NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-2027)

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NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)

Post by chosenone58 » 29 Aug 2019, 21:31

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NBA GEARING UP FOR EXPANSION


It’s been just over 20 years since the NBA’s last expansion, when the league made its return to Charlotte after the team had relocated to New Orleans in 2002. The locations that are up for new teams are Seattle, and Las Vegas. There has been a push for years to bring basketball back to Seattle and if it all goes as planned, there very well may be a team suiting up in the green and gold once again. When the Seattle Supersonics were relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, it was asked that the team name remain on the off chance that there would be another franchise in Seattle.

Sin City has been attempting to be part of the NBA for several years, even going so far as to hosting NBA All-Star Weekend three times. Las Vegas is currently home to two professional sports teams, the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces and the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights.

“This is a huge deal for the city,” said John Paulson. Paulson is a hedge fund manager and founder of Paulson & Co., and minority owner of Caesars Entertainment. “The other franchises are flourishing here and there is no doubt that the NBA will do the same.”

The league will vote this summer on whether or not these teams will be added. If both teams are approved, they will more than likely be part of the Western Conference, so there is a possibility that one team will move to the Eastern Conference in order to ensure there are 16 teams on each side.
Creator of Derek Baldwin da Gawd
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NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)

Post by chosenone58 » 29 Aug 2019, 21:36

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NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)

Post by chosenone58 » 29 Aug 2019, 21:41

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2026 NBA FREE AGENCY

BKN signs Jeremy Lin to 1yr/$2.45M deal
BKN signs Shawn Long to 2yr/$3M deal
BKN signs Fred VanVleet to 2yr/$5.3M deal
BKN signs Derek Baldwin to 1yr/$9M deal
DET signs Naziah Carter to 2yr/$10.5M deal
HOU signs Derrick Favors to 1yr/$1.5M deal
LAC signs Mike Bibby to 3yr/$66.5M deal
LAC signs DeAndre Ayton to 3yr/$73M deal
LAL re-signs D’Angelo Russell to 3yr/$103M deal
LAL signs Kawhi Leonard to 2yr/$16.45M deal
LAL signs Marcus Smart to 2yr/$7.3M deal
NO signs Isaiah Thomas to 1yr/$1.5M deal
NYK signs Shaquir O’Neal to 1yr/$7.75M deal
OKC signs DJ Rodman to 4yr/$44M deal
PHX signs Clint Capela to 3yr/$54M deal
PHX signs Sandy Cohen to 3yr/$24M deal
POR re-signs Zion Williamson to 3yr/$70M deal
POR signs Karl Cannon to 1yr/$1.5M deal
POR signs Dillon Welsh to 1yr/$1.5M deal
WAS signs Nerlens Noel to 3yr/$83M deal
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NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)

Post by The JZA » 30 Aug 2019, 00:26

Whew, it's not even close fam :obama: D'Loading out there like

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NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)

Post by chosenone58 » 31 Aug 2019, 19:35

The JZA wrote:
30 Aug 2019, 00:26
Whew, it's not even close fam :obama: D'Loading out there like

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The kid just turned 30. It was time to cash out.
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NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)

Post by chosenone58 » 08 Sep 2019, 10:25

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NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)

Post by chosenone58 » 08 Sep 2019, 10:36

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DROWNING OUT THE NOISE

IT’S BEEN A PARTY ALL SUMMER LONG. The Brooklyn Nets have captured the franchise’s first championship. Starting with the actual win itself on their home floor in front of a sold out crowd on June 2nd to the party at the 40/40 Club to the parade in Brooklyn two days later followed by a trip to Atlantic City, the party has not stopped. The entire team has even been available for the press circuit. From Good Morning America to Jimmy Kimmel Live!

“This is everybody’s win,” said head coach Kobe Bryant. “Everybody needed to be a part of this. If you could make it, you were welcome to join us.”

It was the resurgence of Team No Sleep as the Nets players threw parties all over the country. One player who didn’t do much partying for long was former player turned head coach turned player Derek Baldwin.

“I’m approaching 40. I was burned out after Atlantic City,” he laughs. “I wanted to get home to my wife and kids. Let these young guys have it. I just wanted them to be safe and be responsible and come back to Brooklyn ready to work by August.”

Fortunately, they made it through the summer without incident. No drunken displays of any kind. No one tried to jump off a balcony into a pool leading to an unnecessary injury. Everybody returned to Brooklyn safe and sound. Well, not everybody.

The biggest surprise of the summer came when Mike Bibby decided to decline his player option and test the free agent market. He felt that he was worth more than the $13M he was slated to make for that next season. He also knew the Nets would have to move a lot of pieces to clear up that space or risk going over the salary cap to keep him. Something that they recently recovered from after all the wheeling and dealing years ago. Some also perceived his behavior as retaliation at feeling slighted by the Nets for all the buzz surrounding them considering bringing Derek Baldwin back for another season. He knew that he would be relegated to the bench for at least the next season and that was not what he wanted. So he left things to fate.

“We were shocked when he said he was testing the market,” said Assistant GM Carmelo Anthony. “We hadn’t expected that at all. We decided not to attempt to get into a bidding war and instead signed Derek to another two year contract. I’m confident they could have shared the spot, but this was deeper than just playing time. This organization has been working hard to stay under the salary cap over the years.”

Bibby didn’t stay on the market long and was quickly offered a three year $66M dollar deal from the Los Angeles Clippers. The move did not go unnoticed by Derek Baldwin, who signed with the Clippers after playing three seasons in Chicago.

“Life is funny like that I guess. I wish him all the best and I hope he finds the same success that I did during my time there.”

After losing Blake Griffin in free agency to the Dallas Mavericks last year, the Clippers are looking to garner some success as they had in years past, last year by signing LaMelo Ball; this year by drafting LeBron James, Jr. with the number one pick and now signing Bibby.

The Nets also parted ways with Dillon Welsch and Karl Cannon during free agency. They decided to preserve some cash and sign Shawn Long to a 2 year deal worth just over $3M. They needed a decent post defender who could snag rebounds. Essentially, the same role that Cannon played for the Nets. Fred Van Vleet was offered a short term deal, as well as former Brooklyn Nets point guard, Jeremy Lin.

“I’m very excited to be back here,” stated Lin. Lin was a member of the Nets for five seasons. He signed with the New Orleans Pelicans during free agency at the end of the 2021-22 season. “The vibe is much different. I’m not expecting to go out and rack up major minutes. I understand my role and I just want to fit in and help the team win.”


DEREK BALDWIN STANDS IN THE CORNER OF THE BARCLAYS CENTER TALKING WITH A FEW PARENTS and signing autographs for the kids that attended the Nets summer camp. The organization had to actually add an additional camp to accommodate all the kids that wanted to participate. Baldwin has made appearances three of the five days for each camp.

“I didn’t realize how much I missed the game until I put that jersey on, but I think this is my favorite part.”

This is definitely better than dealing with all the questions and criticism that he got a few months back when he decided to hang up his suit and put the jersey back on. Despite winning the championship, he is still being met with negativity and pushback. His cohorts, who are now retired, applauded the move.

“It was exciting seeing him back on the court,” said LeBron James, 41. “I wish he wouldn’t have waited until I retired to make the move, but it was great to see him out there. He has given the city hope and he has given the team even more confidence than they had before. I would love to see them compete against the Clippers for a title.”

“I didn’t expect to be met with open arms for my decision. Those that really hate it, knew that it was over for their teams. But I don’t let it bother me. I discussed this thoroughly with the other guys on the team. If they didn’t want me, I wasn’t going to force myself onto the squad.”

He managed to stay away for five long years before being put on a roster that was one piece shy of reaching their destiny. And they found one hell of a piece.

“I definitely feel like I left the game too early, but with the issues I was having with my knee and my family growing, I felt like there were things more important than ball at the time. I left on top and that was enough for me then. But, you know, things change. I can still compete. I still have a passion for it. As long as I have those two things, I want to keep playing.”

His family is still growing, seeing as his wife gave birth to twins during the first round of the playoffs, but he just signed a two year contract with the Nets, so this definitely wasn’t a one and done situation for him.

“We’re in a good space. We have a good balance. And I think it’s awesome that my son can see me play and remember some of it as opposed to having to relive it through YouTube videos.”

DURING THE PLAYOFFS, EVERY NETS HOME GAME WAS ALMOST LIKE WATCHING AN NBA All-Star game with the number of former NBA players and celebrities that were in attendance.

“He was on the road to making history again,” commented NBA legend, Julius Erving. “Everyone wanted to be able to say ‘where were you when Derek Baldwin and the Brooklyn Nets won their first NBA title?’ I can say I was in the building.”

“After the transition, he told us that when we won the championship because, and I quote: “Derek Baldwin don’t lose no championships,” that a lot of people were going to try and crucify the team and make it seem as though our championship doesn’t count.” Keith Perkins said in his best Derek Baldwin impression when recounting the final meeting with him as their head coach.

While Derek seemed to take a lot of heat last season for joining the team at the last minute, the kitchen got a little hotter after Mike Bibby, Jr. declined to opt in. Several people think it was a selfish move on Baldwin’s part to relive his glory days at the expense of the team. After the news spread of Bibby’s decision, Jason Whitlock tweeted that Baldwin should “take his ball and go home.”

“There will always be questions. Always. I’ve been called selfish more times than I can count: when I left Chicago, when I retired from Los Angeles. Hey, remember it was my fault Al Horford came to Los Angeles in 2018? I want to win. No question. If that makes me selfish, so be it. I guess this is how LeBron felt when he left for Miami or went back to Cleveland. I can’t take offense to what people are saying,” said Baldwin. “My family is behind me, this organization is behind me, and my teammates are behind me. As long as I got that, we’re just gonna keep winning.”

Nobody in Brooklyn is going to complain about that. Brooklyn-born rapper Jay Z was inspired to get back in the booth to record the anthem for the Nets after their championship win that was released on Tidal titled “Back in the Building.” It’s a take on his hit “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” from 2003’s The Black Album. “The Nets are back in the building, Brooklyn we back on the map. We got the championship and we ain’t giving it back.” It has been the borough’s song of the summer.

“We want it to keep going,” said Jay Z. “We got the juice now.”

The Nets are definitely geared up for another championship run, running alongside former player turned coach turned player again, Derek Baldwin. It looks to be inevitable.

“Everybody has questions, but no answers. If they don’t like it, find a way to stop us. Otherwise, we’re not listening.”
Creator of Derek Baldwin da Gawd
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NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)

Post by chosenone58 » 08 Sep 2019, 11:02

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2026-2027 BROOKLYN NETS ROSTER

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The JZA
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NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)

Post by The JZA » 08 Sep 2019, 12:36

Put Mr. Whitlock on the hit-list, we don't need that kind of energy
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NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)

Post by chosenone58 » 08 Sep 2019, 18:35

The JZA wrote:
08 Sep 2019, 12:36
Put Mr. Whitlock on the hit-list, we don't need that kind of energy
He's a douche
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