|
|
By Matt Soldano  October 29, 2009, at 2:22 pm  With most teams having played their first game of the season, here are a couple things that stuck out in my opinion from each game and which player stood out to me from each team (negatively or positively)
Atlanta Hawks 120, Indiana Pacers 109 – Josh Smith 18 points, 8 assists, 5 stls – Danny Granger 31 pts, 4 rebounds.
I think this is the beginning to a huge season for Josh Smith and he can finish as a top 10 fantasy player. I was surprised how long Indiana was in the game but I guess that’s what happens when you make 10 three’s and shoot over 53%.
Orlando Magic 120, Philadelphia 76ers 106 – Dwight Howard 21 points, 15 rebounds – Elton Brand 8 points, 6 rebounds.
So far, same old Brand as he cannot get accustomed to Philly’s run and gun style. An awful second quarter in which the Sixers were outscored by 21 put them in a hole they could never get out of.
Toronto Raptors 101, Cleveland Cavaliers 91 – Andrea Bargnani 28 points, 5 rebounds – Lebron James 23 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists.
Two games in and the King already has one triple double however, the Cavs also have two losses. Right now the Cavs are looking sluggish on both sides and Lebron is not getting any help from the supporting cast. Barganani was a huge matchup problem that Cleveland had no answer for.
Boston Celtics 92, Charlotte Bobcats 59 – Shelden Williams 12 points and 9 rebounds – Gerald Wallace 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Congrats Charlotte! You managed to get in the record books on Day One for the lowest amount of points on opening night in the shot clock era. The Bobcats managed to shoot just 31% went 0-10 from downtown and shot 52% from the charity stripe. Wow. Kudos to Boston for shutting them down but in the words of Ed Lover, “C’mon Son!”
Miami Heat 115, New York Knicks 93 – Jermaine O’Neal 22 points and 12 rebounds – Danilo Gallinari 22 points (7-13 3PT).
For the Heat, it is real nice to see O’Neal get off to a start as he was such a disappointment last year and has been for the past few years. O’Neal is going to be a key for the Heat to win a playoff series. For the Knicks, Gallo did drop 20+ but I have a problem with how he got them. He took one two point shot! If Gallo is going to be this type of player, give me Jason Kapono for less money and I would have drafted Eric Gordon with the 6th overall pick.
Minnesota Timberwolves 95, New Jersey Nets 93 – Johnny Flynn 18 points and 4 rebounds – Terrence Williams 15 points 10 rebounds.
Flynn absolutely tore ish up in the 4th quarter scoring 13 of his 18 points and leading a Timberwolves comeback. I really enjoyed watch Flynn play in his first game and is my runner-up for ROY if Harden doesn’t play as much as I think. Williams was one of three Nets to record double doubles (Lopez and Yi) but his was most surprising. He got his minutes once Jarvis Hayes went out with a hamstring injury and obviously made the most of it.
San Antonio Spurs 113, New Orleans Hornets 96 – Dejuan Blair 14 points and 11 rebounds – Chris Paul 26 points and 9 assists.
Looks like I was right about Blair (hah Nick Malone!) He would have played more if he didn’t commit 4 fouls but in 23 minutes, Blair had a double double and in 6 minutes, he had 6 boards. He put up better numbers than Tim Duncan and will be an absolute force. For the Hornets, my oh my, they look awful. Chris Paul is looking for the closest escape route and its no where in sight right now. As Max Caster put it brilliantly last night on Off the Glass, “Anytime your team needs Stephen Jackson to stay in the playoff race, you know your team sucks.”
Oklahoma City Thunder 102, Sacramento Kings 89 – Kevin Durant 25 points and 11 rebounds – Kevin Martin 27 points (5-19 shooting, 14-14 FT).
Durant is off to a solid start and put all the negative talk about how he has a career -7 when he is on the floor by posting a +17. Take that haters! Russell Westbrook continues to impress by posting 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 13 assists. The key stat: 2 turnovers. However, they were playing the Kings, and let’s not forget that. Tyreke Evans really struggled in his debut shooting 5-16, kudos to Russ’ for that shutdown D. Long long season for Sacramento follows…
Detroit Pistons 96, Memphis Grizzlies 74 – Ben Gordon 22 points off the bench – O.J. Mayo 9 points (2-12 shooting) 6 rebounds.
While Gordon looked great the Pistons other prized free agent, Charlie Villaneuava did not, scoring just 7 points. Rumors are swirling that the Pistons are looking hard in trading Rip Hamilton so we will keep our eyes on that. The Grizz were just as unimpressive as the Bobcats because they do have scorers who just flat-out were terrible last night. Those die-hard Grizzlies fans are praying for an Iverson sighting, and that can never be a good thing. Stick to BBQ and not basketball, Memphis.
Denver Nuggets 114, Utah Jazz 105 – Carmelo Anthony 30 points 8 rebounds – Deron Williams 28 points and 13 assists.
One of the more entertaining games of the night as both teams went back and forth and some of the game’s elite talent battled it out for 48 minutes. In the end, Williams could not get enough help from his sidekick in Carlos Boozer, just 12 points, than Melo got with his in Chauncey Billups who dropped 25. Also, big ups to Ty Lawson dropping 17 and six dimes in his debut. Here’s to UNC!
Houston Rockets 108, Golden State Warriors 107 – Trevor Ariza 25 points, 5 rebounds – Stephen Curry 14 points, 7 assists, 4 stls.
I hate Don Nelson, officially. Why the hell does Ronny Turiaf start ahead of Anthony Randolph? Can someone please tell me?!? Other than that, Curry scored the team’s final six points to keep the game close but the Rockets made some big stops at the end and pulled out with the win.
Phoenix Suns 109, Los Angeles Clippers 107 – Steve Nash 24 points, 8 assists – Baron Davis 12 points (4-11), 12 assists.
Through two games Davis is shooting 5-21, a stretch that must get turned around especially without Blake Griffin. Nash’s game winning lay-up with 5 seconds was the difference maker as Eric Gordon couldn’t connect on the buzzer beater three.
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 23, 2009, at 1:12 pm Here are some updated off-season rumors and draft news in the NBA:
- From Yahoo! Sports: The Boston Celtics offered Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo to the Detroit Pistons for Rodney Stuckey, Richard Hamilton, and Tayshaun Prince. Apparently the proposal never made it to Pistons GM Joe Dumars because a lower level official from Detroit rejected the trade.
Thoughts: Um, why does Boston feel compelled to shop Rajon Rondo. Rondo had a spectacular post-season in which he almost averaged a triple double in round one against orlando and averaged 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 rebounds in the regular season. I understand Allen can be hot and cold any night, but so can Hamilton and Prince. He is also in the final year of his contract so if you want to get someone who is a little younger that is understandable. To me, there has to be something about Rondo that the Celtics are unhappy with that is putting him out on the market. If Kevin Garnett was healthy this year, the Celtics are in the NBA Finals and perhaps winning it all, so I do not understand the notion that the Celts feel the need to overload the roster.
- From the Philadelphia Inquirer: The Sixers might trade Samuel Dalembert and the 17th overall pick to the Charlotte Bobcats for Vladimir Radmonovic, Nazr Mohammad, and the 12th overall pick.
Thoughts: Philly does not help themselves with salary with this trade as both Vlad and Nazr have two years left on their contracts. In terms of the picks, maybe the Sixers can get lucky and draft someone like Brandon Jennings if he falls. However, I think Jennings will be gone at that point and the Sixers will end up taking Ty Lawson or Eric Maynor.
- From the Chicago Tribune: The Bulls have held talks with a few teams about trading their 16th and 26th pick for a higher selection in order to select shooting guard Gerald Henderson.
Thoughts: Chicago, don’t do it! Henderson might be the one guy in the lottery who can be the biggest bust. I just do not see a ton of upside from a guy who disappeared in the tournament and had an overall inconsistent college career. In this draft, you would much rather have picks in the second half of the first round rather than a lottery selection because you can get solid value, for less money, and a lot of prospects in the lottery can be very hit or miss. If you want to move up, do not move up for Henderson.
- From the NY Post: The Knicks are looking to trade Larry Hughes and perhaps Jared Jeffries for the number 5 pick (if they take both Mike James and Etan Thomas’ expiring contracts) and then parlay the pick with number 8, to acquire the second pick overall, in an attempt to draft Ricky Rubio.
Thoughts: Some people are beginning to question whether Rubio’s value is truly that high. One Western Conference coach said, “Ricky has a big upside. Nevertheless, he’s very light, like Steve Nash only without the offense. He has no mid-range game, never gets to the free throw line and is a defensive liability due to his lack of strength and size.”
- From CBSSports: The Phoenix Suns offered Amare Stoudemire and the 14th overall pick to Washington for Caron Butler, Nick Young or Javaris Crittenton, and the 5th overall pick. The Wizards turned it down as they seem intent to not trade Butler away.
Thoughts: The Wizards do need help down low so Stoudemire would help but Butler is an all-star who only seems to be getting better each year. With Gilbert Arenas coming back healthy and owning the 5th pick in the draft, the Wizards feel they are in a good position to compete next year which I completely agree with.
|
|
Tags: 
