beav

I saw the Portland ATL game the other night and the Hawks defense was very impressive... They dominated the boards... The announcers were definitely impressed and they are the ultimate homers!

How about the Bucks? The Dish Hedo Turkoglu is looking for a five-year deal worth at least $10 million annually. Blazers make quick push for Hedo; Bucks eye big splash By David Aldridge, TNT analyst Posted Jul 2 2009 12:40AM Updating some of Wednesday's top NBA free agent stories: Magic free agent forward Hedo Turkoglu will be wined and dined by the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday and Friday as they try to make a quick strike in free agency by getting Orlando's starting forward to agree to a deal. Turkoglu was set to meet in Orlando on Wednesday night with Blazers head coach Nate McMillan, according to Turkoglu's agent, Lon Babby. "We're going to start the process there, but we're going to be transparant about what we're doing," Babby said. "You can only visit one team at a time." Babby said that other teams weren't necessarily on hold while Turkoglu visits with the Blazers, and that he planned to be speaking simultaneously with a few teams about Turkoglu in the next few days. However, he noted that the Blazers "understand the parameters of what I'm talking about" with regard to a contract. Turkoglu is looking for a five-year deal worth at least $10 million annually; so far, Orlando has only been willing to talk about a four-year deal. Babby also said that Turkoglu's deciding to take a visit in Portland does not mean it's a done deal with the Blazers. Babby said his preference would be to get a deal for Turkoglu done early, before the official start of the free agent signing period a week from today. Because the Blazers were one of the few teams with cap room this summer, the picture for free agent point guards will remain cloudy until Portland either signs Turkoglu or moves on. While Jason Kidd has always been expected to re-sign with Dallas, players like Atlanta guard Mike Bibby and Philadelphia guard Andre Miller may have far fewer options if Portland is no longer in the market for a point guard. Meanwhile, Babby also disclosed that veteran forward Grant Hill would visit the Knicks on Monday. Hill, 36, played a season in Phoenix for Mike D'Antoni, now the Knicks head coach. The Knicks aren't as far along as contending teams, but Hill's interest in New York may have off-the-court roots as well: he's almost certain to step into a broadcasting booth when his days are over, and a job there for a year or two would do nothing but enhance his profile to prospective post-career employers. And forward Josh Childress, who started the trend of NBA players going overseas last season by signing with Greek power Olympiacos for three years and $20 million, will visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, according to his agent, Jim Tanner. Childress can return to the NBA, but his rights would still be owned by the Atlanta Hawks, who drafted him in 2004, as a restricted free agent -- meaning the Hawks could match any offer from other teams for Childress. But Childress has not yet decided whether to stay in Greece for a second season or come back to the NBA. Childress does not want to return to the Hawks, however. The Bucks, who drafted point guard Brandon Jennings last week, are in desperate need of making another splash after trading Richard Jefferson to the Spurs last week and not tendering free agent forward Charlie Villanueva, who was in Detroit Wednesday talking with the Pistons.

Don't be fooled by Frye's rookie year... he has done nothing but regress since then... If a few weeks/months have gone by league minimum, but no way would I pay more than that!

Which teams are poised for a big turnaround? by Randy Hill Veteran columnist Randy Hill is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com. Updated: July 3, 2008, 12:28 PM EST The first ingredients in the Title No. 17 brew were two perennial all-star players captured in deals with Western Conference teams. Motivation was connected to job security for general manager Danny Ainge, who — after experiencing draft-lottery tragedy — gladly parted with a still-high, first-round pick and a lead asset named Al Jefferson. With Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in the holster, Celtics coach Doc Rivers then embraced his own career vulnerability by hiring Tom Thibodeau to construct a crusty defense. After vigorous team-building exercises were visited, the Celtics went screaming toward 66 victories, a 42-game turnaround of triumph that represents the greatest year-to-year swing in league history. So, who's next? Well, it's time for the disclaimer. With the free-agent market open for about three days, several balance-of-power maneuvers remain possible. But it also should be noted that these catastrophic, year-to-year changes in victory totals are extremely rare. Although referrals to changes in the "culture" of a franchise happen frequently enough to encourage us to puke, Garnett really did marshal a team-wide commitment to defense and general toughness that may be impossible to duplicate by any player available in a 2008 trade or free-agent bonanza. With that on the table, let's take a look at teams that have created turnaround potential, listed in order of when their names popped into my skull: Los Angeles Clippers (23-59) Corey Maggette, a player generally regarded as selfish to a fault with the basketball in his mitts, recently handed out the greatest assist of his Clippers career. Maggette opted out of the last year of his contract, providing a $7 million windfall that — teamed up with the bounty from teammate Elton Brand's opt-out number — enabled the Clips to reach a deal with Golden State escapee Baron Davis while closing in on a relative bargain agreement with Brand. We'll see if the budding film producers can churn out a reasonable playoff script. The co-stars — Chris Kaman, Al Thornton and rookie Eric Gordon — seem capable, but the bench (which eventually will be led by Cuttino Mobley ... not one of my favorites) is a bit thin. While Davis represents quite an upgrade in backcourt leadership, please don't mistake his potential impact with that demonstrated by KG. If Baron stays healthy and is reminded that shot selection at Golden State is different from the rest of the world, the Clips could rise to NBA team 1A ... in Los Angeles. A bigger concern is the need for a championship-level commitment to defense, a huge factor demonstrated by the Cs in a copycat league. Dunleavy has yet to inspire a Clippers team to embrace guarding the opposition. By the way, that thin bench could be a bit fatter thanks to sign-and-trade suitors for Maggette. Chicago Bulls (33-49) If Vinny Del Negro can coach, the Bulls would figure to greatly improve on their victory total by simply showing up next season. But Memphis freshman point guard and hometown product Derrick Rose was added with the first pick, a move that could provoke the Bulls into moving Ben Gordon and another asset or two for some inside scoring. It has been posited that incumbent point guard Kirk Hinrich should be dealt, but a sign-and-trade of Gordon probably would bring more in return. Hinrich has the length to defend some off-guards, and his balky jump shot may be more accurate in catch-and-shoot rhythm playing off of Rose. If nothing else, Chicago currently sits with enough depth to extend the defense and push the pace, making its lack of inside scoring less of a damning factor. Thirty-three more wins than last season doesn't exactly seem likely, however. Miami Heat (15-67) We'll have to wait and see if superstar Dwyane Wade is healthy enough to launch misguided jumpers over international zone defenses for Team USA. If he returns fit for duty, Miami could be in position for quite an upgrade. Rookie four-man Michael Beasley should become stat phat, while always-productive Shawn Marion is entering the final season on his current contract. Marion needs to make peace with being registered as the third option; Miami's big-ticket offer for next summer will go to Utah power forward Carlos Boozer, not Shawn. You'll know the Heat's return to relevance is complete when Pat Riley announces his return to the bench. Then again, Pat may not mind another future-building tumble into the 2009 lottery. Memphis Grizzlies (22-60) The Grizzlies have added O.J. Mayo, Marc Gasol and Darrell Arthur to Rudy Gay and Mike Conley. They also have the rare distinction of possessing enough cap room to hire an impact player. It has been suggested that — based on a weak free-agent class this summer — Memphis will wait at least a year before parting with its loot. The ability to woo a pricey new employee down the road would seem a bit more reliable if Jerry West had remained as team president. Portland Trail Blazers (41-41) Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge should get more help next season. (Sam Forencich / Getty Images) Boy, these guys certainly seem to be on the verge of something big. With Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Travis Outlaw and Martell Webster set to return, the Blazers now will also suit up Greg Oden, Jerryd Bayless and Rudy Fernandez. While springing into the playoffs is likely, the talented Bayless would need to approach Steve Blake's level of point-guard generosity for Portland to reach its potential. New York Knicks (23-59) In the old days, this franchise would have considered pulling the trigger on a Boston-caliber blockbuster deal doomed to failure by the hideous contracts attached to current assets. These hideous contracts now are viewed as crucial to an eventual book-sweeping effort to attract LeBron James in two years. New coach Mike D'Antoni also seems like a long shot to create a pesky defensive environment, especially with Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry on the floor. Our concerns regarding a significant leap are magnified by reports that the Knicks might consider dealing David Lee — a rare, tough-minded New York employee — to Charlotte for point guard Raymond Felton. While run-and-shoot happiness should lead to a victory increase, don't plan on attending a parade in New York. Atlanta Hawks (37-45) If the Hawks match what restricted free-agent forward Josh Smith commands on an offer sheet, Atlanta could be in business. Point guard Mike Bibby should make a difference over the course of a full season, while Smith, Marvin Williams and sophomore Al Horford will boost the win total through simple, chronological improvement. Joe Johnson, who's always been hard to guard, could lead a push for 50 wins. Milwaukee Bucks (26-56) The Bucks could be on the cusp of a nice boost in the standings. Former New Jersey Net Richard Jefferson and rookie Joe Alexander will make Milwaukee ridiculously athletic at forward, while Alexander's nasty streak won't hurt a bit. Michael Redd, if still employed by the Bucks, provides first-year coach Scott Skiles with one of the league's top snipers, but point guard Mo Williams must learn to share more often for this team to thrive. Anyway, the talent looks nice, but Milwaukee's rise depends on Skiles' ability to coax defense from these guys. Minnesota Timberwolves (22-60) OK, so Kevin Love allegedly is too short for consideration as a legitimate center, but the kid can rebound and has enough heft left over from his pre-draft fitness regime to score in the post. New teammate Al Jefferson is a 20-10 machine (yeah, someone has to get numbers on a bad team) and shooter Mike Miller joins enough good, young prospects to make Minnesota a team to reckon with ... later, not now. It seems that Kevin McHale still remains one Kevin short of making any kind of eye-popping turnaround next season. Charlotte Bobcats (32-50) Unless serious hypnosis is introduced, putting Larry Brown with selfish gunners Jason Richardson and Gerald Wallace does not add up to a 60-win season. But it would be fun to have an all-access microphone at Bobcats' practices. Being able to move Felton for frontcourt help certainly would be a leap in the right direction. If LB can get Richardson and Wallace to defend regularly and pass the ball once in a while, Charlotte could contend ... for the playoffs. Indiana Pacers (36-46) Boston's big jump reinforced the notion that — with extremely rare exceptions — employing big-time players is required to win an NBA title. The Pacers have set the recent standard for getting rid of big-time players (although no Hall-of-Famers) in exchange for players with less baggage. High-character players are easy to rally around, but that rally almost never includes the O'Brien Trophy. Philadelphia 76ers (40-42) The Sixers have enough cap room for a free-agent boost and enough talented young players to make a considerable improvement through little more than on-court maturity. Point guard Andre Miller could be a marketable asset, but he wouldn't bring enough in return to generate greatness and his departure would create a playmaking hole. Sacramento Kings (38-44) The Kings have something of value to deal in Ron Artest, who now regrets not opting out of the final year on his deal. Let's see if the Kings truly believe Artest — who behaved reasonably well last season — will act like a prince now that he wants out of town. Unfortunately, while Artest could be a key final trade piece for a contending team (L.A. Lakers, anyone?), the peripheral hayride he would generate will make it difficult to acquire a player of his ability in return. Then again, Phil Jackson may decide he has enough coaching presence to prevent Artest from wrecking Laker chemistry. New Jersey Nets (34-48) Despite public declarations to the contrary, the Nets may be poised to be at the top of this list in a couple of years

Quote: As a celtics fan, Id much rather have Posey back than Maggette. Maggette is better offensively, but with Pierce, Allen, KG and possibly Sam Cassell, will he ever get his shots? Posey brings what the Celtics need: veteran leadership, a tall (2 inches taller) athletic player of the bench to provide energy defensively, someone who has been there before. Maggette has been the first or second option for most of his career, has played in 12 total playoff games (less than half what the Cs played this season alone), doesnt play a lot of D and so far hasnt shown that he cares that much about winning. Bingo. Posey is a winner. Maggette is a whiner. He made a huge scene year before last when Dunleavy was trying to use him as a 6th man. Big freaking deal. It's not like he was talking about bringing Lebron or Jordan off the bench! Maggette has also been injury prone his entire career. I swear the funniest thing that I remember hearing from watching League Pass games last year was from a Celtics broadcast: Play by play guy: "You know I remember talking to the former Clippers coach (I think it was Chris Ford) about how he knew things had really changed in the league with players playing through injuries. He said that Corey Maggette had to miss a week because he had developed an ingrown toenail from a botched pedicure. So was that ever a problem when you were playing Tommy"? Tommy Heinsohn: "Oh yeah...Sure! We always had problems with guys having bad pedicures!" Nuff said.

Quote: I implore you to add on to my list.. but just a little Hawks history here... 1. PGs are most important. (Jason Terry, Lue, and missing Doc Rivers) This team couldn't win with Jason Terry at the PG. That's because JT was not a good PG. He couldn't make the decisions. It taught me that every good team needs a good PG. 2. Chemistry is everything. Anybody who watched Nique, Theus, Malone or Big Dog, SAR, and Theo should know that chemistry means a whole world to a basketball team. Without good chemistry you can't win. 3. Contract years sucks. Anybody can show up in a contract year. Alan Henderson, Chrissy Crawford... You have to look at what the player has done all the time. 4. You got to have Heart to be a winner. Craig Ehlo vs. Marvin Williams. Marvin was taughted as being the Next great Sf. However, he lacks the aggressiveness and heart to be that. Craig Ehlo was thought of as being over the hill and bringing nothing to the table. Every night though, that guy would leave his game on the floor. 5. Coaching Means everything else I watched Kevin Loughery take the team from Hubie Brown and make something out of less than something. 1. I agree to some extent that you must have a solid PG, but you do not need a great PG. Jackson's triangle offenses proved that. Also Avery Johnson was never better than average his entire career. You'd damn well better have a disciplined and respected point guard however, which was BJ Armstrong and Avery Johnson all day long. 2. Without a doubt. Any Portland fan can tell you this. This is critical particularly for a young team. Just one poisoned apple can sink a team. Yes adding Theus and Malone was a disaster to a team that was poised to jump up. Malone was older, fatter and slower and slowed any running offense to a drunken crawl, and Theus was an overrated poseur that had spent his entire career as a pretty-boy star on a shite team. 3. Disagree for the most part. I think that you have to judge the entire career (short as it might be). Chris Crawford did not have a great contract year so much as one great 3-pt shooting half. Alan Henderson was a lackluster sleepwalker his career then woke up during the contract year though it is true. I also look at the types of players that have sat for injuries that were deemed as possibly being relatively minor (Baron Davis, Vince Carter), but who all of a sudden look like iron men in their contract year. Hey if a 21-23 year old player improved in their contract year it could just be due to maturity. 4. Without a doubt. Although there is no doubt that Ehlo was pretty much spent by the time he got here (probably tired of being posterized by Jordan..(but then again who wasn't when forced to play one on one against him) you cannot argue with his toughness and professionalism. These are the types of guys that keeps the Spurs organization on the road to winning. 5. Yes, the combination of being able to be an effective Xs and Os guy as well as someone that can "coach up" younger players or role players is critical. Unfortunately for the Hawks they have neither trait in Woodson.

by extending the series to 6 games. Now all they have to do is go to the Finals and I can probably retire a few years early.... Go Hawks!

Congrats on the new board (whoever is responsible). Even more importantly congrats on getting Bibby!

I was very impressed. I picked a good year to get League Pass again! LOL! Marvin looked great, Horford is going to be a stud, and Lue was very solid! I expected JJ to be great!

Bucks Sign Yi Jianlian To Multi-Year Contract August 29, 2007 - 6:27 am Bucks.com - The Milwaukee Bucks announced today that 2007 first round draft pick Yi Jianlian has signed a multi-year contract. The Bucks 6th overall selection in the 2007 NBA Draft, Yi Jianlian signed his contract in Hong Kong following a negotiating session with Mr. Chen Haitao, owner of the Guangdong Tigers. Bucks owner and team president Senator Herb Kohl, General Manager Larry Harris and Bucks Vice President Ron Walter were able to meet with Mr. Chen, as well as Yi and his family, as part of the process. Yi Jianlian is expected to join the team for training camp that begins on Monday, October 1 at the Bucks Training Center in St. Francis, WI. “There has been a genuine excitement throughout our city and state, as well as internationally, following our selection of Yi in the NBA Draft,” said Senator Herb Kohl. “We all anticipate Yi’s arrival and welcome him and his family to Milwaukee. We look forward to a successful relationship for many years to come.” “We would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge and thank Mr. Chen for his assistance and support in the negotiating process,” Kohl added. “We were thrilled to be able to draft Yi Jianlian in June and are equally excited to sign him to a NBA contract as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks ,” said Harris. “We drafted Yi with the expectation that he would be a part of our franchise for a very long time and this is the first step in that process. Yi is a skilled and versatile young man who we have seen play numerous times over the last few years including this summer in the NBA Summer League. Our players and coaches look forward to working with Yi and I know our fans will enjoy watching him compete with the many talented, young players on our roster.” NBA Commissioner David J. Stern commented, “We are happy that Yi will be playing with the Bucks to further develop his skill and his contribution to both the Chinese National Team and the NBA. This is another great example of cooperation between the CBA and the NBA and I want to congratulate the CBA, Mr. Chen, the Guangdong Tigers and the Milwaukee Bucks .”

I post on the blazersedge blog and had an exchange on a post lately....read down towards the bottom middle while I "represented" By HarryManback Posted on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 03:51:04 PM EDT It seems as though, with the lack of any real NBA action, our little Blazers' Edge community has turned on itself. I understand that we all have a whole raft of insults we want to dump on somebody, so let's let loose on the rest of the league. So who is going to be the worst team in the league this year? Let's go ahead and define "worst team" as the team with the worst record. Whatever assumptions you want to make about moves to be made between now and Halloween are cool. Just try to avoid the phrase "book it". My worst team pick: The LA Clippers! "Worse than Seattle or Minnesota", you ask, "How can that be?" Easy. Seattle and Minnesota have something that the Clips will only be able to dream about--hope. The Clippers went from perpetual punching bag to surprising success to massive disappointment, and now come into this season with their top young point guard out potentially forever, their star power forward injured for most of the year, and a coach who got tuned out during their one successful season. It's a team built to win now that will be forced to take the year off to wait for their best player to come back and give them a shot at the playoffs. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back the good old Clippers. The depressed looking Clippers who always come up short on the scoreboard. The Clippers whose players stare off into space on the bench, imagining what it will be like when they finally become a free agent and can move to a real team. Maggette will demand a trade by Christmas (actually, I'm not sure he has retracted his last trade demand yet). Sam Cassell will be on and off the inactive list all year. Tim Thomas will continue to be known as Tim Thomas. Donald Sterling will look to move every contract that he has for cap space. Clippers. Worst team. Book it. Poll Which team will have the NBA's worst record this year? • New York 3% • Philadelphia 5% • LA Clippers 15% • Sacramento 13% • Indiana 8% • Milwaukie 4% • Atlanta 7% • Minnesota 27% • Seattle 8% • Other... 5% Votes: 140 Results :: Vote Link :: Polls Menu * Home * Diaries * Search * beav's Page * Post New Diary * Logout Sponsors Our Sponsors * Call 305.824.5858 to SAVE on Tires We have huge selections of wheels and tires for all make and models. Come check out our nationwide low prices. We will match or beat any advertise prices on similar in stock products. Our website are informative and easy to use. Please call 305.824.5858 for any inquiries. Read more... Advertise here Ticket City - Trailblazers Ticket Source for Portland Trail Blazers tickets, All Star Tickets, & Final Four tickets. TicketCity.com Display: Rate? Worst team in the NBA... :: 33 Comments :: Post a Comment Finally It's a post that doesn't involve how good (or bad) Greg Oden is going to be! My pick is Sacramento but this is largely based on the absolute and extreme depression that basketball fans in Sac-town are now plagued by. The Kings have 8 power forwards on their roster, and the Maloofs thought bringing in former NBA D-Leaguer Mikki Moore would be an upgrade to their front-line. After drafting Spencer Hawes, they now have two centers who like to shoot 15 footers and pretty much refuse to rebound. Mike Bibby (their star point guard) hasn't defended anyone since his national championship days at Arizona. Ron Artest (their star- or is he a former star?) doesn't like Mike Bibby (dueling stars!) and yet if this team is going to win any games, they'll need to play together and play well together. Kevin Martin, an undersized SG, is the one bright spot on this team and I don't even think he would've started on a majority of the teams in the NBA last year. The worst part of it is- as the Blazers, T-Wolves, and Sonics stockpile young talent and get ready to join those that are considered consistent contenders, there's really no hope for the Kings. And the worst part is, after last year's NBA All-Star game, the Maloofs won't be able to move the team to Las Vegas any time soon... by Champs2009 on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 04:11:11 PM EDT [ Reply to This ] Hard to argue with those points. But I'm going to anyway, because I'm bored. I was tempted to go with the Kings because, like the Clippers, they have no hope. Also, they have no chemistry. But I started thinking about the lineups... Bibby - Martin - Artest - Shareef? - Miller versus Knight/Cassell - Mobley - Maggette - Thomas? - Kaman And I decided I liked Sacramento's lineup a little better. That said, Artest could well decide that the whole dog fighting thing sounds like fun and leave the team to take it on full-time. Bibby's shot could go even further south, etc. Plus, the Clippers have Donald Sterling on their side, and you just can't bet against that guy. I agree that it looks bleak for Sacramento in the short and long-term. But let's not forget how bleak it looked for the Blazers a year and a couple months ago. All of a sudden, our fans are talking championships. Things can change in a hurry in the NBA. by HarryManback on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 04:28:11 PM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] I went with Sacramento. Largely because SAR has real, legitimate experience at making a team the worst in the league. If he can do it again this would make three different teams, I believe. Artest may self destruct and their big guys are old, slow and uncaring. by EnglandDan on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 07:15:39 PM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] You forgot Brand . Formerly known as Junit3123 by Jason3123 on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 10:04:15 PM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] Brand is out for the year with a ruptured achilles Still, Kaman is a beast. by wepto on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 07:54:36 AM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] WOW I didn't hear that That sucks I love Brand. Formerly known as Junit3123 by Jason3123 on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 09:53:43 AM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] not necesarily the whole year he could be back by midseason. still a rough go for the Clips. by jksnake99 on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 10:17:47 AM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] Good plan I I think that you've touched on the worst 3 in the west (who will probably have the worst record in the NBA due to the tougher competition), T-Wolves, Seattle, or the Clippers (though if they hadn't gotten the news they've recently received they wouldn't even be mentioned in this sort of discussion). As for who will prevail with the worst record... I haven't voted yet, I'm going to have to think about this one for longer, I expect all 3 to be ugly. by drawingjeremy on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 04:22:47 PM EDT [ Reply to This ] I I didn't know that I I could sttttuttter when writing, but I I guess I I did. by drawingjeremy on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 04:23:37 PM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] don't sleep on Indiana Especially if O'Neil gets traded, they have the potential to be really terrible. Even if O'Neil stays, he's been in steady decline for years. Then look at the rest of their roster. If O'Neil goes down or gets traded for Bynum + Kwame's contract, the only thing that will keep them from challenging for single digit wins is being in the Leastern Conference. by matthewcc on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 04:39:09 PM EDT [ Reply to This ] not to be a nitpicker but its Jermaine O'Neal, not O'Neil. by jksnake99 on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 05:18:32 PM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] thanks for the spell check i really didn't know who the heck he was talking about until you cleared that up lol but im inclined to agree that the pacers could be horrible without o'neal.. also who comes out of training camp with a full compliment of players is monumental... most teams (us included) are a microfracture surgery away from utter chaos if it can be conceived it can be achieved by lyfefindsaway on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 09:16:54 PM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] I've gotta go with Minnesota This team is just indescribably bad. I'm talking Blazers two years ago bad. Starters (correct me if I'm wrong) will be Foye, McCants, Ricky Davis, Al Jefferson and Mark Blount with Green, Gomes, Brewer and our friend Bassy off the bench. Now I actually like those first three bench guys- lots of energy but that has to be one of the worst starting lineups in recent memory. Remember that these guys won 31 games (tied with the Blazers for 6th worst in the league) and moved KG. I say 22-25 wins for the TWolves. Honestly I don't even think their future is bright- Al Jeff is going to be good but not an all star (IMO) and I feel similarly about Foye. I see Brewer as a starter eventually but not a stud. They are going to need to draft well the next few years. by jksnake99 on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 05:24:10 PM EDT [ Reply to This ] I'm going with Minnesota but I can see the Clips giving them a run for the money. I'm going to hold out a bit of hope for Seattle in that they do have more young talent than the Wolves and guys like Collison that bring it every night. In the East you can probably expect to see Philly looking pretty bad. And I'm not sure what to expect with New York. Harry's eval a few post's back seemed to sum that situation up fairly well. They have enough talent to win at least 30 - 35 games, but then I don't see how they don't blow up from all the friction. Maybe not the worst, but the Kings and Nuggets could perform below last year's level and Memphis is not automatically assured of a dramatic improvement. by timg56 on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 05:42:04 PM EDT [ Reply to This ] its atlanta I like the addition of Horford, but they didnt fix their biggest problem, they need a point guard. Its hard to win without a decent point guard(check the blazers the last 4 years). They are a joe johnson injury away from a lock for the worst record. by myemic23 on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 06:46:39 PM EDT [ Reply to This ] No way that the hawks are the worst team in the league. They did draft a point guard by the way in the lottery...acie law... Joe Johnson is young and has no history of chronic injury by the way... The hawks are doubtful for the playoffs, but will be improved this year and there were still 5 teams worse. My vote is for Indiana....once JO goes down (and that you can usually book). by beav on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 08:53:01 PM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] I don't know... They always seem to find a way to be really, really bad. by rockingharder on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 09:07:53 PM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] These days when a team in the east has the worst record in the NBA that's really, really bad. For that reason I'm still banking on the one of the little 3 out of the west Minnesota, Seattle, or the Clippers. Hard to say which ones year will be most difficult to watch, and who may surprise. I think Sacramento will find a way to be above the bottom couple, but know that could be a mess as well. by drawingjeremy on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 10:22:41 PM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] I like Acie Law but that pick was suposedly available for Jack the whole time, that doesnt say a lot for Mr. Law, not to mention he is their best pg and we all know the ramifications of having rookie pg's not named Chris Paul. Also, Johnson missed 25 games last season but that wasnt my point. I was trying to say that Joe Johnson is thier only really good player, if he goes down, the hawks go down. and yes I do remember that they have Josh Smith(although isnt he in some kind of holdout??) by myemic23 on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 12:12:53 AM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] one more point.. there were only 3 teams with a worse record than Atlanta: Boston, Miluakie, and Memphis. I think we know that Memphis and Boston arent going to be at the bottom of the league barring significant injuries. Redd only played in 53 games last year and they still won 28 games, even if they dont bring in Yi, they should improve if Redd stays healthy. With Redd they went 22 and 31, and without they went 6 and 23. Unless Redd goes down, they will improve on last year. With the hawks, they need a lot of young guys to step up if they want to improve. I dont think those odds are that great. by myemic23 on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 12:26:42 AM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] hey as someone else said don't forget about the clippers... the same injury logic could be applied to the hawks since johnson missed over a month and josh smith missed nearly a month with a hernia operation...speedy claxton (an outstanding backup point/marginal starter missed nearly the entire season to injury too... by beav on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 01:11:07 PM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] No Josh Smith is not in a holdout. They are just talking about contract extensions beyond this year and are a few million apart. I would say Joe Johnson is their only all star caliber player. Josh Smith goes without saying is a star in the making. Marvin Williams was hampered by a broken wrist last year and missed the first two months...the last few weeks of the season he started to hit his stride though. Horford I expect to start and be a 14/10 guy in the league for years. He also has an NBA ready body and is very very tough. I truly thought he was the best player on FLs team last year. I don't really understand the statement with law and jack? If the hawks declined to accept jack for the acie law pick wouldn't that say more about them having a higher opinion of Law? Also Law was a 4 year starter so may be a little more nba ready than the typical point. All that said, again this is not a likely team for the playoffs, but a young one that has a lot of young talent. Frankly besides the blazers to me they have the best young talent in the nba. by beav on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 01:08:42 PM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] statement with law and jack I read that the 11 pick was offered for Jarrett Jack, I believe it was the blazers that passed on that deal but I wasnt in the war room on draft day. I like Acie Law and he might be a good point guard, it just probably isnt going to happen this year. I dont see any decent backcourt players besides Joe Johnson. Anthony Johnson? Tyronne Lue? Speedy Claxton? Salim Stoudemire? This is their backcourt unless they want to play childress or J Smith out of position. by myemic23 on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 09:05:15 PM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] Actually as I heard it, the hawks had the option at any time up until the draft to take jack for the 11 pick and passed. Logically this also makes sense given that the blazers had to think it a high degree of likelihood they were going to sign blake, already had sergio, and there were a plethora of small forwards available at number 11 which pritchard supposedly loved. Still however I remain unconvinced that the hawks will be the worst team in the league... care for a friendly wager? by beav on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 11:16:56 PM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] I will book that in THE book if ya like by myemic23 on Wed Aug 22, 2007 at 02:18:50 AM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] Fair enough And after some thought, I'll take the Clips followed by Indy... by beav on Wed Aug 22, 2007 at 01:26:30 PM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] Law is a gamer but he is a scorer more than a distributor (63rd nationally) and he is not as good a shooter outside of crunch time. He can and does create his own shot and that leads to some easy assists but maybe not so much in the NBA. by lee3022 on Wed Aug 22, 2007 at 12:32:36 AM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ] Lakers will be the worst Kobe can't make it through an entire season without getting hurt, and they have no one else. Odom is too much of a space case to carry the load. And don't forget Kobe has already ruined their team chemistry. When church and state marry, the devil pays for the reception. by fisheyes on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 06:59:27 PM EDT [ Reply to This ] I like it. NY and LA are definitely my sentimental favorites to finish last (although I think both are unlikely). by HarryManback on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 07:01:56 PM EDT [ Parent | Reply to This ]

Certainly there will be an initial shift, but that is more attributed to Garnett and Allen than another psycho moving to south florida. I think that it says more about MIA's desperation that they'd want him than anything else. I wonder what the early over/under for games played on an artest meltdown would be?

Quote: Maybe you haven't seen Marvin attack the rim off the dribble. I have, it consists of him getting his lunch packed and the team running down loose balls. Now that was funny!

Quote: I'll start: Law = 10 ppg, 5.8 apg, 2.3 rpg. 44% FG JJ = 21.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.1 apg. 51% FG Josh Smith = 18.9 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.6 apg. 47% FG Horford = 7.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.0 apg. 44% FG Shelden = 12.2 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 1.2 apg. 48% FG Marvin = 10.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.1 apg. 43% FG Zaza = 9.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.7 apg. 43% FG Chillz = 10.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.9 apg 46% FG Speedy = 6.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 6.6 apg, 44% FG Solo = 2.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.7 apg, 42%FG Law's numbers seem a little high to me... particularly with the assists... I would see him at barely scratching 4 per game if that...I think that speedy will be healthy and law won't play much more than 25 mpg until late in the year... I had to look it up, but why do you have Johnson's fg% so high since he shot 47%(his career high BTW) last year? If he truly can shoot over 50% he would be a top 5 player. I suspect that Speedy will be scoring more around 11 ppg I expect MW to score about 15 ppg Other than that looks realistic... horford and shelden have to split those numbers somehow... why not?

Quote: I used to love DA David Aldridge.. He used to be insightful and gave top notch commentary,.. Today, the mighty have fallen. Why is Houston #1? Why is San Antonio in the top 10? Why is Boston so low? Hawks top 10 but Charlotte = #14? Why did Orlando fall? Milwaukee = #9 while NY and NJ = 17, 18?? Come on! HOU is very tough to stomach at number 1, although he is right about adelman being able to get the most out of a$$hole players (so they should get value out of francis and wells)... I would have seen them more at 6-10. Boston should have been up a notch or two unless he is taking into account there mortgaging the future? SA is ridiculous if his reasoning is that resigning obierto and vaughn are that big of a deal. However I wasn't as enamored with NY and NJ additions, high teens does seem a bit low for NY...I would have them more around 12-13.

On the NBA | Rockets hot, Wolves not, in busy off-season By David Aldridge Inquirer Columnist JIM MONE / Associated Press No doubt someone out there will say the NBA engineered the Kevin Garnett trade to Boston to take attention away from Tim Donaghy, because someone out there always tosses out conspiracies where the NBA is concerned. It's easy, and how do you disprove them? But who cares? It's nice to talk basketball again. The Garnett deal forces contemplation of a new order in the Eastern Conference, which has seen the addition of Garnett, Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis and Zach Randolph since the draft, with no significant shuffle of equal talent out west. The Western Conference still has a prohibitive edge, but perhaps the balance is, finally, starting to even out. The Garnett deal was the last big thing likely to happen this summer (though Jermaine O'Neal and Pau Gasol could still be rerouted). And that allows us to rate the off-season winners and losers, taking the draft, free agency, coaching moves and trades - made and not made - into account. Once again: This is who had the best off-season, not which team is going to win the championship next season. 1. Houston. Added: guards Steve Francis, Mike James and Aaron Brooks; forward Luis Scola; center Jackie Butler. Lost: forward Juwan Howard. This was quite a haul for new general manager Daryl Morey, who got the burly Scola from the Spurs and James from the Timberwolves, drafted Brooks and signed Francis, adding speed, scoring and depth. New coach Rick Adelman got a lot out of Bonzi Wells in Sacramento. 2. Portland. Added: guard Steve Blake; forwards Channing Frye, James Jones and Josh McRoberts; center Greg Oden. Lost: guard Fred Jones and forward Zach Randolph. Oden's charming personality and game are a rock-solid foundation to build on. With precious few veterans around, Portland will struggle this season. But when its experience catches its talent - the over-under is January 2009 - watch out. 3. Chicago. Added: forwards Joakim Noah and Joe Smith. No significant losses. While everyone's salivating about the Celtics, Bulls general manager John Paxson drafted Noah, re-signed Andres Nocioni, and added Smith to a talent-rich roster. Chicago can still make a run at Pau Gasol or make the big pitch for Kobe Bryant. 4. Phoenix. Added: guard D.J. Strawberry; forwards Grant Hill and Alando Tucker. Lost: center Kurt Thomas. The Suns didn't get Kevin Garnett, but by dealing Thomas to Seattle, they can keep their core (Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Leandro Barbosa) without being a big luxury-tax payer, with access to an $8 million trade exception for a year. 5. Boston. Added: guards Ray Allen, Eddie House and Gabe Pruitt; forwards Kevin Garnett and Glen Davis. Lost: guards Delonte West and Sebastian Telfair; forwards Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green and Wally Szczerbiak; center Theo Ratliff. General manager Danny Ainge must thank the Leprechaun every day his Wolves counterpart, Kevin McHale, still has a job. Since February 2006, McHale has acquired nine Celtics from a team with a 57-107 mark the last two years. However, the Celtics still need a point guard. 6. San Antonio. Added: forward Tiago Splitter. No significant losses. The Spurs gave Luis Scola to Houston for next to nothing. Almost nothing. The trade allowed San Antonio to clear enough money to re-sign Fabricio Oberto, Matt Bonner and Jacque Vaughn, retaining key depth from its title team. 7. Atlanta. Added: guard Acie Law IV; forward Al Horford. No significant losses. The Hawks couldn't get Stoudemire from Phoenix in that proposed three-way deal with the Suns and Wolves before the draft, but drafted two solid kids. Still, they're botching what should be a simple contract extension for Josh Smith. 8. Seattle. Added: guard Delonte West; forwards Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Wally Szczerbiak; center Kurt Thomas. Lost: guard Ray Allen; forward Rashard Lewis. It's bleak now, and will be for a while for new coach P.J. Carlesimo. But Durant and Green are worth blowing up a team for. The Sonics would have rated higher, but we weren't crazy about giving up that big trade exception (sent to Phoenix) so soon. 9. Milwaukee. Added: forwards Yi Jianlian and Desmond Mason. No significant losses. We don't care if Yi never plays a second for the Bucks; he was the right choice. His skills were too good to pass up. The Bucks overspent to re-sign Mo Williams, but Williams, Michael Redd, Yi and Andrew Bogut are a pretty good starting quartet. 10. Orlando. Added: forward Rashard Lewis. Lost: forward Grant Hill and center Darko Milicic. Spending $118 million on Lewis makes no sense, no matter how Orlando spins it. That freezes the Magic in place for years. But Lewis and Dwight Howard are solid, and the Magic salvaged the Billy Donovan embarrassment by hiring Stan Van Gundy. 11. Detroit. Added: guards Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo. Lost: guard Carlos Delfino. The Pistons re-signed their core guys (Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess) and didn't trade Rasheed Wallace, as many suggested they should. With Kevin Garnett now in the East, having a post defender like Wallace around looks smarter every day. 12. Dallas. Added: forwards Nick Fazekas and Reyshawn Terry. No significant losses. The Mavericks have a relatively high rank because, after the shocking playoff loss to the Warriors, there was no fire sale. The Mavs re-signed Jerry Stackhouse, drafted solidly, and exhaled when Kevin Garnett went east. Now they'll pace themselves next season. 13. Washington. Added: guard Nick Young and forward Oleksiy Pecherov. No significant losses. The Wizards added even more offensive pop but did nothing about their horrendous defense or cap-sapping contracts. Still, a future first-rounder from the Grizzlies for Spanish guard Juan Carlos Navarro could pay big dividends down the road. 14. Charlotte. Added: guard Jason Richardson and forward Jared Dudley. No significant losses. Michael Jordan's first big move in Charlotte brought him a reasonably priced star in Richardson, but he paid an awful lot to keep Matt Carroll ($27 million) and Gerald Wallace ($57 million). Will owner Bob Johnson keep spending? 15. New Orleans. Added: forwards Julian Wright and Morris Peterson. Lost: forward Desmond Mason. The Hornets may have stolen Wright at No. 14 in the draft. He can't shoot, but they can teach that. Moving back home after two years in Oklahoma City should provide stability, and if New Orleans can finally stay healthy, it's a playoff team. 16. Los Angeles Lakers. Added: guards Derek Fisher and Javaris Crittenton. Lost: guard Smush Parker. We can't imagine that Kobe Bryant is happy about the Lakers' failing to land Kevin Garnett, Rashard Lewis, Ray Allen, et al, but he's clammed up - for now. Fisher should stabilize things at the point, and keeping Luke Walton was smart. The bleeding may have stopped. 17. New York. Added: guards Fred Jones and Dan Dickau; forwards Zach Randolph and Wilson Chandler. Lost: guard Steve Francis; forward Channing Frye. We're not sure if Randolph and Eddy Curry will mesh or how New York plans to play inside-out without shooters. But Chandler could be a player, and Stephon Marbury is coming off a great season. Isiah Thomas is safe for the moment. 18. New Jersey. Added: forward Sean Williams and center Jamaal Magloire. Lost: center Mikki Moore. Williams will be a shot-blocking stud if he can keep his head on straight. The Nets spent $60 million to keep Vince Carter and are trying to get Jermaine O'Neal from Indiana. If that happens, move the Nets further up the list. 19. Toronto. Added: guards Jason Kapono, Carlos Delfino. Lost: forward Morris Peterson. The Raptors wanted Euro guard Marco Belinelli badly but couldn't get a pick. They are spending big bucks ($24 million) for Kapono, who led the league in threes. Shaquille O'Neal didn't follow him up north. But the Raptors did the right thing by giving Sam Mitchell a new deal. 20. 76ers. Added: forwards Thaddeus Young and Jason Smith. Lost: forward Joe Smith. The team firmly believes that Young was the right choice with the 11th pick, but it's still officially rebuilding. So sit back, try not to care this season, and hope the Sixers can bag a big-time free agent next summer with all that cap room. 21. Indiana. Added: guards Travis Diener and Kareem Rush. No significant losses. The Pacers are high on Rush and think new coach Jim O'Brien will better use the talent on the roster. They still have to decide what to do with Jermaine O'Neal, who may wind up a Laker or Net before next season. 22. Memphis. Added: guards Mike Conley Jr. and Juan Carlos Navarro; center Darko Milicic. No significant losses. New coach Marc Iavaroni wants to build Suns South, so he took Conley to run the show. The Grizzlies spent $21 million for Milicic, who isn't exactly the tough guy they need to protect Pau Gasol. Adding Navarro, Gasol's Spanish teammate, is a smart move. 23. Golden State. Added: guard Marco Belinelli and forward Brandan Wright. Lost: guard Jason Richardson. The Warriors saved money by trading Richardson and want to re-sign Mickael Pietrus or extend Monta Ellis' contract with the savings. Belinelli will fit right in. But the Warriors didn't land the Big Ticket, Kevin Garnett. That's why they're ranked so low. 24. Los Angeles Clippers. Added: guard Jared Jordan and forward Al Thornton. Lost: guard James Singleton. Is the renaissance already over? Sam Cassell is on his last legs; Shawn Livingston is recovering from that gruesome knee injury. And Elton Brand and Corey Maggette can both opt out in 2008. Repeating, Elton Brand can be a free agent next summer. 25. Utah. Added: guard Morris Almond. Lost: guard Derek Fisher. Almond is good, but losing Fisher is going to hurt. And what to do with Andrei Kirilenko, who pouted through last season? Plus, we haven't forgotten how Deron Williams called out his teammates after the Western finals loss to the Spurs. 26. Miami. Added: guards Smush Parker and Daequan Cook. Lost: guards Jason Kapono and Eddie Jones. There haven't been the big splashes coach Pat Riley hoped for as he looked to spice up his aging roster. Alonzo Mourning will be back for a final season, but that's about it. The Heat may be able to squeeze out one more run, but their long-term prospects aren't promising. 27. Sacramento. Added: centers Spencer Hawes and Mikki Moore. No significant losses. Hawes and Moore will help in the middle. But the Kings got taken for a ride by Stan Van Gundy, then reached for Reggie Theus as their new coach. Most important, they've yet to separate Ron Artest and Mike Bibby, who don't get along on the court. 28. Denver. Added: guard Chucky Atkins. Lost: guard Steve Blake. The Nuggets haven't added much-needed perimeter shooting or pared the roster to avoid the luxury tax. And how will there be enough playing time or shots next season for Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Nene, Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin? 29. Cleveland. No significant additions or losses. Standing pat is not enough for the Cavs, who haven't addressed their point-guard or shooting needs. (They've tried for months to get Mike Bibby from Sacramento.) They'll likely re-sign Anderson Varejao, but that's not enough. 30. Minnesota. Added: guard Sebastian Telfair; forwards Corey Brewer, Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green and Juwan Howard; and center Theo Ratliff. Lost: guards Mike James and Troy Hudson; forward Kevin Garnett. It's not that the Wolves traded Garnett; it was time. But how did they not get the guy they really wanted - Rajon Rondo - from Boston? Rajon Rondo was a deal-breaker for one of the league's top five players? It's another example of how brain-dead this franchise has been for a decade. Contact staff writer David Aldridge at 215-854-5516 or daldridge@phillynews.com.

How will the minutes shake out Beav? I guess I should have said maybe for someone...

Hell he'd be worth a vet minimum contract. Maybe. Warriors Waive Adonal Foyle August 13, 2007 - 5:05 pm RealGM Staff Report - The Golden State Warriors have requested waivers on center Adonal Foyle after reaching a contractual buyout agreement, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released. “We will certainly miss Adonal’s presence, both on and off the court,” said Mullin. “However, we think this move is in the best interest of both parties as we move forward. Adonal was a true professional in every sense of the word during his decade-long tenure with the Warriors. We wish him the best as he begins the next phase of his career.” Foyle, 32, was originally drafted by the Warriors with the eighth overall selection in the 1997 NBA Draft and has spent his entire 10-year NBA career with Golden State. This past season, he appeared in 48 games, averaging 2.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.04 blocks in 10.0 minutes per contest. In 641 career games overall, he has averaged 4.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.78 blocks per contest. Among the Warriors’ all-time career leaders, Foyle currently ranks first in blocked shots (1,140), fifth in offensive rebounds (1,221), sixth in defensive rebounds (2,006) and seventh in games played (641).

Hey congratulations guy! Just don't let her grow up to be a Knicks or Lakers fan!

Quote: JJ actually plays decent Defense. The other two do not. JJ is a ironman type, the others are not. JJ goes in the paint(even at a teardrop perfection), the others do not. I rank them: JJ Redd/Allen Please don't take this in the wrong way, because it is not pointed at you specifically, but at a number of people that have posted about Ray Allen here and in other places around the web since the big trade. Frankly there is an urban myth that has been passed around that Allen is a bad defender. Since he has been in SEA for 3 years, and they have been terrible for the last 3 years most people have kind of forgotten about Ray, and not seen him play much. Ray Allen is not a bad defender. He played solid team defense under McMillan, and the entire SEA team suffered defensively under the bozo tandem of Weiss/Hill. This was an unhappy, losing and rudderless team and quite often when this happens from the management and coaching it filters to the team below....most particularly on defense. SEA was one of the worst defenses in the league (actually I believe they were the worst at least one of those years) the last two years. Now that being said, any player that is 32 years old and remains a top ten league scorer is just frankly not going to have the same amount of energy and stamina to be a strong one-on one defender. Particularly at the guard spot. Now in regards to the other areas, yes Allen does not drive nearly as much, but frankly he does not have to. He is the best jump shooter in the league. The year before last he had more threes than anyone else in the league by around 50-60 treys! That is pretty mind-blowing when you think about it. A team that has a slasher (pierce) and one of the best low post presences in the league on their team (garnett) needs a dead eye shooter on the perimeter, which IMO makes a great fit for the celtics. I would take Joe Johnson over Allen anyday but that has more to do with the age difference than anything else. If Allen were 5 years younger I'd consider them pretty much dead even. Now as far as Redd, he is a strong/solid scorer but nowhere near the ballhandler as Johnson, and again not as good a defender as stated.

Quote: awesome, awesome post. great read. I wonder, do you classify guys like Kobe or T-Mac as headcases? Sorry, I didn't write it, I copied and pasted it from a blog! I meant to put the URL in before... http://morekrolik.blogspot.com/2007/08/thr...d-cases_07.html

Tuesday, August 7, 2007 The Three Types of NBA Head Cases There really is no particular impetus for this post, but it's one of my favorite theories about the NBA, so I've decided to write it out for you, the reading public. Often times, during the NBA draft or during the season, a player will be referred to as a "head case," or will be described as having "poor intangibles." When he plays badly and finds himself on the bench or trading block, the announcers will say "Nobody doubts his talent, but..." You all know what I'm referring to. However, when we say a player is a "head case," we could be talking about one of any number of things. In my travels, I have found that NBA head cases fall into three broad categories, which I have named after former Golden State Warriors: The Mike Dunleavy head case, The Larry Hughes(Erick Dampier) head case, and the Latrell Sprewell head case. Without further ado, let's break down the differences: The Mike Dunleavy Head Case: In 2002, my beloved Golden State Warriors had the worst record in the NBA. The top 2 choices in the draft would have yielded Yao Ming or Jay Williams, the best point guard and center prospects in years. We got the #3 choice, and Mike Dunleavy, Jr. Mike was supposed to be the jack-of-all trades, a worthy consolation prize. He was athletic, had a silky-smooth stroke, was 6-9, and had fantastic "intangibles." (Translation: he played for a successful college program. Also, he was white.) Of course, in the pros, Mike sucked. He had a few horrible years, but managed to flash enough potential to net himself a $55 million dollar contract in 2005. (In a fair world, when Mike Dunleavy came into Mullin's office to sign that contract, Chris Hansen would have shown up.) After 3 and a half years of watching Mike Dunleavy, I will say that he has talent. He has a beautiful shooting stroke, is surprisingly athletic for a guy his size, moves gracefully, and has great court vision. But, lest we forget, he sucks at basketball. Why? Because he's afraid. He would lose confidence in his shot and go on prolonged shooting slumps. He would often take himself out of games by refusing to go to the hole, finishing with 3 shots in 35 minutes. To succeed in the NBA, confidence is necessary; the Mike Dunleavys of the world don't have enough. How to spot a Dunleavy: * Getting the ball and passing it immediately 9 out of 10 times * Only shooting when wide-open, and often missing even then * Following up a 30-point game with a 5-point game * Eyes down, ashamed body language * Missing free throws Current Dunleavys: * Kwame Brown * Keith Van Horn * Gerald Green * Sebastian Telfair * Michael Olowakandi * Dorell Wright * Darko Milicic * 90% of all players from Europe * Joey Harrington (Not technically a basketball player, but he's a Dunleavy all right.) The Erick Dampier Head Case: I'm actually grouping two types of head cases here, but they both fall under the same basic umbrella: players who don't give a crap. Erick Dampier, whose parents apparently couldn't decide if they wanted to spell Eric with a C or a K, is a fantastically talented basketball player. He's a legit 7 feet, athletic, a great rebounder, has soft hands, and a decent shooting touch. He was the #10 overall pick when he was drafted. His first seven years in the league, he disappointed, averaging about 7 points and 7 rebounds a game. Then, in the 02-03 season, he averaged 12.3 points and 12 rebounds per game. That was his contract year. After he got a fat contract from the Mavericks (he got Steve Nash's money-nice call, Mark), his averages promptly dropped to about 8 and 8. Erick Dampier doesn't give a crap-he's just looking to get paid. There is another group of players I put under the Dampier label-the shooting guard/swingman types who care enough to get themselves involved in the game, but seek only to make themselves look good. These guys shoot lots of 3s rather than drive to the hole, score a lot of points with a low percentage, pass the ball rarely, and cannot be bothered to work on defense-the bane of the stuffy white sportswriter's existence. While these players differ stylistically from the Dampier types, they have the same basic problem: they lack the all-consuming desire to win, or "Jordan Gene" which we believe should be inherent in all athletes. (I don't believe this as strongly as most, but that's a whole other essay.) How to Spot a Dampier: * Low rebound totals * Lack of hustle * Showing up to camp fat * Unwillingness to go to the hole * Too many 3s * Poor defense * General disinterest Current Dampiers: * Michael Pietrus * Ricky Davis * Darius Miles * Steve Francis * Stephon Marbury * Eddie Curry * Now that I think about it, pretty much everyone on the Knicks not named Renaldo * Boris Diaw * Vince Carter * Stromile Swift The Latrell Sprewell Head Case: Ahh, Latrell. We loved Latrell. He went all-out every night. He drove to the hole with reckless abandon. He could D up with the best of them. He could shoot 3s. He was the bright spot of a very poor Warrior team. Of course, he was completely insane, and one day he choked P.J. Carlesimo, leading to him having to leave the team and be suspended from the NBA for a year. The sad fact is this: the drive that makes NBA players great on the court often renders them insane off of it. Although the Sprewell head case will play as well, if not better than, a player with no "character issues", GMs are scared to death of them, because when things go wrong with a Sprewell, they simply can't stay on the team. How to Spot a Sprewell: * All-consuming desire to win * Maximum defensive effort * Takes an inordinate amount of shots(not out of a desire to pad stats, but out of the belief that he alone has the power to decide the game for his team; head-casery is a subtle science.) * Speaks out against the coach * Demands trades * "Off-court incidents" Current Sprewells: * Ron Artest * Carmelo Anthony * Allen Iverson * Stephen Jackson * Gilbert Arenas (Left the Warriors because he believed having Earl Boykins play 4th quarters was an insult to his abilities, and because the Warriors picked him with the 31st pick instead of the 16th. Trust me, he's nuts.) * Bonzi Wells * Rasheed Wallace My Final Thoughts on Head-Cases: My thoughts differ from most on head-cases. Most would tell you that of these three, the Dunleavy is the least dangerous, the Dampier is the 2nd-worst, and the Sprewell is unbearable. I flip it around-I'd rather have a Sprewell than a Dampier or a Dunleavy, and a Dampier more than a Dunleavy. Call me short-sighted, but I believe in putting the best basketball players on the floor and letting everything else work itself out; for this reason, I do not fear the Sprewells. Dampiers often find passion at some point in their careers, but once a player's confidence is gone, it will probably never come back. Consider my beloved Warriors. The bane of our existance, Adonal Foyle, is one of the nicest, most intelligent men in the NBA, if not the planet. At the middle of the season, we traded Mike Dunleavy himself for a bona fide Sprewell: Stephen Jackson. What happened? Baron Davis, who had been one of the league's biggest Dampiers, found his passion. We started playing defense. We started pushing the pace. We started drawing fouls and scrapping. And during that Mavericks series, whenever we needed a 3, Stephen Jackson would step up and drill a 3 with a hand in his face. Why? Because Stephen Jackson has WATERMELON BALLS. Dunleavy would have passed 10 times out of 10 in that situation. To be the Mavericks, we needed confidence. We needed someone who had no fear. That someone turned out to be Stephen Jackson. To succeed in the NBA, sometimes you need to be a little crazy.

Quote: http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/474...calling_boston/ I bet the Celtics can have their pick of any FA left on the market now. If we can ever get to this point we should not worry about salary cap. There will alwayse be good veterans who play on the cheap for a good team. Well from that list they've already signed Scot Pollard. Yes. that's right...I said Scot Pollard. Let the good times roll!

Aldridge and Frye make the junior varsity squad Posted by Casey Holdahl August 06, 2007 14:32PM Joe Freeman was all over it a week ago, but now it's official: LaMarcus Aldridge and Channing Frye have been named to the USA Basketball Men's Select Team, whose sole purpose is to scrimmage against Team USA. From the press release: Portland Trail Blazers LaMarcus Aldridge and Channing Frye were named to the USA Basketball Men's Select Team, it was announced today by USA Basketball. The USA Select Team, assembled with a group of young NBA players, will help prepare the 2007 USA Senior National Team for the Aug. 22-Sept. 5 FIBA Americas Championship that is being held in Las Vegas, Nev. "This is a tremendous opportunity for LaMarcus and Channing to gain some additional experience as we get closer to training camp," said Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard. "Additionally, it gives them a chance to showcase their talents for future consideration as members of Team USA while helping our country gain a spot in next year's Olympics." Aldridge and Frye will join Aaron Brooks (Houston), Monta Ellis (Golden State), Jeff Green (Seattle), Devin Harris (Dallas), Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia), Al Jefferson (Minnesota), Jason Kopono (Toronto) and David Lee (New York) on the 10-man roster, which will be coached by Seattle's P.J. Carlesimo. The FIBA Americas Championship, featuring 10 men's national teams, is one of five FIBA Olympic qualifying zone tournaments and will determine the two men's teams from the American zone who will earn a qualification spot for the 2008 Olympic Games. Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan is an assistant coach on the USA Senior National Team. That's a rather size-deficient team, so you have to imagine that both Frye and (especially) Aldridge well be getting a lot of playing time. Who knows, maybe they can steal a few scrimmages from the varsity squad.

Quote: DEFENSE! Between Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett, Garnett is the only player that brings it on both ends of the floor. He will certainly help them, but in the long run, I do not think the Celtics have enough defense to be a championship contender no matter how many big names they have on the team. Knowing that Garnett is a great defender, I really don't see how this team is going to be much better than the Ray Allen, Glen Robinson, and Sam Cassell combo that was in Milwaukee. Wow. I cannot believe that you'd compare that MIL trio to BOS trio, but on the basis of defense as an argument to boot? Pierce is an adequate defender and how much more energy will he be able to put into the defensive side of the ball now that he is not expected to be the nearly sole offensive player? Glen Robinson was an absolutely horrible defender and sam cassell certainly has never won any awards in that area either. And ray allen has never been known as being a great defender, but he was better under nate mcmillan (a team defense minded coach) as opposed to the horrible weiss hill led teams that SEA has had since they stupidly let Mr. Sonic go.