23 July Summer In Swing...

Now that the hectic school year is over I have finally been able to find the time to start writing and do something constructive, (not that school isn’t constructive of course)!

A lot has happened around the BBL and various other leagues since I last put fingers to keyboard. Trades and free agent signings have been coming through thick and fast in the NBA and teams in the BBL are starting to acquire some signatures.

Free agent signings and trade rumours are spreading around the NBA like wildfire with the LA Clippers seeming to be at the heart of most of the rumours.

As well as signing Baron Davis from the Golden State Warriors last week, the Clippers traded two 2nd round draft picks in 2010 for Centre Marcus Camby a few days ago and are also being linked with a move for Zach Randolph. In a move away from the Clippers, Elton Brand left LA for a move to Philadelphia.

Long serving Indiana Pacers Forward/Centre Jermaine O’Neal has been involved in the biggest trade this summer. In the deal with Toronto, the Pacers acquired T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, Maceo Baston and Roy Hibbert (the 17th overall pick in June’s NBA draft) for Jermaine O’Neal and Nathan Jawai (the 41st pick in the draft).

In a trade with Portland, the Pacers receive Jarrett Jack, Josh McRoberts and Brandon Rush (13th overall pick in the draft) in exchange for Ike Diogu and Jerryd Bayless (the 11th pick in the draft).

In the BBL, the talk has been circling around one player in particular, Mike Martin. Mike has been involved in talk of him opting out of his two year contract at the Heat, which ends at the end of next season, and joining the Newcastle Eagles.

My own team, the Big Storage Cheshire Jets have been fairly busy so far this off season. As well as resigning Jets favourite James Hamilton, the Jets have also signed a few other familiar faces. The Jets have recently signed Calvin Davis and Alto Virgil.

Alto rejoins the Jets after spending a less than successful year at the Sheffield Sharks, which ended in the Sharks not making the playoff finals.

Calvin rejoins after spending a year at the Everton Tigers, his first team for a few years after having extensive knee surgery, forcing him to take time out of the game.

With these signings and the sponsorship deal from Big Storage guaranteeing the Jets will exist for at least another two years, the future looks bright for the Jets and with any luck it will stay that way.