Jul
13
July 13, 1981 – Magic’s $25 Million Contract for 25 Years
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In what was an unprecedented deal at the time, the Los Angeles Lakers signed Magic Johnson to a $25 million contract for 25 years – not bad in terms of today’s slumping economy but quite farcical for the NBA’s current financial climate, considering that the average salary for the 2007-2008 season was $5.2 million.
Jul
12
July 12, 1943 – Lebron’s First NBA Coach is Born
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As Los Angeles Clippers fans and General Manager Mike Dunleavy have been respectively complaining this week that they got “Carlos Boozered” or “Falked” by Elton Brand and his agent David Falk when the free agent big man signed with the Philadelphia 76ers and allegedly reneged on indications that he was coming back to the Clip Show, Paul Silas — who turns 65 today and was Lebron James’ first coach in the NBA — had even more stinging comments after Boozer turned his back on a deal to stay with the Cavs and then signed for more money with the Utah Jazz in the summer of 2004.
Jul
11
July 11, 1996 — Kobe & the Next L.A. Dynasty for Vlade
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The summer of 1996 was one of love for the Los Angeles Lakers as General Manager Jerry West shrewdly set up the next great L.A. dynasty by trading popular Yugoslavian center Vlade Divac to the Charlotte Hornets 12 years ago today for the draft rights of some Pennsylvania high school prodigy by the name of Kobe Bryant in addition to also signing away free agent Shaquille O’Neal from an Orlando Magic squad that looked like it would be contenders in the Eastern Conference for years to come.
Jul
11
Maggette to Come Out and Play with Warriors
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Ten years before officially signing an annual ten million dollar contract for five years with the Golden State Warriors, Corey Maggette was preparing for his freshman season at Duke University after captivating the Chicago-land area and the state of Illinois and running into regular Joes like this author during an All-American four year high school career at Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Illinois.
Jul
10
July 10, 1989 – Bulls Fire Collins, Hire Hippie Jackson
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Roughly a month after deliberating and ultimately failing to bring back Doug Collins as Head Coach, the Chicago Bulls fired the fiery former NBA All-Star 19-years ago today and replaced him with an eccentric assistant coach who, in the past, had openly admitted to marijuana use (Josh Howard’s type of guy). That man would turn out to be Phil Jackson, whose success in the last two decades can not be debated despite his own egotism and other’s attempts to discredit his coaching greatness.
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