The Hill made Devin leave early

Well, not really, but Devin Harris said that with a smile in this very good story in today's Newark Star-Ledger. It's not the longest story, but it works in quotes from Bo, Travon Davis, and Latrell Fleming. It's got good anecdotes about The Hill, the first time Devin met Davis, the time Devin ruptured his spleen in an AAU game, Devin's record-setting gym rattedness.

At first I was bummed about the trade that sent him to New Jersey (that's a USA Today picture of him in Times Square the day before he was drafted; he was headed to Hamburger Harry's). With apologies to my good friend Angela, who works for the Star-Ledger, who the hell would want to live in New Jersey? But the more I've thought about it, the more I like it.

In Dallas, Devin was never going to be The Man - that would always be Nowitzki, or at least Mark Cuban. In Jersey, he has the potential to be every bit The Man that Kidd was, even if they are very different players. Vince Carter is still really talented, but his days as a first-tier superstar have passed. Richard Jefferson is really talented, too, but he has #2 guy written all over him.

Davin has the skills and personality to be a big star, and in the process, be the NBA example we can show recruits, like Marquette has with frequent free throw shooter/NBA turnover leader Dwayne Wade.

Also:

-You can see Elver Park from Deuces' condo. You still go up and down 20 times, right Andy?

-How sad was it that we never got to see Fleming in a Badger uniform? Many people thought he was every bit as good as Devin. Glad to hear he's healthy and living a productive life.