It's Sunday which means it's time to take a look at what the wonderful world of the NBA taught us this week.

What's The Big Deal, LeBron?

So this week we all finally got a chance to see it. Jordan Crawford, a guard from Xavier University, dunked on LeBron James in a summer pickup game at James' skill camp in Akron, Ohio.

It was supposed to be the dunk heard round the world. Apparently Nike thought it was such a big deal that the company tried to confiscate all evidence, thus not allowing anyone to ever see it. How much influence James actually had in this process is not certain, with some accounts indicating he ordered the tapes confiscated while others insinuate that it was Nike's doing.

Whoever was behind it, the plan didn't work. In this era of video cameras on cell phones we knew it would only be a matter of time until some sort of video evidence leaked to the public. That finally happened this week.

After watching it I found myself mumbling aloud: "That's it?" (You can check out the video for yourself if you'd like by clicking here).

It was essentially the equivalent of going to see a movie all of your friends had built up to be one of the best flicks of all-time only to discover that you could hardly stay awake for the duration.

Listen, I can understand how it must have been cool for a youngster like Crawford to dunk on LeBron. And more power to him. It's not something most people will ever get a chance to do, so I don't blame him one bit for being excited.

What's most disconcerting about this, though, is the way it was handled by James and by Nike. Why not just congratulate the kid for the dunk with a smile and move on?

This was, after all, James' camp. As the teacher, isn't the he supposed to be imparting knowledge and wisdom to younger players?

Everybody who has ever played the game of basketball at a high level will got dunked on at some point. It's simply not that big of a deal. And with all due respect to Crawford, it wasn't an earth-shattering dunk.

All James had to do was flash a smile and offer the kid some daps. Getting that on tape would have shown humility, class, and a willingness to acknowledge the accomplishment of others.

Contrary to the image many corporations try and portray to sell their products, professional athletes are fallible human beings just like the rest of us. Acknowledgment of this isn't a weakness, either. In fact, it actually helps the public more closely identify with athletes because they can all of a sudden relate to them in a way they couldn't previously.

Nike missed a golden opportunity here to "humanize" LeBron. Instead, they insisted on trying to maintain this superhero image that is not only false but is also impossible for anyone -- even a basketball player as skilled as LeBron -- to live up to.

Finally a Resolution for Tinsley

It's been a long year for Jamaal Tinsley. Prior to the start of training camp last October, Tinsley was told by the Indiana Pacers to stay away from the team. The Pacers told him he could still collect his check, but the organization made it clear that his days as a Pacer were over.

At the time, many people speculated that Tinsley would be bought out at some point during the season. However, the Pacers took the stubborn route and insisted they would find a way to trade the disgruntled guard.

Things didn't exactly work out as well as Indiana hoped on that front. The Pacers came close to reaching a deal with the Denver Nuggets in October, but Denver balked when Indiana was unwilling to pay a larger portion of Tinsley's salary. And you can rest assured Denver is happy they walked away from the table consider the Nuggets landed Chauncey Billups just a few weeks later.

As last season progressed, it became increasingly clear that a trading partner was not going to come calling. Shortly after the All-Star break the NBA Player's Association filed a grievance on behalf of Tinsley. This was the beginning of the end for the Pacers' hope of doing anything other than reaching a buy out with Tinsley. That finally happened last week.

Given the fact Tinsley got his entire paycheck last season and a recent buy out worth a reported $10.7 million, it sure seems like he emerged as the winner in his battle with the Pacers. However, one is now left wondering what the future holds for Tinsley.

Tinsley hasn't been able to stay out of his own way off the court finding himself in compromising positions on a number of occasions, and on the court he has irritated more than his fair share of coaches. There is no question he is a talented player, but he's also a player who hasn't played in a NBA game for well over a year now. His agent can talk about the great shape Tinsley is in all he wants, but there's a big difference between being in good shape and being in NBA shape. Moreover, it will take Tinsley awhile just to get his timing back and re-acclimate to the NBA game.

Given the fact Tinsley isn't exactly a spring chicken at the age of 31, one has to wonder how much he has left in the tank. That said, there's no doubt someone will take a chance on him. GM's in professional sports are always willing to roll the dice on a guy with skills, especially in this economy. Philadelphia, New York, and Miami have already been mentioned as potential destinations for Tinsley.

Wherever Tinsley lands, you can rest assured that both he and the Pacers are happy to have finally agreed to terms on a divorce that has been over a year in the making.

{AUTHOR_BOX}Dre a Good Fit for Portland

After a very weird summer for the Portland Trail Blazers in which they thought they had nabbed Hedo Turkoglu only to watch him ditch PDX at the altar for Toronto and then chased Utah Jazz restricted free agent Paul Millsap (who was a curious fit from the start), the Blazers finally landed a free agent last week in point guard Andre Miller. Truth be told, Miller is a better fit for Portland than either Turkoglu and Millsap would have been.

Yes, Miller is 33 years of age and probably past his prime. Thing is, Miller has never been a guy who has relied on his physical skills. Instead, he's a player who relies on his size and basketball I.Q. While he's not a vocal leader, he's just the kind of solid point guard the Blazers need to help take another step in the right direction.

In the interest of full disclosure, I got to know Andre quite well during his time in Denver making your friendly neighborhood columnist perhaps a bit biased. That said, the physical attributes he brings to the table can't be argued.

First, Miller is the best lob passer in the NBA today. He has an uncanny knack for getting the ball to people at the rim, especially when defenders turn their backs. This will benefit Greg Oden perhaps more than anyone. Miller will get him two or three extra easy buckets around the rim per game. It will also benefit guys like Brandon Roy and Rudy Fernandez on backdoor cuts to the rim.

Another important skill that Miller brings to the table is the ability to post-up smaller guards. He's 6-foot-3 and extremely strong on the box. This will force opposing teams with smaller point guards to double him on the block. Miller also has a very good mid-range pull-up jumper that helps to keep the defense off balance.

Defensively, Miller is underrated. He's won't do anything spectacular on the defensive end, but he's solid.

The biggest knock on Miller is his inability to hit the three-point shot consistently. This criticism is 100 percent rooted in reality. Miller actually uses a set-shot from beyond the arc as opposed to the jump shot he uses when pulling up from mid-range. It's an odd idiosyncrasy that will often leave Blazer fans confused. Fortunately, Miller knows his limitations and rarely shoots the three.

One other valid criticism of Miller's game is that he's not a clutch player. He often rushes his shot late in games and doesn't look comfortable being "the man" in crunch time. Fortunately for Portland, this won't be a problem since the Blazers already have a great closer in Roy.

All things considered, this was a very nice move for Portland. In fact, it was probably a better move than getting Turkoglu or Millsap would have been given the makeup of the Blazers' roster. The way Miller's contract is structured is also great for Portland. The Blazers have him for two years and then have a team option for a third year. So if Miller looks like he's washed up in two seasons, Portland can let him walk.

It took awhile for Portland to land a free agent, but all is well that ends well.

Coby Karl is a NBA Player

Watching Coby Karl at the Orlando Pre-Draft camp in 2007 I had some initial doubts with regard to whether or not he was a NBA talent. As the week progressed, though, I started to think there just might be a niche for this kid in the league. Two years later after watching him compete in Vegas Summer League play, I now have no doubt he is a NBA player.

That said, Karl is never going to be a great NBA player. Where he would thrive, though, is in the role of 8th or 9th man on a very good team. He's a smart player and a good teammate. If you put him in the right system with the right players around him, there's no doubt he's a contributor.

"I think it's been pretty consistent," Karl said of his performance in Las Vegas. "That's the main thing for me. I've been here for two years and this is my third. I've had some pretty successful nights, but I've never really put together five really good games.

"(This year) I've had good games where I've kept my turnovers down and my percentages are up. I'm just trying to do a lot of things for the team."

A big part of Karl's evolution into a player capable of contributing in the NBA came as a result of the year he spent with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2007-08, which is an experience Karl often reflects on.

"To be inside one of Coach Jackson's teams was very interesting to me," Karl explained. "I've been around coaching my whole life, but he does it a little different way. He's very unique. To be around him and their coaching staff and that culture, and then on the other hand to be around a leader like Derek Fisher and a great player like Kobe Bryant to see how they do it from the inside out, it was a special experience for me. I think I take that everyday. I kind of keep it in the back of my head, how they do it. Often times I find myself thinking what would Derek do or what would Kobe do. It's helped me a lot."

Last season Karl played in the Spanish ACB League. It was an experience that Karl enjoyed but also one that reinforced his drive to make it back to the NBA.

"There's a lot of different things that go into it," he explained. "It was a great experience living in Barcelona, the different culture of Spain. And then to experience Spanish basketball, which is a lot different than here. It's very complex. I'm happy I went, but it was tough for me because I only got about 10 minutes per game. That was tough for me, especially coming from the D-League where I was playing 35 or 40 minutes per game. I went over there kind of hoping to contribute more to a team."

Even after his overseas experience and his stellar summer league performance, Karl knows there are no NBA guarantees for a player like him in this economy.

"I think it's a tough situation for guys in my spot," Karl confided. "I'm keeping my hopes high. I'm just going to let my agent do his job and I'll do my job on the court and that's all I can do. I think there's a chance. I think I have enough confidence, skills, and experience to make a roster. But there's a lot of things that go into it."

To watch a video interview with Coby Karl, click here.

Magic Not Afraid to Spend

In an economic climate where teams are tightening their belts around the league, the Orlando Magic have shown a willingness to spend money this offseason. It started by trading for guard Vince Carter and his hefty salary. The Magic then locked up free agent forward Brandon Bass, which led most observers to believe that the team would not match the full MLE offer sheet extended to center Marcin Gortat.

As it turned out, GM Otis Smith had other ideas. Gortat wasn't happy about Orlando's decision to match, but the Magic believed it was in the best interest in the organization to do so.

Then, last week, the Magic coughed up what has been reported to be $3.2 million over the next two seasons for the services of Matt Barnes. After that signing, the Magic are now believed to have a payroll of just over $80 million. Should the Magic stay at the number throughout next season it would mean a luxury tax payment next summer of over $10 million.

The proof is always in the pudding in these kind of situations, and more salary doesn't always equate to more victories. However, it's important to keep in mind that this is a team just a few months removed from representing the Eastern Conference in The Finals. It's obvious they feel like their window to try and win it all is right now, and the organization isn't prepared to let it go to waste.

It would have been easy for ownership in Orlando to complain about being in a small market or come up with other excuses not to spend, but they did not. Of course, the pressure is now on the coaching staff and the players to produce because all it will take is an underachieving season or two before the Magic look to tighten the reins.

But that's what you have to like about the way Orlando is running things. They exceeded expectations last season and are prepared to push all of their chips to the center of the table in 2009-10. There's no guarantee it will work, but you have to admire their aggressive approach even despite the state of the economy.

If it works for Orlando the masses will say ownership is willing to do anything to win. If it doesn't work the Magic will be called irresponsible spenders in a time where teams have to be fiscally responsible.

Such is life in the NBA. Wins and playoff success always seem to be the deciding factor with regard to how the approach of a front office is remembered years down the road.

You can follow Travis Heath on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/THeathHoops