This edition of News and Rumors will be of the extended tidbit sort. Here are a few topics that have come up within the last few days with the opinion of Shooter – the most important opinion of all!

New Jersey Nets Basketball: It’s More Than Just a Russian Owner

Why not start with my favorite team, the New Jersey Nets. Now I know I don’t have much to brag about (and by much, I mean anything), but the Nets have a future. This future is definitely brighter than it is now – basically because you can’t do much worse than they did in 2009-2010. Well on Tuesday, the Nets future took a big first step after the NBA approved the majority purchase of the Nets by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov.

The Nets have a potential first overall pick coming up in June, a new arena in Newark (for two years before moving to a newer arena in Brooklyn), a ton of money to spend this offseason, and now a new owner who is likely to be as annoying as Mark Cuban. Oh, and the Nets have three writers of the NBAtoday.net staff purchasing season tickets next year. LET’S GOOOO!

Remember the Alamo..?

If you asked the Spurs before the season if they hoped for an emergence from George Hill, they would have been ecstatic. Lucky for them, he stepped up his game and helped the Spurs reach the conference semis. But now ask Tony Parker the same question. I don’t think he would say the same thing. Now the Spurs starting point guard is no longer the starting point guard – speaking of Parker.

Will Eva Longoria’s husband be able to cope with that? Here’s the deal: Parker is only 27, and his career is definitely at a crossroads. He has to make a decision on whether he thinks he is truly still a starter or if he should be a backup. That is how you will make a decision on whether he will remain a San Antonio Spur.

Stan Van Against the Chi-Town Plan

Before Game 4 of their series, Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy had a few words for Bulls management and how they handled the Vinny Del Negro era:

“I thought Vinny did a great, great job developing the young guys, and I think it will be very hard for anyone to come in and do a better job than he did.”

I couldn’t agree more. So that leaves the Bulls with two problems: 1) Who can they get to replace Del Negro, and 2) Is the eighth seed in the East the best they can do?

Lawrence for President – I Mean Coach

Remember when Lawrence Frank led the Nets to a 0-16 record earlier this year? I sure do. Well, Frank’s former player Vince Carter fully endorses him to be the next coach of that wonderful franchise mentioned above – the Chicago Bulls. Yeah, take the endorsement of a player like VC to run your franchise. Oh wait, the Bulls probably would do something like that.

BANG BANG!

-Shooter