Ken Berger of CBSSports.com discusses the willingness of players to speak up about political issues, but also provides insight on several on-court matters, including the suprising play of rookie Damian Lillard and the Blazers. Here's more of what Berger has to share.
- While the latest we've heard on Josh Smith indicates the Hawks will most likely hold on to him this year in the final season of his deal, Berger believes there will be plenty of chatter about him as the deadline nears.
- Citing the Thunder's need to retain leverage, Berger thinks GM Sam Presti was justified in giving James Harden only one hour to consider the team's final extension offer.
- Several team executives think more teams will be hovering around .500 than usual this year, which could be a manifestation of the parity that the new CBA was designed to foster.
- A New York law firm that, along with the U.S. Attorney's Office, is conducting a review of the players union's finances and business practices has yet to file its report, even though it was supposed to be finished by the start of the regular season. Bloomberg's Scott Soshnick wrote a few days ago that the investigation was nearing an end, but Berger recently heard from one member of the union's executive committee that there is "no rush" to get the report done.