If you had to compile a list of notable basketball figures, Steve Blake of the Los Angeles Lakers isn't the guy you'd expect would be trying to end the 2011 NBA lockout. But there he is, working at the eleventh hour to make sure a deal goes into place and that he can finish out his time with his team before heading into the sunset.
@WojYahooNBA
Adrian Wojnarowski Lakers guard Steve Blake has been active on phones, encouraging peers to push team player reps to ask NBPA for vote on deal, sources tell Y!
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@WojYahooNBA
Adrian Wojnarowski Blake isn't urging players to vote 'yes' or 'no' on league proposal, but has gained a swell of support with players who want chance to vote.
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Of course, I'm sure Blake is trying to get this deal done for purely altruistic reasons, right? The fact below about his current contract status in the league just happens to be one big coincidence.
@ZachLowe_SI
Zach Lowe Steve Blake signed a 4-yr, $16M mid-level exception deal on a taxpaying team that would be disallowed under league's proposal. Nice timing.
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Or maybe not. Blake certainly would want to play here, and he doesn't really have much time left in his career, and he's never going to care about the CBA again because he's probably never making another deal in this CBA again.
Whatever. Blake can choose whatever course he wants. He wants to play, and we all want to see Blake and the rest of the best basketball players in the world. I'm pretty sure many NBA fans will be buying his jersey (if they can find it) if he somehow manages to thwart a lockout singlehandedly.