Can Danny?

If any team is going to make a run like the Celtics in the offseason, the Nets are it. If they want to build around Vince Carter (who came alive after the Kidd deal), they have some great trade assets in Devin Harris, Richard Jefferson, the #10 pick along with Marcus & Sean Williams and the right to Nenad Krstic (who is a free agent).

1. Sort Out The Roster 
Of course, the question remains: is a maxed out, 31 year old Vince Carter, who has some history with injuries, the guy you want to build around? That is the decision new GM Kiki Vandewegh has to figure out before he can do anything. I think Richard Jefferson is overpaid but his contract isn't bad. Devin Harris looks like he could turn out to be a bit of a bargain. That being said, if you are building around Carter, would you move Harris for a more veteran PG like Chauncey Billups or Baron Davis? Stromile Swift and Trenton Hassell are both expiring contracts (Hassell has a team option on his final year) so they are immediately on the block, as is Marcus Williams who seems like the odd man out after the Harris/Kidd deal. Sean Williams had a solid rookie campaign but is he going to be consistent enough to be a starter? Hell, even Josh Boone looked servicable at the end of the year. And what to do with Krstic? He's one of those guys that could get an ungodly offer from a team but if the Nets can retain him for a reasonable amount, you'd be best served to sign him up.

2. The Draft
Odds are that this pick along with at least a couple of Nets are headed somewhere else on draft day but if the Nets keep the pick, their most likely target is DeAndre Jordan. Jordan definitely has bust potential but the Nets are solid at pretty much every position so they can risk taking a flyer on Jordan.

Another reason they can take the flyer on Jordan is that they also have the #21 pick, where they should be able to grab a talented player like Mareese Speights, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Roy Hibbert, or Bill Walker. 

3. Trade Market
If the Nets can get Carmelo Anthony, you make the deal. I'd make pretty much everything on the roster available for Anthony. I still don't get why Denver is trying to trade him but if I'm Kiki Vandewegh, I don't care. Personally, I think the deal that makes more sense for the Nuggets would be an Iverson trade. Something along the lines of Devin Harris and #10 (alongside expiring contracts like Trenton Hassell and Stromile Swift) is more than enough to make the deal work. It gives Denver a better point guard and even the fodder like Hassell helps out defensively. You might even be able to make that deal with just Harris and the #21.

The Nets also could make a move of Richard Jefferson (plus salaries to make it match, including perhaps Marcus Williams) for Ron Artest and Brad Miller. I think Artest is someone they definitely look at as a defensive stopper alongside Carter and Iverson. Brad Miller's game is definitely declining but if he's the 4th or 5th option, I think he could be a solid addition. Another person I'd target is Stephen Jackson who might be on his way out if the Warriors decide to clear cap room and go young this offseason. Yes, the implosion risk with an Iverson/Carter/SJax or Artest lineup is high but I also think those are the kind of guys that will put everything on the line to get a ring (which should help balance out Vince's questionable desire)

But those are just two of many deals the Nets could make (and those could be worst case scenario deals with the Nets overpaying in both). if there's one GM I'd want to be this off-season, it's Kiki Vandewegh who should be in a great position to improve his team and make a legit run at the NBA Finals. There's no way that this team should be in the playoffs next season and I think it will be an absolute disappointment if they don't have home court for at least one round. They can make a play for almost every top available veteran (Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Baron Davis, Gilbert Arenas, Ron Artest) and should be able to walk out of the off-season with at least two top level new players.

4. Free Agency
If the Nets make the right moves, they should be the #1 destination for free agents. Veterans will be taking paycuts to play there.

5. Summary
Starters: Allen Iverson, Vince Carter, Ron Artest, Sean Williams, Brad Miller 
Bench: Nenad Krstic, Jason Williams, Josh Boone, James Posey, Eddie House, Penny Hardaway, Brian Skinner, Devin Brown. Brandon Rush

Posted by SoulHonky at 06:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Bobcats are in the nether-world usually reserved for the Atlanta Hawks. They have some good young talent that's not great, they have some cap space but not enough to really grab a true star, and while the team has potential, it also has a ceiling that is far below actually contending for a title.

1. Sort Out The Roster 
Luckily for the Bobcats, Emeka Okafor didn't exactly step up this past season so they should be able to re-sign him for less than a max contract. They might even be able to keep him for around what they are paying Gerald Wallace (a good three million a year less than the max). Of course, those savings have already been wasted on the likes of Matt Carroll (not to mention Adam Morrison). Jason Richardson earned his keep with his performance (and improved shot) last season and Gerald Wallace is a legit #2 star in this league. Raymod Felton appears to be a good young talent but if he can put everything together remains to be seen. He didn't show much of any improvement last season. He's going to be the focal point of this offseason. The person who could benefit the most from Larry Brown is Sean May. If he proves to be a willing defender, he has the talent to become a real threat in Brown's offense. I'm just not sure he's going to be able to stay healthy long enough to ever live up to whatever potential he has left.

2. The Draft
I really can't imagine the Bobcats are going to make this pick. Jordan wants to win and you have to believe that Larry Brown doesn't want to deal with a rookie. The most obvious deal is a move for Brown's former PG, Chauncey Billups. That deal could have some stumbling blocks though since I'd bet that Dumars would want Felton and the #8 while Jordan would want to dump Matt Carroll's horrible contract if he has to give up the lotto pick. Could Larry Brown possibly be interested in working with Allen Iverson again? The Cats have cap space to make a deal but even still, this could be a tough deal to work.

Then again, it would be in Larry Brown's ego's best interest to try to shape Raymond Felton into a top point guard.  Could the Cats instead make a run at a power forward ala Rasheed Wallace or Jermaine O'Neal in a deal or throw a nice offer free agent Antawn Jamison's way.

If they hold onto the pick, they'd probably go with Brook Lopez or Russell Westbrook. 

3. Trade Market
The Bobcats have some cap space to deal with but making a deal will still be difficult because of what they have to use as fodder. Most deals will have to include Nazr Mohammed (3 years, 18 million) or Matt Carroll (5 years, 22 million) and not many people are going to be interested in those contracts. Sean May's value is limited because of his injury and weight issues. The one team that could be interested in a deal would be Denver, who could deal Kenyon Martin for Carroll, Nazr, and Sean May. If the Clippers are really interested in moving Elton Brand, they could look to swap Brand and Richardson although I could see the Clips want more. Would Jordan really give up his leading scorer and the #7 or Sean May for Brand? Do they have enough talent/contracts to make a Jermaine O'Neal trade work? And while I'm a big Rasheed Wallace fan, he's on the decline and I just don't think it makes sense for a young team to give up a top draft pick for him.

In the end, I think Charlotte is probably better off waiting until the trade deadline to make a move. Figure out how May and Felton work with Larry Brown and then see if you need to move them and what you can get. 

4. Free Agency
The first order of business is to grab a veteran point guard who can help Raymond Felton and appease Larry Brown. The ancient Lindsey Hunter is a good option while Darrell Johnson or Anthony Johnson might also fill in nicely. The biggest issue for the 'Cats is that while they are probably looking for veteran free agents, they aren't a winning team and have a ball-buster of a coach. That just doesn't seem very appealing. I just dont' see many people lining up to get yelled at in front of a 3/4 empty arena every night.

5. Summary
The Bobcats are in a situation which is pretty much impossible to gauge. You really have to have a direct line to most NBA general manager offices to be able to first gauge the value of their prospects (and how much someone like Okafor is going to get paid) and then to know if anyone is even remotely interested in taking on deals like Carroll or Mohammed. With the right minor changes and some luck in terms of health, Larry Brown could get this team to be next year's version of the Hawks or 76ers. I'm just not sure if they can really expect more than that (or if they are really looking for anything more than giving the few fans they have a reason to come to the games). 

Possible Final Roster
Starters: Raymond Felton, Jason Richardson, Gerald Wallace, Kenyon Martin, Emerka Okafor
Bench: Lindsey Hunter, Brook Lopez, Jared Dudley,  Adam Morrison, Othella Harrington, Jemarreo Davidson.

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Celtics currently have 11 men on the roster so they need to add at least two players.  With the team almost over the luxury tax line, I'm not sure that the owners will be willing to pay for three spots (and send Brandon Wallace down to the NBDL) so the C's might have to make due with only only two new acquisitions to fill their three needs.

So which need goes overlooked? The Celtics simply can't go into the season without adding a third point guard so that leaves the backup swinman spot and backup big man roles as possible odd men out.  Right now, I'd put my money on the center/PF spot being passed over.  The thinking will probably be that Perkin/Veal/Powe can handle the center position with Veal/Powe/Big Baby and maybe even Brandon Wallace backing up KG. With the only backups swingmen being Gabe Pruitt, Tony Allen (coming off injury), and Wallace, the C's are in dire need of players who can step up and play some minutes so that Ray Allen and Paul Pierce aren't forced to be on the court 40 minutes a night.

So who's out there?  For the point guard slot, I'd look at Charlie Bell as my top choice since he's a combo guard who could backup both guard spots effectively.  Unfortunately, he's probably out of our price range so I'd take a look at Eddie House, Darrell Armstrong, Gary Payton, Chucky Atkins, Darrick Martin, Brevin Knight or Mike Wilks. A dark horse that I'd love to invite to camp but whom we probably couldn't risk signing is Dajuan Wagner.  If our options are bargain basement, I'd look at Aaron Miles, who played well overseas. The bottom of the barrell would be Royal Ivey, a poor man's Rondo who is solid on defense but has no jumper.

For the swingman spot, the first two names to pop in most people's heads would be Eddie Jones or Ruben Patterson.  Patterson is probably a no-go because of his checkered past and the Celtics Code of Conduct.  Eddie Jones, however, could be the type of players who goes to a team for the minimum for one last shot at a ring.  Also, it would bring some justice to the world, making up at long last for the C's taking Eric Montross over him in the draft. James Posey is another option. Ime Udoka and Matt Barnes are possibilities but the odds of them taking the short money looks slim.  Perhaps they agree to a Deshawn Stevenson type one year deal to help raise their stock but we'd probably have to wait until they had no other options to make that happen.  Udoka, especially, is unlikely to make that type of deal as he is about to turn 30 in a little over a week and his window for making anything more than the minimum probably closes after this offseason.  The cheaper, more likely options would be Devin Brown, DerMarr Johnson, or Derek Anderson.

If the Celtics do opt to sign a big man, the first call would likely be to Dikembe Mutombo.  He'd be a great addition to the team but might prefer to stay in Houston. After that, there's Brian Skinner or perhaps Keith Van Horn if he opts to come out of retirement. (Not that he should). Cliff Robinson could be an interesting addition and Bo Outlaw always seems good for six fouls. The bargain basement guy would probably be Jelani McCoy. If the C's opt to go younger, they could look at Alexander Johnson, Justin Williams, Erik Daniels, Noel Felix and old friend Dwayne Jones.

 In the end, I think the best case scenario would be Charlie Bell, Ruben Patterson, and Dikembe.  But since the odds of that seem to be slimt to none, I'll be happy with Eddie House and Devin Brown (and possibly Brian Skinner if we sign three guys).

 

 

 

 

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Ten Players with the Most to Prove in 2008

10. Stephon Marbury: He's the motor that makes the Knicks run and he's got more talent to deal with this year.  Can he run the team so the offense runs fluidly? With age catching up with him, this might be the last chance he has to show off his talents and salvage his reputation.

9. Andrea Bargnani: The Atlantic Division just got a whole lot tougher so Bargnani needs to step up his game if the Raptors are going to hold onto their division title. Also, with other Class of '06ers looking better by the day, Bargnani needs to prove that he was worth the #1 pick.

8. Kevin Garnett: He's never had teammates like Paul Pierce and Ray Allen so the excuses are gone.  Then again, he has had teammates like Brian Scalabrine, Rajon Rondo, Tony Allen, and Leon Powe so some of the excuses are still there. 

7. Greg Oden: He's coming in billed as the next championship-level big man.  Anything less will be a disappointment and it seems like countless people are waiting for him to fail.

6. Kevin Durant: While Durant went after Oden the pressure is higher because he's basically all the Sonics have got.  They dumped Ray Allen and put the mantle of leadership in Durant's hands.  He can't just score points, he has to do it effeciently AND rebound in order to match expectations.

5. Luol Deng: The Bulls love him but they held onto him instead of dealing for some elite level players.  If Deng doesn't emerge as a superstar, the love affair in Chi-town may be over.

 

 

4. Andrew Bogut: The #1 pick has been solid but unspectacular and needs to step and show that he was not only worth his #1 slot but also is good enough to man the middle for a legit playoff team. Plus, his new haircut is ridiculous and he is outspoken.  You can't be outspoken off the court if you are outplayed on it.

3. Rashard Lewis: Personally, I don't think that there is any way he can truly earn the money he's making but that doesn't mean that the people in Orlando won't be expecting it to happen. Lewis is going to have to emerge as a superstar and lead Orlando to a home berth in the playoffs to live up to the contract he signed.

2. Al Jefferson: Big Al was so upset about hearing his name in trade offers for Allen Iverson last year that he recommitted himself.  He improved to a point where he was impressive enough to get traded for Kevin Garnett.  Funny how things work.  Still, Big Al is the face of the deal that sent the best player in franchise history out of town so he has some huge shoes to fill (not to mention that he bad mouthed once and future teammate Mark Blount after Blount was shipped out of Boston.)

1. Andrew Bynum: Jason Kidd. Kevin Garnett. Possibly Pau Gasol.  When a team holds onto you instead of dealing for players of that caliber, you better pan out.  Especially when the Black Mamba is looming.

 

Honorable Mention: Rajon Rondo (teams are going to pressure him as he is the weak link at the point for the Celtics); Yi Jianlian (after causing such a stink he better be good); Brandan Wright (Traded for fan fave Jason Richardson, although Marco Belinelli might stem the hate); Andrei Kirilenko (he has to prove to everyone in Utah that he belongs); Chris Paul (the supposed next Isiah can't miss the playoffs three straight years); Marvin Williams (He either needs to emerge as a player or go down as a bust)

 

Posted by SoulHonky at 05:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Boston Celtics are contenders once again.  The team has more excitement around it today than it has in years.  So did Danny's plan come to fruition, was he right all along?  Not really.  In fact, it was his utter failure that helped the Celtics get to where they are today.  If it wasn't for the last two years' lottery picks, the Celtics would never have been able to position themselves as they have.

That being said, Danny Ainge definitely deserves credit for cleaning up his past mistakes.  The Raef/Roy for Ratliff/Telfair deal looked like an absolute disaster but dumping that one year of Raef's contract might have made all the difference.  And if Danny hadn't traded for Ray Allen, KG probably wouldn't have changed his stance on not wanting to come to Boston.  If it wasn't for Ray, we would have drafted Yi Jianlian and I can't see how that would have made KG any more enamored with Beantown.

In the end, Danny reminds me a bit of Erick Strickland.  People often lauded Strickland for his clutch play; he made a big steal or hit a much needed jumper whenever the game was close.  What always bothered me though was that the whole reason the game was close to begin with was because Strickland had made a couple of dumb passes earlier or forced some bad shots.  He came through in the clutch but if it wasn't for him, the C's wouldn't have needed one clutch play to save them.  Ainge has definitely come through in the end but he made his fair share of mistakes along the way. It might not have gone exactly as planned but Danny's gotten the team back near the top.

Now it all comes down to the owners.  The job is most certainly not done.  The Celtics have one of the weakest benches in the NBA.  Of course, veterans would probably be more than happy to come to play alongside KG, Pierce, and Ray Allen so recruiting them shouldn't be too hard.  The question is whether or not the owners will be willing to pay.  I don't expect Wyc and Co. to become Paul Allen or Mark Cuban but going into the luxury tax a little bit shouldn't hurt that much.  The money they make from the playoffs and jersey sales will likely make up for any extra expenditures.  And so many teams are under the cap now that the payout is only a mere 1.9 million, hardly an amount that dissuade an owner from going after a title.   

Danny Ainge had made his mistakes, learned from them, and landed himself into a position to take advantage of opportunities.  Be it a brilliant gamplan or blind luck, the Celtics are relevent again and that's all that really matters.  (Unless you're a huge Al Jefferson fan in which case this entire deal is a disaster but I'm willing to go along with the KG deal)

 Kudos to Danny.  Now let's fill up the roster and make a run at banner 17.

 

Posted by SoulHonky at 02:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Could it be that Danny Ainge could pull off a miracle?  If Danny can somehow move Big Al, Gerald, Telfair, Gomes, Theo and a pick for Kevin Garnett, it would be an absolute steal.  I'm not sure what McHale is thinking.  He'd essentially be dealing one of the top players in the NBA for the core team that went on a historic losing streak last season (and not even getting the best PG of that group).  As much as I like Big Al, how can you not go for the gold now and get KG? This deal also salvages the Raef and Roy deal because this probably would never have gone down if we were offering Raef's two years rather than Theo's expiring deal.  This has really been the perfect storm for Danny, his best young player has a great end of the year, two teams with stars decide it is time to blow up their teams, and the owners decide that they will be willing to pay the luxury tax. The old Celtics luck might just be back.

The biggest complaint about the deal would be that our depth would take a hit but let's be honest, aside from Al Jefferson, the rest of the trade fodder is easily replaced.  Telfair was third string last year, Gerald would be fighting with Tony Allen and Gabe Pruitt for minutes, and Gomes is a nice player that shouldn't be too hard to replace.  Add in the fact that veterans looking for one last run to the Finals will now see Boston as a top destination, and the deal is a winner all around.

Danny's work isn't done as he has to fill out the roster (and I'm sure most people will call for a new head coach as well), but this could be a gigantic leap in the right direction.

Posted by SoulHonky at 05:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Thankfully, the Miami Heat made a mistake that I feared the Celtics would, which was signing Smush Parker.  While many Celtics fans have been impressed by his dismantling of Delonte West, Parker's defense is overrated.  He reaches too much and struggles against quicker guards.  His point guard skills aren't very good either and his inability to thrive even in the triangle offense basically tells you everything you need to know.

What this deal does do is lower Juan Carlos "La Bomba" Navarro's trade value since the Heat were one of the top bidders for Navarro and I can't imagine that they would be interested in spending money on both Navarro and Parker.  With Ray Allen able to run the show, the Celtics wouldn't need Navarro to be a true PG so he could fit in well in Beantown, and if the price is right, he is definitely worth the risk.  The question is: how low will Washington go?  They won't want to take on any contracts in the deal so the Celtics would be looking at offering someone like Telfair, Gomes, or perhaps even the small money big man Leon Powe.  I'm sure the C's would want to give up Telfair but the Wiz would probably press for Gomes, or at least, Telfair and Powe.   In the end, the only hope I see us having is if other teams all bail out of the bidding and we're the last remaining option.  Even then though, the deal has to be somewhat enticing to the Wizards because they aren't going to hurt themselves just to help Navarro get a chance to play in the NBA. They'd probably just let him go back to Spain rather than take on someone they don't want in a deal.

Right now I think the best options for La Bomba (if dealt with one of the Wiz big men) are: Cleveland, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, or San Antonio. I'd be willing to let go of Telfair and Powe if it meant getting Navarro without having to take on a bad contract like Etan Thomas or Brendan Haywood.

 

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Allan Ray is heading to Italy.  I, for one, am happy because i just never really cared for Allan Ray's game.  He seems like a good guy but it was clear to me from early on that he was never going to anything more than a 12th man on a competent NBA franchise and I couldn't understand why we were wasting a roster spot on him. 

Granted, now he's been replaced by Brandon Wallace who also seems to be little more than a towel waver.  Hopefully Wallace will be able to become a useful player off the bench and add a defensive presence as a poor man's Renaldo Balkman but personally, I'm not holding out much hope of that happening. 

So let's bid Allan Ray arrivederci and wish him luck in his latest basketball venture.

Posted by SoulHonky at 04:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

1. Detroit Pistons: Still the team to beat although they are definitely beatable.
The Question: Can Flip Saunders get this team hitting on all cylanders?

2. Chicago Bulls: Is this the year they put it all together?
The Question: Will Luol Deng make the leap to superstar?

3. Washington Wizards: 35 - 27 when Arenas and Jamison were healthy.
The Question: Can they play enough defense to win in the playoffs?

4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Need to deal with their free agents before they get the #2 spot again.
The Question: Was last season as good as it gets for this roster?

5.New Jersey Nets: A healthy Jefferson and Krstic should give then the Atlantic crown again.
The Question: Was re-signing Vince Carter the right move?

6.Toronto Raptors: Still seem like they are a piece away.
The Question: How good is Andrea Bargnani?

7.Miami Heat: Wade probably won't be 100% at the start of the season and when is Shaq ever 100% anymore?
The Question: Is it time to trade Shaq?

8. Boston Celtics: If the team is healthy and Al Jefferson is the real deal, they should make the playoffs.
The Question: Is Al Jeffeson for real?

9. Orlando Magic: Stan Van Gundy has his work cut out for him.
The Question: How important were Grant Hill and Darko Milicic?

10. New York Knicks: Should contend for the playoffs but I just don't like their mix of talent.
The Question: Does all the talent actually fit together?

11. Milwaukee Bucks: Bogut and Villain have to show me something before I bet on this team.
The Question: Are Bogut and Mo Williams good enough to get this team to the playoffs?

12. Charlotte Bobcats:  Could surprise, more likely to get injured.
The Question: Will Sam Vincent be this year's Sam Mitchell?

13. Atlanta Hawks: I'm not sold on Mike Woodson being the man for the job.
The Question: Can Josh Smith grow up and becomes a star?

14. Indiana Pacers: If Jermaine O'Neal goes down, they could be the worst team in the league.
The Question: How good are Danny Granger and Shawne Williams?

15. Philadelphia 76ers: A lot of promise but not a lot of production this season.
The Question: Can Sam Dalembert emerge as a legit third star?

Posted by SoulHonky at 05:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Miami Heat: The bench, perimeter shooting

The Heat are won of the few East teams that has done nothing to really improve themselves this offseason. In fact, their weaknesses have just become more pronounced as the off-season wears on.  The bench depth will likely take a hit with Gary Payton seeming close to retiring and James Posey looking like he's heading elsewhere.  Jason Kapono took the money and ran to Toronto. Dorrell Wright should get more minutes at the SF spot but he can't shoot so he's not really much of a complement to Wade and Shaq.  The point guard position is especially weak with only the Jason Williams (who is starting to look a bit washed up) and Chris Quinn holding down the fort.  If the Heat don't start to make some moves soon, it will be another lost season of the Shaq Era in Miami.

Washington Wizards: Center

The Wizards really have a complete team.  The draft added two solid players in Nick Young and Dominic McGuire to help solidify the bench and Aundray Blatche and Oleksiy Pecherov (along with a healthy Darius Songaila) should be able to help out the forward spots.  The problem for the Wizards is that their center position is clogged with two overpaid underperformers, Brendan Haywood and Etan Thomas.  Neither is especially good at anything so the Wizards either need to find a cheap FA or go small with Songaila in the middle.

Orlando Magic: Guard play, bench depth

For all the hype surrounding Dwight Howard and all of the money being paid to Rashard Lewis, the Orlando Magic are only going as far as their point guard takes them which is a problem because I'm not sold on  either Jameer Nelson or Carlos Arroyo.  The shooting guard spot is actually worse off with only JJ Redick and Keith Bogans really filling that role.  Keyon Dooling can slide over to get some mintes but he's just not that good. In the end, Trevor Ariza and Hedo Turkoglu will probably have to slide over to get minutes at the spot but Turkoglu really has no business trying to handle the SG spot. Aside from Ariza, Stan Van Gundy is going to have some long nights trying to figure out how to coax even a little bit of defense out of his backcourt.

It's not like the frontcourt is much better off.  After Dwight Howard, the Magic big men are Tony Battie, Pat Garrity and James Augustine.  In fact, the one position that the Magic actually had depth at was the spot they just poured all of their money into.  The SF spot is held down by Rashard Lewis, Turkoglu, and Ariza.  Otis Smith had done a solid job setting up his team to improve, but by overinvesting in Rashard Lewis, he's now tied the franchise's hands to a point where they might not be able to get out of the Southeast division and into the playoffs.

Atlanta Hawks:Maturity, #2 scorer

If the Hawks are going to win more than 30 games this season, Josh Smith has to grow up.  The uber-talented SF could be a star in the league but seems destined to be one of the bigger headcases.  Last season he fought with Zaza Pachulia and clashed with Anthony Johnson (refusing to run set plays that the PG called).  It also would help if former #2 pick Marvin Williams figured out how to utilize his skills on the court. The Hawks also are going to rely heavily on two rookies, Al Horford moreso than Acie Law.  

Horford is likely going to have to step in and be the #2 scoring option since he should have a better post presence than Smith.  If Horford is as NBA-ready as scouts liked to this, he could give Atlanta a consistent threat in the half-court offense, which the team sorely lacked last season.  On paper, the Hawks have a very solid roster, lacking only one more legit center to backup Zaza Pachulia.  Whether the young guys are ready and if Mike Woodsen can bring the talent together is the main question.

Charlotte Bobcats: PG play, young players need to emerge

If the Bobcats are going to make the playoffs, Raymond Felton has to blossom ala Chris Paul and Deron Williams (or at least a somewhat close approximation), Sean May has to stay healthy, and Adam Morrison has to play like an actual NBA player.  Needless to say, the odds of either of those are looking slim. Felton and Morrison's outside shots are particularly important because while Gerald Wallace and Jason Richardson have improved their jumpshots throughout their career, neither is particularly consistent and most teams will pack the paint and force Charlotte to make them pay from the perimeter.  Sean May's perimeter shot is actually solid but it's not much use if he's on the bench in street clothes.

In the end, the Bobcats need to hedge their bets and go after a good backup point guard and one more good low post player if they want to make it to the playoffs this year.

Posted by SoulHonky at 04:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Miwaukee Bucks: Defense; Frontcourt consistency

Why the Bucks passed on Corey Brewer or Joakim Noah for Yi Jianlian will never make sense to me.  The Bucks are in dire need of defensive help and either Gator would have helped immensely.  Yi might be very good but he doesn't really add anything that the team isn't getting out of Charlie Villanueva and Andrew Bogut. Desmond Mason was a solid signing at 2 years, 11 million but I don't see him solving the Bucks' defensive issues.

Yi and Mason also won't do much to help the Bucks' offensive issues this season either.  While Michael Redd and Mo Williams were solid (when healthy), Milwaukee never knew what to expect out of Bogut or Villanueva.  Those two need to improve their consistency and their output altogether.  Those two averaged 23 points a game last season combined.  They need to up that by at least 50% if the Bucks want to get back to the playoffs next season.

Indiana Pacers: Three point shooting, guard play

For all the terrible moves that Larry Bird has made, hiring Jim O'Brien to lead the team might salvage the wreck.  The problem, though, is that the Pacers don't have enough three point shooters to effectively run Obie's offense.  After Troy Murphy and Danny Granger, the Pacers don't really have anyone who can nail the three.  Mike Dunleavy Jr. shot a putrid 28% last season. The Travis Diener signing could help out but when you're relying on Travis Diener, your playoff hopes are probably not so good.

While a Jermaine O'Neal, Troy Murphy, Danny Granger frontcourt isn't too bad, the backcourt leaves a lot to be desired.  Jamaal Tinsley is incosistent when he's healthy and  the backup is either Darrell Armstrong or Travis Diener.  Both are OK but are better suited for the third PG slot.  The shooting guard slot is even worse.  Marquis Daniels is solid but not a good fit for the Pacers and the only other true shooting guard is the recently signed Kareem Rush. If Jermaine O'Neal isn't traded now, I can't imagine that we won't be hearing trade demands out of Indy come the trade deadline.

Chicago Bulls: Post scoring

The decision to deal LaMarcus Aldridge for Tyrus Thomas will likely haunt the Bulls for some time.  While  Thomas showed an improved jumpshot during this year's summer league, that's not what the Bulls needed. The draft yieled Joakim Noah who seems more like Ben Wallace's heir apparent than someone who'll complement Wallace in the coming years. Joe Smith is a solid signing but isn't the answer. Neither is second round pick Aaron Gray.  The Bulls still have one of the best teams in the East but until they add someone who they can depend on in a half-court offense, they won't be seeing the Finals.

Cleveland Cavaliers: 2nd star, re-signing their free agents

While Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Donyell Marshall, and Daniel Gibson are solid running mates for LeBron James, he's still a Batman without a Robin.  As it is now, head coach Mike Brown has to preach defense because he knows that his team won't be able to run with the elite teams in the NBA.  Danny Ferry needs to get LeBron a #2 star or else the Cavs will never be able to get past whichever Western Conference foe they meet in the Finals.  Also, the team needs to re-sign Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic or find a way to replace them.  If they let those two walk, I doubt the Cavaliers will be picked by many to be the team to beat in their division, let alone the Eastern Conference.

Detroit Pistons: Focus, minutes from the youth

The key to the Pistons is whether the veterans come together and make a real push towards winning.  Last year, the Pistons seemed more focused on yelling at Flip Saunders than giving that extra effort to win games.

One thing that could help the Pistons regain some of their attitude will be a push by the young players to get minutes and help the team.  Jason Maxiell, Amir Johnson and rookie Rodney Stuckey seem the most likely to get minutes and help the team win.  If these players can mature to inject some youthful exuberance into the Pistons lineup, Detroit should be back in the NBA finals.  If there are any finals pieces the team could use, its a shooter off of the bench and one more big body off of the pine.

Posted by SoulHonky at 05:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Eastern Conference is wide open.  There really isn't a single team that isn't looking to make a playoff push this season.  However, while every team has a reason to expect improvement, they also all have weaknesses that could cause them to fall short of their goals.  While most teams have made their main moves this offseason, how teams address these weaknesses could hold the key to their fates this season.

Toronto Raptors: Consistent #2 scorer; Perimeter Defense

While Chris Bosh is the franchise, no player is more important than Andrea Bargnani.  If Bargnani doesn't improve his game and take over the #2 role by the playoffs this year, the Raptors will likely find themselves sent home in the first round once again. That being said, even if Bargnani does improve, it might not matter. 

The Raptors couldn't stop Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, and Richard Jefferson in the playoffs and they couldn't stop new Atlantic division arrival Ray Allen in the regular season (32 points a game on better than 50% shooting).  While Jason Kapono and Carlos Delfino makes sense on offense but neither is going to help the Raptors fill their need of a defensive stopper at the swing position. The team probably should look into adding a guy like Mickeal Pietrus to hold down the shooting guard spot. 

New Jersey Nets: The post

Relying on Sean Williams and Jamaal Magloire in the post is a recipe for... well, the same results the Nets have had ever since Kenyon Martin left.  Williams and Magloire are solid but Williams needs to mature and Magloire has matured too much.  Nenad Krstic is a very good prospect but he is more of a high post big man on a team filled with shooters. The Nets probably should have pressed a little harder on the Sean May deal (they offered the #17 for him).  In the end, they will likely have to bite the bullet and deal Richard Jefferson for a legit big man if they are ever going to make it back to the NBA Finals.  

Philadelphia 76ers: Maturity; Power Forward, post scoring, perimeter shooting

On paper, the 76ers have filled most of their needs but the problem is that most of the solutions are young players who won't be ready to help out much next season.  The biggest need is a legit PF.  Jason Smith hardly seems like the answer and Thaddeus Young seems more like a SF than a PF.  Sam Dalembert is solid at center but the team needs a PF to help get them good high percentage shots in the half court. Rodney Carney, Thad Young, and Louis Williams could answer the perimeter shooting problems but right now, only Kyle Korver is truly reliable behind the arc. 

Billy King has put together a nice assortment of talent but he has to figure out a way to make them fit together as a cohesive unit.  While he did wonders for the Sixers after coming over in the Iverson deal, Andre Miller might serve them better as a trade asset. This team is a year or two away from making a leap and 'Dre will probably be gone or on the decline by that point.

New York Knicks: Ball movement, Perimeter shooting, defense.

The flow of the Knicks offense will dictate their success this season.  If the ball bogs down in the paint (which it could since neither Eddy Curry nor Zach Randolph is a good passer) or if the guards devolve into shoot first, remember passing is an option second mode, it's going to be a long season in NYC.  Isiah might be able to work out this issue amongst his players but then the issue becomes, can anyone hit an open shot if the ball comes their way?  The Knicks are in desperate need of a consistent outside threat who can keep defenses from clogging the paint.

As for defense, the Knicks have some good defenders on the bench but figuring out a rotation to keep them involved (while not having them become liabilities on defense) will be Isiah's toughest task.  Renaldo Balkman could be up for an All-Defense team this year but his lack of a shot makes it hard to play him at the three.  David Lee is a very good young player but will battle for time with Z-Bo. The Knicks have a lot of individual talent but it will take a masterful coaching job to bring it all together into a winning team.  Most likely, the Knicks are going to have to deal a couple of their young prospects to make this all come together.

Boston Celtics: Defense, Point guard

With Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Al Jefferson, the Celtics have a good mix of firepower.  The problem is that these guys will have to be firing on all cylanders every night because the Celtics don't really seem like they are built to stop anyone on defense.  While Rondo is solid and Perk, when healthy, can help, overall the team is going to have to embrace team defense like it did with Jim O'Brien.  Can Doc Rivers and his assistants pull that off?

Rondo seems like a nice talent but he probably isn't ready to run the point for a playoff-caliber team. I'm just not sure whether he is at the stage where he can go toe-to-toe with TJ Ford, Jason Kidd, Stephon Marbury, and Andre Miller. The backups, Sebastian Telfair and Gabe Pruitt, don't instill much confidence either.  If the Celtics are going to get the most out of the Pierce/Allen era, Danny Ainge has to find a veteran point guard to help lead the way. 

 

Posted by SoulHonky at 02:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Fans rooted for their teams to lose in order to get a better shot at Greg Oden and Kevin Durant.  The term "contract season" is now commonplace because so many players work harder when it's time to sign a new deal (and often go right back into the tank once they make their millions).  Players who are so washed up that they have to be bought out of their contracts often resurface on title contenders and seem rejuvenated.  To act like basketball is some beacon of ethics is laughable and the fact that a ref was influencing games is a definite concern that much be addressed immediately, it isn't much of a surprise.

And honestly, it's not an issue that will destroy the NBA either.  Many people have been pointing to the Suns-Spurs Game 3 as evidence of Donaghy's influence but many of the bad calls or missed fouls were on Eddie F. Rush. If Eddie F. Rush isn't named as one of Tim Donaghy's co-conspirators does that make things any better?  Is it better that the fate of the series was affected by Rush's incompetence than Donaghy's dishonesty?  And it's not like anybody thought referees were completely even-handed before this.  Rookie calls.  Superstar treatment.  Home team advantage.  Something was ALWAYS affecting how games were being officiated.  How many times have you heard someone moan "Oh, that ref is doing the game? We're screwed." Hell, Covers.com has an entire breakdown of officials to help gamblers out. (Home teams fared poorly with Donaghy) Is having a corrupt official a problem?  Of course.  They need to weed out the zebras on the take and make face-saving moves to appease the masses.  In the end, this is little more than a perception problem and one that I personally am not all wound up about.

The funny thing about this is that people are up in arms about the NBA... as if cheating like this doesn't go on in every sport.  You think that there aren't any MLB umpires on the take?  Some NFL officials aren't slipped some bills to give a team a favorable spot or call a pass interference to help out a drive?  As long as millions are being bet on games, bookies will look for ways to fix the games to their advantage.  It's the nature of high profile sports.  If people want to really make a stand against this type of thing, they should stop betting on the games (and ESPN should stop posting the betting lines for every game).  But you know what, I'll keep doing the office pool for football and betting on fights so I just don't feel like I can damn the NBA when I'm doing my part to keep the criminals interested in it.

What does Veronika Zemanova have to do with any of this?  Nothing.  I'm just tired of seeing Donaghy's mug everywhere. 

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Outlaws are the list of Summer League free agents who should be able to find a spot on a team's bench this year.  Not all of them will be perfect fits for the C's but these are guys who deserve a second look from NBA GM's. Unfortunately, what happens in Vegas might just stay in Vegas and they'll face another year of being basketball vagabonds although they probably deserve a shot. (Note: Brandon Wallace and Kelenna Azubuike have been signed so they aren't included in the list.)

G: Aaron Miles
Miles has had a solid career overseas and definitely know how to run the point.  He also knows that he can't shoot.  He rarely looked for his own shot and attempted zero three pointers in the summer league.  However, after a bad first game, he showed what he can do amassing 23 assists and only 1 turnover for the rest of the Summer. With so many teams looking for a backup point guard, it would be hard to imagine that Miles couldn't find a spot at somebody's camp.

G: Pierre Pierce
How does a talented 6'4 combo guard get ignored by the NBA? First, have a shaky three point shot. Second, get sentenced to two years in prison for assaulting your girlfriend.  Pierre definitely doesn't fit the Celtics' new Code of Conduct but he's an undeniable talent.  He had a solid summer league but his questionable range and even more questionable background could keep him in the D-League.

G: Von Wafer
Only 22, Von Wafer will get a shot from someone in this league but he could be another Joe Forte: a talented scorer who can't get focus on the rest of the game enough to stick in the league. 

F: Brandon Bass
Bass was a great prospect at LSU.  The SEC Player of the Year in 2005, Bass was one of the players that many critics said "came out too early".  The problem, of course, was the Bass's stock wasn't going to get any higher.  Not only was he not a lock to repeat as the POY in the SEC, but he wasn't even assured a starting spot.  Glen "Big Baby" Davis was a promising young player on the Tigers, who also had a top recruit named Tyrus Thomas joining the squad. The Hornets drafted Bass #33 but history repeated itself.  After Bass's rookie year, the Hornets traded for Tyson Chandler and drafted Hilton Armstrong and Cedric Simmons, all but eliminating any hope of playing time for Brandon.  Still only 22, he showed himself to be a solid player in the summer and should be a big body at the end of an NBA rotation.

F: Rodney White
A bust? Yes. A guy who can score in the NBA? Yes. White will never live up to his expectations but like fellow lotto bust DerMarr Johnson, White should be able to find a home in his league.  His attitude and defense will be what keeps him from reaching that goal.

F: Alexander Johnson
A rugged forward in the Leon Powe mold, Johnson was recently waived by Memphis but should latch on with another team. 

F: Nik Caner-Medley
A shooter who can also help out on the boards, Caner-Medley would be a specialist in the NBA.  If he can show the ability to consistently hit the NBA three-pointer, some team might find a spot for him. While Nik isn't as good as Jason Kapono, the Heat might want to look at him to replace their marksmam.

C: Noel Felix
Felix is like many Fresno State alums: talented, athletic, questionable game sense, and no real position.  A 6'9 center, Felix is a very good defender who also has surprising range on his jumper.  His lack of height will likely mean that he will forever be a training camp invite/one of the final cuts but soon some team should give him a legit shot at the pros.

C: Dwayne Jones
The ex-Celtic deserves a spot at the end of the bench although his decision making and hands might keep that from happening.  Jones is a solid defender with a so-so offensive game and seems to be the typical D-leaguer who has solid skills but no one strength that makes his useful to an NBA squad.

C: Justin Williams
More of a PF than a center, Williams is a solid defender and good rebounder with good enough offensive game.  He's somewhat reminiscent of fellow Wyoming alum Theo Ratliff.  A restricted free agent, the Kings should re-sign him but they might not be able to now that they overpaid Mikki Moore.

C: Jelani McCoy
A veteran big man, McCoy is solid in every facet and even had a solid season in Toronto, averaging 7/5 in 20 minutes for the Raptors. He just needed to get stronger to find a place in the league.  He never did so he's bounced around but would be a good person to fill Mikki Moore's shoes on the Nets.   

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was the Big Baby show today.  Granted, he was working against sub-par talent but he still was very impressive.  The Mavericks really have to be wondering why they took Nick Fazekas over him.  Gabe Pruitt didn't really stand out much.  I think his offensive abilities will be put to better use when he is teamed with someone like Ray Allen. 

Hopefully, Allan Ray has played his last game as a Celtic.  I wouldn't be stunned if Gerald Green wasn't in green at the start of the season.  As much as I'd like to give Gerald one more year to grow, I don't think we can realistically improve this team's needs without giving him up.  The downside, of course, is that his value has got to be very low.  He basically was outplayed by guys like Reyshawn Terry and David Noel in the summer league.

Brandon Wallace didn't play much and while he's shown flases, I'm not exactly sold on him as an NBA player. I don't think it was necessary for the team to sign him right now since he seems to be a 10th man.  With the team being so close to the luxury tax, I'm not sure we have money to burn on the likes of Wallace.

Posted by SoulHonky at 11:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A nice showing for Gabe Pruitt although I still wouldn't be comfortable relying him for many minutes this season.  Brandon Wallace had his moments although he needs to get bigger to truly be effective.  Right now, he's looking like a poor man's Renaldo Balkman. Big Baby definitely has skills but we really need to see how he fits in an offense.

Gerald Green was Gerald Green.  For all of his gifts, his trademark has become the single frustrated clap.  I never want to see him do that ever again.  He desperately needs to bulk up.  If he had a body like David Noel's, I think he could be a servicable player.

I still want Allan Ray gone.  I see no reason to pick up his option (which comes due  at the end of this month).

The problem Leon Powe might be facing in the regular season was embodied by Noel Felix.  Even a guy with Felix's quickness seemed to be more effective against Leon.  Powe still had a solid game but he still seems like a garbageman as opposed to a defensive stopper. 

All in all, a solid game and a nice showing from Pruitt and Wallace. 

Posted by SoulHonky at 02:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Celtics have a roster full of talented young players but they may need to clean house in order to bring in some guys who will fill the team's needs, most notably, on the defensive end. Some future picks (probably second round) might need to be thrown into some of these deals to convince the other teams to pull the trigger but I think, in the end, it will be worth it.  

Trade Sebastian Telfair, Kendrick Perkins, and Glen "Big Baby" Davis for Anthony Johnson, Zaza Pachulia

Telfair goes to Atlanta where he could fit in and should have zero expectations on him.  Perkins gives the Hawks a young defensive minded big man who won't try to strangle Josh Smith while Big Baby could be a nice complement to Smith and Marvin Williams. 

Trade Gerald Green and Brian Scalabrine for Robert Swift 

Swift has talent but has been slowed by injured while Green fills a need at the shooting guard spot and Veal is a solid veteran to help the young guys. Giving up Gerald is a risk but I just don't think he's ever going to get it. I'd wait until training camp to make this deal so to give Green one more chance at impressing the coaches and also to make sure Swift is healthy.

Trade Theo Ratliff and Leon Powe for Kwame Brown

While Brown's attitude leaves something to be desired, he's actually a very solid defender and perhaps some time with Clifford Ray could help hone his game.  This deal might be the Celtics sliding in as the third team in a bigger deal for the Lakers but since Kwame is looked upon as little more than an expiring contract, he should easily be had for a bruiser down low, Leon Powe.

Sign Kelenna Azubuike and Devin Brown

Azubuike and Brown are solid backup swingmen who can handle themselves on both ends of the court and should be able to handle big minutes at the 2 and 3.  The Celtics leave one roster spot open so that

 

Line-Up

C:  Zaza Pachulia, Robert Swift

PF: Al Jefferson,  Kwame Brown, Ryan Gomes

SF: Paul Pierce, Kelenna Azubuike, Brandon Wallace

SG: Ray Allen, Devin Brown, Tony Allen

PG: Anthony Johnson, Rajon Rondo, Gabe Pruitt 

Financially, Zaza makes as much as Perkins so that is a wash and Anthony Johnson, Kwame Brown, and Robert Swift are all expiring contracts.  The Celtics have to give up a lot of their young talent but they hold onto Rondo and clear out a little more cap room for next season.  Having first shot at Robert Swift and Kwame will help the Celtics shot at keeping the young big men and worse case scenario, the C's might be able to either get a trade exception or someone back in a sign-and-trade.  For next season, the Celtics add a veteran point guard and better defense at most every position.

Posted by SoulHonky at 02:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

There's only so much that you can tell from a game like this.  China was overmatched from the outset and simply wasn't good enough to hang with the Celtics.  Still, some players maintained their level of play and starred while others seemed to play down to the competition.

When it was announced that Sun Yue was going to start at PG, I knew Rondo was going to have a great game.  Yue is a talented kid but he's too slow to guard NBA point guards.  It's odd that the Lakers drafted him because he's essentially a poor man's Sasha Vujacic (who they don't seem to be overly pleased with).  Rondo looked good at the start, taking the ball to the whole and taking advantage of the mismatch.  He got a little sloppier as the game wore on but overall it was a nice effort from Rajon.

On the downside, Allan Ray is probably playing himself off of the Celtics.  Well, maybe that's not a bad thing because I wanted to waive him last season.  Ray is a solid player but I just don't see any reason to keep him around.  The same might be said for Gerald Green.  Gerald still has all the promise in the world but he still looks completely lost out there and hasn't been able to put it together at all.  The fact that he still hasn't figured out how to start a drive without being called for travelling is very disconcerting and for a great shooter, he doesn't seem to make that many. While I'm afraid of selling low on Gerald, I just don't think this team can afford to go into this up-coming season depending on heavy minutes off the pine from Green.

Leon Powe was a monster and Big Baby showed signs of life.  I'm not sure about Davis as a NBA power forward and still think Josh McRoberts would have been a better selection.  Still, he's talented and could find a niche in the NBA.  Brandon Wallace didn't fill up the stat sheet but he looked good on the defensive end.  He could be a nice fit on a team that is going to need to thrive on team defense.  Gabe Pruitt also looked solid enough on D but didn't show much else.  As for Powe, he's the garbageman supreme, always getting the loose ball and finishing up any missed shots, and after watching him handle Yi and Team China, I feel like he really blew it by coming to the Celtics.  He should have gone overseas a couple of years, ruled the Chinese Basketball Association, and come back as Powe Lee Ahn.  He'd have been a lotto pick.

The best thing to come out of this game though was the fact that Yi Jianlian, a guy we might have drafted at #5 had we kept it, looked absolutely horrifiic.  For all of the excuses the announcers gave him, there's no way that a guy who is supposed to be athletic and uber-skilled should be shut down by the likes of Powe, Davis, Wallace, etc.  Yi's supposed jump-shot hasn't been seen for most of the summer and while he seems to have some nice post moves, they never seem to move him towards the basket.  He'll shimmy a bit and still be stuck with his man ready to swat his shot.  On defense, he's almost useless.  He had a nice weakside block but more often than not, guards get past him or he commits a foul.  On the boards, he's almost always boxed out, be it the offensive or defensive glass.  He's looking like a 22 year old project (since nobody but the announcers believe he's actually 19) and a guy who'll likely be riding the pine this year in Milwaukee. 

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NBA salary cap was recently announced and the luxury tax only moved up to 67.8 million which doesn't do the Celtics any favors.  After signing Brandon Wallace, the Celtics' payroll is now at 64.4 million.  If we don't pick up Allan Ray's option then the Celtics will be around 63.8.

In terms of future moves, the Celtics could sign someone for about two or three million.  I doubt that the owners will let Ainge go right to the tax limit because if they do, and something goes wrong during the season, the team won't be able to sign anyone to a 10 day contract or else it will put the Celtics over the tax and cost them the revenue sharing that sub-lux tax teams get a piece of.

So basically, the only hope this team has to make even minor changes is via trade. The problem there, of course, is that the Celtics' assets aren't that valuable right now.  In order to get a good point guard, the Celtics will likely have to deal Rajon Rondo.  Perhaps the C's could acquire a capable backup for less than that but we'd be lucky if an Anthony Johnson-level player came that cheaply.  With so many teams looking for backup point guards, it is unlikely to be a buyers market.  Gerald Green wouldn't almost certainly have to be dealt to bring in a big man of middling quality.  

Theo Ratliff's contract loses some value because, whlie other teams might be more anxious to dump a bad contract, the Celtics can't exactly afford to add salary in fear of being over the tax for next season.  Odds are, Ratliff will likely be held onto and Ainge will look to investigate trades at the deadline when more teams might be looking to rebuild and dump a quality player just to get rid of the contract.

In the end, Danny Aingeg is going to have to trade better than he ever has before in order to upgrade the current roster.  And since most teams understand the predicament the Celtics are in, it's unlikely that we'll have any leverage in any trade talks.

Posted by SoulHonky at 06:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Current Center: Kendick Perkins, Brian Scalabrine

Big Al will likely see a lot of minutes in the middle but the Celtics still need to add a big man who's capable of defending guys like Chris Bosh, Nenad Krstic, and other quick big men.  If they can't get that, at the very least they need a big man who can be an improvement on Perkins, who is solid defensively but can't stay on the floor whether it be injuries or fouls.

The Main Target: Zaza Pachulia (A strong defender and a no-nonsense guy,  He's not that quick but he's probably the best we can afford. Pachulia might be on the block now that the Hawks have Horford and Shelden Williams on the roster.  He's good not great and might not cost too much to acquire.)

Possible Additions: The Odd Man Out in Seattle (Swift, Petro,  and Sene are all solid but are all projects); Darko Milicic (It would take a sign-and-trade but we might be able to roll the dice on Darko who Clifford Ray is a big fan of); Joel Pryzbilla (makes too much, looked terrible last year, but is fairly young and has talent); Aaron Williams (getting older but a solid defender and could come cheaply); Primoz Brezec (a lousy defender but a solid offensive player); Radoslav Nesterovic (two more years on overpaid contract, solid but not great, might not cost too much); Etan Thomas (solid defender but overpaid and just not all that great); Rafael Arraujo (hard worked who's improved to being just sub-par instead of terrible); Jamaal Magloire (solid defensively but bad knees have sapped most of his usefulness); Chris Mihm (Solid but unspectacular and injury prone); Jared Reiner (six fouls); Mikki Moore (we had him once; I'm not sure he's that good sans Jason Kidd); Marc Jackson (Bad on defense but helps the offense); Earl Barron (Solid backup but inexperienced); Jackie Butler (More of an offensive player than defensive, inexperienced); Michael Olowokandi (if it ain't going to get fixed, why change what's broke?)

Longshots:Marcus Camby (the Nuggets would have to be looking to really dump contracts for next to nothing for us to have a shot at Camby); Jeff Foster (Good defender but the Pacers need him and I could see him starting for Jim O'Brien); P.J. Brown (Not much left in the tank and I can't see him thinking the Celtics is a great place to end his career); Dikembe Mutombo (a nice fit but another guy I can't see looking at Beantown to close his career); Dan Gadzuric (Solid but overpaid, the C's can't handle his contract); Sam Dalembert (Camby-like situation in which Sixers would want to just get rid of his contract)

Posted by SoulHonky at 06:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Current Power Forward: Al Jefferson, Leon Powe, Glen "Big Baby" Davis

Obviously, Ryan Gomes will see his fair share of minutes at this spot with Jefferson moving to the center position.  The key for Gomes, and the Celtics big men, is how well he can fare on defense.  The Atlantic division is going to throw a number of looks at the Celtics and while Perkins and Powe should be able to handle their own against the Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph duo in New York, it's yet to be seen if the Celtics have anyone who can match with the more athletic, inside-outside duo in Toronto.

The Main Target: Gerald Wallace (Wallace is more of a SF but he can play the PF in spots and would be a nice complement to Al Jefferson.  The issue, of course, is that in such a weak free agent class, he could demand more money than the C's can afford)

Possible Additions: Tim Thomas (Lousy contract, questionable attitude, but has a game to complement Jefferson and has done well as a team defender alongside Ray Allen in the past); Eduardo Najera (More of a SF than PF, he plays bigger than he is and hustles.  Also can do a solid job defending quicker PF's and is an intelligent team defender); Joe Smith (Smith is battling against time but is a solid big man with good enough perimeter skills); Maceo Baston (honed his skills overseas and is a solid, cheap backup big man); Hakim Warrick (More of a small forward, needs to bulk up and work on his perimeter game); Lawrence Roberts (a hard worker but not much different from Leon Powe); Brian Skinner (a hard working veteran who will shore up the frontline but, again, doesn't add any different dimension to the roster); Justin Williams (A good defensive player and rebounder, Williams is lanky and not all that athletic); Shareef Abdur-Rahim (On the end of his career, he could be a solid addition but his defense is questionable); Erik Daniels (US player who's been playing overseason; solid all-aound game)

Longshots: Aundray Blatche (Blatche is more of a SF in a PF body. He has a ton of potential and a game that would complement Big Al on offense but he's horrific on defense and it would cost a good amount of money to steal him away from the Wizards); Yi Jianlian (Much like Blatche, Jianlian would be a nice complement offensively and a step in the wrong direction defensively); Reggie Evans (Nice role player but nothing spectacular); Stromile Swift (All-world athleticism and that's it.  Solid but not dependable); 

 

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Current Small Forward: Paul Pierce, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes

Tony Allen can swing over to the SF spot but this position isn't as set as most people like to think.  Gerald is still raw and Gomes is a 'tweener who struggles to stay in front of quicker small forwards.  The C's need a guy who can stay with the more athletic small forwards iike Richard Jefferson.  The biggest issue, though, is that this position isn't the biggest issue.  With the C's looking more for help at the backup point guard or big man, the team might not have money to spend on a second- or even third-tier swingman.

The Main Target: Desmond Mason (Can't shoot but is a very strong defender; probably will cost more than the C's can afford on a SF)

Possible Additions: Ime Udoka (a good defender with an imprroving shot, the 29 year old is a nice guy to have off he bench); Brandon Wallace (a high energy rookie who needs to learn the SF spot after being a PF for most of his career);  Devean George (a veteran who can help out defensively); James Singleton (A solid player who is still learning the pro game);  Marquis Daniels (Struggled this season and is overpaid but is a good defender);

Longshots:Matt Barnes (a nice addition on both ends of the floor, Barnes probably won't leave Golden State unless a team makes a rich offer); Ruben Patterson (a strong defender and underrated offensive player, Wyc's Code of Conduct will probably nix bringing in a registered sex offender); Corey Maggette (Limited range, questionable hoops IQ but a gifted scorer who is on the outs in L.A.); Ron Artest (Great talent, greater headcase); Al Harrington (Overpaid but he's a solid player and a nice sixth man);  Travis Outlaw (A guy who still hasn't been able to put it all together, might not have the head for the game.);

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The C's blew out the Blazers and made Greg Oden's debut one to forget.  That being said, Kwame Brown's summer league debut was very impressive so you never can tell.  That being said, here are the intial reactions from the first game from Vegas.

Rajon Rondo was a notch above everyone not named LaMarcus Aldridge (who was a couple notches above even Rondo). His shot doesn't look much better but I'm not expecting him to ever be a good shooter.  

Gerald Green still looks lost.  His handle has improved but he still doesn't seem to be a better, or more importantly, smarter player.  On the bright side, he looks much better than Martell Webster.

Leon Powe did what he does and looked great in doing it.  He's never going to be a star but he's definiltey someone that you want to have on your bench.  Allan Ray looked better in the second half but I personally don't see why we should spend a roster space on him.

Brandon Wallace (pictured left, from his college days) had an impressive game and seems like he has some potential, but with fifteen players already under contract, it looks like he'll have to be even better to find a spot on this roster.  Even if he makes the team, I don't see Wallace as being anything more than D-League fodder for this season. 

Josh McRoberts looks like he might have been a better fit than Big Baby.  While Josh didn't get a lot of minutes, the defense and passing he did show made more of an impression than anything Davis did.  Gabe Pruitt looked solid and should be a nice player off of the bench.  Taurean Green also seemed like he was an NBA point guard, although his lacks of a shot and athleticism might make it hard for him to make a roster.

Posted by SoulHonky at 05:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Current Shooting Guarda: Ray Allen, Tony Allen, Allan Ray

Ray is the man at the two but the other Allen might be just as important.  Tony's defense could be key and if he can't come back from his injury, the Celtics will be in trouble when it comes to stopping opposing shooting guards.  While team defense is important, nothing beats having even a semi-lock down defender. While its fun to have Ray Allen and Allan Ray, I don't really see any reason to keep the second year player.

The Main Target: Kelenna Azubuike: Azuibuike is a former teammate of Rajon Rondo who came out too early but has continued to improve his game.  A solid defender and very good three point shooter, he could be this year's Matt Barnes.  With holes at the PG and frontcourt, the C's can't afford to spend a lot on a backup shooting guard and Azubuike should be the best bargain.

Possible Additions: Devin Brown (A solid all-around player); Sasha Pavlovic (a solid but flawed 2-guard who stepped up defensively in the playoffs); CJ Miles (basically, a smarter but less athletic Gerald Green)

Longshots: Mickeal Pietrus (Only 25, Pietrus has the potential to be a great defender but he will probably cost too much to sign); Morris Peterson (Skills seem to be in decline and he wouldn't help on defense); DeShawn Stevenson (Still only 26, a stopper on defense with an improving but still erratic offensive game, is likely looking for a payday after screwing up contract negoatiations last year)

Posted by SoulHonky at 04:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Current Point Guards: Rajon Rondo, Sebastian Telfar, Gabe Pruitt.

Rajon Rondo adds good defense and is a high energy player the likes of the Celtics haven't really had at the point in some time. Gabe Pruitt could be the Erick Strickland of the current Celtics, a combo guard who can defend and knock down the three while doing a decent job of running the point. I wish Sebastian Telfair the best but he simply isn't going to get a shot here in Boston.  In order for a young point guard to get the most out of his talents, the one thing he has to have is confidence and I don't see Bassy ever regaining his confidence here in Boston.  He need to go somewhere where, for the first time in his career, he can focus on learning to play point guard as opposed to trying to live up to the expecations of being (or being traded for) a lottery pick.  In Bassy's place, the Celtics need a veteran point guard who can help restart the offense if the half-court offense breaks down.  Ideally, this point guard would also be solid defensively and could take advantage of mismatches with other point guards. 

The Main Target: Atlanta's Anthony Johnson.  It might seem odd that the best option for the Celtics comes from a team that was notorious for needing a point guard but the veteran Johnson has playoff experience, can run a team, hit the three, and defend. Johnson also has the size at 6'3 to defend shooting guards and he could open up the C's options for running smallball lineups. Johnson is signed for one more year but with Acie Law IV set to take the reins, he might not cost much to acquire.  The Hawks obtained him for just a second round pick.

Possible Additions: Ty Lue (Johnson's teammate is a great option but injuries and age are starting to wear him down); Earl Watson (Defensive minded point guard who makes too much money and turns the ball over a little too often); Brevin Knight (a solid albeit injury prone guard who has a history of time-sharing with young prospects (Andre Miller/Raymond Felton) Unlike Lue and AJ, he's a free agent); Sam Cassell (close to being washed up, he's got just enough in the tank for one more run.  He's the Clippers only PG.  We might have to take back Tim Thomas's contract to get him); Chucky Atkins (statistically a solid backup but he has more flaws than he does strengths); Rafer Alston (the Rox traded for Mike James and drafted Aaron Brooks so the overpaid, streaky shooting Alston might come cheap.  Still he's a last resort)

Longshots: Chris Duhon (an overall solid point guard, Chicago isn't likely to give him up for the little we'd be offering); Devin Harris/Jason Terry (Dallas is supposedly looking to deal one of these guards but again, the Celtics don't have much to offer); Steve Blake (solid guard looking to return to Portland for a good chunk of change); Chauncey Billups (likely to return to Detroit); Darrell Armstrong (a good PG with ties to Doc, at age 39 he's more of a third stringer than someone you want to be relying on for 20 minutes a game); Mo Williams (a good young PG who's looking for 10 million a year); Jannero Pargo (Decent defender but is a gunner and hardly a steadying force at the point); Carlos Arroyo (Looks the part but hasn't put it together. His team defense is questionable); Jarrett Jack (the Blazers are chock full of point guards and are looking to add Steve Blake back in the mix.  They dumped Zach Randolph for nothing, maybe Jack could be a bargain); Mike Bibby (a big name with a declining game and big contract); Luke Ridnour (they wanted the #11 pick for him, too high a price to pay); Mike Wilks (solid journeyman PG but more of a #3 guard); Jose Calderon (probably will cost too much to acquire)

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Love him or hate him, Antoine Walker made Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics better.  When Danny Ainge took over, he felt that Antoine had a "hold" over this team and that that influence wasn't necessarily a positive one.  What Danny has found in the years sans Antoine is that while Walker's influence was undeniably flawed, the positive aspects of his presence were difficult to replace.

The Celtics first post-Antoine era focused on making Paul Pierce the man and having him be the hub of the offense.  Complementary players like Raef Lafrentz and Ricky Davis were brought in to help Pierce, who would direct the team to greatness.  Obviously, this didn't pan out.  While The Truth is a terrific player, he is better off when he can focus on scoring and doesn't also have to be the key decision maker on the floor.  The Celtics added the remnants of Gary Payton the next year but even that wasn't enough.  When Antoine came back in 2004-5, not only did the Celtics (26 - 27 at the time of the deal) rattle off a 19 - 10 record to close the regular season, but Paul Pierce's game also improved, most notably his three point shooting which rose 13 points (from 32% to 45%).  Unfortunately, the negative aspects of Antoine arose in the playoffs and after an embarrassing loss to the Pacers (and contract demands that weren't in line with his declining skills), Antoine's second stay in Beantown was over.

Heading into Post-Antoine Era #2, Danny Ainge realized that he needed to team Pierce with someone who was capable of handling the decision-making while also helping out as the #2 opton.  Danny opted for Wally Szczerbiak who, unfortunately, was never able to fill Antoine's shoes. Wally might have been a capable decision-maker but he was never healhy enough to take over that position and, even worse, he never seemed to earn Pierce's confidence. Whenever the going got tough, Paul Pierce got going.  He didn't seem to consider Wally as a viable second-in-command and often took on the opposition by himself. Pierce's one man shows, while, at times, impressive, usually featured forced shots and bad turnovers.  What Antoine gave the Celtics wasn't just a person who could run the show but also someone that had Pierce's trust and could help keep him focused.  Wally simply wasn't good enough and didn't have that connection. 

Enter Ray Allen.  

Ray Allen has the potential to be everything Antoine Walker was to Paul Pierce.  His hoops IQ and passing ability makes him a perfect cog for the Celtics offense and he's a hard-working veteran and the best player Pierce has teamed with which should earn Pierce's trust.  The one thing that Ray Allen doesn't match Antoine rebounding and he isn't the interior presence that Antoine could be (although more often than not Employee #8 eschewed this for the perimeter).

That's where Al Jefferson comes in. Jefferson should more than make up for Antoine's rebounding and, even better, is a true post power forward who is capable of operating down low without getting half of his shots blocked.  While Antoine could play both inside and outside, Jefferson is better inside and Allen is better outside.  Also, having Jefferson and Allen means that there is one more defender who'll be occupied, freeing up Paul Pierce even more.

Injuries are still a concern for both Ray and Jefferson (not to mention Pierce) but the Celtics look like they've finally found the person to fill the void that Antoine Walker left behind... twice.

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Finally, we can bring close the lengthy legend of the much traveled Lakers/Cavs picks. The Marion deal shall include the #24 pick and Marcus Banks which will bring the saga full circle.

Partly because they overpaid Marcus Banks, the Phoenix Suns need to dump salary, so they send us (amongst others) Banks and the 24th pick, a pick the Suns received from us for last year's 21st pick, a pick that the Suns had acquired from Atlanta (for ex-Celtics Joe Johnson) who had gotten it from us (when we re-acquired Antoine Walker, whom we earlier had traded for, amongst others, Jiri Welsch, whom we traded for the 24th pick that we are now re-acquiring). And the only reason we got the pick in the first place was because Gary Payton refused to show up, a move that also let us retain Marcus Banks, whose option we didn't pick up which led him to be overpaid by the Phoenix Suns.

Posted by SoulHonky at 03:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Kevin Garnett rumors are flying and I, for one, am nervous. The current deals have us giving up the #5 and Al Jefferson (among others) for KG and a bad contract (say, Troy Hudson or Marko Jaric). While KG is great, the problem is that he could opt out of his contract next year which would leave the Celtics with a bad contract for their prized young talent and the highest pick they've had in decades. The risk was simply too high and seemed to nix the deal. But then old friend Chad Ford came up with a rumor that could help the C's quest for KG. Ford stated that the going rumor was that the Clippers might deal Corey Maggette and the #14 pick for Boris Diaw, the #24 and #29 picks. Now Diaw seemed to devolve a bit this year, gaining weight right after signing a 5 year, 45 million dollar contract. If the Clippers were considering that deal, wouldn't they find Wally (shorter deal) and young player and a better pick even more enticing? Combining this with the KG offer, I came up with:

The Clippers deal Maggette, Cassell, #14 for Wally, Scalabrine, West, and #7
The Wolves deal Garnett and #14 for Big Al, Maggette, Theo, and #5
The Celtics deal Wally, Theo, Scalabrine, Jefferson, West, #5 for Garnett, Cassell, #14
(Or you could have LA getting Telfair and Minny getting West. You could replace West with Gerald but I like that Green's rookie contract has an extra year on it.)

- The Wolves get more than they ever could have imagined for Kevin Garnett.

- The Clippers move up where they could grab a top prospect, perhaps replacing Cassell (and the injured Shaun Livingston) with Mike Conley Jr. They get a couple of heady players who would make Mike Dunleavy Sr. happy and they also add a young talent like West.

- The Celtics add a top player in Kevin Garnett and move down in the draft but are still in range to get the left over top prosect be it Thaddeus Young, Julian Wright, or Al Thornton. Cassell mans the point while Rondo gets one more year to learn the position. The risk of KG leaving still remains but at least this deal clear out all of our bad contract so we could have cap space to make a run at a top free agent.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of dealing Big Al for Garnett (and would probably prefer getting younger and dealing Pierce for some younger talent) but if we are going to go for it now, this is the type of deal I would hope Ainge could work out.

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Everybody wants to improve now.
HOWEVER
Nobody wants to make a panic move.

The frustrating position that most Celtics fans are in today is that while we want to be better next season (and probably have to to keep Paul Pierce happy), we can't really do so without making a panic move or, at the very least, a deal in which the production we are receiving is far outweighed by the potential we are giving up. The bottom line is that if the owners aren't willing to risk paying the luxury tax then we won't be able to deal Theo Ratliff and if we can't deal Theo's expiring contract then we won't be able to get the most out of our assets.

After Theo's deal (and Pierce's untouchable contract), the only contracts the Celtics have to add to make offers work are Wally Szczerbiak (2 years, 15 million), Brian Scalabrine (3 years, 10 million), and Kendrick Perkins (4 years, 17 million). Wally's value couldn't be worse. He played only 32 games and had, by far, his worst shooting season (a career 49% shooter, he hit only 41% of his shots this season). While his contract has some value, it probably won't be at peak value until, at best, midseason. As for Veal and Perk, they are solid players whom nobody is falling overthemselves to acquire. In order to make a trade work under the cap, we have to include either Wally or Perk/Veal and, in the eyes of most teams, they'd be doing us a favor taking those deals off of our hands. In the end, the Celtics would be packaging an asset, say the 5th pick, with a liability thus diminishing the return we'd get for the #5.

Making matters worse, the assets that we have on the block are far from sure things. The #5 has some good value but with both Atlanta's #3 and Memphis's #4 pick in play, it isn't a sure thing that someone will be able to get their guy at #5. For instance, if Golden State wants Yi Jianlian, they will wait until the pick comes up during the draft before they are willing to make a deal. They aren't going to agree to a deal for the #5 only to have Chicago then move up ahead of them to grab Yi. Then again, at least teams are sure that they will be getting a player with the pick. Many people might not be so sure with our other asset, Gerald Green. While Gerald has potential, that's really all he has. He has struggled to grasp strategies and is still very raw. His shot seems pure but he shot only 41% this season and when averaging over 23 minutes a game, his percentages dropped below 40% from the field and hovered around 30% from three.

In the end, the best thing to do with our assets is probably to hold on on them. Wally's contract becomes an asset rather than a liability by next offseason (or maybe even by mid-season) and Gerald will hopefully improve his game and show more than just potential next season.

Posted by SoulHonky at 09:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, it's after the season for the Celtics so let's see who improved their rankings after the season.

To start off, the same crew that was incomplete in the beginning of the season are still considered incomplete. I want to give them at least one more offseason before I toss them in the mix. So there will be no Jeff Bower (Hornets), Mark Warkentien (Nuggets), Otis Smith (Magic), Steve Patterson (Blazers), Chris Mullin (Warriors), Danny Ferry (Cavs), and Mike D'Antoni.

The top two remains the same. RC Buford has helped the Spurs maintain their stature as a perennial contender and Bryan Colangelo went from building a solid Suns team to revamping the Raptors into the Atlantic Division champions. It should be interesting to see if Colangelo can get past the hurdle his Suns teams kept tripping over and make it to the Finals. As for the second echelon, things aren't as rosy.

The Second Echelon

Randy Pfund (Heat): Randy Pfund's Heat team struggled and many people are questioning his and Pat Riley's long term thinking. Personally, I still have him at #3. Jason Williams is an expiring deal and Antone Walker has a team option in two years which means his deal is the same length (and four million cheaper) than Wally's. Shaq may be up there but I'm sure the Heat, if need be, could always find someone who'd be willing to take on the big fella. In two years, Shaq will be an expiring contract, Walker could be gone, and the only two contracts remaining will be Wade and Udonis Haslem. This is going to be an interesting offseason but I wouldn't count the Heat out of the Eastern Conference picture just yet.

Joe Dumars (Pistons): I'm going to move Joe D up a notch. Yeah, the Webber signing was pretty simple but overall, Dumars has done what has been necessary to keep the Pistons at the top of the East. What to do with Chauncey Billups will be the key question for this coming offseason.

Donnie Nelson (Mavs): The Mavs flamed out but I still think Nelson is one of the best in the business. The question now is what to do to fix this franchise. Jason Terry could be on the move but Avery Johnson hasn't exactly been wowed by Devin Harris either. It would be hard to fault Nelson for standing pat this offseason but you'd think he'd want to do something to give this team a push in the right direction.

John Paxson (Bulls): J.R. Smith came back down to Earth to make Paxson's dumping of him more palatable but Ben Wallace never really did anything to make his contract seem reasonable. When you spend a max contract on a post player and you head into the off-season with your biggest need being a post player then something didn't work out as planned.

Kevin O'Connor (Jazz): I almost moved O'Connor up but I think he has to figure out what to do with AK-47 before that happens. While the Jazz have been impressive, they need to make another move to make the step from nice run in the playoffs to perennial threat to get to the Finals.

Purgatory

Two GM's have been demoted from the second echelon to purgatory and they are Larry Harris and Geoff Petrie.

Larry Harris (Bucks): Yes, injuries hurt but this team is kind of a mess. The Bucks went from having two good young point guards in TJ Ford and Mo Williams to now having none. Ford was dealt for the disappointing Charlie Villenueva (whose lack of defense makes him a bad pairing alongside Andrew Bogut) while Williams is a free agent. The Ruben Patterson addition panned out but he too is a free agent. The Bucks have a lot of cap space, which is good. But they also have a lot of holes to fill, which is very, very bad.

Ernie Grunfeld (Wizards): It would have been interesting to see what a healthy Wizards team could have done in the playoffs. Grunfeld now has to figure out if he wants to stand pat or try to move Antawn Jamison's expiring contract. And there's always Brendan Haywood to deal with.

Rod Thorn (Nets): The Nets made it to the second round of the playoffs. Nonetheless, they are still a year older and a Vince Carter defection away from having to rebuild completely. How Thorn handles that will go a long way in determining his legacy as Nets GM.

Carroll Dawson (Rockets): Bonzi bailed and the Rockets lost in the first round again. Building a team that looks like a sleeper to make a run in the playoffs is OK but after awhile you'd people to stop sleeping on you (nevermind beating you in the first round).

Geoff Petrie (Kings): The John Salmons signing didn't work, the Ron Artest experiment blew up in his face, Mike Bibby is a dead man walking the ball up court, and Quincy Douby & Francisco Garcia are hardly doing much for Petrie's draft record. Making matters worse, rebuilding will be tough as Bibby's value is low, Artest's is nonexistant, Brad Miller is toast, and Kenny Thomas needs to improve to even be considered that. Kevin Martin should get ready to pad his stats on a bad team for a couple of years.

Bernie Bickerstaff (Bobcats): Bernie's in italics because he's been ousted from the job. Not that he did much to distinguish himself. Gerald Wallace, good. Gerald Wallace able to opt out and leave via free agency, bad. Matt Carroll signing, good. Adam Morrison, terrible. This team could make some noise in the off-season and still not make any noise during the regular season.

The Bottom of the Barrell

Three people were demoted to bottom of the barrell and one man made a deal that was so bad that he dropped to the second worst GM in the league.

Elgin Baylor (Clippers): Wow, you mean Tim Thomas didn't play as well as he did at the end of his contract year? Chris Kaman went from lovable lug to overpaid slug in less time than it took to cut his hair. The injury to Livingston hurt but the Mobley signing looks worse and worse and the handling of Dunleavy vs. Maggette was horrific. Maybe this is the offseason that Sofoklis Schortsanitis comes over to finally pay dividends because if he doesn't, the Clippers don't have much to show for their last few drafts. With Oden and Durant landing in the Pacific, the Clippers supposed rise to power is looking more like a passing flirtation with being a respectable NBA franchise.

Mitch Kupchack (Lakers): He's lost Kobe. That's all that really matter.

Jerry West (Grizzlies): West's run in Memphis started in the lottery and ended in the lottery. He wasn't able to deal Pau Gasol and, while West is walking away, he's leaving the Grizz with three years of Brian Cardinal staring them in the face. It was a No Go for the Logo.

Isiah Thomas (Knicks): The smartest move he made might be the move he didn't make. Not buying out Steve Francis' contract could help Isiah pull off the big trade he's been dying to make. Eddy Curry came alive and David Lee become a starting caliber PF. Good thing because Channing Frye regressed in year two. Has he done a good job? No. But he is putting himself in a position where he could turn things around in a year or two, which is what they would have asked his successor to do.

Billy King (Sixers): Not trading Andre Miller was the right move. Unfortunately, trading Andre Miller might be the only move this offseason. Is anyone all that interested in Sam Dalembert or Kyle Korver? Can King add enough before 'Dre starts to slow down? Or can he make a move now to build an even brighter future around Andre Iguodala?

Billy Knight (Hawks): That Marvin Williams pick is looking worse and worse. And while Knight lucked out in getting a #3 pick, that could turn out to be a one year reprieve as the Suns get the Hawks pick next year regardless of where it is and right now, it's looking like it'll be in the lottery. Billy's got the pieces to make some moves this offseason but what he doesn't have are the pieces to make a playoff team. If Knight doesn't clean up the mess of a roster he'd made, the Suns will be sitting pretty in '08.

Danny Ainge (Celtics): The Roy deal backfired but Big Al emerged. All of his wheeling and dealing has gotten him a couple of extra role players and a barely manageable cap situation. Ainge needs to hope that Paul Pierce's injury woes end this offseason or Danny will be back in a booth for the next playoffs.

Rick Sund (Sonics): Sund was sent packing which made sense since he drafted yet another project center, added little around his franchise player in Ray Allen, and let Rashard Lewis' situation deteriorate to a point where the Sonics might lose their second best player for nothing. Of course, this guy will probably be an assistant G.M. or mentioned for another top job in the next year or two.

To Be Fired

These final two GM's are not just pathetic but they have put themselves in such a position that they can't fix their team and are only biding their time until they get shitcanned.

Larry Bird (Pacers): Simply put, I don't care how much of a headcase Stephen Jackson was, you simply do not take back a contract as bad as Mike Dunleavy Jr.'s. Bringing over Troy Murphy's deal only makes matters worse. And no, getting Ike Diogu doesn't make it worthwhile. The Pacers were three games over .500 before the trade. They ended the season 12 games under .500. They went from a team being a couple of small moves away from being able to make a run in the playoffs to a team that will likely be forced to deal their best player and have 30 million dollars invested in Dunleavy, Murphy, and Tinsley until 2011. LB was always able to find away to, despite his bad moves, keep the team afloat. With this last deal, he not only sank the ship but sold the lifeboats as well.

Kevin McHale (Timberwolves): He's managed not only to waste Kevin Garnett's career but he also has held onto KG for long enough to probably get the least possible amount in return for him. McHale's been demoted to lead member of a group GM approach but seeing as Rob Babcock (former Raptors GM who gave away Vince Carter) is part of it, I wouldn't expect much improvement.

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Trade #1: Wally Szczerbiak and Kendrick Perkins for Kwame Brown and Vlad Radmanovic
The Lakers need Kwame's defense. That being said, relying on Kwame Brown seems like a recipe for disaster so they add the harder working Perkins. Wally is better than Vlad Rad, will give the Lakers another scoring threat, and has a shorter contract. So why do the Celtics do this deal again? Kwame's contract is expiring and could allow the C's to move Theo Ratliff's deal. Yeah, Kwame's lazy but why not give Clifford Ray a challenge? Worse case scenario, he replaces Kandi as our resident #1 bust and comes off the books after the season.

Trade #2: #5, Gerald Green, Tony Allen, Theo Ratliff for Shawn Marion, #29 pick
The Suns make this deal because they are desperate to cut payroll. We could add Allan Ray (to be waive) so the Suns could dump James Jones as well (but there's no way we take Marcus Banks back). While this seems like a no-brainer for the C's, the Suns potentially get a very good shooting guard in Green, a top big man in the draft (Horford, Jianlian, or Noah). The sleeper is Tony Allen who adds defense and could blossom playing alongside Nash. If they want, we could always replace Ratliff with Kwame Brown. Marion is signed on for only two more years but next season would be a player option. While I doubt he's going to opt out of a deal that is set to pay him 17 million dollars, the risk still remains that he could walk away and leave the Celtics empty handed. The Suns throw in the #29 pick because they are probably going to give it away anyway.

Trade #3: Sebastian Telfair for Lindsay Hunter (or Flip Murray)
Detroit could take a flyer on Telfair.

Draft:
#29: Alando Tucker
#32: Morris Almond

Sign for cheap: Devin Brown

End of the Day:
PG: Rondo, West, Hunter
SG: Pierce, Brown, Almond, Ray
SF: Marion, Scalabrine, Tucker
PF: Radmanovic, Gomes, Powe
C: Jefferson, Kwame

Posted by SoulHonky at 09:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Here's the first plan I'm going to throw out there. This isn't my defiinitive answer to the "Where Do We Go From Here?" question but it's a start. Also, I'm not sure if either team would really go for these deals so it might just be a pipe dream (although I'm sure there will be Celtics fans screaming that we're giving up too much).

Trade #1: #5 and Gerald Green for #11 and Josh Smith
If the Hawks aren't sold on Smith's attitude, they may be willing to this route, especially if they are afraid that Conley won't last past the Bucks' pick. This way they could add a big man at 3 and still get Conley. The Celtics roll the dice with Smith but he is worth the risk.

Trade #2: Wally, West, Telfair for Cuttino Mobley, Sam Cassell
Cassell is on his last legs but he's still a good PG, and more importantly, an expiring contract. Mobley has one more year on his deal than Wally does but at four million dollars less. The Clippers get younger and get a shooter to put at the 3. If Mike Dunleavy Sr. was interesting in Mike Jr. then he should be happy with Wally. We may need to swap the #11 with the #14 but I'd rather not. It's not a deal breaker, though.

Draft #11: The Celtics could possibly end up with Al Thornton or Thaddeus Young.
#32: How could Danny pass of Nick Fazekas? Hopefully someone better will fall to us but let's pencil in Nick.

Sign for cheap: Kelenna Azubuike and Mike Wilks.

End of the Day:
PG: Cassell, Rondo, Wilks
SG: Pierce, Mobley, Ray
SF: Smith, Thornton, Azubuike
PF: Gomes, Scalabrine, Powe, Fazekas
C: Jefferson, Perkins

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Recently Danny Ainge went on record explaining that:

Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson were untouchable.
I actually believe Ainge when he says this but you always have to remember that while Danny has always been forthcoming, he hasn't always been exactly honest. Still, I don't think Pierce is on the block and, while he won't hang up on any legit inquiries for Big Al, Danny isn't going to be the one doing the dialing.

The draft board is (in no particular order): Horford, Brewer, Noah, Yi, Jeff Green, Brandan Wright, Julian Wright, Al Thornton.
(Ainge supposedly love Al Thornton so we might trade down to get him and pick up another piece.)

So...

With the first round pick (#5) and the second round pick (which should net us a good player) the Celtics will be right at the luxury tax line. This means we won't be using the MLE to add a player and probably won't use the LLE. Since Big Al is due a big raise, we likely will let Theo Ratliff's contract expire. Using it to bring a player who's signed for more than this next season means the C's would have to pay the lux tax which isn't happening.

So the only hope is dealing: #5, Wally, West, Green, Gomes, Perkins, Tony Allen.
The rest of the roster is untouchable or just throw-ins in terms of trade value (Telfair, Ray, Powe, Scalabrine). The wild card is the Minnesota pick that is owed to us but that pick might not ever come our way so it's value is little more than a throw-in.

I'm working on a plan but right now, I have to say that Danny has his work cut out for him. Odds are that we are going to have to roll the dice with a headcase (Josh Smith or Ron Artest) or maybe an possibly washed up guy like Bibby.

Posted by SoulHonky at 06:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The debate over whether Ron Artest should or shouldn't be a Celtics is a waste of time. There is simply no way that Wyc and crew can acquire a guy like Artest and still have any shred of credibility. They installed a code of conduct and already put one player (Telfair) on the trading/waiving block because of it. The Patriots have been winning rings and making playoff runs and they still got flak for taking on Randy Moss. The Celtics quite simply couldn't take the public relations hit (and in the Wyc Era, that means as much if not more than actually winning games).

So where can Artest go? The pickings are slim. Unless Donald Sterling backs off his refusal to trade Corey Maggette, the offer will likely look like: Antoine Walker and Jason Williams for Artest and Kenny Thomas, Quentin Richardson and Nate Robinson for Artest and Francisco Garcia, or Hedo Turkoglu and Carlos Arroyo for Artest and John Salmons. Not terribly appealing if you're a Kings fan.

However, while Artest might be off-limits, the target the Celtics could look at is Mike Bibby. Bibby could offer a decent short-term fix for the PG position. If karma bites the tanking C's in the ass and we end up with the #3 to #5 pick, a swap of Wally and #3 for Bibby and #10 has to be considered. The fact that Danny Ainge also supposedly has his eyes on Al Thornton could make this move even more of a possibility.

The question is, does Bibby have enough left in the tank to validate dropping possibly 7 spots to get him. Now, the first part of this answer is what does dropping seven spots mean? Right now, I'm not so sure that they guy going 14th isn't going to be better than the guy going #3. Still, is Mike Bibby really worth passing up top choice of the rest of the draftees?

Personally, I don't have a definite stance on this (I prefer to have a veteran PG and am confident in the depth of the draft but I've never been a huge fan of Bibby as a pro), but this type of deal (if not this deal in particular) is the question that Celtics fans are going to have to consider should we not get a top 2 pick come the 22nd.

Posted by SoulHonky at 04:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I've heard of double talk but this is almost triple talk. From the Boston Globe

"The same people that want to say that Doc, for whatever reason, was tanking games, which he wasn't doing, also want to hold that record on him," said [Boston GM Danny] Ainge shortly before the season ended. "So, he's either doing what's in the best interest for the long term of the Celtics or he's not a good enough coach to win games. But it can't be both. Doc is a team player. He does what's best for the franchise."

So Doc wasn't tanking, but people who think he was shouldn't hold the team's record against him because he's a team player and was doing what the team needed. Okay Danny. Sure thing.

I really wish Celtics employees would simply stop talking about tanking, at least until after the lottery. Nothing good can come out of this.

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

ESPN the Magazine has a little piece about what players from non-playoff teams are up to in their time off. One of those people is none other than Gerald Green.

"The dunk champ is coaching little bro's AAU team back home in Houston

To be a fly in that huddle. I have to imagine that the favorite play of Coach Green is, "OK, John you shoot the ball and miss so Kenny can come in from the perimeter and dunk in the rebound." Either that or get the ball to Jamal, he'll ball fake and travel. On the bright side, maybe one of the kids on the team can teach Gerald how to throw an entry pass.

Posted by SoulHonky at 02:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Al Jefferson established himself as a top young big man in the league with his play on the court this season. One would assume that he'd like that stature to soon be represented in his bank account as well. Big Al has one year left on his contract and will be re-signed this offseason but the question is for how much and, more importantly, how will the deal be structured.

The first question of how much is Jefferson worth is somewhat easy, but in the end (as the saying goes) a million here, a million there and soon it starts to add up to real money. While Big Al has played as well as many max contract guys, the team also couldn't win a lick when he was the main man so I think you can easily talk him out of demanding that much. Then again, big guys who have shown less have signed for good chunks of change (i.e, Chris Kaman, Nene, Troy Murphy). For me, I think Jefferson will be getting a deal that is around 6 years, 64 - 75 million. Getting him at closer to 60 would be a steal and help the C's significantly when it comes to signing someone to help Pierce. Closer to 75 and the team will be flirting with the luxury tax if they try to add anyone significant.

But perhaps the bigger issues is how the Celtics structure his deal. The typical deal is one with rising salaries. The first year will be the low amount and the players will get a raise each season afterwards. For instance, Chris Bosh makes 12 million next year and, in four years, will take home 16 million. While this has been the norm, some GM's are starting to sign descending deals. David West and Kirk Hinrich have these types of contract which are beneficial because, as the years progress, the team will get more and more cap space. Those deals are usually made by teams that are already under the cap space and can afford to take the biggest sum of the contract in the beginning. And then there's the seldom seen even money deal. Theo Ratliff has that and Luke Ridnour recently signed one of these deals. These contracts have the player making the same amount of money throughout the contract.

At first, the descending deal seems like the obvious choice as it will enable us to make more moves in the long run however that type of deal limits the type of player that we will be able to bring in after next season. If you want to sign someone to help Paul Pierce, then you can't give Big Al that type of deal. You need his cheapest years now. If Jefferson's biggest amount (say 14 million) is plopped on the books for the 2008/9 season, the Celtics will likely be right at the salary cap and unlikely to afford more than some vet minimum/LLE type free agents. However, if Jefferson signs a rising deal, then we might be able to afford someone for 3 or 4 million dollars more. In the end, it could mean the difference between signing Brevin Knight as opposed to Dan Dickau. That being said, the downside of a rising deal is that in 2010/11, Pierce and Jefferson's contract could eat up 3/5's of the Celtics' cap space.

A Luke Ridnour, even-money type deal gives the worst of both worlds. The team won't save all that much to add help now and won't be saving enough in the long run to make it easier to sign someone in spite of Pierce's 2nd max deal.

Danny has been avoiding it for years but it's time to figure out whether he's going to focus on winning now or winning later. Jefferson's contract will likely shape the moves that the Celtics will be able to make for the coming five or six years. I don't think this team is going anywhere (or signing anyone) next year so I would be in favor of the declining deal. It frees up money in the long run and will help offset the raises that Pierce is in line to make. Then again, if The Truth learns that the team won't be able to make even an MLE signing this offseason, lord knows if he'll even be a Celtic for the last year's of his contract. Personally, that's a risk I'm willing to take.

Posted by SoulHonky at 06:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In today's Herald (and now reported at ESPN.com, Paul Pierce weighed in on his frustrations.

"It's definitely another year gone by for me," Pierce told the Boston Herald in a story published Friday. "It's another year we don't get into the postseason. It's another year I don't get recognized for the things I do. I'm the classic case of a great player on a bad team, and it stinks."
Pierce, a five-time All-Star, has suffered through injuries and an 18-game losing streak by Boston this season. Despite those difficulties, Pierce has managed to average 25 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
"I'm waiting to see what happens this summer," he told the paper. "We have to see who we keep and who has enough potential trade value to make a difference.
"I'm not talking about winning a few more games. I'm talking about getting into the playoffs, going deep into the playoffs. I don't want to be a team that just sneaks in. I want to be on a team that everyone says before the season, 'This is a team that's going somewhere,' like Detroit.
"Either we go for it, or we don't."

First off, I'd like to say that I do think Pierce is right about one thing. he is the classic case of a great player on a bad team. He is an uber-talented player who often makes bone-headed moves in key moments, forces his own offense, and isn't someone you can run the offense through. If Pierce is to win, he is going to need to be the second fiddle on a team. While he can have some amazing moments like the Orlando game, more often his attempts at being heroic end in turnovers or forced shots. If the Boston Celtics become the team Pierce is hoping for next season, it will be because they bring in someone who can lead the team and run the offense while Pierce focuses on scoring. Paul Pierce needs to be happy being a very good player on a winning team instead of focusing on being recognized as a great player.

The more pressing issue is that Pierce, as expected, could force Danny's hand this offseason. If he wants to win now (and win at Detroit's level), then we'll need to either get Oden or Durant AND make a move for another key veteran. Unfortunately, right now, the trade value of the Celtics not named Pierce or Jefferson is pretty low. Rajon Rondo, Delonte West, and Gerald Green might have some value but the odds of the team getting equal value for them is slim-to-none. As it stands, this offseason could be very similar to the past Ainge-led offseasons, Danny calls around offering his young guys, can't get equal value, nothing happens. The one difference is that Wally might be such an albatross that we don't even get our annual lateral move (although part of me is afraid that we'll deal him for a headcase signed to a long term deal or dump a young talent to cut a year off of his deal ala the Raef/Roy for Theo/Bassy deal). Also, Ratliff's deal might not be able to be dealt because Al Jefferson is likely to take his spot in the payroll. The C's would have to move Wally's deal first or Wyc and Co. have to bite the bullet and agree to pay the luxury tax one year when Pierce, Jefferson, Wally, and player acquired for Theo are all on the books.

Making matters worse, one thing that could build confidence in Pierce (the team winning after he shuts it down) would actually hurt them in the long run as it could cost them Oden or Durant. Still, all things considered, I think everyone has to hope that the Celtics make a run without Pierce. As I wrote before, being the second worst team guarentees nothing and another long losing streak will only make Paul all the more anxious about deals needing to be made this offseason.

This was already a make-or-break offseason for the Celtics but now it's looking like it could be a no-win situation. In order to build the team that satisfies Pierce, the C's will likely have to give up some of their young talent for less than they are potentially worth. If not that, then Pierce will want out and we'd end up getting dimes on the dollar for him. Hopefully the C's win the lotto and Pierce will be sated by Oden and Durant but if not, this offseason might be uglier than this season.

Posted by SoulHonky at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ian Thomsen's article on possible future candidate for GM makes you realize how lackluster GM's get recycled throughout the league. Check out some of the spin he puts out there about some terrible former GM's.

Jim Paxson: Now a consultant to his younger brother (GM John) in Chicago, Paxson isn't afraid to make bold moves. He laid the groundwork for Cleveland's current success, and he's far better prepared for his next opportunity than when the Cavaliers rushed him into the GM chair in 1999.

Isn't afraid to make bold moves? Like a first round pick for Jiri Welsch? Or overpaying Eric Snow? Drafting Desagana Diop, Luke Jackson, and Chris Mihm? Paxson made one good move (Tony Battie for Drew Gooden, Anderson Varejao, and Steven Hunter). Other than that, the only groundwork he really laid for the Cavaliers was to build a terrible team that was in the position to win the lottery and get Lebron James. Blaming a lack of preparation for his failure seems laughable.

Chris Wallace: The 2001-02 Celtics won 49 games -- the high in the post-Bird era -- during Wallace's brief tenure in charge. A true insider and intelligence gatherer.

No mention of Vin Baker? Joe Johnson? Jerome Moiso? The Celtics won 49 games with the team that he inherited, not the one that he built.

Wally Walker: The former Sonics president and minority owner will move up this list when he announces he is interested in returning to the league. He was ahead of his time in Seattle while building a young, fiscally disciplined roster.

This is the man who helped drive up prices for big men by signing Jim Mcilvane to a giant contract in the 90's. He paid Shawn Kemp a ton of money and then dealt him for Vin Baker. In the end, his majority owner tied the purse strings since the team was for sale and Wally had to build with the limited money he had to work with. Saying he was ahead of his time is like saying Elgin Baylor has been a visionary for all of these years. Perhaps he could do more with an owner who was willing to spend a little more but he's shown the ability to take a championship contending team and turn them into a mediocre 40 win squad.

Dave Babcock: Known as the least conservative of the Babcock brothers, the Bucks' director of player personnel has the knowledge, experience and presence to run his own team.

OK, maybe Babcock might be solid but hiring the least conservative of the Babcock brothers has to give an owner pause. Rob Babcock ran the Toronto Raptors into the ground, getting nothing for Vince Carter, drafting poorly, and being terrible in general. Pete Babcock took over a solid Atlanta Hawks team and in one deal (Steve Smith for J.R. Rider) set in motion the ruin of the franchise. He didn't help himself any by giving away draft picks left and right. He dealt a lottery pick for Lorenzen Wright, then turned around and gave up Lo Wright, Brevin Knight, and #3 pick in 2001 for Shareef Abdur-Rahim. One can only imagine what an even less conservative Babcock might do.

I can only hope that when we get rid of Ainge that we don't make a bad decision and re-hire a guy who's already proven that he can't cut it as an NBA General Manager.

Posted by SoulHonky at 05:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While the Celtics are looking at a lot of big names, either in deals or in the draft, we shouldn't forget to keep an eye out on smaller targets that could help the team out. My main smaller target in the offseason would be:

Jose Calderon, PG Toronto Raptors: I don't know why the Raptors are looking to move him but word around the deadline was that they were offering him up for Anderson Varejao. Calderon is a 25 year old true PG who has played well for the Raptors this season while backing up TJ Ford, and also filled in admirably when Ford was out. I'm not sure how likely it is but I'd be willing to give up a good amount for Calderon. Ideally, the offer would be something like Perkins or Gomes and Telfair but I might even be willing to give up both Perk and Gomes (or Perk and West) if we also got back a future pick of some sort.

As for free agents, there's a number of guys that I'd like to keep an eye on:

Defensive Minded Swingmen:
While I'd love to get Gerald Wallace, he's likely going to be a) too expensive and b) his shot isn't great which is something we need with Rajon Rondo looking to be our best PG.

Charlie Bell, G Milwaukee Bucks: With Mo Williams, Earl Boykins, Bell, Patterson, and young Turk Ersan Ilyasova all looking at free agency, it's doubtful the Bucks will be able to keep everyone. Bell's a tough defender who can hit the three and might be interested in leaving Milwaukee since he could see more playing time and a bigger role in Boston. His playing time shot up this season but with Michael Redd and Bobby Simmons healthy next season, those minutes might be gone. Bell is a longshot but would be a great fit alongside Pierce.
Devin Brown, G New Orleans Hornets: Solid defense, solid three point shooter. With Tony Allen possibly out for some of next season, Brown is an affordable backup/spot starter.
Ime Udoka, SF Portland Trailblazers: Udoka is basically everything that the Knicks wanted Jared Jeffiries to be, except a a fifth of the cost. Like Brown, Udoka is a solid guy to have coming off the pine as his shooting has improved and he is a solid defender. He could fill in as a starter now and then.
Roger Mason Jr., G Washington Wizards: When Mason's gotten the chance, his stroke has been pure and he could be a solid combo guard to bring in if we end up dealing Delonte. Mason's all-around game is tough to gauge as he currently plays alongside Agent Zero and most of his offense is basically waiting to see if Hibachi, Butler or Jamison need to kick it out.

Backup Big Men:
I'm still a believer in Kendrick Perkins but the guy just can't stay healthy. And while Brian Scalabrine has been much better this season, the Celtics need to find a useful big to replace Kandiman.

Mikki Moore, C New Jersey Nets: A journeyman, Moore has been very solid for the Nets this season and would be the perfect candidate for backing up Perkins or Jefferson in the middle. Unfortunately, it might take more than he's worth to get him out of New Jersey.
Melvin Ely, PF/C San Antonio Spurs: Ely, one of the many mid-first round big men sleepers who never awoke, is a big body and seems to have the potential to be a decent backup. You could do worse.
Primov Brezec C Charlotte Hornets: Brezec would be a nice signing for cheap but there's a lot of issues. He's been banged up all season, is terrible awkward on defense, and is a prime candidate for good numbers on a bad team. If he opts out, he'll likely be looking for more than the 2.8 million he is set to receive and he seems like too big of a risk to be worth that.
If none of these guys are the answer than the Celtics best option will likely be to draft someone in the second round. A risky pick would be Sean Williams, out of (literally) Boston College or a Euro like Marc Gasol.

Flyers aka Allan Ray's spot:
Most of these guys will likely be re-upped by their current team but if an opportunity opens to sign Washington's Aundray Blatche, Milwaukee's Ersan Ilyasova, Detroit's Amir Johnson, Miami's Earl Barron or Indiana's James White, it would be worthwhile to save a spot for them.

Posted by SoulHonky at 04:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OK, it's way too early for mock drafts. We don't know who is coming out. We don't know the order. But we do know that the lottery is the most exciting thing that Celtics have to look forward to in the coming months so why the hell not...

1. Boston: Greg Oden
If Boston gets the first pick, they could have a decision for the ages: Kevin Durant or Greg Oden. On the bright side, it's the kind of decision that you can't really go wrong with. Right now, I'm still sticking with Greg Oden. Durant is amazing but there's just something about his that irks me right now. I think he'll be great but I just can't pass over a franchise center for him.

2. Memphis: Kevin Durant
Lowry/Gay/Durant is a great backcourt (and if you aren't sold on Rudy Gay then replace him with Mike Miller). Keeping Gasol get them back to being a first round loss but they might be better dealing Gasol for a couple of young guys. I think Gasol for Theo Ratliff, Al Jefferson, and Delonte West would be a good deal for Memphis (although they might want more than West).

3. Philadelphia: Brandan Wright
For all the bashing of the A.I. trade, the Sixers could come out of this draft with a very nice team. This draft is looking like it is going to be very deep and the guys available at the middle and end of the round will have almost as much potential as the guys in the mid/late lottery. Wright proves to be a nice complement to Igodala and Dalembert. If Brandan can help out at all next season, a Miller/Iggy/Korver/Wright/Dalembert lineup won't be too shabby.

4. Milwaukee: Julian Wright
The Bucks could need a point guard if they can't re-sign Mo Wiliams but right now it's looking like none of the top PG's will be entering the draft. Wright seems like the best option here but a lot depends on his ability to guard NBA small forwards. In fact, defense might be the most important factor because the Bucks simply can't afford to team another poor defensive player next to Charlie Villenueva.

5. Seattle: Yi Jianlian
If the Sonics want to fill seats, catering to the large Asian population in the area would be a good way to start. Jianlian is no Ichiro but he's a talented player who could help sell tickets. He's also a project and with Rashard Lewis looking like he's about to opt out, it makes sense for the Sonics to blow it up and rebuild. The Sonics could walk out of the draft with a couple of lottery picks if they decide to move Ray Allen and Luke Ridnour. A lot of people would rank Joakim Noah in the top 5 but the Sonics have taken low post players in the past three drafts (Robert Swift, Johan Petro, Saer Sene) so adding yet another guy with no perimeter shot makes no sense. Jianian's shot makes him a better fit.

6: Charlotte: Jeff Green
If Chase Buddinger leaves early, this might be the team that takes him. Noah's fall continues because the Bobcats already have Sean May and Emeka Okafor and need a perimeter player more than another big man. With a ton of cap space to go after a scorer, I think the Grizz are best off taking an all-around player who could fill in if Gerald Wallace leaves via free agency. This is likely the spot where the draft's high riser will go. Right now, the swingmen in this draft are hit-or-miss and a good tournament could elevate Marcus Williams, Aaron Afflalo, or Rodney Stuckey into the top of the lotto.

7: Phoenix: Joakim Noah
Noah falls but really couldn't have asked for a better place to play. Phoenix runs and fits Noah's strengths. Phoenix needs defense and rebounding off of the bench and that's what Noah can provide. Noah could easily be viewed as a bust in the wrong system so this would be the perfect scenario for him.

8: Portland: Corey Brewer
The Trailblazers have young players at every position but they don't exactly seem set anywhere. I'd be surprised if the Blazers held onto their pick but if they do, Brewer, who can play defense and is seen as a glue guy in Florida, would make the most sense. The Martell Webster project hasn't shown many signs of life and none of the PG's likely available don't seem worth this high of a pick. Acie Law could earn this spot with a good tournament but for now I think Brewer is the pick.

9: Chicago: Al Horford
I really doubt that the Bulls hold onto this pick but if they do, I think Horford's defense gets the call. Yes, the Bulls need more help on offense in the post than defense but I just can't imagine Paxson and Skiles taking Josh McRoberts over Horford, who could turn out to be one of the top four players in this draft.

10: Sacramento: Josh McRoberts
McRoberts, like Noah, is a guy that could be a bust in the wrong system. In Sacramento, however, his passing skills will be of the utmost importance and he seems like a capable replacement for the Brad Miller, who seems to be reaching the end of his usefulness. With Bibby, Artest, and Martin on the wings, McRoberts is a nice fit as someone who can run the offense from the post and distribute the ball amongst the scorers.

11: Warriors: Marco Belinelli
And what would the lottery be without the Golden St. Warriors? The Warriors desperately need a shooting guard who can knock down threes with consistency and this Italian seems to be the best prospect for that. Also, this pick fits in with Don Nelson's love for foreign players. The Warriors might be tempted to add a big man but I think adding a shooter alongside of Monta Ellis is their best best.

12: LA Clippers: Rodney Stuckey
I really haven't seen this guy play so this is all based on reports I've heard/read but it seems like Stuckey might be the prime candidate for the Pre-Draft Workout Leap. Comparisons have been made to Dwyane Wade and Randy Foye (but also Dajuan Wagner). While he's more of a tweener than a pure point, he seems to be a solid choice for the Clippers as he could be a comlement to or replace Shaun Livingston, depending on if he can recover from his injury. This may be way too early for Rodney, but right now I'm going to have him as a high-riser/sleeper.

13: Clippers: Marcus Williams
Williams has been a disappointment this season but he would be a great complement to Stuckey. Both guys can play either position and Williams would allow Stuckey to focus on scoring and not have to pull back the reins and waste time trying to become a pure point guard. Some question Williams' intensity but the Clippers signed Tim Thomas to a big deal so I wouldn't bet the Clippers were one of the teams asking about that. Williams is a definite risk as their does seem to be a little Terrence Morris in him. Morris was the Maryland Terp who looked like a lotto pick after two years but stayed in and watched his draft stock plummet. Williams' improvement has been slight and a lot of his numbers (TO's, 3pt% and FT%) have all gotten worse. 68% free throw shooting in particular is something that gives me pause. A bad tournament and Williams could slip into the late first round but for now, I'll go with the Clips adding Stuckey and Williams to go with Maggette, Kaman, and Brand.

14: Nets: Tiago Splitter
Draft-niks love them some Tiago Splitter. He's been rumored to be in draft for the last few years and finally is going to be in it this year. Splitter sounds like the perfect fit in NJ as he's a complementary players on offense and a solid defender. The downside, however, is that he seems to have a nagging back injury. Granted, being injured would let him fit right in with the Nets but they might be looking for someone more stable like Roy Hibbert. Then again, if Vince Carter stays, I'd be surprised if the Nets didn't look to move this pick for some veteran help off the bench or in a package with Richard Jefferson to get a top-of-the-line big man. (The Nets would love it if Spencer Hawes would enter the draft and fall this far but I don't see either of those happening)

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)