Big NBA Trades Keep ESPN From Focusing All Attention On Draftees

ESPN Turns Attention To Trade Of High- Profile Players During NBA Draft Coverage

The trades of C Shaquille O'Neal from the Suns to the Cavaliers and F Vince Carter from the Nets to the Magic Thursday meant fans did not "need to guess where ESPN's draft coverage [was] going to head in a sprint," according to Mike Penner of the L.A. TIMES, who writes under the header, "On Draft Night, ESPN Gets Fired Up -- For Trades." There was "so much talk about stars and star power -- ESPN is addicted to both -- that" ESPN's Stuart Scott said, "Oh by the way, there's a draft tonight. Right here in this building." Penner notes "eventually, ESPN retained its focus on the process of NBA teams restocking their rosters" (L.A. TIMES, 6/26). ESPN.com's Bill Simmons in his annual running diary of the Draft noted Scott at the end of the first round was "inexplicably gushing about the Shaq trade for the third time" (ESPN.com, 6/25).

FRIDAY-MORNING QUARTERBACKS: AWFUL ANNOUNCING's Brian Powell also kept a running diary and wrote, "Stuart Scott just broke the annoying sound barrier." Meanwhile, Powell added of analyst Jay Bilas, "Stop saying the word 'length!'" (AWFULANNOUNCING.com, 6/25). THE BIG LEAD wrote, "My God, Bilas, does anyone have short arms?" Meanwhile, after the T'Wolves selected G Jonny Flynn with the No. 6 pick after drafting G Ricky Rubio at No. 5, the blog wrote, "Absolutely loved the 20 seconds of silence from ESPN's panel of experts. No one knows what to say. Well done" (THEBIGLEAD.com, 6/25). DEADSPIN's Jack Kogod sarcastically wrote of ESPN's Dick Vitale, "Oh good, I've been wondering what Dickie V has to say. What's that, he likes Hansbrough and Curry? Why didn't you tell us sooner, Dickie?" (DEADSPIN.com, 6/25). ESPN.com's Simmons: "Dick Vitale talking. Dick Vitale talking. Dick Vitale talking. Dick Vitale talking." Meanwhile, after ESPN's interview with F Terrence Williams, selected No. 11 by the Nets, Simmons wrote, "Why did that Williams interview last just 45 seconds? I was looking forward to that all night!" (ESPN.com, 6/25).

INSIDE INFO? In Minneapolis, Jim Souhan notes Jackson, who has been rumored as a candidate for the T'Wolves head coaching position, during the draft coverage was "critiquing the Wolves' moves with a remarkable level of deference." After the T'Wolves Flynn, Jackson "expressed no surprise and immediately started talking about the Wolves playing an up-tempo, pressing, running style." Souhan: "Almost as if he knew what was going to happen" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/26).

LIMITED COVERAGE: In Dallas, Barry Horn wrote with O'Neal joining the Cavaliers and F LeBron James, "you can be sure that the regular-season Sunday national television broadcasts will Always Be Cavaliers." Horn: "Then again, TNT and ESPN will also take all they can get. The Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic? Not so much" (DALLASNEWS.com, 6/25).