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By Matt Soldano  October 27, 2009, at 10:03 am  With the season underway tonight, the Clippers will be without their brightest star in Blake Griffin against the Lakers and for the following six weeks. This from Rotoworld:
“Blake Griffin has a stress fracture in his left patella (kneecap) and is expected to miss up to six weeks of action. He is also suffering from tendinitis in the same knee.”
Wow. What a major blow to a very promising Clippers team. Marcus Camby is already hurting and a ton of stock is now being placed onto the shoulders of Chris Kaman, a guy who has missed a combined 77 games the past two years. Knee injuries can always be troubling and the Clippers know all about them. See Shaun Livingston, Danny Manning, and Co.
While the Clippers still have talent and even without Griffin are an improved squad from last year, these six weeks are the difference in making and missing the playoffs, especially in the Western Conference. With Griffin, out until the second week of December (most likely), I have him missing 21 games. L.A. in my mind has to go 11-10 to stay afloat because teams like Oklahoma City and Phoenix could easily past them by in contention for that 8th spot.
By Matt Soldano October 25, 2009, at 1:37 am The basketball season is less than a week away and no one is more pumped than this guy. With all the players movement in the off-season we are surely going to have a memorable NBA year. With that being said, here is how I see all the teams being placed come playoff time…
Eastern Conference:
1. Boston Celtics, 63-19: Sheed’s going to have his moments where he makes the Celtics seem like a team in distress and out of sync. However, with a healthy Kevin Garnett the team’s overall play will hide any mini blowups. X-Factor: Rajon Rondo, coming off a huge Bulls and playoff series, he is bound to keep on impressing.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers, 60-22: Does Shaq make this team better? Absolutely. Does he make them title favorites? No. With that being said, Lebron is going to get his and if Mo Williams can find any sort of a shooting stroke their chances of reaching the Finals will be strong. X Factor: Shaquille O’Neal. Bron-Bron got his wish and that is to finally play with a star. However this star is fragile and can break down at anytime.
3. Orlando Magic, 59-23: We are finally going to see if Vince Carter is the bonafide star that many think he is. I think he is a better all around player than Hedo Turkoglu but can he mesh with Dwight and Rashard Lewis the biggest question. X Factor: Jameer Nelson. He seems to be getting lost in the shuffle of the roster. If the Magic have Nelson fully healthy against the Lakers, how different is the series?
4. Atlanta Hawks, 48-34: The Hawks continue to be a team with young talent who are looking to take the next step. Last year, they finally won a playoff series and with the same roster plus Jamal Crawford, they are positioning themselves for another solid season. X Factor: Josh Smith. “Smoove” as Defranco calls him, fills up the box score night in and night out and is the biggest matchup problem on the team.
5. Washington Wizards, 46-36: If this team is healthy, they are very dangerous. Already they are starting without Antwan Jamison who will miss three to five weeks with a shoulder injury. I love the depth on this team and think they are a team that can make some noise. X-Factor: Easy, Gilbert Arenas. He is a top 10 scorer who can take over the game at any time. The Wizards will go as far as he can take them.
6. Miami Heat, 43-39: Top to bottom this team has the weakest roster out all the teams I have making the playoffs. However, they have Dwayne Wade who can single handily bring any squad into late April. This team is a much improved Michael Beasley away from making even more noise. X-Factor: Michael Beasley. Is he a 20-10 type of player? I’ll be cheering hard for Beasley this year after his rehab stint over the off-season as he tries to reach that sort of potential.
7. Philadelphia 76ers, 42-40: Not many teams play the way Philly does with their athletic up-tempo type of offense. Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young are two players who continue to improve and recently received extensions. X-Factor: Elton Brand. Last year, before he got hurt, Brand had no place on this offense as he could not fit into the up-tempo type of play. This year, Jordan will continue to run but will incorporate Brand nicely and I expect a bounce back year.
8. Detroit Pistons, 42-40: Ben Gordon and Charlie Villaneuava are two of the biggest signings of the off-season. The big question: Can Gordon coincide with Rip Hamilton? He will start as the 6th Man, a role he is used to from Chicago. If the Pistons can maximize the talent out of Jason Maxiell and Rodney Stuckey they could be setting themselves up nicely. X Factor: Charlie Villaneuava. His partner in the starting front line is Kwame Brown. Enough said…
9. Chicago Bulls, 41-41: Talk about a team blowing it big time. I cannot believe the Bulls made little to no effort in trying to resign Ben Gordon in the off-season. I see no one on this team that can match what Gordon did for this team. Derrick Rose will continue to be great but I have major questions about Luol Deng’s health and their front court (Tyrus, I’m looking at you…) X-Factor: Joakim Noah. He showed me something against the Celtics and if Tyrus can’t play consistently on a night to night basis maybe Noah can.
10. Toronto Raptors, 39-43: They’re close, but not close enough. Hedo Turkoglu improves the team but his deficiencies on defense will be exploited as he no longer has Dwight Howard to back him up. After Chris Bosh, does this team have another solid scorer that can consistently score at least 15 points? X-Factor: Andrea Bargnani. He might be the guy who can average 15 points but I fear that Hedo is going to take away some of his shots. Despite being a 7-footer, he spends a lot of his time on the perimeter, a spot similar to another foreign dude on the team.
11. Charlotte Bobcats, 37-45: I think this team made a huge mistake not going after Allen Iverson in the off-season. They could have used his offense…big time. The Bobcats have talent but the problem is they won’t be able to score. Larry Brown’s coaching will make up for some of their flaws on offense and he can get the most out of his point guards and especially Gerald Wallace. X-Factor: Tyson Chandler. He is not the same type of player on offense as Emeka Okafor but he can hold his own on defense. Will he be on the court though or will he be hindered by injuries?
12. New York Knicks, 34-48: A slight upgrade from last year in terms of record. It’s not that the Knicks have a roster worth 2 more wins, it is just the entire Eastern Conference really improved. This is the last year before the big 2010 frenzy so we’ll see how impressive these guys can be for upcoming free agents. I’m saying Bosh and Joe Johnson in the big city…X-Factor: Danilo Gallinari. Yes, I know, I’ve hated this dude on the radio constantly but the truth is, he needs to have a big year for the Knicks for them to stay competitive. He had a major up and down pre-season but now he has to put it together.
13. Indiana Pacers, 29-53: Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Ghost of Roy Hibbert. Is there anyone else on this team? X-Factor: Roy Hibbert. I just want to make sure he still has a pulse.
14. New Jersey Nets, 26- 56: The Nets have real solid pieces with Devin Harris and Brook Lopez. The problem is, what do they have after that? Hopefully an up and coming Chris Douglas-Roberts and a lottery pick in Terrence Williams who can see an increased role on a bad team. X-Factor: CDR. I’m on the bandwagon. He had a real solid pre-season and could be your starting small forward shortly.
15. Milwaukee Bucks, 20-62: What a tough off-season for the Bucks. Losing Ramon Sessions, Richard Jefferson, and Chuck Villaneuava and receiving absolutely nothing. That’s gotta put you last in the conference. X-Factor: Brandon Jennings. He is the only guy worth watching. Period.
Western Conference:
1. Los Angeles Lakers, 65-17: I maintain the fact that the Lakers are a better team with Artest and not Ariza. With that being said, there are two things to watch this year. Can Artest fit and can Bynum hold up? If those two things happen, the Lakers are the easy favorites to contend. Kobe is going to be Kobe and this could be his most defining season if he can keep the team together. Odom is a newlywed and we all get to see Kim Kardashian courtside on Tuesday night. (Two thumbs WAYY up) X-Factor: Ron Artest. Close second is Bynum but the Lakers proved they can win a title without literally nothing from their center. Artest can derail this team very quickly and everyone is waiting for it to happen.
2. San Antonio Spurs, 60-22: The team with the best off-season should be in for a very impressive season. With Richard Jefferson, the Spurs are a younger more athletic team and that will help when they face teams like Portland, Denver, and Dallas. DeJuan Blair continues to impress so far. X-Factor: Tim Duncan. I think he has one more year in him where he can put up great numbers. He has the supporting cast to do so but the Spurs are the most fragile team out there.
3. Portland Trail Blazers, 53-29: Andre Miller right now is not happy after losing his starting position to Steve Blake but they paid him starter’s money in the off-season and I think he will regain his spot. Aldridge is paid so does not have to pout any longer and Brandon Roy is a top 10 player in the league. Portland is also one of the deepest teams in the West. X-Factor: Greg Oden. Had a resurgent pre-season and is determined to start over Joel Pryzbilla. If Oden is fully healthy, Portland is one of the teams that can match the Lakers’ height.
4. Denver Nuggets, 51-31: Carmelo Anthony matured into an elite superstar last season and it was not because of the scorer but by the overall talent he possessed. Chauncey Billups is getting older though and they may have to adjust their up and down style. Also, with J.R. Smith moving into the starting lineup, who can provide the scoring off the bench? Depth is their biggest question. X-Factor: Chauncey Billups. I just have a feeling that this could be a down year for Billups where he burns out at the end.
5. Dallas Mavericks, 50-32: I love what Dallas did this off-season. After losing out to Marcin Gortat, the Mavs knew they had to make a splash and they did so by acquiring Shawn Marion to play small forward. At the end of games, few teams can match Kidd, Howard, Marion, Dirk, and Jason Terry. I expect Dallas to make noise this season and win a round or two in the playoffs. Also, don’t count out the boy, “Roddy Buckets” (Rodrigue Beaubois). X-Factor: Josh Howard. Dirk and Marion can coincide on the court but how will Howard respond. He is a guy who can average 20 points but will see less production with Marion involved. Can he sacrifice the stats for wins?
6. Utah Jazz, 48-34: For a while I had the Hornets here, but I decided on the Jazz. Deron Williams is as good as they come at the point guard position and the Jazz keeping Paul Millsap not only gives them insurance to Boozer but a favorite for sixth man of the year. If the Jazz can find some sort of road consistency they will push 50+ wins. X-Factor: Carlos Boozer. If Boozer stays healthy, the Jazz can realistically pull an upset in the first round. The problem is, he probably won’t and the Jazz are looking at another first round exit.
7. New Orleans Hornets, 44-38: Day by day, the Hornets front office is absolutely crushing this team around Chris Paul. I like the Okafor trade but now he does not even want to get on the court and the teammates are getting pissed at him, claiming he is no longer injured. I do not have the same confidence in David West as I once did and their depth is absolutely putrid. X-Factor: Julian Wright/Peja/Mo Pete. Can one of these guys step up for once? Really, anytime now…
8. Oklahoma City Thunder, 41-41: Hey, I can dream, can’t I? The thing is, the “Zombies” as Bill Simmons calls them, do not have that much of an outside chance at making the playoffs. With Kevin Durant winning a scoring title this year (yep, mark it) and Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, and James Harden as ROY (yep, mark it) the Thunder need just some sort of production from their front-court. Also, the end of their schedule compares favorably to teams like Phoenix and the Clips. X-Factor: Nenad Kristic. Just give me 12 and 8, man…
9. Phoenix Suns, 40-42: Nash is older and Amare is durability issue every time he runs up and down the court. Also, the Suns bench is absolutely dreadful with only Captain Barbosa to get excited about. The Suns will score but Coach Gentry just won’t get them to defend, and the West can score. X-Factor: Amare Stoudemire. Looking for a big deal in the summer, I expect him to have a big season if he can remain healthy.
10. Los Angeles Clippers, 37-45: The Clips are right there. They have the talent to make the playoffs this year. But like I told WCWP’s Max Caster this past week: As long as Mike Dunleavy is their coach, they won’t make the playoffs. Book it. X-Factor: Baron Davis. Davis is coming into the regular season in reportedly, the best shape of his career. He has always been a big point guard but this year he needs to stay healthy to prove my theory wrong.
11. Houston Rockets, 36-46: If Rick Adelman can get this team to the playoffs he not only deserves to be the unanimous coach of the year, but should be given the key to the city. Here is their projected starting lineup: Aaron Brooks, Trevor Ariza, Shane Battier, Carl Landry, Luis Scola. It’s gonna be tough and I do not think it will happen, but I will not be shocked if they can get it done and play into late April. X-Factor: Luis Scola. Look for him to have a big year with Yao out. I’m thinking 16 points and 10 rebounds…
12. Golden State Warriors, 32-50: On paper, Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Stephen Curry, and Andris Biedrins looks like a solid core. However, this team is just absolutely nuts with Don Nelson and Jackson wanting out. Ellis is happy one day and pissed the other. Anthony Randolph, one of my favorites, is going to have a monster season on a terrible team. I always feel bad for those guys. X-Factor: Anthony Randolph. Read above.
13. Memphis Grizzlies, 25- 57: Again, a ton of talent but only one ball. Iverson is coming off the bench but his presence is just going to stunt the progress of Mike Conley and O.J. Mayo. Rudy Gay is sure to be gone after this year and could become the most attractive trade piece in February. Not to mention this team has Zach Randolph. WTF, Chris Wallace?? X-Factor: Allen Iverson. How badly will this signing look come December. When they are 7-25, he is going to be crying to get out.
14. Minnesota Timberwolves, 22-60: Kevin Love’s injury really hurts as he won’t be back until December. I love Johnny Flynn but I wonder how well he can do this season with Ramon Sessions. If Al Jefferson can stay healthy, he will be your starting center for the West in the All-Star Game. X-Factor: Al Jefferson. Knee injury cut his season short last year after averaging 23 and 11. He has not even reached his potential yet…
15. Sacramento Kings, 15-67: And we have reached the worst team in the NBA. Tyreke Evans will have his impressive moments but he is a tweener between point guard and shooting guard. Kevin Martin can score but that’s it. Jason Thompson is also a decent piece but is over-looked. X-Factor: Spencer Hawes. He along with Thompson needs to improve after a solid season. His play will not make a ton of difference but can give King fans something to look forward to. Probably not…
Conference Finals: Boston over Cleveland
Los Angeles over Portland
Finals: Los Angeles over Boston
Quick Awards:
MVP = Kobe Bryant
Rookie of the Year = James Harden
Most Improved = Anthony Randolph
Sixth Man = Ben Gordon
Coach = Scott Brooks
By Matt Soldano August 10, 2009, at 6:04 pm It sure feels good to be back. I have returned from my six week hiatus in which I was up in the great town of Gilmanton Iron Works, New Hampshire looking after soda-crazed and junk food ridden kids. But now, reality has set back in and I am ready to jump back into the swing of things to WCWP Sports and 3rd String Safety.
What a busy offseason it has been in the NBA. Big name after big name switching area codes, trading places, and dawning new jerseys. Here’s a look at the top ten teams who have made the most noise in the off-season thus far.
1. San Antonio Spurs
Additions: Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, DeJuan Blair, Theo Ratliff
Subtractions: Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto, Kurt Thomas, Drew Gooden
It kills me to say this because if any of you have ever listened to Off the Glass or read any of my blogs, you would know how much I dislike the Spurs, but what they did this off-season ranks by far at the top of the list. Let’s start with the draft. Selecting a lottery talent like DeJuan Blair out of Pittsburgh with the 37th overall pick is just criminal. How teams selecting in the 20s did not fathom that even a guy with two below average knees is not better than the people who were actually picked (Darren Collison, B.J. Mullens, Taj Gibson) is asinine. Not to mention, they got Jack McClinton who can flat out shoot the ball.
Now onto the Jefferson move. Trading away Bowen, Oberto, and Thomas is exactly what the Spurs needed. Not only did they get younger but they got an athletic swingman who can score the ball, all while being okay with not being the number one option. McDyess, along with Blair fills the void that was left in the front-line depth when the Spurs traded away Oberto and Thomas. Although 34, McDyess managed to average close to a double double last season with Detroit. McDyess will be making $15 million over the next three years.
2. Orlando Magic
Additions: Vince Carter, Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson, Matt Barnes
Subtractions: Hedo Turkoglu, Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston, Tony Battie
After trading for Vince Carter the Orlando Magic took themselves out of the running in order to re-sign Hedo Turkoglu and for good reason. They simply felt that they did not need to spend $50 million on a player who is not as complete as VC. Carter enjoyed a nice season with the Nets last year averaging 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Playing with a dominant big man should open up his game and alleviate any sort of pressure. The surrounding talent including Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis should hault any sort of continuing streak that VC has in his inability to improve teams. Ryan Anderson is another versatile forward the Magic acquired who had a nice rookie year averaging 7 points and 5 boards. Look for Brandon Bass to start at the 4, while Lewis sits for the first ten games due to his suspension.
The kicker to the Orlando off-season is the re-signing of Marcin Gortat. The Mavericks believed they had Gorat in their back pocket after signing him to a 5 year $34 million offer sheet. However, the Magic sured up their depth at center with the move.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
Additions: Shaquille O’Neal, Anderson Varejao (resigned), Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon
Subtractions: Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic
This off-season is a huge gamble for the Cavaliers as they are really rolling the dice. If the Shaq of last season makes the trip to Ohio, than the Cavs could be making the move over the top. If not, than this could easily be Lebron’s last year in his home state. Last year O’Neal averaged 18 points and 8.5 rebounds a game, all while missing just seven games. Those were the most points he had averaged in a season since 2005 and the most games he has played in a season since…2000 (yikes). If O’Neal is healthy, he won’t be helping out Lebron James the most, but rather Mo Williams. Let’s face it, Lebron does not need pressure to be relieved off of him. Rather he needs his teammates to be in roles that suit them best. Mo Williams was not made to be a second option and that was embarrassingly shown off in the Conference Finals. O’Neal can be that second option that forces double teams and opens up shots for the rest of the Cavs.
Anderson Varajeo resigned for 6 years $50 million to give the Cavs some depth that they missed out by not selecting DeJuan Blair but rather Christian Eyenga (I do not understand NBA GM’s…) Anthony Parker could be one of the most underrated moves of the off-season. A career 42% 3 point shooter, Parker takes a lot of flack from me for being the second best baller in his family. However, with Shaq and Lebron commanding double teams, Parker will have his chance to shine.
4. Los Angeles Lakers
Additions: Ron Artest, Lamar Odom (resigned)
Subtractions: Trevor Ariza
First order of business, the Ariza for Artest swap. From what I have read and watched this move has gotten a lot of mixed feelings and deservingly so. Ariza is a 24 year old athletic swingman, who does not mind being the fourth option, who came into his own all last season, made big three after big three in the playoffs, and can defend the perimeter exceptionally. Artest is 30 years old who is as tough as nails and is one of the best perimeter defenders in the game but when he gets the ball, his hands become velcro and he dominates the shot clock and is also an ex-nut case who prefers to walk around in his underwear. Why in the triangle offense, would you bring a guy like Artest in? Artest brings something the Lakers have been missing for a while. That is grit and toughness. When Ariza and his agent spurned the Lakers thinking that they would get more than the mid-level exception the Los Angeles had to make a move. Orlando, Cleveland, and San Antonio all had made their moves.
If there is one player and one coach that are perfect for Ron Ron to play with it is Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson. Kobe understands now what it takes to be a champion and will brainwash Artest with that mentality. Jackson has handled egos before and this is just another one added onto the plate. If Artest can keep his shenanigans to a minimum, the Lakers will be the favorites to win it all once again. The one problem I have with the signing is that it was for 5 years $33 million. Not so much the money, but the years. When you have a 30 year old ticking time bomb, I would much rather make it a short term investment than have him when he’s 35.
Resigning Lamar Odom was a huge step in the right direction for the Lakers. Odom took less money (4 year, $33 million) from his hometown team than what the Miami Heat were offering. Odom will continue to come off the bench but now alongside with Kobe wants to make this Lakers team into a dynasty. Had the Lakers not resigned Odom it would be hard to even put them into the top ten.
5. Boston Celtics
Additions: Rasheed Wallace, Marquis Daniels, Shelden Williams, Glen Davis (resigned)
Subtractions: None
None of these guys are cracking the starting lineup on opening night but the Boston Celtics offseason was good enough to earn them a spot in the top 5. Despite his age at 34, Wallace has enough skill and veteran leadership to help the Celtics in a big way. Wallace averaged 12 points and 7 rebounds last season. Consider him to be my early favorite to win the 6th Man of the Year Award. Marquis Daniels will also play a significant role in the Boston rotation. Averaging 14 points for the Pacers last year, Daniels is at the peak of his game and should fit nicely seeing that he could play three positions if need be.
Resigning Glen Davis was a significant move for the Celts. At just 2 years for $6 million, Davis’ game matured exponentially over the final two months of the season that the terms of the deal could be one of the bigger bargains of the offseason. Big Baby averaged 16 points and 6 rebounds filling in for Kevin Garnett last year in the playoffs. This is the deepest the Celtics have been throughout the Big Three Era which is a scary thought for the rest of the league.
6. Detroit Pistons
Additions: Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers, Chris Wilcox, Ben Wallace
Subtractions: Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace, Amir Johnson, Antonio McDyess, Aaron Afflalo
Joe Dumars was one of the more busier GMs during this year’s NBA offseason, especially in the beginning. Dumars managed to nab the best free agent scorer out on the market in Ben Gordon and the best free agent power forward in Charlie Villanueva in a matter of hours. Both were signed to five year deals with Gordon making $50+ million and CV making #35 million. The combo of Gordon and CV is much better and will be much more productive than AI and Rasheed Wallace.
Ben Wallace should be somewhat rejuvenated to return to the place he called home and provide rebounding, leadership, and depth to the center position. The Pistons took a few steps back with losing out on the McDyess sweepstakes only to get Chris Wilcox in return. Austin Daye as NBA talent but will take a few years because he is so thin and frail. DaJuan Summers could provide some production right away for the Pistons.
7. Los Angeles Clippers
Additions: Blake Griffin, Sebastian Telfair, Mark Madsen, Craig Smith
Subtractions: Zach Randolph
The Clippers got the ball rolling when they won the lottery and selected Blake Griffin with the number one overall pick in June’s NBA Draft. Griffin appears to be the real deal as he was a beast in the Las Vegas Summer League. However, the main reason they appear on this least is through the principle of addition by subtraction. The Clippers shipped away the headache and glut that is Zach Randolph for an expiring contract in Quentin Richardson. Then they managed to continue the Q-Rich carousel and trade him for Telfair, Madsen, and Smith. Telfair played decently in Minnesota last season averaging 10 points and dishing out 5 assists. Craig Smith can also provide some scoring off the bench.
Now with a nucleus of Griffin, Eric Gordon, Baron Davis, Al Thornton, Marcus Camby, and Chris Kaman, the fortune for the Clippers could slowly be turning. They will take a few years but a few more lottery picks that turn out successfully could send the Clips to the playoffs sooner than you think.
8. Toronto Raptors
Additions: Hedo Turkoglu, Demar DeRozan, Marco Belinelli, Reggie Evans, Antoine Wright, Jarret Jack, Rasho Nesterovic
Subtractions: Shawn Marion, Anthony Parker, Jason Kapono
The Raptors jumped into the free agency pool by signing Hedo Turkoglu to a five year $53 million deal. Although they definitely overpaid for the swingman, the Raptors desperately needed to make a significant move in hopes of resigning Chris Bosh at the end of this year. Turkoglu should be the perfect fit in Toronto when you combine his size, skill, and shooting ability.
Demar DeRozan has as much athletic ability as any person in the draft but does have that bust feature about him. Jarret Jack should be able to come in and be a very competent backup behind Jose Calderon. Jack averaged 13 points and 4 assists last year for Indiana while sharing the point guard role with T.J. Ford.
Belinelli and Antoine Wright will be solid additions and could receive meaningful minutes if DeRozan is not ready right away.
9. Dallas Mavericks
Additions: Shawn Marion, Jason Kidd (resigned), Drew Gooden, Quinton Ross, Tim Thomas
Subtractions: Brandon Bass, Jerry Stackhouse, Antoine Wright, Devean George, Ryan Hollins
I really like the Marion sign and trade to Dallas. Marion averaged 13 points and 8.5 rebounds with Toronto a bit of an underachieving year by Marion’s standards. Those numbers don’t typically result in a 5 year $39 million contract but when you examine what Marion brings to the Dallas lineup, it makes sense. They will be unconventional now, starting Josh Howard, Marion, and Dirk all at once. Marion’s rebounding ability makes up for any loss in height. Also, with J-Kidd continuing to run the point position, the Mavs are an up and down team, a system that Marion absolutely flourished in when he was with Phoenix.
The only negative to the Dallas off-season is that they missed out on front court depth that was a necessity. Brandon Bass and Marcin Gortat (ironically both ending up in Orlando) were stolen from the Mavs and all Dallas got back was an unimpressive patch of hair on the back of Drew Gooden’s head.
10. New Orleans Hornets
Additons: Emeka Okafor, Darren Collison, Ike Diogu
Subtractios: Tyson Chandler
I absolutely loved and absolutely hated the Hornets off-season. First the good, the Emeka Okafor for Tyson Chandler deal was won by Nawlins. Okafor, not as good as a weak side defender as Chandler is a better shot blocker and significantly better offensively. For his career, Okafor has averaged 14 points and 11 rebounds a game. Mostly while having Raymond Felton as his point guard. Chandler’s career numbers are 8 points and 9 rebounds a game. Okafor has not missed a game in the past two seasons while Chandler played in just 45 games last year.
Now for the bad…I do not understand why the Hornets decided to take Darren Collison with the 21st pick of the draft. I like Collison as a point guard and he could be a serviceably body in the NBA. But to use your first round pick on a guy who will be a career backup behind your franchise player and arguably a top 5 player in the league in Chris Paul is ridiculous. Collison will never see a good chunk of minutes that will justify the pick. With DeJuan Blair still on the board and the Hornets in need for bodies down low, the pick just made no sense whatsoever.
So there you have it, the top ten teams who made the biggest splash thus far in the NBA offseason. Make sure you listen to Off the Glass tomorrow night on wcwpsports.com at 8 pm EST where I make my return to the airwaves. Nick Malone and I will be going into the NBA offseason more in-depth.
Like I said, it is good to be back…
By Matt Soldano June 24, 2009, at 6:13 pm Alright, the NBA Draft is just a day away so it is time to make the final mock draft. There is a ton of speculation and rumors flying around about picks that could be swapped, teams acquiring picks, so on and so forth. If anything goes down before draft time tomorrow I will be sure to edit the mock appropriately.
Round One:
1. Los Angeles Clippers – Blake Griffin PF, Oklahoma – Blake, enjoy your last few hours of feeling free and liberated because soon, while you may be rich, you will be dawning a Clippers uniform, which is never a good thing for anyone. Especially when you have to compete for starting time with Zach Randolph.
2. Memphis Grizzlies – Hasheem Thabeet C, UConn – There is speculation that the Timberwolves could be packaging their 5th and 6th pick for the #2 but for now, with the Grizz owning the pick, I still believe Thabeet is the answer. He has the size and defensive ability to change a game from the gecko. Thabeet going #2 just shows you how crappy this draft is, and this is coming from someone who is a big believer in the Tanzanian.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder- James Harden SG, Arizona State – The Thunder are a bit of a wild-card. They could break Minnesota’s heart and draft Rubio which would cause Harden to slip a little bit. However, I think with people becoming a little sour on Rubio in terms of his physical attributes, his attitude, and his contract situations, the Thunder can rest easy knowing they have a capable point guard already in Russell Westbrook. Harden is in my mind, one of the surest prospects in the draft and will fit in nicely with the Thunder.
4. Sacramento Kings – Johnny Flynn PG, Syracuse – For a while now I have had Rubio in this spot but like I mentioned above, the Kings have began to turn the page on Rubio. Flynn has had some great workouts and is physically ready for the NBA. He will be a voice in the Kings locker-room that seems to be missing. Not to the same extent, but this somewhat reminds me of the NFL Draft when Crabtree seemed to be the sure-fire number one receiver off the board but surely enough the Raiders took Heyward-Bay. If the pick is not Flynn it’s Tyreke Evans.
5. Minnesota Timberwolves – Ricky Rubio PG, Spain – Maybe the Wolves do not need to go up to 2 to pocket Rubio. With the trade of Randy Foye, the Timberwolves certainly need a point guard and it was no secret it was Rubio who they were targeting. Rubio is going to need to work on his mid-range game and his physical stature but his court vision and passing ability are variables that we have not seen come out of the draft for perhaps the last ten years. Think Nash without the offense. Now the real pick comes here…
6. Minnesota Timberwolves – Tyreke Evans PG, Memphis – In my mind, the Wolves can go one of two ways. Draft Stephen Curry or go with Evans. With Rubio already holding down the point, the Wolves are looking for someone to play off the ball. Harden is gone, and Henderson or DeRozan here is a big stretch. Tyreke Evans broke out last season when John Calipari decided to make him the full time point guard. He has a terrible shot selection and is ability to get inside the paint is overrated in my mind because he struggles at finishing. However, Alan Hahn is reporting that Curry is 5th guard on the Wolves draft board which leads me to believe they are going to make a mistake and draft Evans, something that shakes up the rest of the draft a bit.
7. Golden State Warriors – Stephen Curry PG, Davidson – Monta Ellis wants to run the point and Don Nelson could pay the price for it if he allows it to happen. The Warriors are salivating for Curry and they might get the chance to grab him if the Wolves make the mistake of drafting Evans. Curry can share time at the point with Ellis and would be perfect for Don Nelson’s offense.
8. New York Knicks – Jordan Hill PF, Arizona – With Curry and Evans off the board, the Knicks will settle for Jordan Hill who is an athletic big man who could flourish under D’Antoni’s offense, kind of like Amare Stoudemire. Hill is a gifted rebounder who plays with a lot of energy. By drafting Hill, Knick fans will be sending their good-bye gift baskets to the man everyone has fallen in love with, D-Lee.
9. Toronto Raptors – Demar DeRozan SF, USC – The Raptors need help at the wing because they could potentially be losing Anthony Parker and Shawn Marion to free agency. DeRozan, because is so athletically gifted and could play the 2, could be drafted even higher by either the Wizards or Timberwolves. If DeRozan is gone, the Raptors can look at point guard or someone else to fill their void at the three or two.
10. Milwaukee Bucks – Jrue Holiday PG, UCLA – By trading away Richard Jefferson, the Bucks can now make an effort to resign Charlie Villaneuava which I think can get done. Now they need a point guard. While I think Brandon Jennings and Ty Lawson are better picks than Holiday, tems love Holiday’s ceiling and defensive potential.
11. New Jersey Nets – Terrance Williams SF, Louisville – ESPN has Tyler Hansbrough going here and even me being a die-hard Tar Heel fan have to question that idea. Hansbrough just does not have lottery level talent to me, but he definitely is mid-late first round worthy. With that being said, Williams continues to be impressive at the right time and is showing people why he is truly one of the most versatile players in the draft. At Louisville last year, T-Will averaged 13 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 5 assists, very impressive numbers.
12. Charlotte Bobcats – Gerald Henderson SG, Duke – Will this pick ever change?!?! Henderson averaged 17 points in his final season with Duke but had an abysmal tournament. He is an effective slasher who will get his points that way and has above average on the ball defensive skills. He is one of the few shooting guards in the draft and would fill the void left when Jason Richardson was shipped to the Suns.
13. Indiana Pacers – Brandon Jennings PG, Italy – Recently, Jennings has slipped on some people’s mocks and I have seen him as low as 17 to Philly or even 19 to the Hawks. To me the chances of that happening are close to impossible. The wild-card teams for me with Jennings are the Warriors, Knicks, and Bucks. Because all three passed on him, he is left for Indiana. The Pacers need a big body and DeJuan Blair is a possibility but there are large concerns over his knees. Jennings fills a need at the point guard position and gives the team a certain amount of swagger they have been missing.
14. Phoenix Suns – Ty Lawson PG, North Carolina – Lawson continues to improve his stock and I believe he is still being undervalued. The Suns seem to definitely be targeting a point guard and they will narrow their choices between Lawson and Jeff Teague out of Wake Forest. Lawson is a guy who can get to the basket and is a proven winner.
15. Detroit Pistons – Earl Clark PF, Louisville – Clark slips out of the lottery for the first time in my mock draft but is selected here. Detroit will have to make the decision between Clark and Austin Daye of Gonzaga. Daye also took his decision down to the final hours and stayed in the draft, a move questioned by some. Clark can be the second coming of Lamar Odom because of his versatility and ability to shoot from the outside considering his frame.
16. Chicago Bulls – DeJuan Blair PF, Pittsburgh – Blair could slip somewhere in the late lottery to a team like Indiana but questions about the health of his knees have steered some teams away. The Bulls are looking to bulk up their front-court and no player in the draft can bulk like Blair can.
17. Philadelphia 76ers – Eric Maynor PG, Virginia Commonwealth – Ah, back to the original pick that was in the first three mock drafts. Whoever picks Maynor is going to feel very fortunate as he is one of the most NBA ready prospects having played four seasons at VCU.
18. Minnesota Timberwolves – B.J. Mullens C, Ohio State – The Timberwolves are looking for a true center and Mullens has the potential to be one. However, his game is going to need some serious maturing and he is 2-3 years away from seeing any sort of productivity. However, by having the 5th and 6th pick the Wolves can afford to draft someone who has as much upside as Mullens does and wait.
19. Atlanta Hawks – Jeff Teague PG, Wake Forest – The Hawks have swung and missed on three point guards. Marvin Williams over Chris Paul. Shelden Williams over Rajon Rondo. Acie Law over Rodney Stuckey. They can’t make the same mistake 4 times in a row can they? Mike Bibby is a free agent and Jeff Teague can provide scoring the same way as Bibby.
20. Utah Jazz – Tyler Hansbrough PF, North Carolina – Hansbrough can go in the lottery to the Nets or Pacers or could go to the Bulls at 16. Hansbrough’s workouts have been impressive as he has measured in taller than what was expected, showed decent athleticism, and demonstrated good strength. Hansbrough’s work ethic and underrated offensive game should make him good enough to go in the top 20.
21. New Orleans Hornets – Austin Daye SF, Gonzaga – Daye has the potential to go in the top half of the draft and staying in Gonzaga would have been the right choice but because of what he may become it makes sense for the Hornets to roll the dice. Daye can provide scoring in a numerous amount of ways and could be a nice piece off the bench for the Hornets down the road.
22. Portland Trail Blazers – James Johnson PF, Wake Forest – Even though it is a different team I still believe Johnson gets drafted here. Johnson is someone who has borderline lottery talent but really disappointed people in workouts and showed up out of shape. The Blazers can use a power forward who can also play from the perimeter.
23. Sacramento Kings – Omri Casspi SF, Israel – Sac-town loves tall European swingman who can shoot effectively from downtown. Examples, Peja and Hedo Turkoglu. The biggest difference is that Casspi is more athletic and is a much better defender than the two.
24. Dallas Mavericks – Darren Collison PG, UCLA – Again, new team but this pick just makes sense. Jason Kidd is aging and his days in a Dallas uniform could be numbered. J.J. Barea showed some positive signs last year but I never see him as a starter in this league. Collison can learn from Kidd for a year or so and take over the reigns. This would be a very smart pick that fits a need.
25. Oklahoma City Thunder – Sam Young SF, Pittsburgh – Young is one of the more NBA ready players in the draft because of his size and his ability to do many things on the court. Young can come off the bench and provide solid minutes and be an asset for any team in the NBA.
26. Chicago Bulls – Chase Budinger SF, Arizona – Budinger will provide scoring for a team that might end up losing Ben Gordon and Luol Deng. He is athletic enough where he can create his own shot. However, the Bulls will be playing 4 on 5 when the other team has the ball as Budinger is just awful on defense.
27. Memphis Grizzlies – DaJuan Summers SF, Georgetown – Summers ability to play both forward positions should be welcomed by the folks in Memphis. The Grizz need to add size to their front court and Summers NBA-ready body along with his scoring ability to be a nice pick late in the first round.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves – Jonas Jerebko SF, Sweden -Jerebko can stay overseas and wait to come over to the NBA which would allow the T-Wolves to not carry three rookies on their 12 man roster. There has been talk that the New York Knicks could be buying this pick.
29. New York Knicks - Jack McClinton PG, Miami – The Knicks number one need coming into the draft is at the point guard position. As the draft stands now, I have them selecting Jordan Hill at number 8, a power forward. McClinton recently had a workout for the Knicks and he apparently did very well. If the Knicks select a guard with their first pick, the selection here could be Danny Green or a power forward such as Taj Gibson
30. Cleveland Cavaliers – Toney Douglas PG, Florida State - The Cavs just made a splash by acquiring Shaquille O’Neal from the Phoenix Suns. Douglas can turn out to be a nice backcourt piece for the Cavs because he can play solid defense and make big shots.
Round Two:
31. Sacramento Kings – Victor Claver PF, Spain
32. Washington Wizards – Taj Gibson PF, USC
33. Portland Trail Blazers – Derrick Brown SF, Xavier
34. Denver Nuggets – Patty Mills PG, St. Mary’s
35. Detroit Pistons – DeMarre Carroll SF, Missouri
36. Memphis Grizzlies – Jeff Pendergraph PF, Arizona State
37. San Antonio Spurs – Nick Calathes SG, Florida
38. Portland Trail Blazers – Wayne Ellington SG, North Carolina
39. Detroit Pistons – Josh Heytveldt PF, Gonzaga
40. Charlotte Bobcats – Danny Green SF, North Carolina
41. Milwaukee Bucks – Jeff Adrien PF, UConn
42. Los Angeles Lakers – Jermaine Taylor SG, Central Florida
43. Miami Heat – Jon Brockman PF, Washington
44. Detroit Pistons – Rodrigue Beaubois PG, France
45. Minnesota Timberwolves – Jodie Meeks SG, Kentucky
46. Cleveland Cavaliers – Marcus Thornton SG, LSU
47. Minnesota Timberwolves – Dante Cunningham PF, Villanova
48. Phoenix Suns – Dionte Christmas SG, Temple
49. Atlanta Hawks – Ahmad Nivins PF, St. Joe’s
50. Utah Jazz – Curtis Jerrells PG, Baylor
51. San Antonio Spurs – A.J. Price PG, UConn
52. Indiana Pacers – Jerel McNeal SG, Marquette
53. San Antonio Spurs – Goran Suton C, Michigan State
54. Charlotte Bobcats – Alade Aminu PF, Georgia Tech
55. Portland Trail Blazers – A.J. Abrams SG, Texas
56. Dallas Mavericks – Robert Dozier PF, Memphis
57. Phoenix Suns – Leo Lyons PF, Missouri
58. Boston Celtics – Sergio Lull PG, Spain
59. Los Angeles Lakers – Chris Johnson PF, LSU
60. Miami Heat – Tyrese Rice PG, Boston College
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There’s the final mock, if any moves happen I will edit the mock as soon as I can get to a computer. Leave a comment, tell me who you think your team should target.
Don’t forget, on the night of the draft, Thursday June 25th, I will be hosting a live chat on 3rdstringsafety.com discussing everything about the draft. Make sure you check that out.
By Matt Soldano June 23, 2009, at 1:05 am On Thursday, starting at 6:30 PM EST, I will be hosting a live chat right here on 3rdString, previewing, viewing, and reviewing the NBA Draft as it happens. Please make sure you check it out as I am sure at one time or another we will be getting a host of your other fellow 3rdString contributors sharing their thoughts. It’s going to be a grand ol’ time.
Also, my final mock draft will be released Wednesday, June 24th so you will not want to miss that.
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