look no further than tweets from his former players, who all indirectly reference their former coach as a snake:

WHEN THE GRASS IS CUT THE SNAKES WILL SHOW.

— Carmelo Anthony (@carmeloanthony) February 25, 2011

To many snakes in the grass got to get the lawn kut!

— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) October 7, 2011

When the grass is cut...

— Andre Iguodala (@andre) May 15, 2014

            If Cousins is dealt Karl will face an even longer road to rebuild the Kings, a franchise that has not made the postseason since 2006. The Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks are licking their chops at Karl’s irrationality, while Cousins has taken to Twitter to express his emotions on his coach’s trade request—using a well-placed snake emoji:

🌾🐍🌾

— DeMarcus Cousins (@boogiecousins) June 23, 2015

Lance Stephenson Trade Opens the Door for Paul Pierce to Join Los Angeles Clippers

                Doc Rivers doesn’t foresee Lance Stephenson starting at small forward for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2015-16. Stephenson, acquired from the Charlotte Hornets on Monday in exchange for Spencer Hawes and Matt Barnes, is expected to serve as a role player, according to Rivers.

             “I like that [Stephenson] can play multiple positions -- really 2, 3 and 1 -- because he’s a terrific passer,” Rivers, the Clippers head coach and Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations, told The Beast 980 on Wednesday. “I don’t know if I made the trade for him to be a starter, per se, I look at him really more to be a utility player that can come in and play literally three different positions for us. When you look at us, we needed toughness and more athleticism and we get that.”

            Stephenson had a disastrous 2014-15 campaign after signing a 3-year, $24 million contract with Charlotte last offseason. He averaged just 8.5 points, 3.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds last season, shooting a dreadful 17.1 percent from three-point territory. Stephenson, who led the league in triple doubles in 2013-14, fizzled out in Charlotte, never fitting in with the team’s offense and even recording some DNPs at the tail end of his woeful season.

            Rivers believes Stephenson, who will be 25 years old by the start of next season, has the best chance to right the ship for his career in a backup role in Los Angeles. With Barnes dealt in the trade and Rivers declaring Stephenson a bench player, who will start at small forward for the Clippers?

            Paul Pierce’s name has been thrown around in the Clippers' rumor circles of late. The future first ballot Hall of Famer is coming off a strong postseason for the Washington Wizards, averaging 14.6 points on just 9.9 shots per contest. He led all players in three-point shooting, hitting an incredulous 52.4 percent of his jumpers from behind the arc. Overall, he shot 48.5 percent from the field and 85 percent from the free-throw line. Pierce hit seemingly every clutch shot he attempted for Washington, most notably his buzzer-beating, “I Called Game”, dagger against the Atlanta Hawks in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semi-finals.

            Pierce and Rivers won a championship together with the Boston Celtics in 2007-08 and were a game away from winning the title in 2009-2010. Pierce has a $5.5 million player-option for the upcoming season with the Wizards and has maintained his happiness in D.C. throughout the year.

            Rivers coached Pierce for nine seasons, but could he persuade the small forward—who grew up in Inglewood, Los Angeles—to bolt to the Clippers? Rivers will have to convince Pierce that the Clippers have a better chance at winning the championship than the Wizards. The Clippers have the better team, but the Wizards play in the much weaker Eastern Conference. A title seems like a longshot for either team, but the Clippers present more of an upside for the upcoming season.

Doc Rivers will be courting Paul Pierce this offseason. (Alex Brandon/AP)

              Last offseason, Rivers chose to sign Hawes over Pierce—a terrible decision by a highly respected coach who has had his share of struggles adjusting to the role of player operations. While Pierce is not the type to hold grudges, joining Los Angeles seems less likely now than it did a year ago. 

              A Boston reunion is not out of the question for Pierce either. He wanted to finish his career with the Celtics and was devastated when he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets two summers ago. Yet Pierce has continued to have a strong relationship with the city and its fans, and the team’s immense improvement from this past year—coupled with their ample cap space to sign 1-2 top-tier free agents—could lure him back to Boston, where he played the first 15 seasons of his storied career. 

Cavs Cant Abandon Mozgov From Their Game Plan

            Timofey Mozgov dropped a career-high 28 points and corralled 10 rebounds in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ blowout loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena, but rode the pine for the majority of Sunday’s Game 5 defeat at Oracle Arena. Mozgov, Cleveland’s 7-foot Russian center, was nowhere to be found in the Cavs’ 104-91 loss, playing a grand total of nine minutes without a single point, rebound or assist recorded.

            "It's no disrespect to anyone, certainly not to Timo, who has done a great job for us," said Cavs head coach David Blatt, when asked why Mozgov's minutes were significantly reduced. "That's just the way that we played it tonight, and Timo will be back and he will not lose his way or lose his head just because he didn't play a lot tonight."

            Warriors head coach Steve Kerr made a genius move prior to Game 4 with his team facing a 2-1 deficit, inserting Andre Iguodala into the starting lineup to replace Andrew Bogut—who did not see any playing time in Game 5 and logged just three minutes in the prior contest. Recognizing his team could not go toe-to-toe in the rebounding department against the Cavs, he opted for a quicker lineup that could create better looking shots from the outside. 

            Kerr’s plan worked perfectly in Game 4, mainly because Iguodala shut down LeBron James. Mozgov was the lone bright spot for Cleveland in that contest. In Sunday’s defeat, James returned to form but the Cavs’ second-best player of the series, Mosgov, was left on the bench and unable to help his superstar teammate.

            Blatt has played into Kerr’s hands by sitting Mozgov. Outside of James, Mozgov is the only Cavalier the Warriors have struggled to guard. With Mozgov sitting, the Cavs’ depth—already brutalized thanks to season-ending injuries to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, both three-time All-Stars—becomes even more challenged.

            The Cavs need to play Mozgov and Tristan Thompson on the court together for at least some portions of Game 6. Thompson, the 6-foot-10 inch power forward who has thrived in the absence of Love this postseason, played almost all the minutes at center in Game 5. Though Mozgov and Thompson struggled alongside each other in Game 4 against the Warriors’ smaller lineup, the ferocious rebounding tandem should be given another chance in the Cavs’ must-win contest on Tuesday night.

            When Mozgov is next to Thompson, it gives the Cavs a colossal edge on the glass. It allows one player to focus on offense (while the other looks to grab an offensive rebound) without giving up much on the offensive glass. When Mozgov and/or Thompson sets a bruising pick on James’ man, it causes the Warriors’ biggest defender—in most cases Draymond Green in Golden State’s small-ball lineup—to step up on James, giving Cleveland the upper-hand.

            The reality, though, is that Thompson and Mozgov can no longer play the majority of the game alongside one another, like they had done in the previous two series. Golden State exposed multiple mismatches by using their smaller lineup to combat Cleveland’s bigs. Still, Mozgov seeing only nine minutes of action in Game 5 is ridiculous and that falls on Blatt. 

            The tandem of Thompson and Mozgov should probably play no more than 15 minutes together. The remaining minutes should be split equally—or at least close to equal—with Mozgov on the court and Thompson on the bench and vice versa. Unless one of the two particularly shines, the minutes should be (roughly) distributed evenly. Mozgov is just as big a reason, if not more, that the Cavs are within two wins of a championship as Thompson, and Blatt needs to recognize that before it’s too late. 

Kerr's Small Ball Decision Comes up Huge Thanks to Iguodala

                Needing a spark after losing consecutive NBA Finals contests, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr opted for ‘small ball.’ Kerr initially told reporters he had no plans to change the usual starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green and Andrew Bogut.

            “I lied,” Kerr said following the Warriors’ 103-82 thumping of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4. “I don’t think they hand you the trophy based on morality. They give it to you if you win. Sorry about that.”

            Kerr’s deception worked to a tee. In came forward Andre Iguodala, out came Bogut for the starting five. Iguodala, who has thrived in the Finals, revved up the engine for a Warriors squad that had looked disheveled in their previous two consecutive losses. Aside from speeding up the pace of Golden State’s offense, Iguodala decelerated LeBron James’ otherworldly rhythm he had maintained for the first three games of the championship series.

            James had his worst game of the Finals, missing 15 of his 22 shots and going scoreless in the fourth quarter. He went 4-14 on possessions in which he was guarded by Iguodala. In addition to containing King James, Iguodala excelled on the offensive end, posting 22 points on 8-of-15 (4-for-9 from three-point range) shooting.

Andre Iguodala found a way to slow down LeBron James in Golden State's Game 4 blowout victory. (Bob Donnan/USA Today Sports)

            Going small was a major risk for the Warriors as they had been getting pounded on the glass by the Cavaliers’ Timofey Mozgov and Tristan Thompson all series. Kerr recognized Golden State was going to get beat on the boards regardless, so his decision to insert Iguodala was predicated on the notion that a small lineup would deliver better shots and a faster pace. Kerr’s gamble paid off. Golden State moved the ball quicker and found more open shots. The Warriors shot 46.8 percent (39-of-77, including 12-of-40 from three-point range) from the field, their highest of the season. Finally, the Warriors created penetration to the basket, and as a result, often found an open man in the corner.

            The lineup change limited Bogut to just three minutes of playing time. But it opened the door for David Lee, the former All-Star who had been riding the pine for most of the postseason. Lee, who had previously been in Kerr’s doghouse, was effective for the second straight game. He poured in nine points (3-of-7 shooting) with five rebounds and three assists in five minutes of play. Lee helped the Warriors bench outscore Cleveland’s reserves 19-7 in Game 4.

            Lee’s ability to thrive in the small ball lineup was a pleasant surprise for a Warriors’ bench that has underachieved these Finals. But Iguodala stole the show in a game Golden State needed to have facing a 2-1 deficit in the series. Iguodala handled the ball almost as much as Curry and yet committed only one turnover.

            Iguodala posted a plus-16 in the victory. James, meanwhile, managed a minus-15. Despite James’ providing three superhuman outings to open the series, his struggles with Iguodala—who saw by far his most playing time (39 minutes) of the series—are actually consistent. According to NBA.com/Stats, James has been a negative player (minus-12.7 points per 100 possessions) in the Finals with Iguodala on the court and at plus-5.4 in the limited time he has spent away from Iguodala.

            "I didn’t think Andre guarded him any differently than he did in the first three games,” Kerr said. “It’s a different game. LeBron’s shots didn’t go in. The same shots may go in next game. And you never know how it’s going to play out. But Andre, he battles him. He’s played him a lot in his career. Whatever team he’s been on, he’s been the guy who has to guard LeBron when LeBron comes to town.”

            Iguodala’s shutdown defense on James eliminated any chance of the Cavaliers taking a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. Iguodala’s play also helped Kerr win his gamble with his small lineup, and it now it appears Golden State may have found its formula to defeat Cleveland and capture the franchise’s first title since 1975. 

Andre Iguodala stole the show in Game 4, helping Golden State even the 2015 NBA Finals at two games apiece. (AP Photo)

Can the Celtics Lure LaMarcus Aldridge to Boston?

            The Boston Celtics have the cap space necessary to offer a top-tier free agent a maximum contract this offseason. Not typically big players in the free agent market, General Manager Danny Ainge is willing to improve his team in any means possible —including dishing out a lucrative contract to a star this summer.

            "We haven't ever had cap space, I don’t think, in the history of the Celtics," Ainge jokingly said. "For sure since I've been here. So we need to use that space wisely. We can't just spend it just because we have it."

            The Celtics certainly have the cash (roughly $33.2 million in spending money) to land a star. But will a player be interested in hopping on board Ainge’s rebuilding train—albeit one that is soaring much faster than anyone could have imagined—to become the centerpiece of the 17-time NBA Champion Celtics?

            There is a widespread myth that free agents do not want to come to Boston. While the Celtics have never inked an elite player through free agency, how many stars have the Celtics actually heavily chased on the open market? The franchise has consistently looked towards trades that better the team in the short and long-term, along with mindful picks in the draft, to reload their squad. However, this year’s free agency presents the Celtics with a new opportunity to dispel the notion that players are uninterested in signing a contract to play on the famous parquet floor. With the Portland Trailblazers’ LaMarcus Aldridge set to hit the open market, the time is now for the Celtics to rail in their ideal star in free agency.

            Aldridge is likely the player the Celtics chase the hardest this summer. The dynamic 6-foot-10-inch forward/center has a polished post game with a superb ability to finish around the basket. Aldridge—who posted 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per contest with a 22.85 player efficiency rating in 2014-15—also owns a commendable mid-range game that fits well into Boston’s offense, which relies upon strong shooting from its big men.

The Celtics could make a big push to sign free-agent-to-be LaMarcus Aldridge. (Craig Mitchelldyer-USA Today Sports)

            It’s easy to sell Aldridge to Boston’s management and its fans—but what do the Celtics offer to the four-time All-Star?

            First and foremost, the Celtics provide Aldridge the chance to be the cornerstone of the most successful franchise in league history. Aldridge, reportedly unhappy with the media’s newfound obsession with Damian Lillard, can defect to Boston and instantly become ‘The Man’ for the Green and White.

            The extraordinarily weak Eastern Conference is something Aldridge can’t ignore. The only current realistic title contender is the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers. The Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls are all a player (or two) away from being bulletproof threats to win the championship. If Alrdidge stays in the West—either to remain in Portland or to jump ship to the Dallas Mavericks, the purported favorites to land the free-agent-to-be—he will have to deal with the Golden State Warriors, the San Antonio Spurs (another serious contender for the All-Star’s services), the Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Memphis Grizzlies in the immediate future. 

            Does Portland even stand a chance against any of the aforementioned teams come playoff time? What about the Mavs?—currently led by an aging Dirk Nowitzki—who got smacked by the Rockets in the first-round of the postseason? Good luck going deep into the playoffs in either Portland or Dallas.

           Aldridge has reached the second round (2014) just once in his career and his team was promptly swept by the eventual-champion Spurs.

            If Aldridge flocks to Boston, he could find himself in the Conference Finals as early as next season. The Celtics are an up-and-coming team with a young core of guards (Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, Isaiah Thomas and James Young) and a treasure cove of draft picks over the next couple of years. Boston can offer Aldirdge a four-year, $80 million contract. Sign with the Celtics and he’s assured a playoff spot for the extent of his deal. Join Boston, the ‘city of champions’, and he immediately becomes the top power forward in the conference.

            Aldridge said last summer his goal was to be the greatest Trail Blazer of all-time. He was steadfast in his desire to leave a legacy in the City. Now frustrated with the direction of the franchise and no longer enamored with painting his mark in Portland, why not follow the footsteps in the long list of Celtics legends? Aldridge wants to be revered. He wants to be the talk of a city. Playing in Boston gives him the best chance to do that. Watch the tribute videos the Celtics made for Kevin Garnett and for Paul Pierce and witness yourself how the city honors its basketball heroes.

            Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Sam Jones, John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish—to name a few Celtic legends—have their numbers retired in the rafters and all of them remain treasured by the city. Garnett and Pierce will soon see their numbers raised as well. Aldridge has the opportunity to join Boston’s decorated history. Question remains, is Aldridge intrigued by the chance to join a pool of basketball legends?