The closer we get to July the more tweets and articles we are going to get from just about anyone. Can people list credible people that way we know who to look for? The only one I know is Woj.
Not traditional journalists but: Clutch (obviously) Bima (Cap, all salary related. Everything.) The Cat DocRocket Woj is good, too. Stephen Screamin' A sometimes knows things here and there...he acts like he is besties with all the greats in the league.
Sam Amick and Woj are the most credible IMO. Stein and Spears are following. P.S. I am sorry for the double post
Adrian Wojnarowski, Sam Amick or BUST! Others include: Ken Berger Marc Stein David Aldridge Marc Spears Woj, Amick and Stein are your news breakers. The rest are more follow up guys "Sources confirm [Woj/Amick/Stein] report."
Agree with the above. Also, since the national reporters don't cover everything, you should add Shams Charania for the Bulls (he broke the Luol Deng trade) and Ramona Shelburne for the Lakers. Whatever you do, don't buy what Broussard, Bill Simmons, Alex Kennedy, Sam Amico, Bill Ingram, Marc Berman or Howard Beck have to say
Other members have probably covered the good and bad sources in this thread, but he's some reassurances that separate the good and bad apples. July 5th: The day Dwight Howard verbally commits to the Houston Rockets... Sam Amick (Obviously a top guy) broke the news: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Dwight Howard has chosen to sign with the Houston Rockets, <a href="https://twitter.com/USATODAYsports">@USATODAYSports</a> has learned. Story to come. - <a href="http://t.co/eNYYg63uJo">http://t.co/eNYYg63uJo</a></p>— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) <a href="https://twitter.com/sam_amick/statuses/353270711378395138">July 5, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Alex Kennedy and Chris Broussard, however, figured that just because Dwight Howard was flying back to Los Angeles, it must have meant that he was waffling on his decision and now wasn't sure. Mind you, this was AFTER Sam Amick broke the news of Howard committing to Houston: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Source: Dwight Howard is still deciding between Houston and L.A. The additional money he can earn with the Lakers is a big factor.</p>— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/statuses/353277153770606593">July 5, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Dwight Howard is en route to L.A. now to meet with Lakers. I'm told the extra money that he could earn in L.A. is still weighing on Howard.</p>— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/statuses/353312409777213440">July 6, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Source: D12 has landed in LA & told Lakers it's 50-50 btwn them and the Rockets. He's having 2nd thoughts about leaving $30 mill on table</p>— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Broussard/statuses/353330965940146176">July 6, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> The $30m figure being thrown around by these two has been disproven time and time again, originally by guys like BimaThug. Dwight would make more money in Houston given the tax-free status of Texas. This information was out in the public domain for nearly two months. Even ESPN joined in on the fray. The tweet that he "changed his mind" was a Chris Broussard story. He was on TV saying that Dwight "changed his mind" on signing with Houston and he is now leaning towards signing with the Lakers again. Obviously, a load of bs. Dwight Howard at a later date denied there ever being second-guessing. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>UPDATE: A source has told ESPN that Dwight Howard has "changed his mind." Howard has told Lakers he's now 50-50.</p>— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/statuses/353328234437427201">July 6, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Someone mentioned Ramona Shelburne being a reliable source. Not true. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Chris Broussard reports Dwight Howard is waffling. "Hey, he's Dwight." source said.</p>— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) <a href="https://twitter.com/ramonashelburne/statuses/353328628114800642">July 6, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> But as Amick (a respected journalist) broke the news, Wojranowski (another respected journalist) put ESPN's and Kennedy's horror shows to rest with this tweet: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Dwight Howard's plan was always to meet with the Lakers a final time and tell MItch Kupchak of his decision.</p>— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/statuses/353340495684055043">July 6, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> So as Shelburne, Broussard, Kennedy, and other hacks were trying to convince the entire world that Dwight WASN'T signing with Houston, two guys who actually knew what they were talking about told it how it was. They gave the real story, not fabricated and flat-out WRONG information. THAT'S the difference between Amick, Wojnarowski, and the rest.
In the end, even "credible" journalists and insiders will get a few wrong. You'll have much more fun this offseason as long as you realize not to get your hopes up with every single word from "credible sources" or completely go 180 and be a cynical, loud mouthed douche. It won't happen till it happens.
That's true about SAS, but he also throws every scenario at the wall, and he counts it as being right.
I don't think it's fair to judge them based on some flops they may have had. It takes time and connections to build sources that are always right. Kennedy, especially, is a young guy. He still has media access and knows players, so he's not just some guy reporting things he googles. Shelburne has reported things before others, so same goes for her. She has legit connections. That's all it really takes to break news sometimes. Look at cyberx ...
IMO the measure of whether the rumors someone is reporting have merit is if that reporter has ever been first to break news of a completed trade. That tells us whether their sources are in the know or even real. There are surprisingly few national reporters that can claim to have been first to report a trade. 95% of the time, it's Woj or Stein. I can't think of any other national guys that have been first to report a trade in recent years.
The most credible is found here: http://www.therotoreport.com/lebron-houston-99/ and before I neg negative rep, I'm very much just kidding.
and if LeBron does end up coming here we'll all have to praise this guy we got "a center and another baller!" yeah! Asik and J-HAM!!
