2008 NBA Draft "Losers"

This past Thursday's draft was one of the deepest in recent years with good players being passed on, and falling lower than expected, big trades galore, and drama. It also saw many difference making moves, and next years NBA season will be better for it. When I look at this draft, I am only going to look at it from a 1st Round perspective, and general moves, and utilization of their draft opportunities.

The top 3 picks went as many expected with Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, and O.J. Mayo going in order, and then there were surprises to follow. This draft was filled with more trades than you would usually see, and especially involving the first round players. I am excited as the highly competitive Western Conference got stronger, and the Eastern Conference added some potential stars.

The following is a list of the players selected or obtained by each team:

• Atlanta Hawks: None
• Boston Celtics: J.R. Giddens, Bill Walker (via Washington), Semih Erden
• Charlotte Bobcats: D.J. Augustin, Alexis Ajinça, Kyle Weaver
• Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose, Ömer Aşık (via Portland)
• Cleveland Cavaliers: J.J. Hickson, Darnell Jackson (via Miami), Sasha Kaun (via Seattle)
• Dallas Mavericks: Shan Foster
• Denver Nuggets: Sonny Weems (via Chicago)
• Detroit Pistons: Walter Sharpe (via Seattle), Trent Plaisted (via Seattle), Deron Washington
• Golden State Warriors: Anthony Randolph, Richard Hendrix
• Houston Rockets: Donte Greene (via Memphis), Joey Dorsey (via Portland), Maarty Leunen
• Indiana Pacers: Brandon Rush (via Portland), Roy Hibbert (via Toronto)
• Los Angeles Clippers: Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, Mike Taylor (via Portland)
• Los Angeles Lakers: Joe Crawford
• Memphis Grizzlies: O.J. Mayo (via Minnesota), Darrell Arthur (via New Orleans, Portland, and Houston)
• Miami Heat: Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers (via Minnesota)
• Milwaukee Bucks: Joe Alexander, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
• Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Love (via Memphis), Nikola Peković
• New Jersey Nets: Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson, Chris Douglas-Roberts
• New Orleans Hornets: None
• New York Knicks: Danilo Gallinari
• Orlando Magic: Courtney Lee
• Philadelphia 76ers: Marreese Speights
• Phoenix Suns: Robin Lopez, Goran Dragić (via San Antonio)
• Portland Trail Blazers: Jerryd Bayless (via Indiana), Nicolas Batum (via Houston)
• Sacramento Kings: Jason Thompson, Sean Singletary, Patrick Ewing Jr.
• San Antonio Spurs: George Hill, Malik Hairston (via Phoenix), James Gist
• Seattle SuperSonics: Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, D. J. White (via Detroit), DeVon Hardin
• Toronto Raptors: Nathan Jawai (via Indiana)
• Utah Jazz: Kosta Koufos, Ante Tomic, Tadija Dragicević
• Washington Wizards: JaVale McGee

The Losers- These are team that completely squandered their drafts, or did not address their needs. These team will suffer for their bad drafts this year, or in the years to come because of flawed strategy. The only saving grace for some of these teams is if they work some magic in free agency, and this is a weak free agent class. Shocked is all I can say as I watched the 2008 NBA Draft, and some of the picks and moves some of the following teams made.

The biggest "Loser" of them all was the Seattle Supersonics, and the 6 picks they went into the draft with. If you told me that a team went into the NBA Draft with 10% of the picks, I would assume they would come out with a can't miss talent, and several support players. Instead the Sonics chose to reach on Russell Westbrook with #4 pick, which was one of the biggest surprises of the draft. It is hard for me to believe that a team could pick a player that has no true position. Westbrook is an incredible athlete, but the Sonics needed a point guard, and they picked him in the hopes that he "might be able to play the position." Man, I don't have words for how badly I think that situation will turn out. In addition to Westbrook, the Sonics picked up D.J. White, Devon Hardin, and an international player. I like the selection of D.J. White because he is a hard nosed player, but Hardin is a fringe NBA player that is just tall(6'11"). And my opinion of international players, is no opinion, I need to see them compete in the NBA at the highest level to believe in them. I hope Kevin Durant has his shoes laced up tight next year, because they are going to need all they can get from him whether the team plays in Seattle or Oklahoma City.

The "Consummate Loser" that is the New York Knicks disappointed once again. They will face the repercussions of letting Isiah Thomas run their team into the ground for years to come. They had one pick to help their team out, and the selected international player Danilo Gallinari. The kid is a project, and really there is nothing else to it. I personally felt bad for him as the New York fans booed him at the draft, but that comes with the territory, and the season will not be much better. He is just not going to be given much of a chance to succeed, especially on the NY Knicks roster currently stands. So the move itself did not surprise me, I just thought that the new regime had more sense than that, but maybe I should have known after they passed on Mark Jackson as their coach.

The next "Loser" is the is Golden State Warriors who drafted Anthony Randolph and Richard Hendrix. Randolph is a wire thin 6'11" power forward who looks eerily similar to Brandan Wright who the Warriors drafted last year. Just as Wright was a non-factor last year, Randoph is most likely to sit next to him on the bench this year. Last time that I checked, Don Nelson still coached this team, and I don't anticipate him changing his style after 32 years of coaching. An although Hendrix is a strong post-man with nice moves, good footwork, and the ability to rebound, he simply does not fit on this team. The Warriors big men get touches from rebounds of long 3-point shots, not through plays and getting dump downs, Andris Biedrins will testify to that.

This next draft "Loser" may come as a surprise to some, but 4-time NBA champion, San Antonio Spurs are on the list. Yes, I said it, the same area that has led them to dominate the Western Conference in the last 10 years, has faltered. In the draft the Spurs got George Hill, and Malik Hairston. Yes I know that the Spurs pick selectively, and sometimes based on character rather than talent, but I don't know what they plan to do with their future. But what I do know is that the Spurs roster currently holds the maximum 15 players, and they have no free agents. So what does that mean? It means someone who was seldom used last year will be seldom used again, or replaced by another seldom used player. In the 2008 NBA Playoffs the Spurs looked slow, and old against a young New Orleans Hornets team. Unless the Spurs are hiding the fountain of youth in the Riverwalk, it is going to be tough sailing from here on out.

The "Sentimental Loser" is the Charlotte Bobcats as they drafted D.J. Augustin, Kyle Weever, and an international player. I absolutely love Augustin without a doubt and think he is a can't miss talent, but the Bobcats did not need to draft a back-up point guard this high. They really had needs that involved getting a front line player with some offensive talent. I am a little easier on them because they are an expansion team and still need to massage out the kinks. But to have 2 high draft picks invested at point guard is asinine. Better luck to them next year in the 2009 Draft Lottery again.

2008 NBA Draft "Stood Pat & Time Will Tell"

This past Thursday's draft was one of the deepest in recent years with good players being passed on, and falling lower than expected, big trades galore, and drama. It also saw many difference making moves, and next years NBA season will be better for it. When I look at this draft, I am only going to look at it from a 1st Round perspective, and general moves, and utilization of their draft opportunities.

The top 3 picks went as many expected with Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, and O.J. Mayo going in order, and then there were surprises to follow. This draft was filled with more trades than you would usually see, and especially involving the first round players. I am excited as the highly competitive Western Conference got stronger, and the Eastern Conference added some potential stars.

The following is a list of the players selected or obtained by each team:

• Atlanta Hawks: None
• Boston Celtics: J.R. Giddens, Bill Walker (via Washington), Semih Erden
• Charlotte Bobcats: D.J. Augustin, Alexis Ajinça, Kyle Weaver
• Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose, Ömer Aşık (via Portland)
• Cleveland Cavaliers: J.J. Hickson, Darnell Jackson (via Miami), Sasha Kaun (via Seattle)
• Dallas Mavericks: Shan Foster
• Denver Nuggets: Sonny Weems (via Chicago)
• Detroit Pistons: Walter Sharpe (via Seattle), Trent Plaisted (via Seattle), Deron Washington
• Golden State Warriors: Anthony Randolph, Richard Hendrix
• Houston Rockets: Donte Greene (via Memphis), Joey Dorsey (via Portland), Maarty Leunen
• Indiana Pacers: Brandon Rush (via Portland), Roy Hibbert (via Toronto)
• Los Angeles Clippers: Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, Mike Taylor (via Portland)
• Los Angeles Lakers: Joe Crawford
• Memphis Grizzlies: O.J. Mayo (via Minnesota), Darrell Arthur (via New Orleans, Portland, and Houston)
• Miami Heat: Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers (via Minnesota)
• Milwaukee Bucks: Joe Alexander, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
• Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Love (via Memphis), Nikola Peković
• New Jersey Nets: Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson, Chris Douglas-Roberts
• New Orleans Hornets: None
• New York Knicks: Danilo Gallinari
• Orlando Magic: Courtney Lee
• Philadelphia 76ers: Marreese Speights
• Phoenix Suns: Robin Lopez, Goran Dragić (via San Antonio)
• Portland Trail Blazers: Jerryd Bayless (via Indiana), Nicolas Batum (via Houston)
• Sacramento Kings: Jason Thompson, Sean Singletary, Patrick Ewing Jr.
• San Antonio Spurs: George Hill, Malik Hairston (via Phoenix), James Gist
• Seattle SuperSonics: Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, D. J. White (via Detroit), DeVon Hardin
• Toronto Raptors: Nathan Jawai (via Indiana)
• Utah Jazz: Kosta Koufos, Ante Tomic, Tadija Dragicević
• Washington Wizards: JaVale McGee

Teams that Stood Pat- These include teams that did not draft at all, or picked players that are international and will not come over this year, or picked players that will not make the team or either have no impact. They go into next season with virtually the same team, and can only look to make changes in free agency.

The Atlanta Hawks, and the New Orleans Hornets ended the draft with no players acquired. The Hornets had the 27th pick which they traded for cash considerations, and Atlanta did not pick at all. In both of these cases I totally agree that they did not pick up any players in the draft. Both teams are generally young, and do not have major glaring needs. Both teams should look to pick up an experienced playoff veteran in free agency, and extend their playoff success of last year

The Dallas Mavericks had the 51st pick in the draft, and picked senior Shan Foster from Vanderbilt. Unfortunately, this pick does not fill any of their needs that have been caused by the mis-trade that brought Jason Kidd to the Big D, and ruined their season, and got Avery Johnson fired. Because the Mavericks have a logjam at the small forward position, Foster will almost certainly be a non-factor. I almost placed the Mavs into the "Losers" blog, but they are so much more than that, they are disappointments.

The Denver Nuggets and LA Lakers picked up Sonny Weems, and Joe Crawford respectively. These teams are in opposite positions as the Lakers swept the Nuggets in the first-round of the playoffs on their way to the NBA Finals. Neither one of these players will play for their respective squads, they will either end up in the D-League, or cut during training camp. The Lakers are set for years to come as far as their roster is concerned as they have no upcoming free agents. The Nuggets core is set as well, and if they needed anything it was dead-eye shooter, and Weems is more of an athletic slasher. Crawford was an under preforming college player, and will not stand out with the Lakers. Both of these teams will look like themselves next season, and probably perform the same way.

The Philadelphia 76ers drafted forward Marreese Speights from the University of Florida. He was drafted strictly based on potential. Offensively they could not expect more than they do from Samuel Dalembert who is also an offensive project. During ESPN's draft coverage, Jay Bilas remarked that Speights never pushed himself to his physical limits. I took this to mean that he was not a natural hustler, and relied upon his athleticism. If you watched the 76ers compete against the Detroit Pistons in the playoffs, then you saw a team that plays hard and competes every possession, so this will be an adjustment for him.

The Orlando Magic picked up Courtney Lee from Western Kentucky University out of the Sun Belt Conference. Lee was a scorer, and the Magic have no need for additional scoring, they need more players that will commit to defense. Unless Courtney Lee will change his game to maintain a spot in this league, he will have a hard time making this team or any other for that matter. He will most likely be found on the bench in street clothes, or in the D-League next season.

Time Will Tell Teams- These are teams that it is hard to evaluate what the moves they made will do for them. They have either drafted well in the past and you would like to trust their instincts, and believe in what they are doing. The others picked up talent, and it is just hard to visualize how they will fit in with their new teams.

The team that falls into this list as #1 for me is the Detroit Pistons. I have seen the moves that general manager Joe Dumars has made over the years, and the draft picks he has made. He made a mistake with Darko Miličić he has made solid decisions otherwise. The Pistons drafted Walter Sharpe, Trent Plaisted, and Deron Washington. These are players that I rarely saw play or, not all, so all I can do is trust that Detroit's scouts know what they are doing. I will be watching the Pistons closely over the next few years to see if the moves pan out.

The Los Angeles Clippers drafted Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, and obtained Mike Taylor of the D-League via trade. While watching Eric Gordon's college season, it was a tale of two seasons. The first part was very good, bordering on great. But after losing his coach and injuring his wrist, his game steadily declined. It is hard to see what impact he will have as either a point/shooting guard. DeAndre Jordan is a project player whose athleticism is out of this world, the question can his basketball skill catch up to that. So these picks may not help the Clippers this year, and actually they may never, but it will be nice to see what happens, as the picks are not without merit.

The last team that will be on the watch for the years to come is the Phoenix Suns. Can the shift in philosophy get the Suns past the wall that is the Western Conference. For 5 years they have been knocking, but has their window closed? They picked up Robin Lopez, and an international player. Lopez is known to be a defensive player which is the shift that general manager Steve Kerr is trying to change the team to. It will be interesting to see how Lopez teamed with Amare Stoudemire, and Shaquille O'Neal will turn out over the next 2 years. As Steve Nash, Shaquille O'Neal, and Grant Hill get older it will be harder for the Suns to get the elusive championship that they seek.

2008 NBA Draft "Losers" coming Monday!!!

2008 NBA Draft "Winners"

This past Thursday's draft was one of the deepest in recent years with good players being passed on, and falling lower than expected, big trades galore, and drama. It also saw many difference making moves, and next years NBA season will be better for it. When I look at this draft, I am only going to look at it from a 1st Round perspective, and general moves, and utilization of their draft opportunities.

The top 3 picks went as many expected with Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, and O.J. Mayo going in order, and then there were surprises to follow. This draft was filled with more trades than you would usually see, and especially involving the first round players. I am excited as the highly competitive Western Conference got stronger, and the Eastern Conference added some potential stars.

The following is a list of the players selected or obtained by each team:

• Atlanta Hawks: None
• Boston Celtics: J.R. Giddens, Bill Walker (via Washington), Semih Erden
• Charlotte Bobcats: D.J. Augustin, Alexis Ajinça, Kyle Weaver
• Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose, Ömer Aşık (via Portland)
• Cleveland Cavaliers: J.J. Hickson, Darnell Jackson (via Miami), Sasha Kaun (via Seattle)
• Dallas Mavericks: Shan Foster
• Denver Nuggets: Sonny Weems (via Chicago)
• Detroit Pistons: Walter Sharpe (via Seattle), Trent Plaisted (via Seattle), Deron Washington
• Golden State Warriors: Anthony Randolph, Richard Hendrix
• Houston Rockets: Donte Greene (via Memphis), Joey Dorsey (via Portland), Maarty Leunen
• Indiana Pacers: Brandon Rush (via Portland), Roy Hibbert (via Toronto)
• Los Angeles Clippers: Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, Mike Taylor (via Portland)
• Los Angeles Lakers: Joe Crawford
• Memphis Grizzlies: O.J. Mayo (via Minnesota), Darrell Arthur (via New Orleans, Portland, and Houston)
• Miami Heat: Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers (via Minnesota)
• Milwaukee Bucks: Joe Alexander, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
• Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Love (via Memphis), Nikola Peković
• New Jersey Nets: Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson, Chris Douglas-Roberts
• New Orleans Hornets: None
• New York Knicks: Danilo Gallinari
• Orlando Magic: Courtney Lee
• Philadelphia 76ers: Marreese Speights
• Phoenix Suns: Robin Lopez, Goran Dragić (via San Antonio)
• Portland Trail Blazers: Jerryd Bayless (via Indiana), Nicolas Batum (via Houston)
• Sacramento Kings: Jason Thompson, Sean Singletary, Patrick Ewing Jr.
• San Antonio Spurs: George Hill, Malik Hairston (via Phoenix), James Gist
• Seattle SuperSonics: Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, D. J. White (via Detroit), DeVon Hardin
• Toronto Raptors: Nathan Jawai (via Indiana)
• Utah Jazz: Kosta Koufos, Ante Tomic, Tadija Dragicević
• Washington Wizards: JaVale McGee

The Winners- These are the teams that made solid but generally unspectacular moves. Most added players that fall in the middle of the talent pool and will be contributors to their team but not be stars. When building a team that will be competitive for several years, it is imperative that good role players be added around the superstars.

The Utah jazz fall into the category of the winners because of their ability to constantly draft players that fit their system perfectly. This year is no different, as they drafted freshman Kosta Koufos, and 2 international players, and I do not make assumptions on international players until they play in the NBA. Koufos is a versatile 7'1" center that played one year of college basketball at Ohio State University. During this past season he showed his ability to step outside the college 3-point line, and also play with his back to the basket as well. He will fill in well, and add to an already aggressive rebounding team.

The Washington Wizards drafted 7-foot Center JaVale McGee from Nevada, although they have 2 centers in Brendan Haywood, and Etan Thomas on the roster. This may spell the end for one of them in D.C. Mcgee is a underdeveloped talent on the offensive end, but is a good shot-blocker with good instincts. Although Washington may lose star player Gilbert Arenas to free agency, they have seemed to play better as a cohesive unit when he has been injured.

The Toronto Raptors did not win in the draft, but they did win because of a draft pick they traded to get veteran Jermaine O'Neal. They traded the 17th pick that turned out to be Roy Hibbert in exchange for an international player, and O'Neal. They decided that it was better as a franchise to win with an experienced big man, instead of waiting for a young one to come around. Teamed with Chris Bosh, and the other talent on the Raptors team, Toronto should be able to advance beyond the first-round of the NBA Playoffs. The only question will be whether O'Neal can stay healthy all year.

The Boston Celtics made the conscious effort not to allow the spoils of this years championship to hold them back in the future showed in the draft. The Celtics should be aware that their core of players is getting older, and that they will need to be replaced totally in the next 5 years. They made the effort by drafting athletic swingmen J.R. Giddens, and Bill Walker. These players will not be pushed to play early, but hopefully groomed to take over in the future.

The Sacramento Kings came up with 3 solid picks that were all college seniors in Jason Thompson, Sean Singletary, and Patrick Ewing Jr. While Thompson may develop into a star years down the line, but he is a project for now. Ewing and Singletary however will be able to step in and contribute minutes immediately. The Kings needed to replenish their front line as there have been rumors of a Brad Miller trade, and Shareef Abdur-Rahim has been often injured.

The last "Winner" of the draft was the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland honestly is trying to do everything they can as far as adding pieces so they can keep Lebron James from leaving in free agency after next year. In the draft the added J.J. Hickson, Darnell Jackson(2008 NCAA National Champion), and Sasha Kaun(2008 NCAA National Champion). They have added proven winners to their front line, to spell aging Joe Smith and Ben Wallace. Jackson and Kaun were seniors on the Kansas Jayhawks team that won the National Championship, and should be able to add valuable minutes to a team that is always looking for spark besides Lebron James

2008 NBA Draft "Big Winners"

This past Thursday's draft was one of the deepest in recent years with good players being passed on, and falling lower than expected, big trades galore, and drama. It also saw many difference making moves, and next years NBA season will be better for it. When I look at this draft, I am only going to look at it from a 1st Round perspective, and general moves, and utilization of their draft opportunities.

The top 3 picks went as many expected with Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, and O.J. Mayo going in order, and then there were surprises to follow. This draft was filled with more trades than you would usually see, and especially involving the first round players. I am excited as the highly competitive Western Conference got stronger, and the Eastern Conference added some potential stars.

The following is a list of the players selected or obtained by each team:

• Atlanta Hawks: None
• Boston Celtics: J.R. Giddens, Bill Walker (via Washington), Semih Erden
• Charlotte Bobcats: D.J. Augustin, Alexis Ajinça, Kyle Weaver
• Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose, Ömer Aşık (via Portland)
• Cleveland Cavaliers: J.J. Hickson, Darnell Jackson (via Miami), Sasha Kaun (via Seattle)
• Dallas Mavericks: Shan Foster
• Denver Nuggets: Sonny Weems (via Chicago)
• Detroit Pistons: Walter Sharpe (via Seattle), Trent Plaisted (via Seattle), Deron Washington
• Golden State Warriors: Anthony Randolph, Richard Hendrix
• Houston Rockets: Donte Greene (via Memphis), Joey Dorsey (via Portland), Maarty Leunen
• Indiana Pacers: Brandon Rush (via Portland), Roy Hibbert (via Toronto)
• Los Angeles Clippers: Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, Mike Taylor (via Portland)
• Los Angeles Lakers: Joe Crawford
• Memphis Grizzlies: O.J. Mayo (via Minnesota), Darrell Arthur (via New Orleans, Portland, and Houston)
• Miami Heat: Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers (via Minnesota)
• Milwaukee Bucks: Joe Alexander, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
• Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Love (via Memphis), Nikola Peković
• New Jersey Nets: Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson, Chris Douglas-Roberts
• New Orleans Hornets: None
• New York Knicks: Danilo Gallinari
• Orlando Magic: Courtney Lee
• Philadelphia 76ers: Marreese Speights
• Phoenix Suns: Robin Lopez, Goran Dragić (via San Antonio)
• Portland Trail Blazers: Jerryd Bayless (via Indiana), Nicolas Batum (via Houston)
• Sacramento Kings: Jason Thompson, Sean Singletary, Patrick Ewing Jr.
• San Antonio Spurs: George Hill, Malik Hairston (via Phoenix), James Gist
• Seattle SuperSonics: Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, D. J. White (via Detroit), DeVon Hardin
• Toronto Raptors: Nathan Jawai (via Indiana)
• Utah Jazz: Kosta Koufos, Ante Tomic, Tadija Dragicević
• Washington Wizards: JaVale McGee

The Big Winners-Teams that improved without a doubt, and will reap the benefits of their selections immediately. They will see results on the floor due to direct contributions of their picks,or their presence will allow for current players to have more freedom. These are the teams that should expect to see an increase in wins, and in the success of the team overall.

The biggest winner on draft day was the New Jersey Nets, as they began by trading Richard Jefferson to the Milwaukee Bucks for Yi Jianlian, and Bobby Simmons. It was not because Jefferson was not a good player, they are just opening up the way for the rebuilding project they have going. In the draft later that night they picked up Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson, and Chris Douglas-Roberts all steals at the point where they were drafted. In Lopez and Anderson they obtained big men who could score the ball, and CDR can just put the basketball in the hoop, and play defense.

The Houston Rockets also got what they needed badly, and that is athletic post players that dunk the ball instead of laying it up softly. They got a 6'9" scorer in Donte Green via trade with Memphis, and a rebounding beast in Joey Dorsey, and shooter, Maarty Leunen. Hopefully these moves will allow them to part ways with pedestrians Chuck Hayes, Loren Woods, and steady veteran Dikembe Mutombo may retire although he is still a capable shot blocker.

The Memphis Grizzlies also worked their draft day jelly as they made a major trade that brought a potential future superstar to their organization. Initially the Grizzlies drafted power forward Kevin Love with the 5th pick, but later a major trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves sent veteran Mike Miller, and Kevin Love to Minneapolis in exchange for combo guard O.J. Mayo. Even though Mike Miller is coming of his best individual season, it is hard to pass up someone who could lead your team for years to come. Mayo's competitive nature will without a doubt permeate the locker room.

The Miami Heat also benefited greatly from the acquisitions of phenom power forward Michael Beasley, and solid point guard Mario Chalmers. These were both spots that needed upgrading for the Heat. At PF, the Heat have Udonis Haslem, who was a solid role-player when Shaquille O'Neal was on the team. But now that the team has dramatically changed, they needed an upgrade. At point guard the had Chris Quinn who is a good NBA back-up, but not an 82 game starter. Mario Chalmers will provide an athletic upgrade, and is a point guard who does not mind stepping up and taking big shots, as he did in this years NCAA Final Four. The Heat should also have Dwayne Wade, and Shawn Marion as well.

The Indiana pacers are trying to return to the days of Market Square Arena, Reggie Miller, and shed the reputation of recent arrests and Detroit Brawl. They stated by obtaining point guard TJ Ford from the Toronto Raptors, and the deal will be finalized on July 9th, 2008. This puts injury riddled, and arrest prone Jamal Tinsley on the trading block. After initially drafting Jerryd Bayless, the Pacer executed a trade with the Portland Trailblazers to obtain swingman Brandon Rush. He is a versatile scorer who can rebound and play defense., his only drawback is his complacent nature. They also acquired 7'2" center Roy Hibbert with the pick they obtained in the Toronto trade. Both of these player fit the mold of solid citizens, then good basketball players that Larry Bird and the Pacers are looking for.

The Milwaukee Bucks obtained Richard Jefferson to team with Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut, and Charlie Villanueva. They also picked up athletic forward Joe Alexander, and forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. They have added pieces that will allow them to win next year because they are definitely not suffering from a lack of talent. They will might be able to make it into the playoffs in the weak Eastern Conference. At a minimum they should improve their win total of 28, and 26 games they have had the last 2 years. The only spot that I thought that they could have upgraded was at point guard, as I feel they do not have a play maker at that spot. But, a team can only get so much in the draft, maybe something will open up for them in free agency.

Another big winner was the Minnesota Timberwolves, as they obtained Kevin Love via a trade as they sent O.J. Mayo to Memphis, and an international player. When they made the initialpick of Mayo I was stunned as they have a logjam at the guard spot. This move showed they havea focus and a goal to the talent that they are obtaining. The Timberwolves continue to add talent to their roster as the rebuilding continues. They had begun assembling their assets in the forms of draft picks, and cap space well before they traded away Kevin Garnett last summer. They may see a difference in their 22-win effort from last season, but the ultimate rewards may notbe seen until a few years down the line.

The last two teams that were big winners in the 2008 NBA Draft are the Chicago Bulls, and the Portland Trailblazers. Both teams did a good job in making a splash by only getting one key player each. The Blazers also added Nicolas Batum,but for my money, international players have to earn their salt over here first. The Blazers traded Brandon Rush to get Jerryd Bayless from the Indiana Pacers. By getting Bayless, 3rd year combo guard Brandon Roy will be able to play off of the ball more often and be able to score the ball more. And the last year's #1 pick Greg Oden will be returning from microfracture surgery, and this is a big splash, like almost having 2 stars added to your team as Oden never played a regular season game.

The Bulls drafted the hometown kid Derrick Rose from the University of Memphis with the #1 pick. Rose is a capable scorer in traffic, on the move, and can absorb body contact and still finish at the rim. He also has good court vision, and can be a high assist man, or a prolific scorer. By obtaining Rose the Bulls almost certainly put the future of Ben Gordon, or Kirk Hinrich as related to their remaining time with the team. The Bulls will definitely be a tougher team, and I believe this pick goes a long way in establishing the identity for a team that has lacked one since Michael Jordan retired.

Next Blog will be on the winners of the draft, those that made a decent splash, but did not pull blockbusters.

2008 NBA Draft Preview-Part 4

The 2008 NBA draft is set to begin on Thursday night, June 26 in New York City. As always there are the big prospects that know they will be drafted in the lottery. This years front runners are Michael Beasley from Kansas State University, Derrick Rose from Memphis University, and O.J. Mayo from USC, all were spectacular freshman this year. Because of the NBA rule stating that players must play at least one year of college basketball before entering the draft, these players who probably would have entered right out of high school were forced to go to their respective universities where each of them shined this year. This is deep draft with a few potential superstars available, and definitely some solid pro’s in the mix.

Rather than break down where each prospect will go, I will go through each team and break down their rosters, and look at their needs. This is part 4 of 6 parts breaking down all the NBA teams. Each part will include 5 teams, and this one includes the: Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets, and the New York Knicks. I am no mock draft guru, and will never be because some teams draft based on need, others draft based on best talent available. So instead of trying to predict the unpredictable, I will detail the best route.

I am of the mindset that if a good player is not available for the spot that you need then trade down. I firmly believe that if you draft based on the most talented available, then you end up with pieces that don’t fit, and your long-term success is threatened. The same philosophy goes to drafting a less talented player higher than you usually would because you need a serviceable player in that spot. The issue with drafting need if the player is not a good value for that pick is you have to still pay that player that spots money because the NBA has slotted rookie salaries.

The quickest way to improve your team is to lose dead weight, and that is just what the New York Knicks were able to do this offseason by firing Isiah Thomas. This is a team that has been in turmoil for quite some time now, and it is hard to believe that the glory days are so far behind them. The team across the river in New Jersey faired no better than the Knicks, and this is so unheard of that New York metropolitan basketball is so irrelevant. The savior to the east coast was the NBA Champion Boston Celtics.

Both the Milwaukee Bucks, and Minnesota Timberwolves fall into the bottom feeder category, they just have less media, and drama surrounding them. It amazes me that there is so much talent in the league right now yet there are teams that almost seem to refuse to field a good product.

The New Orleans Hornets are the complete antithesis of the other 4 teams mentioned in this column. They have strapped the Crescent City to their backs and are ready to roll into he future. They have one of the most exciting players in the game in Chris Paul, and an underrated coach in Byron Scott. We can look forward to many years of the same from this team.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks have been irrelevant since the 2003 season when George Karl left. It has been disappointment after disappointment, as disgruntled players, traded superstars, and a lack of player development has haunted this team. Michael Redd has been one of the lone consistent bright spots for the Bucks, although he is no stranger to injured reserve. With youth and talent on their team in the forms of Redd, Andrew Bogut, Charlie Villanueva, and Yi Jianlian the Bucks are not entirely in a hole.

The Bucks have been lacking the explosive playmaking skills at point guard that T.J. Ford brought the team before being traded to the Toronto Raptors in 2006. They have the 8th and 37th pick to try and fill this hole. This is definitely no disrespect to Charlie Bell, and Mo Williams but they are just solid and not difference makers in the NBA.

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves finally conceded last year that they were rebuilding a team that never really had success in the first place. They traded away long-time staple Kevin Garnett, and engaged in a multiple player deals, that netted them multiple draft picks last year, and they posses 3 this year picking 3rd, 31st, and 34th. 

The Wolves are heavy on the guards, and they are in need of another big time front court player to team with Al Jefferson. They could go either power forward or center because Jefferson plays both spots. More than anything the Timberwolves need experience. They are very young with many of their key players having no more than 3 years in the league.

New Jersey Nets

I must give the Nets credits for being the best swindlers in the NBA. They managed to steal away the Dallas Mavericks future point guard in Devin Harris, a young defensive center in Desagana Diop, and 2 first-round draft picks. All the Nets gave up was an aging Jason Kidd who they wanted out of town anyways, and some spare parts. I would say that GM Rod Thorn should go to Las Vegas and hit the poker tables because he is a riverboat gambler if you ask me. 

The Nets find themselves with the 10th, 21st, and 40th picks in the draft, and needs in multiple places. Vince Carter’s better days are far behind him, and it seem the team is intent on trading Richard Jefferson. The Nets are in a semi-rebuilding stage, and they just need to find out where they want to go with this team. With 2 prime picks this will be a good year to start.

New Orleans Hornets

This year was the coming out party for the New Orleans Hornets, and how appropriate for the Big Easy. Hornets All-Stars Chris Paul and David West stepped on the national stage and introduced themselves. At risk of sounding like the TNT commentators, Paul looks like a young Isiah Thomas, and the team looks like the Pistons when they were trying to get through Boston in the 80’s.

The team is helping revive the city and bringing a sense of pride. In Thursday’s draft, the Hornets hold the 27th pick , and the only weak spot it seems could be at 2 or 3 depending how you would classify Morris Peterson. I think he is a nice outside shooter, but he also have that in Peja Stojakovic. A slasher with a nice mid-range game would be ideal at this point bring balance to the wings.

New York Knicks

To be a realist here, Isiah Thomas has done damage to this franchise that may take years, perfect planning, and perfect execution to rectify. There have been a slew of bad trades, bad contracts, and bad management that landed the Knicks with a 23-59 record last year. The Knicks landed in the draft lottery at pick #6, but in the grand scheme of things whoever they pick will have a hard time flourishing on this team, no matter the skill level.

Donnie Walsh took over as team president, and the Knicks lured Mike D’Antoni away from the Valley of the Sun. The Knicks still have one more year of Starbury, a constantly disgruntled Zach Randolph still remains, and an ever surly/lazy Eddy Curry still don the jersey. It is going to take almost a complete flush to make it work in New York, so I hope Donnie Walsh brought plenty of toilet paper because there is a lot of shit to clean up with the Knicks.

2008 NBA Draft Preview-Part 3

The 2008 NBA draft is set to begin on Thursday night, June 26 in New York City. As always there are the big prospects that know they will be drafted in the lottery. This years front runners are Michael Beasley from Kansas State University, Derrick Rose from Memphis University, and O.J. Mayo from USC, all were spectacular freshman this year. Because of the NBA rule stating that players must play at least one year of college basketball before entering the draft, these players who probably would have entered right out of high school were forced to go to their respective universities where each of them shined this year. This is deep draft with a few potential superstars available, and definitely some solid pro’s in the mix.

Rather than break down where each prospect will go, I will go through each team and break down their rosters, and look at their needs. This is part 3 of 6 parts breaking down all the NBA teams. Each part will include 5 teams, and this one includes the: Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, and Miami Heat. I am no mock draft guru, and will never be because some teams draft based on need, others draft based on best talent available. So instead of trying to predict the unpredictable, I will detail the best route.

I am of the mindset that if a good player is not available for the spot that you need then trade down. I firmly believe that if you draft based on the most talented available, then you end up with pieces that don’t fit, and your long-term success is threatened. The same philosophy goes to drafting a less talented player higher than you usually would because you need a serviceable player in that spot. The issue with drafting need if the player is not a good value for that pick is you have to still pay that player that spots money because the NBA has slotted rookie salaries.

The Boston Celtics should learn from the mistakes that the Miami Heat made after their championship run of 1996, and that is holding on to old players can land you in the draft lottery just 2 years later. Memphis and Indiana are perennial bottom dwellers in the NBA these days.

The Los Angeles teams are once again polar opposites as the Lakers went to the NBA Finals and Pau Gasol fell into their laps midseason, while the Clippers found themselves dealing with injuries, and find themselves picking 7th in the draft.

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers have had some of the worst luck with injuries and legal trouble as any team in the league. Power forward/center Jermaine O’Neal, and point guard Jamaal Tinsley have missed extended time over the past 2 years and the Pacers have not been able to achieve much continuity during this time. This up and down line-up pattern of “when will I play?” has hurt the young talented players they have such as Danny Grainger although he performed well last year, and Shawne Williams.

The Pacers are set to pick 11th in Thursday NBA Draft, and depending on the contract status of last years back-up Andre Owens, they made need to pick up a point guard because Tinsley has been unreliable. They also may want to look at acquiring a shooting guard with range as they have none on the roster. They have athletes that can slash and hit the occasional jumper but no one to extend the floor.

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers found themselves outside of the playoff race for the 2nd straight year, finishing with a dismal 23-59 record. As with many teams that look like they are playing pick-up basketball, the Clippers suffered from injuries all year. Shaun Livingston did not play a game as he recovered from a severe knee injury from the previous season. The Clippers have solid scorers in Corey Maggette, Tim Thomas, and Chris Kaman, but they lack a true superstar. At this point the Clippers may lose starting power forward Elton Brand to free agency.

The Clippers have the 7th, and 35 picks in the draft. Although they don’t have pieces they can afford, it would be worthwhile to see if they could reach one of the top 2 spots and get Michael Beasley. For years the Clippers owner Donald Sterling has low balled this team to a losing record, but if they want to compete he is going to have to put all his chips on the table and stop letting his star players go.

Los Angeles Lakers

The most important quote in relation to the Lakers for next year is Kobe Bryant stating that “I am very comfortable with the team going into next year.” This was a far cry from the dram that unfolded last summer. In addition to adding Pau Gasol midseason, the Lakers look forward to bringing back their promising young center Andrew Bynum. Most of their key players are signed and locked up for at least 2 years, promising extended success that they enjoyed this year. 

The Lakers hold the 58th pick in the NBA draft, and it will most likely be a player that will not make the roster, or be an international player that will not be coming over. The roster currently holds the maximum 15 players. The Lakers are stocked up at every position, but the rumor mill is stirring that the New Jersey Nets may be interested in acquiring Lamar Odom for Richard Jefferson, and it doesn’t seem like a bad deal for either team.

Memphis Grizzlies 

The Memphis Grizzlies are an utter mess at this point, and went on a fire sale last year as they virtually gave away Pau Gasol to the Lakers. As with many teams in the NBA, the Grizzlies have had a hard time getting a consistent play from their young guys. They are rebuilding but have young guards in Mike Conley Jr. and Rudy Gay.

The Grizzlies need to find a center with their 5th pick, or with the 28th. I checked out the Grizzlies online workouts and they had a number of big men in for a look. So it is pretty evident that they were looking at big men to fill the shoes left by Gasol. It is also clear that they are not comfortable with what Kwame Brown and Darko Milicic bring to the table.

Miami Heat

The Heat and Dwayne Wade have definitely fallen hard since the championship year of 2006. The team is undeniably different, with Shaquille O’Neal being shipped out west for Shawn Marion. And a number of the aging players that stayed around for the following season post-championship have bee replaced by no-names and complimentary players. Pat Riley has stepped down, and they have a first year coach in Erik Spoelstra. The years forced themselves into rebuilding by avoiding the facts and letting players stick around way past when they should have.

They have the 2nd, and 52nd picks in the draft and as they have glaring needs in the front court, I am sure they would like for the Chicago Bulls to draft Derrick Rose first, and let Michael Beasley fall to them. They might also be alright with Rose as they need a point guard as well, because I do not know if Chris Quinn and Marcus Banks are the long-term solution. This is a 3 year project for the crew down on South beach.
  

2008 NBA Draft Preview-Part 2

The 2008 NBA draft is set to begin on Thursday night, June 26 in New York City. As always there are the big prospects that know they will be drafted in the lottery. This years front runners are Michael Beasley from Kansas State University, Derrick Rose from Memphis University, and O.J. Mayo from USC, all were spectacular freshman this year. Because of the NBA rule stating that players must play at least one year of college basketball before entering the draft, these players who probably would have entered right out of high school were forced to go to their respective universities where each of them shined this year. This is deep draft with a few potential superstars available, and definitely some solid pro’s in the mix.

Rather than break down where each prospect will go, I will go through each team and break down their rosters, and look at their needs. This is part 2 of 6 parts breaking down all the NBA teams. Each part will include 5 teams, and this one includes the: Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, and the Houston Rockets. I am no mock draft guru, and will never be because some teams draft based on need, others draft based on best talent available. So instead of trying to predict the unpredictable, I will detail the best route.

I am of the mindset that if a good player is not available for the spot that you need then trade down. I firmly believe that if you draft based on the most talented available, then you end up with pieces that don’t fit, and your long-term success is threatened. The same philosophy goes to drafting a less talented player higher than you usually would because you need a serviceable player in that spot. The issue with drafting need if the player is not a good value for that pick is you have to still pay that player that spots money because the NBA has slotted rookie salaries.

The tides turn quickly, and windows close faster than you would think in the NBA, and the Dallas Mavericks can attest to that first hand. They were on the cusp of a championship 3 years ago, and this past year they struggled to make the playoffs. The Detroit Pistons could identify with the Mavericks on that level, but at least they managed to get a championship in there, but have suffered from over confidence since then.

Denver, Golden State, and Houston several key pieces away from getting to that next level. Houston and Denver have not been able to make it out of the first round of the playoffs for years. It is just not enough to make the playoffs in the competitive western conference, that gets coaches fired theses days. When you talk about the draft, you have some teams that need major makeovers, others that are in need of a couple of pieces, some are just lost causes.

Dallas Mavericks

After losing the 2006 NBA Finals in a very disappointing fashion to the Miami Heat, the Dallas window to the ultimate success seems to have been shut. The Finals loss was followed by a first round loss to the Golden State Warriors after having the best regular season record. This year also in ended in a sour first round defeat at the hands of the up-and-coming New Orleans Hornets led by Chris Paul. These debacles led to the dismissal of coach Avery Johnson, as he was replaced my Rick Carlisle. 

The biggest change last year was the Jason Kidd trade, which was nonsense from the beginning. The Mavericks gave up youth, size, and the future in the forms of Devin Harris and Desagana Diop, in return for a 35 year old over the hill point guard, and some spare parts. This moved was doomed from the start as Kidd never meshed with the team as the style had changed from years past under Don Nelson, maybe it would have worked 4 years ago.

So as the Mavericks only hold the 51st pick in the upcoming draft as they were bamboozled out of their next 2 first round picks by the New Jersey Nets. They still maintain the core of Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, and Jason Terry, but the supporting parts are older and getting less effective by the year. Jerry Stackhouse is 33 but has the knees of a 40 year old, Juwan Howard is 35, and Eddie Jones is 36. To be honest it looks as if the Mavericks are in a rebuilding stage as it will take years to undo what Mark Cuban has done with this team, and the 51st pick in the 2nd round of the draft is not going to be a good start.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets made another first round exit thanks to the Los Angeles Lakers this year. It was thought that they would make strides as Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson spent the whole year together. But in the tough Western conference they ended with a 50-32 record and snuck in the playoffs in the last days of the season. This was the 5th year in a row they were taken out in the first round, never wining more than 1 game in a series, and being swept this year. 

For years the problem seemed to be that they did not have a spot up shooter to free up their offense, and that is still the case today. But last year even though they acquired a great player in Allen Iverson, they also got another player that needs the ball in their hands a lot and is a volume shooter. Between Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, and J.R. Smith there are close to 60 shots per game taken between these 3 players. That does not leave a lot of involvement from other players. During this offseason it has been rumored that it is a deal in place to move Carmelo Anthony to Detroit in a trade, but at this point it is all rumors. 

The Nuggets have the 20th pick in the draft, and it still remains that they need a specialist who can shoot the ball. Or at lest a distributing point guard who can knock down open jump shots. The Nuggets are not lacking in the talent department, it is the cohesion as a team that they lack. I like George Karl, but is it time for a new voice in the locker room?
It would be nice to see someone hold the players accountable on the defensive end, even just a little bit would help.

Detroit Pistons

“There will be change” is what Joe Dumars promised after the Piston bowed out to the eventual champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. Immediately following, coach Flip Saunders was fired, and replaced by Michael Curry. Ever since they won the title in 2004, the Pistons have been sleepwalking through seasons. They have seemed o have the attitude that they were the best “team” in the NBA so all you would have to do is roll the ball out and they would win it all. Under Saunders the veteran Pistons seemed uninterested, and satisfied.

One of the mainstays that may be moved this offseason, is Rasheed Wallace. Although supremely talented, his emotions have gotten the best of him in key spots in games. Under Joe Dumars, Detroit has been of the best run franchises in the league for years including good drafts, and acquisitions. Detroit holds the 29th, and 59th picks, and I can only speculate that they will look to pick up another forward, or center, and begin to phase out Wallace. They are 2 deep at every other position with solid back ups. I do have faith that whatever direction that Dumars decides to go, it will be well thought out, and executed well.

Golden State Warriors

On Nelson has a way of bringing teams from the ashes to back to a competitive team. He accomplished this once with the Dallas Mavericks and now twice with the Golden State Warriors. Although they missed the playoffs by 2 games this year, they are still a team on the cusp. They were without their captain Stephen Jackson the first 7 games of the year due to suspension, and it took them a while to get into their flow. They have a solid core of guards with Baron Davis, Monta Ellis emerging as a star, and Stephen Jackson.

Because of the style of offense “Nellie” employs, big men with skills are at a premium for this team. Andres Biedrens has shown signs of being the center that Golden State needs to continually be a competitive team. The only thing that holds them back is their lack of discretion with the 3 point shot. The Warriors should look to develop last years pick in Brandan Wright, and get him some minutes this year.

The Warriors also possess the 14th, and 49th picks in this years draft. I personally would look to add an athletic power forward who can play in the post as well as run and gun. If I were Golden State I would look along the lines of trading the pick, or executing a sign and trade deal for someone the likes of Shareef Abdur-Raheem, or a Kenyon Martin, just someone who can bring toughness to the table.

Houston Rockets

I have talked about the Rockets needs in my column NBA Texas Round-Up, and the problems are numerous to count. The Rockets have not made it out of the fist round of the playoffs since 1997, and have missed it numerous times since then. I have been privileged enough to see them in person many times since 2000 and this current teams is one of the least athletic teams they have fielded. I will not dispute that they play very hard, and hustle their butts off, but they are fatally flawed.

When you look at the Rockets at power forward, they have Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes, and Carl Landry. Landry is a good leaper, hustles, but he is listed at 6’9” which is a joke because when he stands next to Tracy McGrady who is a legit 6’8”, Tracy is noticeably taller. Chuck Hayes is and always will be a borderline NBA player. Luis Scola has skills, and is a legit basketball player, but he just not finish strong at the rim. A couple of years ago the Rockets drafted Rudy Gay, and athletic small forward but shipped him to Memphis for Shane Battier, because simply put the Rockets could not afford to sign him

The Rudy Gay situation highlights many of the bad roster moves, and poor upper management that has been displayed by the team since it won the back-to-back championships in the 1990’s. I will not dip into the injury issues, and “heart” issues with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady respectively, but the Rockets are not going to get the help they need with the 25th pick in the draft. More first round exits await them in the years to come.

2008 NBA Draft Preview-Part 1

The 2008 NBA draft is set to begin on Thursday night, June 26 in New York City. As always there are the big prospects that know they will be drafted in the lottery. This years front runners are Michael Beasley from Kansas State University, Derrick Rose from Memphis University, and O.J. Mayo from USC, all were spectacular freshman this year. Because of the NBA rule stating that players must play at least one year of college basketball before entering the draft, these players who probably would have entered right out of high school were forced to go to their respective universities where each of them shined this year. This is deep draft with a few potential superstars available, and definitely some solid pro’s in the mix.

Rather than break down where each prospect will go, I will go through each team and break down their rosters, and look at their needs. This is part 1 of 6 parts breaking down all the NBA teams. Each part will include 5 teams, and this one includes the: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Bobcats, Chicago Bulls, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. I am no mock draft guru, and will never be because some teams draft based on need, others draft based on best talent available. So instead of trying to predict the unpredictable, I will detail the best route.

I am of the mindset that if a good player is not available for the spot that you need then trade down. I firmly believe that if you draft based on the most talented available, then you end up with pieces that don’t fit, and your long-term success is threatened. The same philosophy goes to drafting a less talented player higher than you usually would because you need a serviceable player in that spot. The issue with drafting need if the player is not a good value for that pick is you have to still pay that player that spots money because the NBA has slotted rookie salaries.

Being that there are no dominant teams in the NBA, there is always room for improvement no matter what last year brought you. Even as you look at this year’s NBA champion, the Boston Celtics, although they took home the trophy they are an aging team. In a sport that is dominated by world class athletes it is necessary to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to rising ages on your team. Then conversely you have he Atlanta Hawks, that are one of the youngest teams in the NBA right now, it would not hurt them to pick up some experience through free agency. 

The Charlotte Bobcats, are still in the expansion team beginnings and it will take them a few years to upgrade their team, which they have been doing steadily through the draft.
The Cleveland Cavaliers led by Lebron James have been strapped on James’ back for the past few years, and it is time to bring in a decent sidekick that can lend a helping hand when needed. The Chicago Bulls are a team in need of solid direction. No one would argue that they are lacking for talent, but yet they do fall into the category of teams that the draft based on talent, as there has been no rhyme of reason to the high draft picks they have received since Michael Jordan retired.

Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks almost stunned the world by pushing the eventual champion Boston Celtics to their limits in the first round of the playoffs. They made great strides this year as their young talent took big strides in developing an identity. Led by veteran Joe Johnson, and 3rd year player Josh Smith they were given 2 reliable scorers heading into the prime of their careers. After drafting Al Horford, and teaming him with 4th year center Zaza Pachulia the hawks showed a toughness that NBA teams need to make it deep into the playoffs. After a 37-45 regular season record, they did not just stumble into the playoffs, and bow out like a young team might. Instead they were an energized hard nosed team that showed incredible promise for what their future may hold. After passing on point guards in years past, they drafted Acie Law IV in the draft last year, and a midseason trade with the Sacramento Kings to bring Mike Bibby to Atlanta they are set at that position for years to come.

The Hawks hold no picks in this years draft because of the Mike Bibby trade, but for them that is not exactly a bad thing. They have plenty of young talent with those already mentioned as well as up and coming forwards Marvin Williams and Josh Childress. Since the draft would only make them younger, it is really a good thing that they do not have to choose this year. With only 13 of the 15 roster spots being occupied, the one thing I would add to the team is an experienced front court player with playoff experience similar to what the Boston Celtics did with PJ Brown this year. With a team so young they could use a veteran that has been through the playoff trenches. The Hawks need to continue to take steps forward this coming season including a more consistent regular season, and advancing beyond the first round of the playoffs.

Boston Celtics

After winning their 17th NBA championship, have the years of a dynasty returned to New England? To be truthful about the previous question, no, if their roster does not experience some turnover this offseason. Although they have the Big 3 of Kevin Garnett(12 years), Paul Pierce(9 years), and Ray Allen(11 years), their best days are behind them, but if surrounded by the proper pieces they could win a couple of more championships before their careers are over. If Danny Ainge fails to retool their team, it is a high possibility that they could end up like the Miami Heat of a few years ago. 

It is highly likely that Sam Cassell and PJ Brown will not be brought back, or just retire as they are both 38 years old. Although they played a large role in winning the ring, keeping players around just for loyalties sake can end up in a wasted season. The Celtics hold the 30th and 60th picks in the draft, and have a full roster of 15 players, so something has to give. Either players will be released, their 2nd round draft pick will go unsigned, or they will draft foreign players that have no chance of coming over in the next few years. The latter has been used in the recent years by many NBA teams needing to protect roster spots. 

The bright spot for the Celtics despite losing the experience is that their role players are one year more experienced, and will have been battle tested in the Finals. These players include Rajon Rondo, Glen Davis, Kendrick Perkins, and Leon Powe. Each one of these players need to work hard to add elements to there games. Rondo needs to add to his outside jump shot, Glen Davis needs to stay in shape, Perkins needs to add a little to his offensive repertoire so he can score outside of the paint, and Leon Powe also needs to get consistent on his outside jumper. All of these players have talent, and play defense, they just need to add polish to their games. The Celtics should look to add a true point guard to play behind Rondo. Eddie House was serviceable along with Cassell, but Boston needs another distributor, not another shooter. The Celtics also might want to start looking towards the future as far as finding a combination shooting guard/small forward, as time is going to be limited on Ray Allen’s career as injuries have mounted lately. This will be a hard task for them to achieve as they have the last pick in each of the 2 rounds. Quite possibly Danny Ainge could get creative again like he did last summer.

Charlotte Bobcats

The Bobcats possess the 9th and 38th picks in the draft, have a new coach in Larry Brown, and are going into their 5th season of existence. Michael Jordan is in the front office in charge of basketball operations, and basically all basketball decisions. They are not totally without talent but yet they are still behind the curve with most teams in the league as far as overall talent. They have young talent such as Raymond Felton, Jason Richardson, Emeka Okafor, Adam Morrison, Gerald Wallace, and Sean May. Sean May however has not been able to stay healthy through either of his first 2 seasons, and it will also be a long road back as he had microfracture surgery on his right knee that caused him to miss all of last season. He has also had issues with conditioning, and his weight. 

Charlotte ended last year with a 32-50 record, which is one win less than they finished with 2006-07. After firing Sam Vincent after 1 year, they hired NBA vagabond Larry Brown. He is a renowned teacher of the game of basketball. His experience should help the young players on this team improve on the court. The Bobcats appear to have stars that are willing to learn, and accept teaching. They also have a nice mix of veterans and young players.

The Bobcats have a few needs that are they are very capable of addressing in the draft. They definitely need to get another shooter as they need someone to add with Matt Carroll, and get a back-up point guard for Raymond Felton. There is no other point guard on the bench for the Bobcats, Earl Boykins is the closest thing to that, but he is more of 5’5” shooting guard. The Charlotte Bobcats are not close, but they are not that far away either.

Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls are a team in transition after firing their coach Scott Skiles mid way through last season, executing a large midseason trade, and front office disagreement.
After struggling their way through the entire season, the Bulls ended in with a 33-49 record, and missed the playoffs. Dramatically they won the first pick in the NBA draft lottery with only a 1.7% chance of receiving it. High draft picks are no stranger to the Chicago Bulls as the playoff runs have been sparse since Michael Jordan retired after the 1998 season. 

Currently it seems as if own Jerry Reinsdorf, and GM John Paxon have a conflict in philosophy. Rumors about this conflict have swirled around as it took the Bulls the longest to settle on ahead coach as candidate after candidate was either eliminated or dropped out voluntarily. Finally it was decided that first year coach Vinny Del Negro would lead the team. Based upon the past drafts it is hard to tell what the identity of the Bulls is, as there are many talented players, but at times it seems as if they do not fit well. The Bulls have been one of those teams that has drafted best talent available as opposed to drafting for the need of the team.

One glaring need for the Bulls is a polished offensive post presence. Tyrus Thomas, Joakim Noah, and rookie Aaron Gray are all very raw on the offensive end, and are not ready to dominate a game on the offensive end of the floor. Starting power forward Drew Gooden is serviceable in the post sometimes, but is very inconsistent. The Bulls also posses the 39th pick as well. The first pick is widely believed to go to either Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose. The Bulls looked to be on the cusp 2 years ago, and all it will take is a good or bad draft to push them either way right now as they dangle in limbo.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs hold the 19th pick in the draft and while you look at the team as a whole, they are not a badly put together team as they finally filled the need to get a shooter with Wally Szczerbiak. But in their trade with the Chicago Bulls they also picked up 2 aging front court players in Joe Smith and Ben Wallace. Because of injuries, it also seems as if 9th year center Zydrunas Ilgauskas is near the tail end of his production. They do however have firecracker Anderson Varejao. 

Lebron James is good enough to will a team to the NBA Final almost singlehandedly, but a little help never hurt anyone. Going back to 2006-07 Daniel Gibson began to show signs of being that guy, but injuries have slowed him down. This year late in the regular season, and into the playoffs, Delonte West also showed he was not afraid to step up and take the big shot when needed. This is one of the hardest teams to discern what they actually need, you know they need something to get past that next step, but it is hard to pin point exactly what it is. 

They are probably in need of a true point guard more than anything as Delonte West is more of a combo guard than a true distributor. If they could pick up another slashing small forward they could afford to make Lebron a point-forward. They are one more year into it, and it is basically all about getting people comfortable around James. And I think this may be the year that Mike Brown comes into his own as coach.

NBA Finals-Game 6

Going into this game, the Lakers knew that they would have to play better than they did in game 4 of the NBA Finals to keep the Celtics from winning their 17^th championship. And I will just go ahead and say that they failed miserably. Usually I would go through and break down the game quarter by quarter, but really there is no need for a detailed synopsis, or in-depth coverage of what happened. Game 6 was on old fashioned, take you behind the woodshed ass kicking. After the 1^st quarter ended wit a 24-20 Boston lead, the Celtics beat on the Lakers like a red headed step-child.

When games happen like this in a elimination game in the playoffs, let alone the Finals, I always wonder what the losing team was thinking when they woke up this morning. I can remember games that I have played in that I was on both sides of a beating. When that momentum gets going against you, it is so hard to do anything right, or get it back in your favor.

The story of the Lakers losses in this series was uninspired play, lackluster team play, and the inability to keep the consistent good play going. Kobe Bryant came out firing, but was absent for the remainder of the game. This game played out as a microcosm of the entire series. The Lakers defense was exposed, as each defender was exposed showing cracks in their individual and team defense. Defense is all about effort and desire, as the Boston Celtics proved. Ray Allen and Paul Pierce have never been known as defensive players, but this year they were held to higher standard. Between the two, they played some of the best individual defense I have ever seen on Kobe Bryant.

Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom failed to be the worthy sidekicks that they are supposed to be, with 11 and 16 points respectively. All that these 2 players are asked to do is show up, rebound, and shoot open shots. Several times throughout the game, both players caught the ball off of drive and kicks in spots they usually are comfortable shooting, and they both looked uncomfortable. In many of these instances they just stood motionless, and waited for kobe Bryant to run up and get the ball from them. Gasol was stripped multiple times in the post while executing weak moves to the basket.

For a man as talented as Gasol, it is hard to fathom that he could only average 15.4 points during this series. This is the same reputation that followed him from Memphis. Never at any point during this season did it look as if he was the same aggressive, dominant player that showed up in the first 3 rounds. After Garnett blocked his shot, Gasol looked very frail, and afraid to go to the rim hard. Maybe twice per game he would get excited and show some emotion, but for the most part he was almost invisible on the court.

Hats off to the Celtics for taking what they felt was theirs from the beginning of the season. Many times these “Team of Destiny” fail in their mission to win it all, but the Celtics proved to be focused from day 1. Finals MVP Paul pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen stepped up and earned the pre-ordained name of the “Big 3,” and I think the original “Big 3” of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish are proud to share their namesake.

Patriotism by Perspective?

I recently entered into a conversation on an ESPN message board about a man’s obligation to his country. The man in question is Yao Ming, and should he come back to play for his country in the 2008 summer Olympics. At what point is enough, and when does your body tell you it is time to give it a rest? Yao

has almost played basketball year-round since 2002, not including when he has been injured. The troubling thing about Yao Ming being injured is where the injuries have been located.

In 2005 Yao developed osteomyelitis in the big toe on his left foot, and surgery was performed on the toe, in 2006 he broke his right knee, and this year Yao’s season was ended by a stress fracture in his left foot. These are all lower body injuries, and aren’t that uncommon for a man standing 7’6”, and weighing 310 lbs. Carrying around that much bulk, and pounding up and down a basketball court for 10 months out of the year can be brutal.

It was reported today that Yao is going to try and return to play in July for a pre-Olympic tournament. He has not been cleared by doctors to play yet, and it would be a close call to when the Stankovic Cup is to start on July 17^th. I believe that Yao has not received adequate rest over the past 5 years to let his body recuperate from these injuries, and just let his legs rest period. If he was aiming towards the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a plan to acclimate rest into his schedule should have been thought out. If you have a prize horse, and that is what Yao Ming is to the Chinese basketball team, you would not continue to run, and run him until he is run into the ground.

I personally am not concerned with the length of Yao Ming’s NBA career, I am generally more concerned with his quality of life after years of playing in the Olympics, International tournaments, other tune-up events for China, and then returning to the U.S. for the long, grinding NBA season. We have long heard of athletes that have left professional sports, and could barely get out of the bed in the morning, or do basic things like play with their children.

During the conversation, I was chided as being ridiculous to think that Yao would think of himself over his country. One objector even went as far as saying that if he were in Yao Ming’s shoes he would break every bone in his body to represent his country. I understand the loyalty to country, as my family is represented by many Veterans, but I am also a product of the American concept of capitalism.

Capitalism has led me to believe that yes I can represent my country, but yes it is alright for me to look out for myself, my family, and my own interests. Clearly, the Republic of China has a different set of values, and the last time I checked it was based on communism, which is basically community property.

I took it a little personal when I was criticized for my opinion on the subject, that was until I took a step back. I had to realize that from the eyes of Yao Ming, and the probably the people who questioned me that we spoke from 2 totally different perspectives, and 2 sets of social mores. Instead of striking back in a negative manner, I gave proper due to Yao Ming and left it at that.

In conclusion, I respect Yao Ming to the fullest, and all the time and money that he dedicates to his country. He follows the values that he was raised with, and he does not bend in those beliefs. So when I look at his actions, I look at them from the western hemisphere point-of-view and I place my set of values upon them. So the deeper lesson I learned was that I must look at the deeper picture, and sports sometimes comes down to more than meets the eye, and in this case politics, social values, and different cultural views have found their way into this conversation. Let’s hope that the 2008 summer Olympics bring relevant conversation that advance beyond sports, and maybe we can all understand each other on a different level at the end of the day.

Kobe Bryant Fooled Me

I must admit that I was bamboozled, fooled, and just had the wool pulled over my eyes all year by the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player. This year I was fooled into thinking that Kobe Bryant had changed, and had matured. But, in the NBA Finals this year, the same Kobe that cried to be traded this summer and complained about his teammates during the past 3 years returned. The same spoiled Kobe that refused to shoot the ball in a second half of a playoff game against the Phoenix Suns returned. That same ego-driven guy that engineered the trade of Shaquille O’Neal out of Los Angeles returned.

What the hell happened to that guy that was so gracious all year, and allowed his teammates to grow? Where did that guy go that seemed like he wanted to fit in so well and prove all of his critics wrong? Was it all an act, or is that he cares so much that he could not bear all the pressure? I just thought that it was a new day for him, and I thought that possibly that I had been wrong all these years. But all I have come to realize is that I can trust that feeling I get inside about someone’s personality.

This year P. Diddy coined the phrase “Bitchassness,” and Kobe Bryant personifies every trait that this word could convey. For those not up on their hip-hop lingo, and person that has bitchassness in their personality is one that has no loyalty to people that they should. They have the tendency to make things about them when they absolutely have no reason to. This word usually describes a male that has gossipy, and has the general personality of a messy woman. So in regards to Kobe, he has shown each one of these traits during his career.

Early in his career, I developed a dislike for Kobe Bryant, but unlike many other Kobe haters I was not the hugest Michael Jordan fan. I loved Jordan but I would not call him the best player ever because I never saw Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, or many of the other past greats play the game. But I had problems with Kobe because I felt like he did not want to establish his own legacy, but yet follow Michael Jordan’s. From day 1 I saw that Bryant walked, talked, played, chewed gum, and even gave interviews like MJ. I never questioned the talent of Kobe Bryant, I have however questioned his personality.

Another one of the traits that rubbed me wrong with Kobe Bryant is his seemingly aloof nature. He has always shut out his teammates, and found ways to isolate himself. Former teammates have testified that he does not do the things that most would expect their leader to do. He would not attend teammate parties, or just engage in team bonding experiences. It was his dry personality that made it easier to take the side of Shaquille O’Neal in that break up, because Shaq was the more accessible personality. During this summer while throwing a 4 month long hissy fit, he blasted young center Andrew Bynum to some random guys in a parking lot, and it was posted on the internet. It is things like this that have kept my disdain up for him.

But, I thought I had seen the apocalypse, and that he was going to be the gracious superstar that youngsters Lebron James, and Dwayne Wade have been during their short careers. I only ask that pro athletes be gracious, give respectable interviews, and just put on an ”act” that they do it somewhat for the fans. Maybe Kobe’s personality is due to the fact that he did not grow up deprived as his father Joe “Jellybean” Bryant was also a pro basketball player. It could quite possibly be that he grew up in Italy while his father was playing basketball there. Or ultimately he could just be one of the biggest jerks with immense basketball talent.

Whatever the case may be, this years NBA Finals has brought all of those things that people criticize Kobe for back to the surface. He has been seen hitting teammates, yelling at them, and complaining about every last call no matter how flagrant it is. The other day I saw a video of him punching Vladimir Radmanovich in the ribs during a timeout, and it was your usual get your teammates motivated. It was a malicious, anger filled strike, and you could see the frustration in his face. The Celtics have brought out the frustrations in the Lakers and with that, the worst of Kobe Bryant has followed. During the test of adversity, Kobe Bryant has failed as a teammate, it makes me wonder how he handles personal adversity (shoulder shrugs).

NBA Finals-Game 5

After being shocked in game 4 the Los Angeles Lakers had a lot to prove to themselves, the Celtics, and to the world. They were shocked by the huge lead they had blown, and put themselves in a position to be eliminated by the Boston Celtics in game 5 of the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant had shown the negativity that has haunted his career, Lamar Odom continued to play inconsistently, and Pau Gasol was so soft around the basket I thought that he was trying to acquire a Duncan Hines sponsorship.

On the Boston Celtics side of things, they continued to receive inspired play from Paul Pierce. With the Celtics it always remains to be a team effort. They take on the persona of the 1980’s Boston Celtics with their grittiness, and scrappy nature. It may not always be pretty, but it has been getting the job done. After walking off of the floor after the comeback win in game 4, the Celtics looked like a team that knew what was near and you could see the deflated faces on the Lakers sideline, as Kobe Bryant walked off the court with a few seconds left in the game.

The stage was set for Sunday night, the Staples Center in Los Angeles was a little more lively than it had been in the previous 2 games. The stars were out of course, but from the opening tip you could tell they were ready to cheer, and act like a semi-excited NBA crowd. The only change in the starting line-ups for either team was Leon Powe started for the injured Kendrick Perkins who was on the bench in street clothes after he sustained a shoulder injury in game 4. Since his 21 point outburst in game 2 Leon Powe has been a non factor in this series, and tonight was no exception as he only logged the first 5 minutes of the game, scored no points with 2 rebounds.

The same situation presented itself from game 4 as the Lakers came out of the gate aggressive, and forced the Celtics into early mistakes. Boston had 2 turnovers in their first 2 possessions of the game, one being forced by Kobe Bryant as he was allowed to roam off of Rajon Rondo. If Rondo plans to have a prolonged career in the NBA he must work very hard in the coming years at developing an outside jump shot. At this point it is entirely too easy for teams to just forget about him and leave him.

In addition to his defensive presence, Kobe Bryant came out firing on the offensive end. Bryant was 5-8 shooting, and had 2 assists to boot in the 1^st quarter while showing some of the composure that made him this year’s league MVP. At the 6:36 mark in the 1^st, Los Angeles held a 18-5 lead. But after the game 4 collapse, I could not help but think that it was too early, and that the Celtics had plenty of time to mount a comeback. Doc Rivers changed up his substitution patterns again and brought Eddie House off the bench instead of Sam Cassell as the 2^nd string point guard, and he rewarded that move by hitting an early 3 pointer. But the Lakers continued to pour it on, and ended the quarter leading 39-22.

The 2^nd quarter began with Phil Jackson throwing a monkey wrench in the game and bringing Chris Mihm off of the bench for his first minutes of the post-season. The move turned out to be unproductive as he only logged 2:45 minutes of playing time , 2 personal fouls and a turnover. The Lakers have struggled in this series to receive any continuity when their bench has entered the game. Ronny Turiaf has not brought the signature energy that has made him a valuable asset to the Lakers, and his minutes have suffered because of it, only getting 1:24 of playing time in game 5.

As many of the games in this series have found Kevin Garnett in foul trouble, this game was the rule and not the exception as he picked up foul number 3 at the 7:37 mark. But the Celtics were not affected by KG’s poor play as they went on a 15-0 run to slash the Lakers lead to 2 points. At this point in the game the frustration for Kobe Bryant began to mount as it showed on his face an body language. During this stretch, Pau Gasol continued to play very soft as he has the entire series. He went up with soft flip shots with his left hand, threw soft lob passes to Lamar Odom, and continued to have the ball taken from him on rebounds.

After a 7 minute drought for the Lakers, during which they let the Celtics climb back in the game, it seemed as if they got their offensive rhythm back. They were able to draw a few fouls, and get some shots that they are accustomed to that come out of the triangle offense. During the 2^nd quarter Kobe Bryant was held scoreless, and had only 1 assist. The Lakers continued to lead at the half 55-52, despite being outscored 30-16 in the quarter.

The 3^rd quarter brought much of what has made the Celtics successful against the Lakers this year. Rajon Rondo came out hustling for loose balls, getting deflections, and playing pesky defense. Kobe Bryant continued to struggle as he picked up foul #3 at 8:45, and foul #4 at 6:04. He was clearly frustrated at this point and some of the restraint he had shown in the first quarter was gone as he began to complain to the referees after every call, or no call. At 5:17 Derek Fisher completed a 3 point play, and next time down the court Vladimir Radmanovich got a steal and hit a 3 pointer in the corner. Both plays involved Rajon Rondo getting the foul on Fisher, and then throwing the ball away to Radmanovich.

Boston then switched to an unconventional line-up, and gave the Lakers a dose of their own medicine and went small. Doc Rivers inserted Sam Cassell, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, James Posey, and Kevin Garnett into the line-up. It was this unconventional, with 4 guards on the floor that allowed the Celtics to remain in touch with the Lakers. Although Los Angeles held the lead in rebounds throughout the game, watching the game with the naked eye would leave you to think otherwise. The Celtics were getting to all the loose balls, just generally getting to all the rebounds and showing more effort than the Lakers. The quarter ended with the Lakers leading 79-70, and winning the rare 3^rd quarter in the series.

The Lakers carried the momentum of the 3^rd quarter into the 4^th and started the quarter on a 5-2 run forcing Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers to call a timeout 1 minute in. It seemed early on that Los Angeles had picked up the hustling spirit of the Boston Celtics, but it was really all for naught as the Celtics began to whittle away at the lead that had grown to 12. By 2:30 the score was 95-93 in favor of the Lakers, and it seemed as if the Lakers might let another game slip through their grasps. But at 41.7 seconds to go Kobe Bryant stripped Paul Pierce then received a pass from Lamar Odom for a break away dunk. In the spirit of the dramatic Hollywood atmosphere the Lakers missed a few free throws and allowed Eddie House to hit a 3 pointer to close it to 101-98. After 2 more free throws from Derek Fisher the game was finally closed out.

From his huge first quarter when he had 15 points, Kobe Bryant had 10 points in the remaining 3 quarters. He was scoreless in the 2^nd, had 3 points in the 3^rd, and 7 to close the game out. Throughout the series the Lakers have found it difficult to find the balance between Kobe Bryant’s scoring and everyone else’s contributions. It has been all or nothing, as evidenced by the 1^st and 2^nd quarters.

Kevin Garnett has been unlike himself all series. Strapped with fouls managed a double-double, but is one of the most quiet ones I have ever seen, ending up with 13 points, 13 rebounds on 6-11 shooting. Ray Allen also struggled chipping in 16 points on 4-13 shooting and fouled out of the game. En route to his 16 Ray missed numerous open jumpers that were uncontested.

The lone bright spot, and most consistent player for the Celtics all series was Paul Pierce, and he shined again in game 5. Paul ended up with 38 points on 10-22 shooting, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds. The series shifts back to Boston, and the TD Banknorth Garden, for game 6 Tuesday. The Lakers look to extend to a game 7, and the Celtics look to close the series out and celebrate in the streets of Boston.