Can Danny?

The 2008 draft is shaping up to be a very deep draft with quality players popping up all over the place. The last time we had a draft this deep is was the year before high school kids were required to go to college for one year. Just like a number of kids bolted early in '05, this year was highlighted by a ridiculous amount of freshman in the draft. So how does it shake up? Some of the comparisons are, admittedly, tenuous at best but the drafts are surprisingly similar.

1. Andrew Bogut = Kevin Love

The quality player who will stay in the league for a long time, constantly give his team hope that he might take it to the next level, but ultimately won't ever amount to being more than a role player. While Bogut has to deal with going ahead of Deron Williams AND Chris Paul, Love has to deal with the fact that he was actually traded for Mayo.

2. Marvin Williams = Danilo Gallinari

Similar players, neither is a SF but they can't handle themselves in the 4 spot for more than limited minutes. Williams was a bust his first couple of years but has improved into a quality role player. I could see Gallinari doing the same. 

3. Deron Williams = OJ Mayo

In both cases, their team traded up (Deron from #6, OJ from #5) to grab them at #3. They both have similar scouting reports: smart player, good defense, a step too slow for NBA greatness. Both proved their critics wrong and will likely be embattled in a career long comparison with a fellow lotto point guard.

4. Chris Paul = Derrick Rose

The protypical point guards, Paul came in more advanced because he had a great shot. Paul also got teammates like David West, Peja Stojakovic, and Tyson Chandler while Rose is stuck with Drew Gooden, Kirk Hinrich, and Tyrus Thomas. Rose has a chance to be a great one but right now, he has work to do if he wants to be an MVP candidate like CP3.

5. Raymond Felton = Russell Westbrook

Like Felton, Westbrook seems to have just enough flaws to keep him from being a steady point guard and he also will spend his career being known as the guy who isn't Chris Paul and Deron Williams (or in Westbrook's case, Rose and Mayo). The fact that Westbrook's coach has said he hopes Russell models his game after Rajon Rondo says all you need to know about their confidence in Westbrook's offense. Not a slight against Rondo but when you're comparing your #4 pick to a late first rounder who just finished his second year in the pros, I think it's time to lower expectations.

6. Martell Webster = Brandon Rush

The situations are completely opposite (Rush is a known commodity while Webster was an high schooler; the Blazers traded a PG to move down to get Webster and traded Rush to move up in the draft to grab a PG) but their futures could be the same. Everything about Webster and Rush makes you think they should be stars in this league but the talent and athleticism somehow never translates into being anything more than a steady 5th starter.

7. Charlie Villenueva = Michael Beasley

Beasley is a rich man's Villain but their scouting reports were strikingly similar: super talented tweener forwards with questions about attitude. Both were seen as possible distractions to their teams. I also have to say, I wouldn't be stunned if the Heat moved Beasley to get a more veteran presence alongside Dwyane Wade.

8. Channing Frye = Kosta Koufos

If you like your big men soft and shooting 18 foot jumpers, you'll love these guys.

9. Ike Diogu =  Brook Lopez

Nice moves but it might not translate to the NBA. Lopez has size and a more complete game but I'm not sure he'll amount to as much as was hyped when he finished his freshman year. John Hollinger wrote in his scouting report, "All in all, it's a relatively safe pick -- I doubt he'll be a star, but at the absolute worst he's Chris Mihm." When that's what passes for a compliment, you probably should have spent your lotto pick elsewhere.

10. Andrew Bynum = Anthony Randolph

High potential prospects that immediately made you wonder whether the GM and the coach were on the same page.  You just know that the last thing Phil Jackson (and Kobe) wanted was a high schooler like Bynum while Randolph isn't exactly what Don Nelson looks for in a player. Still, Bynum matured to be a possible force on both ends of the floor and I believe Randolph could do the same.

11. Fran Vazquez = Alexis Ajinca

When the Magic drafted Vazquez, the fans were disappointed and then surprised when he didn't even show up. When the Bobcats drafted Ajinca, the fans were disappointed and, not surprisingly, didn't show up to watch him.

12. Yaroslav Korolev = Joe Alexander

Young, athletic, and have no business getting drafted this high. I think Alexander will be able to kick around the league longer than Korolev but he won't make much of any impact.

13. Sean May = Mareese Speights

Sean May could have been a solid power forward in this league and had a chance to be a real threat. Unfortunately, he's basically eaten himself out of the league and has no real work ethic to speak of. Speights's potential is equally high but it's up to him whether he wants to work on it or just collect his checks and become free agent fodder at the end of his rookie deal.

14. Rashard McCants = Courtney Lee

A great scorer who really doesn't do much of anything else on the basketball court. There are rumors of defense but never on a consistent basis.

15. Antoine Wright = JR Giddens

Came in to college with a lot of hype, let it go to their head (in different ways), and never lived up to being first round picks.

16. Joey Graham = Eric Gordon

'Tweeners who seem like they have NBA games but who might just end up as end of the rotation players as their skills never really translate.

17/18. Danny Granger & Gerald Green = Donte Greene & Jerryd Bayless

Who knows, both of these guys could pan out to be borderline All-Stars like Danny Granger or they could be tantalizing busts like Gerald. Right now I put Jerryd with Gerald because they were both summer league stars who really need to learn how to play the game. Bayless is far more advanced than Gerald but when it comes to running the point, he's has almost as much to learn. Greene should be able to become a Granger-like player but needs to work on his defense and expand his offensive game beyond his shooting ability.

19. Hakim Warrick = Javale McGee

Warrick was far more polished than Mcgee when he entered the draft but Javale is a PF/C which makes his energy and raw skills more useful than someone trying to find themselves between the two forward positions. McGee has a ton of potential but I'm still seeing him as someone who is better off coming off the pine than being a full time starter.

20. Julius Hodge = George Hill

Hodge and Hill seem like they should have everything it takes to make it in the league but, for some reason, it doesn't work out. I'm not damning Hill to be out of the league as soon as Hodge but right now, I'm just not sure what kind of NBA player he'll be. (Admittedly, this comparison is a HUGE reach)

21. Nate Robinson = DJ Augustin

Mighty mites who should inspire their team but aren't exactly the kind of guy you want running the point for a playoff team. Still, I wouldn't bet against either of them being able to pull it off.

22. Jarrett Jack = Nicolas Batum

Talented enough to make you think, "this kid could be a great starter" yet flawed enough to make you think, "Man, we need to get someone better to start." Batum is younger and has far more potential but I wouldn't be stunned if he leveled out to being a nice 6th man.

23. Francisco Garcia = Roy Hibbert

Guys whose NBA careers are under the radar. They are solid but are probably better off in limited roles, be it a 5th starter for Hibbert or 6th man for Garcia.

24. Luther Head = Darrell Arthur

Solid players that could start in the NBA but whom you'd rather come off the bench. 

25. Johan Petro = Robin Lopez

A good enough big man who always has you wishing he could just be a LITTLE bit better so you'd feel better about your team having to give him minutes. 

26. Jason Maxiell = JJ Hickson

A nice backup big man who people seem to think is going to become more than that. 

27. Linus Kleiza = Ryan Anderson

Guys with decent size who can shoot will always find room at the end of someone's rotation.

28. Ian Manhimi = Sergei Ibaka

I didn't know them before they were in the league and I probably won't ever notice when they are in the league (which Manhimi apparently is).

29. Wayne Simien = DJ White

Talented players who saw injuries sap their potential. They'll be lucky to stay in the league past their rookie contracts.

30. David Lee = Jason Thompson

Talented power forwards whose early success turned them from underrated surprises to overrated (and possibly overpaid) players. 

----

As for the second rounders, I'm not sure that there's a Monta Ellis in the 2008 draft but:

Mario Chalmers = Louis Williams - Talented scoring point guards.

DeAndre Jordan = Chris Taft - Hyped big men who plummeted in the draft.

Chris Douglas-Roberts = CJ Miles - Look good, can play well, but never get it together in the NBA.

Luc Mbah a Moute = Ryan Gomes - Solid players and hard workers who are overrated by their fans.

Walter Sharpe = Amir Johnson - A lot of hype and hope but they never amount to more than bench fodder.

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by SoulHonky at 02:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

ESPN floated a rumor that's now been picked up by other outlets.

The Knicks are one of several teams that have contacted the Golden State Warriors about disgruntled forward Al Harrington, though the Warriors are said to be more interested in a package built around David Lee (16 points, 11 rebounds, five assists against the Heat).

So basically what they're telling us is that the Knicks called about a deal and the Warriors countered with something completely different. I always love rumors like this. I really think that these reporters are the guys who in college say that they almost hooked up with a girl when really all they did was hold the door for them or hand them a drink at a frat party.

Posted by SoulHonky at 01:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While the theft of Pau Gasol seemed like a deal that never should have been made, perhaps Chris Wallace was on to something. In the end, he ended up netting Javarris Crittenton, Darrell Arthur, Marc Gasol and a 2010 first round pick and helped clear cap space for the future. That team wasn't going anywhere with Gasol, so why not take a step back. In fact, looking at recent history, the teams that have been the "loser" in All for Nothing swaps tend to pan out better than the people that got the superstar. Lopsided trades just aren't what they used to be.

To start, I don't consider deals in which both sides give up legit assets in this. Stuff like Shaq for Odom and Caron Butler or KG for Al Jefferson or T-Mac for Francis/Mobley aren't involved. The deals I'm talking about are the ones like the Gasol deal in which it seems, at first glance, like one team got a superstar without giving up anything at all. The deal that started the Bad Luck Bonus trend was likely Orlando's much ballyhooed sign-and-trade


Pistons lose Grant Hill, only get back Ben Wallace and Chucky Atkins
Not only did the Magic give up future All-Star and DPOY Ben Wallace in order to finalize the Grant Hill sign-and-trade but in order to create the cap space to sign both Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill, they renounced their rights to disappointing youngster, Chauncey Billups.

While that lopsided deal made a little sense initially because it was a sign-and-trade, the more recent deals have been absolute dump jobs.

Allen Iverson goes to Denver for Andre Miller and two first round picks
The Sixers didn't exactly use the picks wisely (Jason Smith isn't bad but they dumped the other pick for Derrick Byars who never even made the team) but the financial ramifications aren't even close. The two years before Iverson, the Nuggets won 93 games and lost in the first round twice. Two years with Iverson, Denver had won 95 games and lost in the first round twice. Even worse, AI's contract combined with Kenyon Martin and Nene's signings basically forced ownership to give away Marcus Camby this offseason.

The Sixers, on the other hand, won 81 games in AI's final two years and lost in the first round once. Since AI's been gone? 75 wins and one first round loss. However, while the Nuggets were giving away Marcus Camby to the Clippers, the Sixers were signing away LA's best player, Elton Brand.

Hornets give away Baron Davis. Warriors only give up Speedy Claxton, Dale Davis and cash
The Hornets gave up Baron Davis for nothing yet in the first full year after the trade, they actually had a better record than the Warriors as injuries limited David to just 54 games. B. Diddy was healthy in his second year and made it seem like the Warriors made the right deal as they made the playoffs and upset the Mavericks. Unfortunately, they failed to make the playoffs this season while Chris Paul became an MVP candidate and the Hornets become conteders. Adding insult to injury, Baron Davis then flew the coop this off-season, leaving via free agency.

Vince Carter leaves Toronto in for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams, and 2 First Round Picks
Four years after this trade, the Nets have won 166 games to Toronto's 148, however the Nets are now blowing their team up while the Raptors made the playoffs. The Nets did make the semi-finals for two years but after an impovement in Year 2 VC, New Jersey's watched their win total drop by seven games each of the last two season, and went from the semis to a first round knockout to the lotto. Call it karma but Vince Carter wanted to win now and forced his way out of Toronto who is now winning while the Nets are holding out hope for LeBron in 2010.

What's really amazing though is the fact that the Raptors have improved in spite of making one bad choice after another. They blew one of the picks on Joey Graham (the following pick was Danny Granger). The lotto picks they got for being bad for two years were Rafael Arraujo and Andrea Bargnani. They even blew part of their cap space on Jason Kapono. Still, they got TJ Ford to help run the ship and once Jose Calderson was ready to take over, they moved Ford for help in the form of Jermaine O'Neal.

Not that the Rapz can get cocky about it because if the JO move doesn't pay off, the Nets giving away Richard Jefferson might help them steal away Bosh via free agency in 2010.  

And of course, there's The Zeke Trilogy 

The Knicks get Stephon Marbury & Anfernee Hardaway for Antonio McDyess, Maciej Lampe, Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward, rights to Milos Vujanic, 2004 first round pick, and a future lotto protected first round pick
Yes, you read that right. The Knicks STILL owe a first round pick because of the Marbury trade (Utah now owns it). I don't think we need to explain what went wrong in NY with Marbury or how dumping Marbury's contract gave the Suns cap space to sign Steve Nash which helped the Suns a bit.

Interestingly, the trade in which the Suns got Anfernee Hardaway was almost a Something-for-Nothing disaster in its own right. The Suns gave up Danny Manning, Pat Garrity, a Knicks 2001 first round pick, and an unprotected future first round pick. The Knicks pick in 2001 was #18, wasted on Jason Collins but a number of talented players went soon after (Tony Parker, Gil Arenas, Gerald Wallace, etc.). The bigger issue, however, was the future pick. The Suns, thinking they were going places, didn't put any lotto protection on it so when they fell apart in 2001-2001 and landed in the lotto, that pick should have been owed to the Magic. That pick which ended up being Amare Stoudemire.

So what happened? For some reason, in 2001 the Magic traded the pick back to the Suns in a three team deal which saw them ship out Bo Outlaw for Jud Buechler and the right to swap 2nd round picks with the Clippers. In what may be one of the more overlooked lopsided trades of all time, the Suns acquired Amare Stoudemire for Jud Buechler and a washed up Vinny Del Negro.

The Knicks give up Anfernee Hardaway and Trevor Ariza for Steve Francis
Much like the Raptors, the Magic improved in spite of making some foolish decisions with their supposed short end of the stick. They traded Ariza for Mo Evans and Brian Cook (Cook is garbage and Evans has left via free agency) and they wasted their cap space on a huge 20 million per year deal for Rashard Lewis. Still, it's beter than what the Knicks ended up with...

The Knicks move Steve Francis, Channing Frye for Zach Randolph
Yes, others were involved but these were the key players. The Blazers bought out Francis and became everyone's favorite bandwagon while the Knicks managed just 23 wins and currently can't give away Zach Randolph.

The one team that seems immune to this trend are the Kings.

Philly fleeces the Kings, gets Chris Webber for Kenny Thomas, Brian Singer, Corliss Williamson
One reason this trade wasn't as successful was because the Kings didn't get that much cap space. In fact, Kenny Thomas's bloated deal is still on the books for another two years. On the bright side, the year after the deal, Sacramento finished with a better record than the Sixers. Chris Webber wouldn't even make it through his second season, getting bought out mid-way through the year.

Kings give away Mike Bibby for Anthony Johnson, Tyronn Lue, Shelden Williams, Lorenzen Wright, 2008 second round pick
The move didn't really do much of anything for the Kings since they are still terrible and I'm not sure how lotto picks Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson are going to help the cause. Bibby, on the other hand, helped the Hawks break their playoff drought.

Posted by SoulHonky at 04:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A silly video from Baron Davis's new website, I Beat You.

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

Back in July I wrote a post about players with the most to prove this season. There were a couple of guys who lived up to the pressure and a bunch that wilted.

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.

Yeah, Steph didn't do much to salvage the ol' rep. Fair or not, his reputation is down at Stephen Jackson after the Palace fight low. I still think he's going to bounce back and have a solid year next year if he's traded but this year has pretty much ruined him.

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.

Andrea indeed. Bargnani was charmin soft this year and got to watch as Rudy Gay emerged as another guy who Toronto could have had. My man Leon Powe even started to look like more of a threat in the paint than Andrea. Bargnani basically has set himself up for a top 5, if not #1, spot in next year's Proving Ground.

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. 

Leon, I'm sorry! KG proved himself beyond a shadow of a doubt in the regular season. The only thing that could put a damper on it is if he somehow choked in the playoffs. Oh, and apologies to Rajon Rondo who also proved himself as a legit starter this season. Tony Allen? Eh. He still makes me nervous whenever he has the ball. 

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.

Incomplete. Although one story really bothered me. Oden was recently admonished by the Blazers staff for playing two games of pick-up ball at a neighborhood gym. That fact doesn't seem like much but his quote kind of irked me, "I was going to play one, but I lost the first one." He lost the first one? I hope he was in Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood Gym or something.

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.

Durant didn't live up to the expecations but there was really no way he was going to because the expecations were extreme. His first half of the season was disappointing but he really proved himself in the second half of the season by hitting his shots at a higher clip. Still, his three point numbers were still low (31% in the second half, 28% overall) so he definitely needs to work on that, along with his rebounding and dribble drive. I still see him as a Rashard Lewis-type player (as opposed to a LeBron or even 'Melo) but he'll be one hell of a second star if the Sonics can land Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley.

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.

And how. The Deng Situation could go down in NBA history as one of the most mismanged off-seasons. Not only did Deng turn down a good deal but the Bulls missed out on some top notch players in order to have to haggle with Luol this offseason. I can't imagine it won't work out for Luol since someone will offer him decent money on potential alone, but the Bulls really screwed the pooch on this one. (How did "screw the pooch" become a phrase? I mean, I don't think I've ever messed up something so badly that I thought, "Man, that mistake was like fucking a dog." It probably should be screwed by the pooch since I can only imagine that's how Chicago fans feel right now.) 

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.

This video says it all about Andrew. He could be a good player (not Chris Paul/Deron Williams good) but it's not like he's on a team that's going to help him reach those heights.

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.

Luckily for Rashard, Hedo Turkoglu stepped up and helped the Magic become a top team in the East. Rashard did what he does and helped as well but I have a feeling his contract is going to become an issue after next season when Hedo can opt out of his contract and test the waters. I still don't believe there is any way that he deserves the contract that he received.

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.)

To start off, thank God Billy King is an idiot and turned down Danny Ainge's Everything And the Kitchen Sink deal for Allen Iverson.  Big Al stepped up this season. "The Unstoppable", as some have begun to call him, is the centerpiece of the Wolves rebuilding process. He still needs to work on his defense and his passing (hey, even Zach Randolph looked great for a few years) but it seems like Big Al is well on his way to earning that max contract and possibly a second one after that.

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.

I still would have traded him for Kevin Garnett but besides that Bynum has stepped up his game to a point where people are comparing him to Big Al and Laker fans are very happy that they didn't dump him in a Jason Kidd trade. Hopefully the knee injury won't be a recurring issue. Oh, and it also helps when Chris Wallace decides to just fork over Pau Gasol for Javarris Crittenton. I'm VERY high on Crittenton has a prospect but an All-Star for a late first round pick is highway robbery any way you slice it.

Posted by SoulHonky at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MVP: Kevin Garnett  (Pre-season pick: Kevin Garnett)
The Celtics simply wouldn't be this good without Kevin Garnett. They'd be a playoff team with Al Jefferson but they wouldn't be legit contenders without Garnett. My second vote would go to Kobe Bryant. He's been a beast this year but I don't think you can give him the MVP simply because his teammates aren't as good as Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. That being said, if Andrew Bynum didn't emerge, Derek Fisher wasn't around as a steadying force, and Smush Parker was still on the team, the Lakers aren't #1 in the West. #3 is LeBron and #4 is Chris Paul. Those are the definite top four and after that it's a wide open field.  Some people try to add Dwight Howard but that team isn't doing nearly as well without Hedo Turkoglu.

Defensive Player of the Year: Kevin Garnett  (Pre-season pick: Kevin Garnett)
The Celtics wouldn't be nearly as good on the defensive end without KG. I can see giving the MVP to Kobe but I think this award HAS to go to Garnett.

Rookie of the Year: Kevin Durant (Pre-season pick: Al Horford)
You can make a case for Horford but Durant had a very good second half of the season and was the go-to guy on his team.  Some people might say that's why he shouldn't win (good stats on a bad team) but I think Durant would put up some great numbers if he was on another team like Atlanta or the Clippers or Houston. 

The All-Rookie Team: Kevin Durant, Al Horford, Al Thornton, Thad Young, Louis Scola.
Honorable Mention goes to Rodney Stuckey who didn't get a ton of playing time until the end of the year but he definitely looks like he'll be a key player in the playoffs and in the Pistons future. 

The All-Bust Team: Mike Conley, Corey Brewer, Acie Law, Jeff Green, Josh McRoberts
Mike Conley wasn't terrible but he wasn't worth a #4 pick and he might not even be the best rookie PG on his team. Javarris Crittenton showed as many signs of being a breakout player as Conley did. Corey Brewer is going to be a great defensive player but I'm not sure you can get excited about taking a role player at #7. I didn't expect him to be a great offensive player but he wasn't even servicable this year. Acie Law is going to be a solid backup but he definitely isn't better than Thad Young, Al Thornton, Julian Wright and Rodney Stuckey (and maybe not even as good as Nick Young, Javarris Crittenton, and Sean Williams. Jeff Green is solid but, like Brewer, he's a role player who was taken with a top pick. And while I know it's hard to call a second round draftee a bust, McRoberts earns this because of just how bad he was both as a player and as a person. He had a lousy attitude for most of the season while the guys who teams opted for instead of him (Carl Landry, Big Baby) had great rookie seasons. As for Yi Jianlian, he didn't make the list because I had zero expectations and he actually showed some signs of life during the season. He's a tweener and probably two years away from really being a legit player but he could pan out.

Comeback Player of the Year: Kenyon Martin (Pre-season pick: Jamaal Tinsley)
So much for Mel-Mel making a leap. Tinsley is possibly the hardest player in the league to move right now. He's got a bad contract, bad attitude, and is almost never healthy. As for Kenyon, I wasn't really expecting much of anything from him after his second injury but he's become a solid contributor on a playoff team. I wouldn't be surprised if a number of teams called the Nuggets about him this offseason. Granted, his contract is still huge so he won't be getting an expiring contract in return but he has value. The question is: would the Nuggets be willing to deal him? This is a discussion nobody expected to be having before the season.

Most Improved Player: Hedo Turkoglu (Pre-season pick: LaMarcus Aldridge)
Aldrige definitely improved but if you give this award to a big man, it would be Andrew Bynum. Still, Hedo Turkoglu went from being a role player/journeymen to a player who has been getting MVP votes. While he probably shouldn't get any votes for the MOST improved player, Rajon Rondo deserves a lot of credit for improving his game and becoming a legit starting point guard.

The Bust Label Cometh: Gerald Green (Pre-season pick: Gerald Green)
Needless to say, Green is garbage. He'll probably find his way onto a roster next season but the odds of him turning his career around are worse than Darius Miles making a comeback. The rest of my picks were: Andrew Bogut*,  Marvin Williams, Robert Swift, Shelden Williams, Randy Foye. I didn't think Bogut was a bum but given the players taken after him, he definitely isn't living up to expecations. The disappointment continues however he wasn't the most disappointing #1 pick. Andrea Bargnani, a pre-season CanDanny Most Improved Candidate, fell apart and added next to nothing for the Raptors. The first half of the season was bad but at least he was hitting 40% of his threes. That dropped to 27% after the All-Star break. I still have no faith in Foye and Robert Swift, Shelden Williams is a scrub, and Marvin Williams, for all of his improvement, is still a fifth starter and inconsistent.

The KG in Minny Memorial (Player Most in Need of a Trade): Michael Redd  (Pre-season pick: Kobe Bryant)
Hmmm, maybe I should reconsider my MVP vote... Nah. As for Redd, he needs to go and the Bucks need to get rid of him. He could be a great fit in a place like Toronto or Houston where he could do what he does best: stand around and shoot. He's just a terrible fit in Milwaukee and is overpaid.


The Good Players on Bad Teams (Stats will jump, skills will stay the same): Chris Kaman (Pre-season pick: Delonte West)
Delonte looked like he could get this award but then couldn't find his way into the rotation in Seattle. After being shipped to Cleveland, fans quickly learned what many Boston fans now know: Delonte can look great one game and then look like he doesn't know what point guard means the next.  Don't get me wrong, I'd welcome him back as a backup guard in a heartbeat but it's time that everyone realize that he has no business starting or playing anything more than spot minutes at the point.

As for Kaman, I've never been a fan and this year is why. He'll get his point, make people think he's earned his contract, but he will have little impact on whether a team wins or loses. When the defenses clamp down, he can be stopped and he is rarely able to step up and make a key defensive play himself. The fact that people think his play is a sign that the Clippers can move Elton Brand is beyond ridiculous (which means it's probably what the Clippers will do).  Chris Kaman isn't a bad player but he's definitely not the impressive big man that people think he is.

Coach of the Year: Byron Scott (Pre-season pick Nate McMillan)
Doc Rivers definitely deserves a mention here but I have to go with Scott, not just for taking the Hornets to the next level but also for designing an offense in which the alley-oop is a key weapon.  

First Team All-NBA: Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul
Second Team All-NBA: Tim Duncan, Amare Stoudemire, Paul Pierce, Tracy McGrady, Deron Williams
Third Team All-NBA: Dirk Nowitzki, Carlos Boozer, Andre Iguodala, Manu Ginobili, Steve Nash

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With Danny Ainge building a dominant team in Boston, I can now sit back and enjoy Celtics game and waste my free time making up trades for other franchises.  Unfortunately, the next Boston opponent might be one of the hardest teams to figure out.

The Charlotte Bobcats are problematic because they aren't really that problematic. Most of their players are solid and they have a little bit of cap space. The issue, however, is that nobody is really that great, the team simply isn't working together, and they aren't a franchise that is really on the top of any elite free agents wish list.

Issue #1: Emeka Okafor
On the bright side, Emeka Okafor had a solid but not spectacular season which could limit how much he can demand in a contract extension. On the downside, Okafor hasn't been spectacular and he isn't the answer in the paint for the 'Cats. He's a great defensive player but the team could still use a better offensive threat in the frontcourt. The Cats should look to re-sign Okafor for maybe 10 million a year; a deal similar to the one that Gerald Wallace signed.

Issue #2: Head Coach
Nothing against Sam Vincent but this team just hasn't looked that good this year and I really don't see him somehow flipping a switch to make things better. It's not like he has some system that the players haven't figured out yet. To me, the obvious choice as next head coach, if he'd take the job, is Larry Brown. Brown is a defense-first kind of guy and the duo of Okafor and Wallace should keep him happy. Can one city survive the egos of Brown and Michael Jordan? Who knows? But both men are focused on winning now and I think their competitive drives could help smooth over their problems.

Issue #3: The draft pick
The Bobcats are likely going to have the 8th pick in the draft. I really doubt Jordan (or Brown, if they hire him) would want to get any younger. The best possible move the team could make would be: Jason Richardson and #8 for Elton Brand. Of course, to make it work the Bobcats would need to add another salary but I think either the overpaid Matt Carroll or overrated Adam Morrison can be thrown in. Depending on who comes out, the 'Cats could ask for more in return but I think any coach, even Larry Brown, would be happy with a Okafor/Brand/Wallace frontcourt. Another option could be to drop down in the draft and swap Nazr Mohammed, Matt Carroll, and Adam Morrison for Kenyon Martin. Depending on where the Nuggets end up, they might have to add in a future pick but that deal could work. Any way you slice it, the Bobcats are likely going to need to use the pick and/or Jason Richardson in hopes of bringing in some help to get them into the playoff picture.

Issue #3: Free Agency
I doubt the 'Cats are really going to be able to snag any big ticket free agents so they should really look for some lower level guys like Bonzi Wells, Matt Barnes, Eduardo Najero, Delonte West or Ryan Gomes. The key, of couse, is not to make the same mistake they made with Matt Carroll, which was to give a role player an MLE type contract. While I know that the 'Cats might want to make a splashy signing, it's better to show some financial responsibility and save the cash for future free agent classes which will likely be much better than this offseason's.

The odds of the Bobcats turning things around in one fell swoop this offseason seems slim. Still, with a few slight chances and an upgrade at head coach, there's no reason to think that they could improve ala the Hawks and make a run at the playoffs. One move can make all the difference. If they listened to me (and pretty much anyone who watched college hoops) two years ago, they'd be sitting pretty with Brandon Roy instead of Adam Morrison.

Posted by SoulHonky at 02:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm not a huge fan of Larry Huges but this is just unfair.  RealGm has a headline claiming: "Larry Hughes doesn't think that playing hard on a game-by-game basis is the key to winning in the NBA." The Chicago Tribune (always looking for a controvery to cover a losing basketball team) headlined the story: ""Playing Hard Not Always Smart".

So what was the actual quote: "I really don't think we're missing on playing hard," Hughes told the Tribune. "You can play hard, but you have to play smart. This game is about strategizing. Playing hard doesn't necessarily get it done on a nightly basis. You have to execute."

Clearly he isn't saying that teams shouldn't play hard. To me, it's obvious that he's saying that if you play hard and play stupid, you'll lose. I think we all saw this in the last couple of seasons here in Boston. I don't think you can say that our players weren't giving their all (well, maybe not at the end of last season) but if you don't know how to play the game and can't execute, all the hustle is just wasted energy.  I think our own Tony Allen is a great example of that. He always plays hard but he also often plays dumb and negates all of his energy.

In fact, Hughes is downright positive about the team, saying, "I think a training camp and full season will help us out with the philosophy and style of this team." Of course, I'm sure someone could take that out of context and complain that he's always focusing on style over substance.

Thank God we don't have to worry about petty stories like this anymore. We can focus on a team that has to be the odds on favorites to win it all.

Posted by SoulHonky at 09:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Not to harp on Isiah Thomas when he's down but I'm not sure how you can't call what he's doing right now "tanking." His official quote was:

Isiah Thomas has revealed that the Knicks are now playing for the future, with Zach Randolph probably not being used for at least the next two games, the Associated Press is reporting.

"This time of year, I think with the roster that we have we need to take a look at the young players that we have," Thomas said, "particularly some that we have to make decisions on if we're going to keep contractually."

Thomas was referring to getting a better look at players such as Randolph Morris and Wilson Chandler.

So what has happened? Zach Randolph has gotten two straight DNP-CD's (sitting next to fellow benchee Quentin Richardson). Randolph Morris played 28 minutes (shooting 1-8) against Memphis but tonight he only has played three minutes.  The young buck who stole his minutes: 33 year old Malik Rose.

Although what might actually be worse is that 33 year old Malik Rose is actually playing better than any of the Knicks' young players. 

Of course, Isiah still has a ways to go to match Pat Riley who isn't even showing up for some games (who missed a few games to scout college players) and barely bothers to field an actual NBA lineup. In fact, the game after Jason Williams led the team to a victory of the Bucks he sat out with a life-threatening "jammed thumb". Shawn Marion's back seems to flare up all the time and guys on ten-day contract immediately become key rotation players, often getting more minutes than the young guys who were supposed to be the future of the Heat.

Posted by SoulHonky at 01:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Some picks get hurt. Others are at the wrong place at the wrong time.  But there are a select few that, for one reason or another, seem like reaches at the time and look worse and worse as time goes by.  The NBA is a crapshoot and these are the guy who are all crap and no shoot. 

Honorable Mention: Fran Vazquez: 2005 #11 - Orlando Magic

On the bright side, at least Korolev shows up.  Orlando GM Otis Smith was given a rather rude awakening when, a day after selecting Vazquez in the lottery, the Spaniard went public with his desire to stay in Spain "until he is ready for the NBA".  Here's Smith trying to win over the confidence of Magic fans, and there's his first lotto pick admitting he isn't ready for the NBA.  It's been an embarrasment but there's a light at the end of the tunnel.  Fran has recently stated that he is ready to come to the NBA and that he'll be over as soon as his contract expires.  He's signed for two more years.  He'll only be 26 but after four years of waiting, nobody's even sure how good the guy is.

10: Yi Jianlian: 2007 #6 - Milwaukee Bucks

At least Fran has said he wants to play for Orlando. The Milwaukee Bucks stunned many by ignoring the warnings of Yi's management that they didn't want to play in Milwaukee. In a comment that is eerily familiar to Danny Ainge regarding Kevin Garnett, the Bucks GM Larry Harris dimissed the talk as just talk and also said he thought the word was coming from the managers and not Yi himself. A day after the draft, Jianlian skipped the press conference announcing his selection and now seems like he is going to have to be shipped out.  But more troubling than all of this is the fact that Jianlian made absolutely no sense for the Bucks.  His skill set is somewhat similar to Charlie Villenueva and he is the last guy a team that needed defense should have selected.  With Corey Brewer and Julian Wright sitting in the Green Room along with a potential star in Brandan Wright and the phone reportedly ringing with offers like Devin Harris from Dallas, Jianlian was an unnecessary gamble.

9: Luke Jackson: 2004 #10 - Cleveland Cavaliers

One of the most damaging obsessions of the last decade definitely has to be Jim Paxson's fervent belief that he had to add a shooter alongside LeBron James.  This tunnel vision led Paxson to reach for Jackson, an unathletic guard who seemed born to play the college game. Three years later, Jackson was traded to Boston for undrafted big man Dwayne Jones.  He then failed to make the team but did manage a ten day contract with the L.A. Clippers. With 59 games under his belt, Luke Jackson might have to call it a career.  Unfortunately for Cavs fans, Jim Paxson's obsession didn't stop at Luke.  Two days before the 2004 draft was the Charlotte Bobcats expansion draft.  Paxson swung a deal that he'd give the Bobcats a future first round pick if they would take and then trade to Cleveland Utah's Sasha Pavlovic.  Pavlovic wasn't an instant success so eight months later, Paxson dealt another first round pick for Jiri Welsch, who is now out of the league. While this focus on shooter seems excessive, it becomes downright laughably pathetic when you realize that the guy the Cavaliers left unprotected and lost in the Bobcats expansion draft was their previous year's 2nd round pick, the reigning NBA 3-point Champion Jason Kapono.

8. Yaroslav Korolev: 2005 #12 - Los Angeles Clippers

When Danny Granger and Gerald Green fell to #12, the Clippers were helpless to stop their slide.  The problem was that Elgin Baylor had already promised the pick to 18 year old Yaroslav Korolev.  The young Korolev was an exciting young talent who hadn't any experience against top level competition.  Two years later, he still hasn't had any experience.  Korolev has played a grand total of 170 minutes in his two years in the NBA. Some might say that it's too early to call the 20 year old Korolev a bust but the front office of the Clippers seem to disagree. In an unheard of move, the Clippers declined the third year option on Korolev's contract so the young man is now an unrestricted free agent. The Clippers claim that they are still confident in his skils and just want to sign him to a cheaper deal but when you give your lotto pick from two years ago a paycut, and he agrees to it, it's not looking like you made the wisest selection.

7. Rafael Araujo: 2004 #8 - Toronto Raptors

Hopefully, Danny isn't about to learn the lesson that Araujo taught Rob Babcock: Never let your star's threats alter your draft plan.  Sitting at the eight pick for the Raptors was a mountain of talent, most notably Al Jefferson, Andris Biedrins, Josh Smith, Andre Iguodlala.  Any of the three would have helped out the Raptors but Vince Carter was making noise and leaving so Babcock panicked and drafted the guy who seemed the most NBA ready.  By most NBA ready, we mean oldest.  Araujo was 23 years old but he was unathletic, needed to learn how to play defense and just wasn't all that good.  But he was 23 and a center, so Babcock took him with the Raptors' picks.  Half a season later, Vince Carter was in New Jersey.   

6. Kwame Brown: 2001 #1 - Washington Wizards

Kwame Brown might be the biggest bust of the decade but I wouldn't call him the worst pick.  He was a top rated high schooler and in the pre-draft workouts showed great determination and focus.  He wanted to go #1 and busted his ass to get to the top. Things seemed like they were going to go as planned during his first summer league in which he showed great skills and looked like the real deal.  Then Michael Jordan moved from the front office to the front lines and Kwame became the victim of the most unfriendly friendly fire.  Weeks after David Stern announced Brown was the #1 pick, Michael Jordan was labeling him a flaming faggot.  Maybe he was always a dog and never would have had what it takes to make it but there is no doubting that Michael Jordan broke Kwame Brown's spirit.  It wasn't all bad.  Kwame played well enough at the end of his contract to fool Mitch Kupchak into thinking that trading Caron Butler for him would be a good idea.

5. Desagana Diop: 2001 #8 - Desagana Diop

With 25 year old center Zydrunas Ilgauskas experiencing injury problems, Jim Paxson decided that he needed a center.  He swapped draft picks and ended up dealing Jamal Crawford for Chris Mihm in the 2000 draft. Mihm didn't exactly pan out so Paxson, never one to not obsess on a position, walked into the 2001 draft and seemed determined to add another big man. Nevermind that at this point in the Cavs history, their lineup was atrocious.  Their starting swingmen were Lamond Murray and Wesley Person. Sitting on the draft board at the time of the pick were Joe Johnson and Richard Jefferson. Paxson didn't care and passed them over to select high school big man Diop.   However, this pick apparently didn't quench Paxson's thirst for height.  He held the #20 pick in the draft and took Brendan Haywood but, apparently wanting a more seasoned big man, Paxson immediately dealt Haywood for Michael Doleac. While Paxson was sizing up his new big men, he might have missed the announcements of picks 25 through 31: Gerald Wallace, Sam Dalembert, Jamaal Tinsley, Tony Parker, Trenton Hassell, and Gilbert Arenas.  Adding insult to injury, Paxson finally broke from his height fetish and took a swingman in the second round.  He selected Jeff Trepagnier at #36.  Two picks later, the Detroit Pistons drated Mehmet Okur.

4. Nikiloz Tskitisvili: 2002 #5 - Denver Nuggets

Everyone loves a fad and after Pau Gasol stormed the NBA, European players were all the rage.  It didn't matter if the players were raw or obviously needed to stay in Europe for a couple of years, the hype drowned out common sense and the legend of Tskitishvili was born. The Nuggets were rebuilding and could afford to take a project instead of Caron Butler. #1 ranked high schooler Amare Stoudamire had apparently gotten a promise from Phoenix and wasn't working out for teams so why not opt for the guy you'd seen, right?     After taking Tskitishvili and Nene (at #8), the Nuggets filled out their frontcourt with small forward Vincent Yarborough at #33.  The frontcourt the Nuggets passed on that day was Amare, Caron, and #35 pick Carlos Boozer.

3. Chris Wilcox: 2002 #8 - Los Angeles Clippers

Chris Wilcox was a decent selection. He was a beast at Maryland and seemed like a definite talent.  What makes this one of the worst picks of the decade is the story behind it.  At the time of the draft, the Los Angeles Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers were working out a trade for Andre Miller. The trade was all but done and, as the pick they were sending to Cleveland approached, the Clippers eagerly awaited a name from the Cavs to send to the Commissioner.  The time wore down and no name.  Nervous that time would elapse before they could send their pick in, the Clippers looked at the Cavs roster and assumed that, with Brian Skinner and an aging Ty Hill as their only power forwards, that the Cavs would select Chris Wilcox.  The Clippers made the call and sent in the card with Wilcox's name on it.  Wouldn't you know it, moments later, Jim Paxson calls up and tells the Clippers that the deal is a go and that Los Angeles should select Caron Butler for them.  Panic struck and the Cavs and Clips reps ran to the front but it was too late, the rules state that you can't change your pick once its sent in.  The draft concluded and everyone was stunned.  Why did the Cavaliers, whose best player was Andre Miller, select Dajuan Wagner?  And why did the Clippers, who a year earlier had traded their #2 pick for Elton Brand, opt for Chris Wilcox?  In the end, the deal for Miller was finally made with Darius Miles heading to Cleveland for 'Dre.  A disastrous season later, Andre Miller left L.A. as a free agent. Half a season after that, Darius Miles was unceremoniously dumped for Jeff Mcinnis and Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje.  And Chris Wilcox spent the first three and a half years of his career stuck behind Elton Brand.  Caron Butler came in third for Rookie of the Year and was one of the pieces that enabled Miami to land Shaquille O'Neal.  The man who won the Rookie of the Year?  Amare Stoudamire, who was selected the pick right after the bungled #8 pick.

2. Darko Milicic: 2003 #2 - Detroit Pistons

Darko might still pan out to be a good player but the bottom line is that the Detroit Pistons could be battling the San Antonio Spurs as the Dynasty of the late '00's.  Blame Larry Brown, Joe Dumars, Chad Ford, whoever, but the Pistons blew it on this pick and have been a man short over the last few years when it comes playoff time. 

1. Kedrick Brown: 2001 #11 - Boston Celtics

Kedrick Brown doesn't deserve to walk through life being known as a bust.  It wasn't his fault.  He played two years at junior college and was a fine but not highly sought after prospect.  But then he caught the eye of Celtics GM Chris Wallace, who had picks #10, #11, and #21 in the 2001 draft.  Much like the Trailblazers promise to Sebastian Telfair, the Brown promise went above and beyond the call of common sense.  When everyone heard rumors of a promise to Brown, the assumption was that it would be the Celtics pick at #21, not #11. But no, Chris Wallace, in order to keep Brown from working out for other teams, offered up the Celtics 2nd lottery pick for Brown. Making matters more awkward is that Joe Johnson fell in the Celtics' lap at #10 so they ended up taking both Johnson and Brown, despite already having Paul Pierce. While most fans were debating which much needed point guard the Celtics would be adding (Tony Parker vs. Jamaal Tinsley vs. Omar Cook), the Celtics drafted two more swingmen.  But the story doesn't end there.  Later, during Brown and Johnson's rookie season, Chris Wallace struck a deal with Phoenix for Rodney Rogers and Tony Delk.  The Suns were willing to take back either Johnson or Brown and let Wallace pick who he sent and who he kept.  Sticking with his initial inexplicable love, Wallace opted to send Joe Johnson to Phoenix and hold onto Kedrick Brown.  The choice was a disastrous one as Rodney Rogers would leave as a free agent at the end of that season while, two years later, Kedrick Brown would  be nothing more than filler in the deal for Ricky Davis and Chris Mihm.  Four years after Chris Wallace's promise, Kedrick Brown was out of the league.  But that's not even the worst part of it.  The worst part is that the reason the Celtics had the Nuggets pick that season was because they exercised their option on it.  They could have taken the 11th pick that year or waited until 2002 or 2003.  If Chris Wallace had shown a little patience, the 2003 draft would have featured the Celtics, and not the Nuggets, choosing between Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade in 2003. 

Posted by SoulHonky at 06:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Trying to set the record for most times changing uniforms without coming up with anything good, the Atlanta Hawks have unveiled yet another new look. This year, they've gone one step further than usual by suddenly changing their team color to blue. Their logo looks like a mix between the Patriots' logo and the latest Louisville cardinal.

And while it might be a stretch, I think the fact that they chose Josh Smith to be the model for their new uni's could mean that they aren't looking to deal him.

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Boston Celtics might not be able to make a move because of it. The Phoenix Suns might have to dump a player to avoid it. The Mavericks don't care about it. Wasn't the luxury tax put in place to help the smaller market teams and stingier owners?

For all the talk of changes this year to fix the game, the one that should happen first is raising the luxury tax by around 15 million. Whenever you hear a story about financial issues in the NBA, it isn't that a team can't afford its payroll, it's that the owners aren't able to spend what they want because they will run into the luxury tax. We could have one of the stingier ownership groups in the league but if the luxury tax was raised to 80 million, I really don't think that Wyc and friends would have a problem spending more money.

Besides the fact that the NBA trade deadline and offseason has become more about economics than basketball, this move will also save hapless NBA GM's from themselves. For most teams, one or two bad contracts means certain doom, or at least, an arrested development. The Cavaliers might be a move or two away from competing but they won't be able to make those moves because they can't sign anyone without going over the cap and nobody is going to deal for overpaid guys like Larry Hughes and Eric Snow. Danny Ainge started his tenure with one major mistake, adding Raef Lafrentz's salary, and has been trying to get out from behind the eight ball ever since. Isiah Thomas's first move was to add Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway's huge contract... and he's been adding payroll ever since. The Dallas Mavericks wouldn't be the Mavericks if it wasn't for Cuban's deep pockets. Don Nelson was able to build his team even after spending 10 million on Shawn Bradley, Evan Eshmeyer, and Tariq Abdul-Wahad and another 8 million on Erick Dampier.

Of course, the one problem here is that most GM's will just go out and use the extra space to overpay mediocre players because they are suddenly able to. Still, intelligently run teams will be able to hold onto their players and build deeper teams if they don't have to live in fear of a looming tax threshold.

And yes, maybe there are some teams that wouldn't want to go all the way to the higher tax threshold. But is that really a problem? What's wrong with creating an NBA middle class? If George Shinn or Donald Sterling only want to spend 70 million on their team, then their GM will have to deal with that. But the Suns and Warriors shouldn't be held to that same budget and then punished when their young players turn out to earn higher contracts than the tax allows.

Before the NBA starts to work on the game itself, it should get the focus back onto the game itself. Let's focus back on defense and rebounds as opposed to dollars and cents.

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Whenever I get down about the Celtics, news always comes from Minnesota that brightens my day.

From the Pioneer Press
Minnesota owner Glen Talyor said Tuesday that the Wolves would seek to improve by building around Kevin Garnett with Randy Foye, Rashad McCants and Craig Smith. Other players could be traded.

In related news, GM's from every other team announced that they wouldn't be trading for any of the other eleven guys on the Wolves roster, except maybe Trenton Hassell. To think that Kevin McHale has been in charge for 12 years, has missed the playoffs for three straight years, and all he has to show for it is (besides KG) a core of Randy Foye, Rashad McCants, and Craig Smith. McHale keeping his job is one of the most baffling mysteries of the NBA.

Posted by SoulHonky at 03:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Usually when a trade is made, people argue over who got the best of the deal, often coming to the realization that the deal helped both squads. However there are always those rare occassions when a GM makes a deal so devoid of logic that pretty much everyone agrees that it was a horrible deal. Usually these obvious deals work out as expected but every so often a lopsided deal actually pans out as being fair or even better for the team that was supposedly getting hosed. So here are the five least lopsided lopsided deals of the 21st Century.

5. Eddy Curry to New York: Eddy Curry wasn't impressing too many people with his play for the Bulls. He was solid but unspectacular on offese, invisible on the boards, and a project on defense. Coming into the league, Curry was seen as a future franchise big man and Isiah Thomas knew that those were hard to come by. He was willing to pay for Curry but because the Knicks were over the cap, the only way they could acquire the big man was a sign-and-trade. Jon Paxson held out and ended up getting Tim Thomas, Mike Sweetney, Jermanie Jackson, the 2006 Knicks pick, the right to swap 2007 picks and a couple of 2nd rounders. That's a TON to give up for a young big man and Isiah was mocked across the nation for the move. Then something happened. Tim Thomas was such a headcase in Chicago that the Bulls finally just bought him out to get rid of it. Mike Sweetney didn't improve any. And the 2006 draft turned out to be one of the worst in recent memory. Still, the 2007 pick seemed like it could be another top 2 pick but the Knicks started winning. As it stands now, Eddy Curry is playing well, Ty Thomas is barely playing, the Knicks will be swapping the 12th pick for the Bulls 22nd pick in a draft that is very deep and both teams could get someone very talented. This deal still could look like a great move for the Bulls but it isn't nearly the horrific mistake that people made it out to be.

4. Eddie Griffin to Houston: Peter Vescey could only shake his head. The New Jersey fans at the draft booed. The hugely talented Eddie Griffin, who averaged 17/10 and 4 block in his freshman year, fell to the Nets' 7th pick yet new Nets GM Rod Thorn decided to spit in Lady Luck's face by trading the stud freshman for three later picks: Richard Jefferson, Brandon Armstrong, and Jason Collins. Needless to say, the deal now looks like a steal for the Nets. Eddie Griffin lasted two season in Houston and has become a problem child who could never harness his talent. Jefferson became a key member of a two time Eastern Conference finalist. Not that Rod Thorn should get too much credit, players taken after Armstrong and Collins include: Gerald Wallace, Sam Dalembert, Tony Parker, Gilbert Arenas, and Mehmet Okur.

3:Allen Iverson to the Nuggets: The one thing you can still argue against Billy King is that he could have done better. Still, this shockingly one-sided deal doesn't look so bad right now. The key, of course, is that the Sixers didn't do what most people expected, which was dump Andre Miller. Miller and Joe Smith have helped the young Sixers come alive and put together a great win streak. Even more importantly, Andre Iguodala has become the franchise player of the team and disappointments Sam Dalembert and Kyle Korver have re-emerged as threats. Denver, meanwhile, is clining to the 7th spot in the playoffs, are not looking like A.I. will lead them out of the first round, and most importantly, are hardly the picture of tranquility. Some reports have both George Karl and Carmelo Anthony missing 'Dre, a pure point guard. And on top of this all, the Sixers have two more picks, Denver's (18th) and Dallas' (30), in the upcoming draft, which is looking like it could be very deep with talent.

2: The Darko deals: In what has to be one of the stranger deals in basketball, the Vancouver Grizzlies, heading into their third year as a franchise and fresh off of a 14 win season, decided it would be a good idea to trade a protected draft pick for 15 year veteran, Otis Thorpe. Maybe they thought the vet could mentor their two first rounders Bryant Reeves and Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Whatever they thought, it didn't work out, Thorpe lasted 47 games in Memphis before being dealt to Sacramento for Bobby Hurley (who would be out of the league at the end of the season).
On the bright side, the protection on the pick kept saving the Grizz from losing their draft picks, however by 2003, the only restriction left was #1 protection. It seemed a foregone conclusion that the Grizz would lose their pick but, as the envelopes were turned over at the lottery ceremony, the now Memphis Grizzlies found themselves as one of the final two envelopes. If they won the lotto, they'd get Lebron James. If the lost, they would lose their pick. As luck wouldn't have it, Lebron James ended up in Cleveland and the chance to draft Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, or Carmelo Anthony fell to the Pistons. What looked like a horrific deal turned out to be not-so-bad as the Pistons pick, Darko Milicic, was a bust in Detroit and unceremoniously dumped in his third year.

Oddly enough, the second Darko deal looked like a steal for Orlando. Darko's game improved and the Magic started to look like they could be a top six team in the East. Giving up The Serbian Gangster and Carlos Arroyo for Kelvin Cato and a future pick seemed like a coup for Orlando and a rare mistake by Joe Dumars. However, Darko's been a bit of a disappointment again this season and the Magic are falling apart. The pick is only top five protected and if the Magic slide continues, the Pistons might end up with a very nice pick (and one less potentially problematic contract negotiation) for Darko.

1. Grant Hill to Orlando: The Orlando Magic opened up cap space to sign a couple of superstars and forced the Detroit Pistons to make a sign-and-trade of their superstar Grant Hill. The 27 year old Hill was a perennial All-Star and franchise caliber player, despite not having been able to get the Pistons out of the first round of the playoffs in his six years in Detroit. All the Pistons were able to get in return for this superstar was two undrafted journeymen Chucky Atkins and Ben Wallace.
After one lottery season, the Pistons revamped their team and, led by Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace and starting PG Chucky Atkins, made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs, a place Orlando would never see with Grant Hill, who ran into injury problems and was never able to regain his superstar form. Later, the cap space that the Pistons didn't spend on Grant Hill was used to acquire Chauncey Billups (a player the Magic let walk in 2000 in order to free up cap space for Hill). The Magic also traded away Corey Maggette to open up the space to get Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady.

Posted by SoulHonky at 01:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Nike's new ad campaign is interesting, promoting the new generation of stars, but it seems like they learned their lesson from last time and stuck with more established players. Nike's "Revolution" didn't exactly pan out as a number of the young guys turned out to be good but not great.

LeBron James, Drew Gooden, Tyson Chandler, Dajuan Wagner, Caron Butler, Tayshaun Prince, Richard Jefferson and Amaré Stoudemire

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

It's a new year and time to rank the guys in charge to see where our fearless leader stands. The Top Two

RC Buford (Spurs): Whether you give the credit to him or Gregg Popovich, the fact remains that nobody is better in the business than the Spurs. Losing Rasho and Nazr looked bad to some experts but the Spurs reloaded with the cheaper Francisco Elson and Fabricio Oberto. The only complaint is not being able to pull off the much rumored Brent Barry for J.R. Smith deal.

Bryan Colangelo (Raptors) : Colangelo the Younger has only been in Toronto one year but the improvements are many. And the job he did in Phoenix was top notch. While I'm not sold on his deal with the Spurs (taking on Rasho's contract), Colangelo is still one of the best. It's no coincidence that the top best GM's in the NBA are also two of the most savvy when it comes to deals with foreign players.

The Second Echelon

Randy Pfund (Heat): The Heat sold out for the title and now could be feeling the repercussions. That being said, when the 2001 Heat team fizzled, it didn't take long for Pfund to rebuild them into a playoff contender. Two down years and then they were back in the playoffs with Odom, Wade, and Butler. The transition probably won't be as smooth this time but I wouldn't be willing to bet against the Heat coming back sooner than a lot of their rivals.

Donnie Nelson (Mavs): The Mavs have been making great moves since Donnie took over for Don and could be looking at another trip to the Finals. The key move will be to see if they can upgrade from Jerry Stackhouse. Devin Harris' maturation is also going to be interesting to watch.

Joe Dumars (Pistons): Joe was ranked higher in years past but there's trouble on the horizon in Detroit. His recent free agent additions have not panned out, Rasheed is looking older and older every game, and Chauncey Billups is about to be a free agent. Still, the Pistons are a top team and it's because of Dumars.

John Paxson (Bulls): Paxson came into a great situation and made good. The Bulls are back amongst the East's elite but they still need a move or two to get them into a true contender for the title. Giving away J.R. Smith for Howard Eisley and two 2nd round picks is looking like an awful deal right now and Paxson needs to figure out what to do with Ben Gordon and PJ Brown.

Kevin O'Connor (Jazz): I was really down on O'Connor at this time last year but his guys have turned it around. Deron Williams is playing like a #3 pick, Carlos Boozer is healthy, Okur is fitting into his role. As always, the Jazz seem to be that one scorer away. Ronnie Brewer seems more like a great role player off the bench so right now it is on CJ Miles' young shoulders to mature into the man at the 2.

Geoff Petrie (Kings): Before Petrie arrived in Sac-town, the Kings were a laughingstock who hadn't broken the 30 win barrier in eight years. In the eleven years since he's taken over, Petrie's squad has been a playoff team 8 times. The Kings are struggling a bit this year and it should be interesting to see if Petrie can rebuild the team once again.

Larry Harris (Bucks): Harris started off with some great moves but right now and although the Bucks have stalled a bit this season, the team has cap space next season and could be looking to add the final piece of the puzzle. On the downside, Larry fell for the ol' "I Put Up Good Numbers on the Clippers" free agent trap with Bobby Simmons and sold low/bought high in the Ford/Villain deal. His record isn't perfect but the Bucks are in a great place to make a move next offseason.

Purgatory

Ernie Grunfeld (Wizards): Ernie definitely knows what he is doing but he seems like a guy that can build a team into a Conference Finals contender but never a squad that's really competing for the title. His Bucks teams were good but never great and his Wizards seem headed in that direction. Perhaps he can turn Antawn Jamison in a deal and get a better post threat but right now, the Wizards seem like their ceiling is a run to the Conference Finals.

Rod Thorn (Nets): Thorn was on fire at the beginning of his tenure but since drafting Nenad Krstic, the Vince Carter deal is really his only shining achievement. In the meantime, he's utterly failed to add to the roster and hasn't given the Nets the big man that they've been needing. Now Thorn has to figure out if he wants to go for one more run or rebuild, although his cupboard is pretty bare when it comes to potential/trade assets.

Carroll Dawson (Rockets): A decent job building around T-Mac and Yao. But only a decent job. The team still has too many holes and with Yao and T-Mac making so much they simply couldn't afford a mistake like Rafer Alston's contract.

Bernie Bickerstaff (Bobcats): He's been working with a lower cap and some frugal owners so it's hard to argue with the job he's done. Still, the team can't win a game and the talent on the team looks like it could be good but not great. Bickerstaff can't afford to simply let Gerald Wallace and Primoz Brezec walk away but at the same time, he can't afford to overpay them either. And it may be time for Bernie to give up the coaching reins and bring in someone new to run the squad on the court.

Mitch Kupchack (Lakers): He's done a solid job rebuilding around Kobe but nobody is forgetting Shaq. Kwame isn't as bad as people make him out to be but he isn't all that great either. Andrew Bynum's emergence is impressive so the Lakers could be a year and a move away from really making a push in the West.

Larry Bird (Pacers): Bird's made some good moves of late but the team is still mired in mediocrity. After a while, you have to look at your coach and start to wonder if Rick Carlisle isn't the type of coach that whips a team into shape so that someone else can come in and lead them to the promised land. At the very least, it's time to improve at the PG spot so this team can really contend.

Elgin Baylor (Clippers): He made a lot of great moves to get the Clippers into playoff contention but then reverted to form this past offseason. I simply can't believe someone was fooled again by Tim Thomas. While his deal isn't terrible, he doesn't give you anything that a lot of low salary guys like Matt Barnes couldn't add. The handling of Corey Maggette has been horrific and they really need to make sure they get something solid in return for him (and for the sake of chemistry, they have to trade him). And if Elgin even listens for a second to Mike Dunleavy telling him to trade for Mike Jr., Elgin will be back in the bottom of the rankings.

The Bottom of the Barrell

Jerry West (Grizzlies): West's run in Memphis started in the lottery, will never have seen the second round of the playoffs and is looking like it will end in the lottery. He built a solid team but his love affair with acquiring role players and never establishing a second star alongside Pau Gasol was what led to his failure.

Danny Ainge (Celtics): Like his team, Danny is living off of potential. He could make a big move but whether he'll ever be able to is another question altogether. Aside from Pierce, the veterans on the Celtics are an abomination. Ainge will likely have to wait for this offseason to move Ratliff (who'll be an expiring deal) and odds are that Wally won't have much value until the year after that, when his deal is becomes expiring asset. He's drafted very well but after four years, the Celtics are just a collection of talented players and don't look anything like a cohesive team. His best move might have been hiring a scapegoat instead of a real head coach to help buy him some more time.

Rick Sund (Sonics): The Sonics are essnetially what the Celtics don't want to become. A bunch of overpaid role players, a fading superstar, and a good second option who could probably be better if he was on another team. And with Ray Allen getting older, why do you spend three straight first round picks on project centers?

Isiah Thomas (Knicks): Great draft picks but too many bad signings and trades for players who are overpaid, overrated, and have little-to-no trade value. For all of the money being dished out, the team's ceiling is a first round playoff loss.

Billy King (Sixers): King figured out the formula for winning with Iverson (surround him with great defensive minded role players), got to the Finals, and then immediately ignored that blueprint. He overpaid for pretty much everyone he signed and wasted the prime of one of the best that ever played. The cherry on the top is that he then gave away Iverson for a song.

Billy Knight (Hawks): He's got a nice young team but it should be a much better young team than it is. Took over and made some nice moves but then took the players he got in those and moved them in somewhat mind-boggling trades. He got played by Bryan Colangelo and gave up far too much for Joe Johnson when all he really had to do was offer a huge contract (which he did). Putting limited protection on the 2007 pick now means that the Suns get the Hawks pick if it is four or lower. Right now, it's at #4. As of now, his fate seems tied to Marvin Williams.

Kevin McHale (Timberwolves): He's wasted Kevin Garnett's career. He's added bad contract, little young talent, and traded away draft picks. He's overpaid for point guard after point guard and has failed to bring in a second tier talent to put alongside KG.

Incomplete

Jeff Bower: Bower's made nice moves but I didn't understand the Peja Stojakovic signing one bit. The Hornets were building a great young team so why waste cap space on an older, injury prone shooter? A lot is riding on the banged-up bodies of Peja and Tyson Chandler, as well as the questionable potentials of Cedric Simmons and Hilton Armstrong. Bower gets huge points (if Hoopshype is to be believed) for doing something that I thought was obvious when it comes to contracts. David West's deal peaks next year and then declines every following year so as cap space opens up for the Hornets, West's deal is smaller and smaller, giving them more room to add talent.

Mark Warkentien: He got Allen Iverson and JR Smith for Andre Miller, Joe Smith, Howard Eisley and some mid-first round picks. Unfortunately, he also overpaid to bring Nene back into the fold.

Otis Smith: Smith hasn't been there long but has made some very nice moves. I'm not sold on the JJ Redick selection but so far, so good.

Steve Patterson (Blazers): An active draft night but he still has a ways to go before this team is sniffing the playoffs in the West.

Chris Mullin (Warriors): He's made some great draft picks (Biedrins/Ellis) and a steal of a trade (Baron) but in the end, it is all moot because of the bad contracts he gave to Dunleavy Jr., Troy Murphy, and Adonal Foyle.

Danny Ferry: The Hughes signing was a major mistake IMO. And nobody in Cleveland can be all that excited with Lebron's shorter contract. Ferry essentially has three more offseasons before Lebron can opt out and he's capped out for all of them because of Hughes, Damon Jones, and the inherited Eric Snow.

Mike D'Antoni: Following Colangelo is tough enough but making matters worse by giving up a draft pick to take Rondo, Marcus Williams, or Kyle Lowry for "cap reasons" and then signing Marcus Banks for three times as much as those guys would have made is completely idiotic.

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I bashed Doc Rivers for saying that a rotation wasn't needed but Don Nelson's rolled out six different starting lineups in seven games and hasn't played the same starting lineup in two consecutive games. Despite this madness, he has the Warriors at 4 - 3.

Here's how the Warriors have started each game:
Lakers (L): Davis/Richardson/Pietrus/Dunleavy/Murphy
Blazers (W): Davis/Richardson/Dunleavy/Murphy/Foyle
Jazz (L): Davis/Richardson/Dunleavy/Murphy/Biedrins
Mavericks (W): Davis/Richardson/Pietrus/Murphy/Biedrins
Hornets (L): Davis/Richardson/Dunleavy/Murphy/Biedrins
Hornets (W): Davis/Ellis/Pietrus/Barnes/Murphy
Pistons (W): Davis/Ellis/Richardson/Murphy/Biedrins
Raptors (W): Davis/Ellis/Richardson/Pietrus/Biedrins

Baron's started every games and Jason Richardson only sat out when he was injured one game. Monta Ellis apparently scored points in his time replacing Richardson since he's been in the starting lineup since. I'd love to go after this guy. The Warriors will be facing a dilemma this offseason because if they resign Pietrus next year, they'll be dancing on the luxury tax line. If Chris Mullin doesn't play his cards right, Ellis could become the next Gilbert Arenas. Meanwhile, I know that Nellie loves him but the team is 1 - 3 with Mike Dunleavy Jr. starting. Let's all agree that he is an 8th or 9th man.

Posted by SoulHonky at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The craziest thing about the small ball revolution is that its founding father, The Phoenix Suns, never REALLY went as small as other teams have been attempting. Shawn Marion was a SF who could handle playing in the paint (ala Lamar Odom or Cliff Robinson) while the athletic, long armed Boris Diaw, turned out to also be an undersized tweener forward rather than a guard. Diaw struggled to break the Hawks rotation as a perimeter and found his niche when moved into the paint. Once Diaw's career took off, everyone mocked the Hawks saying that they didn't see what he had.

However, the fact that everyone seems to ignore is that had everyone known on draft day what they know now about Boris, he probably would have been a second round pick. Tell any scout that a 6'8 athlete doesn't have the game to survive on the perimeter and they will immediately tell you that there is no place for them in the NBA. Take Diaw in the first round and you'd probably be mocked as Isiah was for selecting Renaldo Balkman.

Everyone saw the Suns success and thought they could get away with four guard lineups when in reality what they should have seen is the fact that their definition of what an interior player is needs to be updated. Honest-to-goodness low post moves are scarce today as most big men are now known for their versatility. The operating station for most elite bigs has moved to the high post, a place where most of them aren't able to utilize their size advantage. Despite this, teams haven't updated their opinions on undersized big men. Now more than ever, players like Diaw or David Lee can excel in the NBA. Whereas in the past, an opposing PF's would have taken them down to the post and gone to town, today's big men don't have the skill set to make teams pay for playing smaller bigs.

Unforutunately, this fact has flown over the heads of most NBA GM's. Even Billy Knight, the man who dumped Diaw, hasn't learned as he has been forcing Josh Smith to play the guard position rather than taking advantage of his ability to handle the PF spot. Even worse, his myopia led him to waste a lottery pick on a more traditional power forward. Knight already had a starting forward tandem in Marvin Williams and Smith but his need for a textbook PF drove him to make the worst pick in the draft.

Meanwhile, others GM saw Diaw's success and thought going "small" meant subbing in a shooting guard for a power forward and starting a swingman at the 4. Already two teams, the Warriors and Celtics, have abandoned their initial small ball plans and many more will likely give up on it. Whether or not teams will ever realize the real lesson of Boris Diaw's rise (and not allow talents like Ryan Gomes, Leon Powe, and Chuck Hayes to become late 2nd rounders or go undrafted) remains to be seen.

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

According the the experts in Las Vegas, the Boston Celtics will be tied for the 7th lottery pick this season with the 76ers. Sin City thinks the C's are going to win about 36 games this season. Looking at the conferences, the Heat and Pistons are tied to lead the East with around 52 wins, followed by the Cavs, Nets, Bulls, Pacers, Wizards, and Magic. The Bucks, Sixers, and Celtics will all just miss out on the playoffs.
Over in the West, the Suns, Mavs, and Spurs will battle it out with win totals in the mid-50's while the Lakers, Clippers, Rockets, Nuggets, and Kings will round out the playoffs. The Jazz and Grizzlies are the odd teams out while the Blazers, Hawks, Knicks, and Bobcats (in that order) will be at the bottom of the barrell.

These predictions seem pretty spot on. Although there analysis seems spotty at times. When discussing the Rockets, the spokesman for the Las Vegas Sports Consultants stated:

“Ming and Tracy McGrady just couldn’t get on the floor at the same time last season,” said Seba. “Though Ming still isn’t 100 percent because of a toe injury, the addition of Shane Battier from Memphis and the drafting of Rudy Gay should make this team much improved.”

I'm not sure how much benefit they are going to get out of drafting Rudy Gay since they traded him for Shane Battier. Maybe it will just help their confidence, knowing that they once drafted Rudy.
If I was a betting man, I would probably put my money on the over for the Knicks. I think they'll do better than 33 games this season. To see the full list of win totals, click here.

Posted by SoulHonky at 01:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm glad we stick with the basics and don't have to go through ridiculous changes like this time and again.

Posted by SoulHonky at 06:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've always been hoping that Dajuan Wagner could make a comeback to the NBA and it looks like the Warriors are going to give him a shot. While I'm happy for Dajuan, I don't really get why the Warriors would be the ones to sign him. With Baron Davis and Monta Ellis already on the roster, they seem like they need a third PG who is more of a pure point as opposed to another scoring lead guard. I'm not sure how much run Wagner's going to get but it's good to see him back in the league.

Sitting on the pine wasn't an option for another can't-miss prospect. The former internet draft site phenom Maciej Lampe has signed to play in Russia, citing a desire to play and get better as opposed to rotting away as a 12th man. The Bulls apparently were interested but Lampe was smart enough to realize that he was not going to crack their rotation in the coming future. Lampe had one huge game but didn't really show anything in his time in the NBA. Maybe a little P.T. is all he needs but I think odds are that we won't be hearing from him again... unless the U.S. runs into Poland in an international game in which case he'll probably lead the Polacks to an upset.

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

The belief that salary cap is overrated is being floated again, this time by Ira Winderman. Winderman recently wrote an article calling salary cap room the NBA's opiate. The article was published in The Sporting News, however, the way that it glosses over counter-arguments and overlooks facts, you'd think it was a piece for Fox News.

Winderman starts off explaining that cap space doesn't help many teams and pointed to the woefully run Atlanta Hawks as his example. While he does acknowledge that others teams helped themselves through free agency this off-season (Chicago, New Orleans), the fact that he uses Atlanta as his example is priceless. You could pretty much argue anything using them. Lottery picks are overrated. Drafting big over small is not the way to go. Trading for former All-Stars is a bad idea. Not only that but the Hawks are exhibit A as to why salary cap room is better than having to make a sign-and-trade. The Suns bluffed that they would resign Joe Johnson and the Hawks fell for it so instead of merely overpaying for Joe, they dealt two picks (including their 2007 pick only top three protected) and Boris Diaw. The Hawks were the ones holding all the cards but, unfortunately for the one remaining Hawks fan, Billy Knight is clueless and made a horrific decision.

Winderman then shifts gears and states that trade exceptions are overrated. While I somewhat agree with this, his defense is fallacious. He points out that the Suns and Sixers not using their exceptions as examples of why they are overrated. The problem is that the reason that those teams didn't use their exceptions was because they didn't want to add payroll. The Sixers didn't use their MLE or LLE either. Should we assume that those are useless as well?

The bottom line is that salary cap space is important because it gives a team flexibility in trades and will allow them to add some very useful pieces to their roster. The only problem is that many fans (and writers)hear the term "cap space" and have delusions of grandeur. They envision a superstar arriving to don the hometown jersey and save the day. In reality, there are very few top players who will make it to free agency. And there are even fewer destinations where the free agent stars will consider going. Boston has never signed a top-of-the-line free agent. Not since Xavier McDaniel and Dominique Wilkins have we ever even signed someone who casual fans might know. Many teams are in this predicament; stars prefer warm climates and contenders, many times in that order. Still, cap space can allow teams to add young role players. While Winderman might call this "illusory", it's actually just intelligence. Knowledgeable fans understand the importance of cap space while only the most blind loyalists hang their hat on cap space being the be all, end all.

Finally, Winderman himself makes the most common mistake regarding cap space: space today means players today. The Hawks actually were smart not to throw all of their cap space at the below-average free agent class of '06. They only came away with Speedy Claxton and Lo Wright (which isn't that bad an offseason) but they will have space next year which should have not only a better crop of free agents, but could have a star or two on the trading block. And those guys could be had for, of all things, cap space.

Posted by SoulHonky at 02:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Raptors have announced that they will be changing up their uniforms and that purple will no longer be one of their team colors. Now if they'll just change their name from the Raptors they might come off like a real NBA team. This really isn't news but any mention of the Raptors means an opportunity to watch Gerald Green again.

Posted by SoulHonky at 03:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Depending on which theory of hiring you subscribe to, Kevin McHale made a nice move to hire Rob Babcock as an assistant GM. Babcock had a lousy run in Toronto and was one of the worst GM's in the league when he was finally shitcanned so either McHale hired him because it makes McHale look better by comparison or Kevin might believe the mathmatical law of "Two Negatives Make A Positive" holds true in the workplace. However, if hiring someone based on talent, intelligence, and a proven track record is your M.O., then this move is in line with most of Kevin's crappy decisions.

Posted by SoulHonky at 06:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I really have no idea what the NBA was going for with this rookie photo gallery but it basically made their new rookie class look like a bunch of clowns. Click the pic of Hilton "Raerrr!" Armstrong to see the whole gallery.

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)