Best NBA writers?

I always enjoy Sam Smith's wacky trade proposals.

Any day now, I expect the Bulls to trade Luol Deng and Ben Gordon for some combination of Shaq, Kobe and Kevin Garnett.

 

Gotta add Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe.

 

Gotta go with my boy Brian Hendrickson covering Portland for the Vanouver Columbian. He's still figuring the league out, but I have to think the learning process speeds up when you're covering the Jail Blazers.

 

So funny, yet so true. Sam's been pushing for a Garnett trade for years, even when Chicago had nothing to offer except draft picks and Benny the Bull.

I like the Bulls beat writer for the Tribune, K.C. Johnson. His game stories and reader Q-and-A segments (Web only) are usually enjoyable reads.

 

Are McNeal or Spears still beat reporters?

 

Was gonna say the same thing. Sam Smith.
And, not sure he's the best out there overall, but I enjoyed reading Brian Windhorst and all of his Cavs features.

 

I spoke with a former NBA player the other night who spent a couple years on the Nets back in the late 90s. He said Dave D's nickname among the players was Booger.

That wasn't his nickname in the business, too, I hope...

 

Not a beat guy at all, but David Thorpe has been fantastic in a very short time thus far at ESPN. I've always liked Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel too.

 

I second the emotion. Dave D is somebody who doesn't blindly accept conventional wisdom. And he's a real good guy.

 

Ditto. His columns get league reaction. Not many left who can.

 

I have always liked Jason Quick (Portland) and Brian Windhorst (ABJ Cavs).

Haven't been getting my fill of NBA stuff on the papers lately, but generally those two have been my favorites the past few years.