Thunder forward Kevin Durant has come second in the draft and MVP votings, but nobody in the NBA can touch him nowadays when it comes to pitching products - whether it's shoes, video games or soft drinks. He leads our Commercials Rankings and No. 2 (Kobe Bryant) is not even close.
Nike clearly leads the pack in terms of NBA endorsers, but Chinese brands like Li Ning and Peak are emerging powers.
It will be an interesting offseason in Los Angeles following the early exit from the playoffs. Check the news and tweets coming from La-La Land.
Best transaction: Traded guards Raja Bell and Sean Singletary and forward Boris Diaw to the Charlotte Bobcats for guard Jason Richardson, forward Jared Dudley and a 2010 second-round pick on December 10, 2008
Worst transaction: Traded center Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers for guard Aleksandar Pavlovic, center Ben Wallace, a future conditional second-round pick and cash on June 25, 2009
Executive of the Year: Never
TRANSACTIONS:
SEASON 2010-11
June 26 2010 Fired as general manager. June 25 2010 Exercised the contract option on head coach Alvin Gentry through 2011-12 and signed assistant coaches Dan Majerle, Bill Cartwright and Igor Kokoskov to contract extensions. Draft 2010 Selected forwards Gani Lawal (46th overall pick) and Dwayne Collins (60th overall pick).
SEASON 2009-10
April 5 2010 Signed center Dwayne Jones for the remainder of the season. December 29 2009 Traded forward Alando Tucker, a second-round pick and cash to the Minnesota Timberwolves for guard Jason Hart. Waived Jason Hart. October 26 2009 Signed center Jarron Collins. October 20 2009 Waived guard Dan Dickau and forward Carlos Powell. October 5 2009 Waived forward Raymond Sykes. September 30 2009 Signed guards Dan Dickau and forwards Raymond Sykes and Carlos Powell. September 15 2009 Waived guard Aleksandar Pavlovic. August 24 2009 Named John Shumate assistant coach. August 17 2009 Signed forward Taylor Griffin. July 27 2009 Signed guard Steve Nash to a contract extension. July 15 2009 Re-signed forward Grant Hill. July 14 2009 Signed forward Channing Frye. July 13 2009 Waived center Ben Wallace. July 10 2009 Signed forward Earl Clark. June 30 2009 Exercised the contract option on forward Louis Amundson through 2009-10. Draft 2009 Selected forwards Earl Clark (14th overall pick), Taylor Griffin (48th overall pick) and Emir Preldzic (57th overall pick). Traded the draft rights to forward Emir Preldzic to the Cleveland Cavaliers for cash. June 25 2009 Traded center Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers for guard Aleksandar Pavlovic, center Ben Wallace, a future conditional second-round pick and cash.
SEASON 2008-09
March 4 2009 Signed forward Stromile Swift. February 16 2009 Fired head coach Terry Porter and named Alvin Gentry interim head coach. February 13 2009 Signed center Courtney Sims to a second 10-day contract. January 19 2009 Signed center Courtney Sims to a 10-day contract. January 6 2009 Waived guard Dee Brown. December 23 2008 Signed guard Dee Brown. December 10 2008 Traded guards Raja Bell and Sean Singletary and forward Boris Diaw to the Charlotte Bobcats for guard Jason Richardson, forward Jared Dudley and a 2010 second-round pick. October 23 2008 Exercised the contract option on forward Alando Tucker through 2009-10 and waived guard Robert Hite. October 13 2008 Waived guard Trey Johnson. October 9 2008 Waived forward Coleman Collins. September 26 2008 Signed guards Robert Hite and Trey Johnson and forward Coleman Collins. September 22 2008 Signed guard Goran Dragic. August 27 2008 Named Todd Quinter director of player personnel and Noel Gillespie advance scout. August 25 2008 Traded guard DJ Strawberry to the Houston Rockets for guard Sean Singletary. August 14 2008 Signed forward Louis Amundson. July 22 2008 Signed forward Matt Barnes. July 10 2008 Signed forward Robin Lopez. Draft 2008 Selected forward Robin Lopez (15th overall pick). Traded the draft rights to guard Malik Hairston, a second-round pick in 2009 and cash considerations to the San Antonio Spurs for the draft rights to guard Goran Dragic. June 20 2008 Named Alvin Gentry, Bill Cartwright, Dan Majerle and Igor Kokoskov assistant coaches. June 9 2008 Named Terry Porter head coach.
SEASON 2007-08
April 16 2008 Signed forward Linton Johnson for the remainder of the season. March 4 2008 Signed guard Gordan Giricek. March 3 2008 Signed guard Linton Johnson to a second 10-day contract. February 21 2008 Signed guard Linton Johnson to a 10-day contract. February 6 2008 Traded forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks for center Shaquille O'Neal. October 24 2007 Waived guard Richie Frahm. October 13 2007 Waived forwards Doug Thomas and Rawle Marshall. October 1 2007 Signed guard Richie Frahm and forwards Brian Skinner, Rawle Marshall and Doug Thomas. August 28 2007 Named Vinny Del Negro assistant general manager. August 27 2007 Signed guard DJ Strawberry. July 30 2007 Named Jay Humphries assistant coach. July 20 2007 Traded forward Kurt Thomas and the first-round picks of 2008 and 2010 to the Seattle Supersonics for a future conditional second-round pick and cash. July 11 2007 Signed forward Grant Hill and re-signed forward Sean Marks. July 7 2007 Signed forward Alando Tucker. Draft 2007 Selected guards Rudy Fernandez (24th overall pick) and DJ Strawberry (59th overall pick) and forward Alando Tucker (29th overall pick). Traded the draft rights to guard Rudy Fernandez to the Portland Trail Blazers for cash.
Traded center Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers for guard Aleksandar Pavlovic, center Ben Wallace, a future conditional second-round pick and cash.
