Ira Winderman of the Miami Sun-Sentinel is reporting that Juwan Howard is close to signing with the Miami Heat (H/T to Slam). Finally, after all these years, Juwan will be playing for Pat Riley and the Heat. When the agreement goes through, as pointed out by Winderman, it will mark almost 14 years to the day when Howard signed a $100-plus million contract with Miami, which was later voided by the NBA, granting Howard a return to the Washington Bullets.

I wrote extensively about Howard’s tumultuous tenure in Washington (and 1996 flirtation with Miami) back in April. Him going to the Heat now seems kind of weird, an anti-poetic justice (for Washington fans, not so much for Miami fans). And even though Howard’s agent, David Falk, said the “Cold War” between him and the Wizards was over back in mid-June, he’s surely taking some devious satisfaction over the late Abe Pollin’s former franchise that he’s finally ushered Howard to South Beach to win a championship.

And I suppose this also means that the proctologist has finally removed the NBA’s 17-foot pole from Pat Riley’s rear.

A home for Shaun Livingston?

K.C. Johnson of Chicago Breaking Sports is reporting that the Chicago Bulls have had internal discussions about adding Shaun Livingston to their roster to backup Derrick Rose (H/T to Bulls Confidential and @ShamSports).

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On Friday I tweeted, “I am now the proud owner of a pair of autographed Juwan Howard shoes from when he played in Washington.” Now I’m here to share the pictures.

The shoes were won in a silent auction held at work created to benefit efforts in Haiti. My specific contribution went to Doctors Without Borders. The lady who donated them said her husband was an equipment manager for the team long ago.

Judging from this 2000-01 season basketball card where Howard is wearing the Nike Team Max Zoom, he probably wore these shoes in 1999-2000, which was statistically his worst season with the franchise and his last full one in Washington.  Knowing that Howard was probably booed more wearing these shoes than any other pair/season in his career makes them extra historical, I’ll assume.

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To dunk, Juwan Howard had to make his body as straight as possible
and daintily place his off hand to his side.

More Cardboard Bullets are below, but first, please read the story of Juwan.

Last Sunday marked the 13th anniversary of Juwan Howard’s first ever NBA playoff game. Yes, that Juwan Howard and the appearance was with those Washington Bullets, who were bounced from the 1997 playoffs in three games by the cigar smoking Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls

Hard to believe Howard is still playing in the current NBA Playoffs. And despite 1,116 career regular season NBA games, he’s only appeared in 28 total playoff games and is set to appear in number 29 with the Portland Trailblazers tomorrow night.

Howard’s tenure in Washington was memorable, but forgettable. Taken fifth in the ’94 NBA Draft, his first year happened just before the NBA’s rookie contract scale, which was implemented in 1995, partially due to Howard, but mostly due to top pick Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson and his $100 million holdout demands.

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You remember David Wesley….former NBAer, longtime Hornet, one time speed racer (what, too soon?).

I was flipping around on whatever day it was….with basketball, they all run into each other…and evidently Baylor was playing against someone in some tournament…..probably NIT (is the CBI even on television? is it black-listed from MSMer and the blogworld alike?)…..and there was David Wesley: student manager.

Wesley needed 33 credits to graduate, so working on that physical education degree while watching basketball…..good for him.

Wesley never played for the Wizards, but is connected to several people who have:

• Wesley played with Nervous Pervis Ellison on the Celtics from 94-97.
• With Mugsy Bogues on the Charlotte Hornets in 97-98.
• With Doug Overton and Otis Thorpe on the 00-01 Charlotte Hornets.
• With Courtney Alexander and Robert Pack on the 02-03 New Orleans Hornets.
• With Lonny Baxter on the 04-05 NOLA Hornets (and later Houston Rockets)
• With Juwan Howard, Mike James, Tyron Lue and Rod Strickland on the 04-05 Rockets.
• And with Larry Hughes on the 06-07 Cavs.

Opposing teams are starting to catch on to Kiss Cam hi-jinks. Some like Juwan Howard of the Bobcats give a casual wave. Some like Al Harrington and Nate Robinson of the Knicks ham it up.

Perhaps it’s because he’s always famously getting railed on by Stephen A. Smith, or perhaps it’s just because he’s foreign, but when it comes to the Kiss Cam, Rasho Nesterovic’s teammates (and a trainer) duck and cover, leaving him high and dry.

Can’t tell who’s ducking next to Rasho, but Travis Diener literally went running into the stands.

Poor Rasho….left all alone, looking like a cross between Jaws from the James Bond movies (and Happy Gilmore) and a creeper who is looking to diddle kids in a park.

Kiss Cam FAIL! Read more »

It never fails. Right after the ending timeout buzzer sounds, the Verizon Center ‘Kiss Cam’ operator pans to a couple players on the opposing bench and giggles spread throughout the arena like a pandemic. I imagine that said cameraman is also crossing his fingers that he’s not by chance capturing the next John Amaechi in an uncomfortable situation.

But last Saturday against the Charlotte Bobcats, Juwan Howard served as not only a victim of boo-birds throughout the night, but also of Kiss Cam hijinx. No one is quite sure why Wizards fans hold a grudge against a man who simply took the money which was offered to him. Perhaps Howard was simply serving as an outlet for the frustrations of a lost season; either that or people just don’t like cats who get paid and then suck Nonetheless, as you will see in the photos and web hits below, Howard seemed to be a good sport about the whole ordeal.

The Wizards? Well, they haven’t been very sporting at all lately, have they?
Wizards-Bobcats Web Hits:

Attended the game on Saturday (obviously), and one of the few highlights can be found courtesy of Mac G’s World…..JaVale’s Jam.

[Washington Times]
Butler made two foul shots and center Andray Blatche got a putback to fall, pulling the Wizards within one with 56 seconds left. But with the Bobcats denying Butler and Jamison a chance at heroics, Mike James, Andray Blatche and Nick Young all missed shots in the final 40 seconds.

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I was doing some cleaning around the apartment yesterday, working on a project for Father’s Day (Happy Father’s Day to my dad all the real dads out there) and came across a clipping from the Washington Times that my pops gave me just over three years ago.

“What A Long, Strange Trip It’s Been,” was Tom Knott’s proclamation of purged bad karma for DC’s pro-basketball franchise just before game one against the Chicago Bulls in the ’05 NBA playoffs. It made me think, so much of that trip was spent bonding with my dad. We probably made the trek out to Landover, MD, and then downtown to Chinatown years later, at least 175 times together, witnessing years of futility and a lone playoff game pre-2005. To pass time with my father, to follow a hometown team together, it was all worth it.

I couldn’t help but get a chuckle out of Knott’s column. The long, strange trip continues and some would argue that Wizards fans still have not been exonerated of bad karma. Is this article to remind us how appreciative we should be for a four year playoff run, or have our expectations justifiably risen to the point where wanting more supersedes being spoiled by morsels of success?

The circus acts of yore are all featured: “Nervous” Pervis Ellison, Manute Bol, Boo-nard King (is that the best picture they had?), Mel Turpin, Rex Chapman (one of my all time favorites), Rod Strickland, Juwan Howard, Chris Webber, Jerry Stackhouse, and finally Old Man Jordan.

Knott, in his typical pessimistic fashion (I’d be a hippocrite to blame him) recounts dysfunctional tales; head scratching gaffes from yesteryear which have become sources of present day comedy. The lead story of Pervis Ellison getting into an auto accident because of a DWIWGCF (driving while incapacitated with greasy chicken fingers) seems like the perfect jump-off point.

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