The obvious winner in this year's draft will be The New Orleans Hornets. Anthony Davis is the consensus. overall number one pick. However, there does seem to be some depth to this year's draft. It appears that NBA executives are satisfied with the level of talent that is going to be in this year's draft [1]. I will go through a few of the top picks and discuss options the team has, as well as who I think they should take with their respected pick in the draft.
1. New Orleans Hornets:
Anthony Davis is the obvious pick. This kid has skill and it is evident to anyone who has seen him play the game of basketball. He is listed at 6'11" and has a 7'6" wingspan [2]. One of the huge upsides to Davis is that he is a smart basketball player. This comes from the fact that Davis used to play guard because he had a late growth spurt [3]. Anthony Davis has the talent to become a dominant center in the NBA within in the next few years, but he needs to do one critical thing. He needs to get stronger. If he hits the weights and puts on some pounds, this will be one scary player for every other team in the league to fear.
2. Charlotte Bobcats:
I believe that Bradley Beal is the second best player in this year's draft. However, I do not see the Bobcats taking him with the second overall pick. The Bobcats have too many young guards to be drafting another one. That is why, if they do not trade this pick, I see them taking Thomas Robinson, the power forward from Kansas. Iamagm.com has reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers are offering their #4 and #24 pick for the Bobcats 2nd overall pick [4]. I see this trade happening because, if in fact the Cavs are making this offer, the Bobcats can probably get Thomas Robinson with the 4th pick. I expect the Cavs to try and get Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. The only reason the Bobcats would not pull this trade is if they were planning on taking MKG.
3. Washington Wizards:
Bradley Beal seems to be a great fit in Washington. Him playing alongside John Wall could be a deadly combination. Beal is not as fast as Wall (Then again who is?) but he does have a high basketball I.Q. (Something that many, including myself, believe John Wall lacks.) Beal is a shooter, no doubt about it. Beal is within range as soon as he steps on the court. Listed at 6'5", some say he is too small to be a true shooting guard [5]. That being said, the possibility of Beal and Wall playing together is too much to pass up.
4. Cleveland:
Again, if it is true that they have offered their 4th and 24th pick for the second pick, and the trade goes through, then they have their option of Beal and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. I could see them taking Beal at 2 to play alongside Kyrie Irving, but they did recently draft Manny Harris out of Michigan and another guard in last year's draft. Cleveland could go so many ways with this pick, all depending on trades. They could have the option of Beal, MKG, or even Harrison Barnes. In my opinion this pick will set the rest of the draft in motion.
Other Teams Worth Mentioning:
Portland Trailblazers:
Portland has both the 6th and 11th respected picks in this year's draft. I expect them to take Andre Drummond with the 6th pick. He had a disappointing freshman year at UCONN, but his upside is what will get him a high draft pick. It will be interesting to see if Drummond and Jeremy Lamb, stay teammates. If Lamb is still available at 11, I would not be surprised to see Portland draft him.
New Orleans Hornets (again):
The Hornets received the 10th pick from the L.A. Clippers in a trade that went on this year involving Chris Paul. (You probably didn't hear anything about it. It was under the radar and there was no controversy surrounding the trade at all.) If Austin Rivers is still available I think he would be a great fit for the Hornets. Having Rivers and Anthony Davis would be a team to build around and a team people would come to watch. Rivers is an explosive scorer with deep range. He is very confident, but sometimes has very iffy shot selection. I would love to see Rivers go to the Hornets.
This draft promises to be a good one. There is talent all throughout the first round, and many players drafted will have immediate impact on their team. The Hornets have two top ten picks and can use those to start rebuilding their team. We are still waiting to see if the Cavs and Bobcats make a trade, and that will undoubtedly affect the draft in a major way. You can see the draft live on Thursday, June 28th. For all the updates concerning the draft follow us on twitter .
[1] http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/sam_amick/06/25/nba-draft-key-questions-picks-trades/index.html
[2]http://insider.espn.go.com/nbadraft/results/players?id=19650&_slug_=anthony-davis&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnbadraft%2fresults%2fplayers%3fid%3d19650%26_slug_%3danthony-davis
[3]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSTChBTqABE
[4]http://www.iamagm.com/news/2012/06/25/rumors.warriors.raptors.hot.pursuit.luol.deng.cavs.definitely.offering.4.and.24?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
[5] http://insider.espn.go.com/nbadraft/results/players?id=19658&_slug_=bradley-beal&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnbadraft%2fresults%2fplayers%3fid%3d19658%26_slug_%3dbradley-beal
Showing posts with label NBA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NBA. Show all posts
David Stern's Inexcusable Comments
David Stern has been known for protecting the image of the NBA. He has done things such as make it mandatory that players play at least one year of collegiate basketball before putting their name in the NBA draft [1]. He also instituted a dress code in 2005 which did not allow players to wear jerseys, jeans, large jewelry, and other things associated with the hip hop culture [2]. A lot of this was due to the image blow the NBA took following the, "Malice at the Palace." One of David Stern's main goals in being commissioner of the Nation Basketball Association was to keep the image as clean and as professional as possible. Something recently has hurt this image, and this time it is David Sterns own fault.
Jim Rome's talk show, The Jim Rome Show, can be heard on over 200 radio stations in the United States and in Canada. He has been involved in many controversies, and also holds many controversial opinions which is why he is such a polarizing figure in the sports talk show world. Rome and Stern have had disputes in the past which is why Stern should have been cautious when answering questions from Jim Rome. Rome asked David Stern about the conspiracy theories surrounding the NBA draft lottery [3]. As Jim Rome correctly pointed out, it is his job to ask questions like that. David Stern took offense to the question and asked Jim Rome if he had stopped beating his wife yet and then went on to insult Rome. What surprised me was that Jim Rome was the one that remained calm and cool in the heat of the moment. Jim Rome has been known for getting into controversies and saying things he should not. He calmly told Stern that he did not think the objection was fair. David Stern then went on to criticize Jim Rome and say how he made a living of asking questions for "cheap thrills." Jim Rome asked a legitimate question that many people have been speculating about. Stern followed by barely addressing the question and simply followed with several ad hominem attacks. Stern said that he had to go talk to someone important and mentioned he had to do an interview with Stephen A Smith. It is important to note that the wording about "beating his wife" was not literal. It was an example of a question that has no good answer which is what Stern felt Rome did.
These are statements that no commissioner of any sports league, or anyone in a position of power, should say. The problem is not exactly what Stern said, but rather the fact that he should not be saying things like that at all. He should not want his reputation to be that he insults talk show host that ask him questions. He does not have to respond perfectly to every question. However, he cannot act like that in any situation. For a man who has tried terribly hard to help the image of the NBA, he may have greatly hurt his cause just by a few comments in one interview.
Listen to the interview here
[1]Normally speaking, although players like Brandon Jennings have gone overseas to "side-step" this rule.
[2 ] http://www.nba.com/news/player_dress_code_051017.html
[3]The New Orleans Hornets won the lottery and they are owned by the NBA (recently sold)
Jim Rome's talk show, The Jim Rome Show, can be heard on over 200 radio stations in the United States and in Canada. He has been involved in many controversies, and also holds many controversial opinions which is why he is such a polarizing figure in the sports talk show world. Rome and Stern have had disputes in the past which is why Stern should have been cautious when answering questions from Jim Rome. Rome asked David Stern about the conspiracy theories surrounding the NBA draft lottery [3]. As Jim Rome correctly pointed out, it is his job to ask questions like that. David Stern took offense to the question and asked Jim Rome if he had stopped beating his wife yet and then went on to insult Rome. What surprised me was that Jim Rome was the one that remained calm and cool in the heat of the moment. Jim Rome has been known for getting into controversies and saying things he should not. He calmly told Stern that he did not think the objection was fair. David Stern then went on to criticize Jim Rome and say how he made a living of asking questions for "cheap thrills." Jim Rome asked a legitimate question that many people have been speculating about. Stern followed by barely addressing the question and simply followed with several ad hominem attacks. Stern said that he had to go talk to someone important and mentioned he had to do an interview with Stephen A Smith. It is important to note that the wording about "beating his wife" was not literal. It was an example of a question that has no good answer which is what Stern felt Rome did.
These are statements that no commissioner of any sports league, or anyone in a position of power, should say. The problem is not exactly what Stern said, but rather the fact that he should not be saying things like that at all. He should not want his reputation to be that he insults talk show host that ask him questions. He does not have to respond perfectly to every question. However, he cannot act like that in any situation. For a man who has tried terribly hard to help the image of the NBA, he may have greatly hurt his cause just by a few comments in one interview.
Listen to the interview here
[1]Normally speaking, although players like Brandon Jennings have gone overseas to "side-step" this rule.
[2 ] http://www.nba.com/news/player_dress_code_051017.html
[3]The New Orleans Hornets won the lottery and they are owned by the NBA (recently sold)
Western Conference Finals Preview
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (2) Oklahoma City Thunder
Many people seem to be jumping on the Spurs bandwagon and proclaiming them as the team to beat. The Spurs are without a doubt the most complete team in the NBA, they go 11 deep with quality players up and down their bench. With Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker they have a trio of players who have been their before and know what it takes to win a championship. Although the Spurs are thought of as an old team, Tony Parker is still only 29 and they get great contributions from 24 year old Danny Green, 20 year old Kawhi Leonard, and 27 year old Tiago Splitter. However, I am not completely sold on the Spurs. They did have the best record in the NBA during the regular season, but they had the best record in the Western Conference last year as well and lost in the first round to the Memphis Grizzlies. I also do not put much stock into regular season records, especially in this shortened season where teams had to play a lot of games in very few days. In these playoffs the Spurs are 8-0, but they have not beaten a real quality contender yet. The Utah Jazz are an upstart team that snuck into the playoffs on the last day of the season. They are not yet ready to seriously contend for a title and the Spurs dispatched of them easily. The Spurs then swept the Clippers in the second round. I think the Clippers are a quality team that, if completely healthy, would have given the Spurs more trouble. However Blake Griffin was battling a sprained knee, Chris Paul had hip and groin injuries, and Caron Butler a fractured wrist. Although the Spurs have played nearly flawless basketball and don’t seem to have any noticeable weaknesses, I do think the Thunder present them with some challenges. Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins are good enough defenders to potentially slow down Tim Duncan. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook present the Spurs with challenges on the defensive end and the Thunder can counter Manu Ginobili with James Harden off the bench. This will be an extremely tight series but it will come down to two things: Russell Westbrook and the Spurs role players. If Russell Westbrook plays smart and is hitting that midrange jumper, the Thunder are very tough to beat. However, he also has the ability to shoot them out of games by continuing to take bad shots. It is very important for the Thunder that Westbrook plays well. For the Spurs, they need their role players to continue to knock down open shots. Danny Green, Gary Neal, Stephen Jackson, and Matt Bonner all shoot well from the outside and will get open looks. If they can continue to shoot the ball as well as they have this postseason, the Spurs will win this series. However, I am going against the popular opinion here and taking the Thunder.
My Prediction: Thunder in 7
Did Nash Deserve Two MVP's?
Should this have been discussed earlier? Yes. Is this kind of ridiculous to talk about now? Yes. Are we going to talk about it anyways? Yes.
All this debate was started recently when Shaquille O'Neal spoke with Vibe Magazine and said, "Steve Nash is my boy, but I don’t see how the f**k he got it twice. I was taught never to complain because you can’t beat the system. People know who the real dominant guy was. But Steve Nash, I don’t want to say it because you might print it and it might cause problems. I don’t believe he beat me out twice.”
Everyone agrees that Shaq is a better player than Nash, that is not what is up for debate. Rather, did Nash deserve the two MVP awards he was given. The first season Steve Nash won the award was the 2004-2005 season. During this season he averaged 15.5 points and 11.5 assist. The assist numbers are very impressive. Guess who was second in assist that year. Did you say Jason Kidd? Or maybe Stephon Marbury? If you did, you're wrong. The player second in assist that year was Brevin Night of the Bobcats and he averaged 9 assist. 2.5 fewer than Nash. So if the MVP award was based only on assist than Nash deserved it with no doubt. However, we all know, that is not how it works. During that year Allen Iverson scored 30.7ppg, 7.9apg and 4.0rpg and was second in the league in steals with 2.4 per game. In that same season Kevin Garnett averaged 22.2ppg, led the league with 13.5rpg, and also had 5.7apg. Just looking at the numbers each player put up it seems that Nash did not deserve the award. However, how the team performs is always added into the equation when the league announces its MVP. The Phoenix Suns led the league with 62 wins and also led the league in scoring with an incredible 110.4ppg. That being said, the 76ers finished with 43 wins and the 7th seed in the east. The Timberwolves finished with 44 wins and missed the playoffs. When adding in the teams success it definitely gives a boost to Nash's resume, but I still believe Iverson or Garnett would have been the more deserving MVP.
The next year (2005-2006) Nash also won the MVP. That year he put up 18.8ppg and 10.5 assist. While his points increased, his assist total dropped. These are still great numbers however this is the same year that Kobe Bryant went on a scoring tear. He averaged 35.4 points per game to go along with 5.3 rebounds and 4.5 assist per game. Allen Iverson also improved upon his scoring numbers from the previous years dropping 33ppg and 7.4apg. Again we must look at the team records during the season to help pick the MVP. Phoenix finished with 54 wins and grabbed the 2 seed in the Western conference as they finished 9 games behind the Spurs. The 76ers had 38 wins and failed to make the playoffs. The Lakers took the 7th seed as they finished with 54 wins, only 9 fewer than the suns. Even with the team records weighed into the making of the MVP decision it seems as though Kobe Bryant made a very strong case to be the MVP in the 2006 season.
Does Shaq have a point? Is Steve Nash undeserving of the two MVP awards that he won? While Nash was a great player those two years, many other players had seemingly better statistical years. If I had to vote, I would most likely not have put Steve Nash's name down on the ballet. But then again... I don't get to vote.
All this debate was started recently when Shaquille O'Neal spoke with Vibe Magazine and said, "Steve Nash is my boy, but I don’t see how the f**k he got it twice. I was taught never to complain because you can’t beat the system. People know who the real dominant guy was. But Steve Nash, I don’t want to say it because you might print it and it might cause problems. I don’t believe he beat me out twice.”
Everyone agrees that Shaq is a better player than Nash, that is not what is up for debate. Rather, did Nash deserve the two MVP awards he was given. The first season Steve Nash won the award was the 2004-2005 season. During this season he averaged 15.5 points and 11.5 assist. The assist numbers are very impressive. Guess who was second in assist that year. Did you say Jason Kidd? Or maybe Stephon Marbury? If you did, you're wrong. The player second in assist that year was Brevin Night of the Bobcats and he averaged 9 assist. 2.5 fewer than Nash. So if the MVP award was based only on assist than Nash deserved it with no doubt. However, we all know, that is not how it works. During that year Allen Iverson scored 30.7ppg, 7.9apg and 4.0rpg and was second in the league in steals with 2.4 per game. In that same season Kevin Garnett averaged 22.2ppg, led the league with 13.5rpg, and also had 5.7apg. Just looking at the numbers each player put up it seems that Nash did not deserve the award. However, how the team performs is always added into the equation when the league announces its MVP. The Phoenix Suns led the league with 62 wins and also led the league in scoring with an incredible 110.4ppg. That being said, the 76ers finished with 43 wins and the 7th seed in the east. The Timberwolves finished with 44 wins and missed the playoffs. When adding in the teams success it definitely gives a boost to Nash's resume, but I still believe Iverson or Garnett would have been the more deserving MVP.
The next year (2005-2006) Nash also won the MVP. That year he put up 18.8ppg and 10.5 assist. While his points increased, his assist total dropped. These are still great numbers however this is the same year that Kobe Bryant went on a scoring tear. He averaged 35.4 points per game to go along with 5.3 rebounds and 4.5 assist per game. Allen Iverson also improved upon his scoring numbers from the previous years dropping 33ppg and 7.4apg. Again we must look at the team records during the season to help pick the MVP. Phoenix finished with 54 wins and grabbed the 2 seed in the Western conference as they finished 9 games behind the Spurs. The 76ers had 38 wins and failed to make the playoffs. The Lakers took the 7th seed as they finished with 54 wins, only 9 fewer than the suns. Even with the team records weighed into the making of the MVP decision it seems as though Kobe Bryant made a very strong case to be the MVP in the 2006 season.
Does Shaq have a point? Is Steve Nash undeserving of the two MVP awards that he won? While Nash was a great player those two years, many other players had seemingly better statistical years. If I had to vote, I would most likely not have put Steve Nash's name down on the ballet. But then again... I don't get to vote.
The Ugly Truth
Since I can remember I have always loved Dikembe Mutombo. Everyone who knows me knows this fact. I have been asked countless times, “why the hell do you love Mutombo so much?” by my friends, and even my family. My answer was always, “I don’t know, I just always have.” Now I know why. Yesterday an article was posted on Slamonline.com about how Dikembe Mutombo was involved in a gold scam in his native Congo. Apparently he was trying to sell over 1,000 pounds of gold for $10 million dollars. However, this act is illegal in the Congo because of mining laws and the mafia-like militias that usually get involved with transactions like this. Although it could not be proven that Mutombo was actually involved, his name was implicated as the man behind it all. When I read this, I was hurt. I actually felt like Mutombo had let me down. Then I realized why I liked him so much in the first place. Not only was he an athlete, but he was someone I could look up to outside of athletics. He has made tireless efforts to help the Congo and won countless awards for his actions. He has been acknowledged as the “Most Caring Athlete” both by USA Weekend and The Sporting News. He has been recognized by both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush for his work in Africa. I look up to him because he genuinely cares about others. The things he does are not just PR stunts to get recognition. This is why the gold scam both surprised and disappointed me. It made me wonder if, deep down, all athletes are just money hungry and greedy. As I thought about it some more, I realized the truth.
The athletes we look up to are role models for all the wrong reasons. They are idolized for their athletic achievements and not for who they are as human beings. We look up to them and want to be like them because as professional athletes, they represent what we want to be. However, they use their fame for their own greed instead of as a platform to help others. In the NBA there are many examples of athletes that are looked up to for their athletic abilities, while their human abilities are looked past. Kobe Bryant was accused of rape. Michael Jordan is an avid gambler. Jason Kidd physically abused his wife. LeBron James never went to college. If it wasn’t for their athletic talents, these people would not be looked up to. I think this is why I was so enamored by Mutombo. Not only was he exciting, blocking shots and wagging his finger at his opponent afterward, but he was a good human being. He was a humanitarian, someone who was actually using his fame for good. How anyone could root for players like Kobe Bryant who had committed such egregious acts is beyond me. But the players I root for are not without fault in all of this. Take a look at my favorite football team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their top wide receiver was kicked off of the Syracuse football team his junior year for academic dishonesty. Their top running back was suspended from Oregon University for punching a Boise State player in the face after a game. Cornerback Aqib Talib was accused of shooting his sister’s boyfriend. Safety Tanard Jackson was suspended for an entire year for failing the league’s substance abuse policy for a third time. The list goes on and on. Yet I find myself rooting for them week in and week out, people who would most likely be looked down upon as degenerate lowlifes if not for their athletic ability. Why? Why do they get a pass when the rest of society doesn’t?
It’s because sports are an escape. An escape from reality, an escape from work and politics, an escape from wars and crime, an escape from school, an escape from death and everything else. We don’t want sports to intertwine with our reality because, in reality, sports just aren’t that important. But we make them important and we attach ourselves to our favorite teams and our favorite players. We feel sadness when they lose; we feel joy when they win. We attach ourselves to them and try to convince others that our team is the best. The fact that we call our favorite teams “our team” speaks volumes as we have no ownership or involvement in any way with the team, other than being a fan. But to us, being a fan is everything. And this is why we look past the personal failures of the players on “our team” and find ourselves rooting for them no matter what. This is why I will always be able to root for a guy who was involved in a $10 million dollar gold scam and not give a damn. Our role models are role models for all the wrong reasons, but they also provide us with an escape. The ugly truth may not be so ugly after all.
The Spanish Armada
When Ricky Rubio was drafted 5th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves many thought that it was a risky move. It was not assured that Rubio was going to leave Spain and, although his talents were unquestionable, many scouts wondered if he would ever come to Minnesota. Over the next two years Rubio did not seem to improve his game and develop the way many hoped he would. In 2010, playing for FC Barcelona in Spain, he averaged only 6.5 points and 3.5 assists while playing just over 20 minutes a game. Then on Friday June 17th, 2010 Ricky Rubio announced that he was leaving Spain to fulfill his dream of playing in the NBA.
This time around the hype surrounding Rubio was not as great as it was in 2009 but many were still eager to see him play. There is no doubt he has already lived up to the hype and made the wait for his arrival worth it. Through 12 games in his NBA career Rubio is averaging 11.0 points, 8.3 assists, and 4.1 rebounds while also posting 5 double doubles. The 5 double doubles are tied for most in the league among guards with Steve Nash and Derrick Rose. Although the Timberwolves are 4-8 this season, Rubio has made them one of the most exciting teams to watch in the NBA this season and a team to look out for in years to come.
NBA New Years Resolutions
We all know that tonight everyone will be making New Years resolutions that will be disregarded almost as much as the fact that the Dallas Mavericks started this season 0-3. Some NBA teams and players need to make resolutions and since they wont, I'll make some for them.
First off lets start with my Knicks. Yup, you guessed it, their resolution is defense. Supposedly the addition of Tyson Chandler was to solidify the middle and "anchor the defense." (I do not have a name of someone who said that but, lets be honest, someone said that.) However, currently the Knicks are 21st in points allowed. An improvement from last year. That seems good, however they could not have possibly gotten worse than last year. Not only the interior defense, but also at the point guard position. This Knicks team gave up 31 to Rajon Rondo and 22 to Monta Ellis. Knicks fans will cry, "but that's before our two best guards get back from injury." And then they remember that those two guards are Mike Bibby and Baron Davis who don't play any defense either.
Russel Westbrook: There has been way too much talk about Westbrook taking shots away from Durant. All Westbrook needs is to not have an 0 for shooting night again. His team needs him to take shots and score points. As long as Westbrook is a shooting threat he and his team will be successful. Currently he is shooting 33.3% from the field and just 14.3% from 3 point range. That cannot continue over the course of this season.
Orlando Magic: TRADE DWIGHT HOWARD. The longer they wait the less they will get for him. They cannot keep him for the season and get nothing in return. To LA for Bynum and pieces or wait until Lopez is healthy in NJ. They need something for him. Without getting anything, next year they will be a team based around Jameer Nelson and Hedo. That will be a team good enough to almost make the playoffs but will ultimately be picking in the lottery.
New Jersey Nets: This one is connected with the Orlando Magic resolution. They need to make a trade for Dwight Howard. You're kidding yourself if you think Deron Williams is staying to play with Brooke Lopez, Marshon Brooks, and an ex-husband of Kim Kardashian. No disrespect to other players on the Nets, but looking at the roster, there is no one else even worth mentioning in a conversation about basketball. (And the only real reason I mentioned Kris Humphries is so I could throw in my first Kim Kardashian shout out. Hopefully there will be many more in the new year.)
Those are the NBA New Years Resolutions. It would be in the best interest of these NBA teams/players to do what I say. We'll see if they listen to me. Have a happy and safe New Years.
First off lets start with my Knicks. Yup, you guessed it, their resolution is defense. Supposedly the addition of Tyson Chandler was to solidify the middle and "anchor the defense." (I do not have a name of someone who said that but, lets be honest, someone said that.) However, currently the Knicks are 21st in points allowed. An improvement from last year. That seems good, however they could not have possibly gotten worse than last year. Not only the interior defense, but also at the point guard position. This Knicks team gave up 31 to Rajon Rondo and 22 to Monta Ellis. Knicks fans will cry, "but that's before our two best guards get back from injury." And then they remember that those two guards are Mike Bibby and Baron Davis who don't play any defense either.
Russel Westbrook: There has been way too much talk about Westbrook taking shots away from Durant. All Westbrook needs is to not have an 0 for shooting night again. His team needs him to take shots and score points. As long as Westbrook is a shooting threat he and his team will be successful. Currently he is shooting 33.3% from the field and just 14.3% from 3 point range. That cannot continue over the course of this season.
Orlando Magic: TRADE DWIGHT HOWARD. The longer they wait the less they will get for him. They cannot keep him for the season and get nothing in return. To LA for Bynum and pieces or wait until Lopez is healthy in NJ. They need something for him. Without getting anything, next year they will be a team based around Jameer Nelson and Hedo. That will be a team good enough to almost make the playoffs but will ultimately be picking in the lottery.
New Jersey Nets: This one is connected with the Orlando Magic resolution. They need to make a trade for Dwight Howard. You're kidding yourself if you think Deron Williams is staying to play with Brooke Lopez, Marshon Brooks, and an ex-husband of Kim Kardashian. No disrespect to other players on the Nets, but looking at the roster, there is no one else even worth mentioning in a conversation about basketball. (And the only real reason I mentioned Kris Humphries is so I could throw in my first Kim Kardashian shout out. Hopefully there will be many more in the new year.)
Those are the NBA New Years Resolutions. It would be in the best interest of these NBA teams/players to do what I say. We'll see if they listen to me. Have a happy and safe New Years.
The Real Batman
Batman vs. Robin. It has been an ongoing argument since LeBron James joined Dwyane Wade in Miami before the start of last season. LeBron and Wade produced similar numbers last season and both struggled in the clutch, providing no clear answer to the Batman argument.
LeBron: 26.7 points, 7.0 assists, 7.5 rebounds, 51% field goals
Wade: 25.5 points, 4.6 assists, 6.4 rebounds, 50% field goals
Through three games this season the numbers look a little different
LeBron: 32.7 points, 6.0 assists, 7.3 rebounds, 59% field goals
Wade: 20.0 points, 6.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 49% field goals
However, Wade hit the game winning shot last night with 2.9 seconds left to give the Heat a 1-point win against the Charlotte Bobcats. Is Wade considered the Batman because he came through in the clutch and hit the game-winning basket? Or is it LeBron because he scored 35 points (to Wade’s 10) and was the reason the game was close in the first place? The real question should be, why can’t it be both? When Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant were teamed up in Los Angeles, it was obvious that Shaq was the more dominant player but the team often turned to Bryant in the clutch (although Robert Horry also hit many clutch shots for the Lakers). Despite the team rarely turning to Shaq in the clutch, the Batman vs. Robin argument was rarely brought up because it was obvious that they both brought things that were essential to the team winning. Take either one off that team and they would not have been even championship contenders. Although the dynamic between Wade and LeBron is different than between Shaq and Kobe because LeBron and Wade have similar styles of play the two couples are still similar in many ways. LeBron is often the more dominant player throughout the game but the team may turn to Wade in the clutch (at least last night). Many people say that Wade should be considered the Batman because he is the closer, the man who will take and make the game-winning shots. However, this argument is flawed. Since LeBron joined the Heat last season he has 1 game winning shot, to Wade’s 2. The fact of the matter is that LeBron joined Wade in Miami so that he did not have to do everything himself. He sacrificed personal numbers for a team accomplishment. Yes, it takes a team to win a championship. This does not mean that he is the Robin to Wade’s Batman. It is no longer Batman vs. Robin, but Batman vs. Batman.
Problem In Oklahoma City?
During the second half of the Oklahoma City vs. Memphis game Durant and Westbrook got in to what is being called a "verbal altercation" but is this a big deal? Is Westbrook really the problem?
During the game Westbrook shot 0-13 with four points and six assist. Westbrook has the skills to be a big time player in the NBA and has proven already he can play at a high level. If I'm the Oklahoma City Thunder and my second best player shoots 0-13 and takes some of the horrendous shots that Westbrook took, I want my leader, Durant, to get in his face. Kevin Durant, being the leader that he is, better say something to his teammate playing like that. This should, in all honesty, be a non-story. I would be more worried if Durant did not say anything to Westbrook.
But is there still a problem in Oklahoma City? Currently the Thunder are 3-0 and have looked impressive. There is no doubt that the Thunder will make the playoffs. Being a young team they are fit for this condensed scheduled. However, as all NBA fans know, it is all about the playoffs. Last year they were beat by Dallas 4-1. Many people blamed Westbrook for looking to shoot too much, especially down the stretch. Of those many people, I was not, and am not one of them. Westbrook comes down the court almost every single possession and sees a physical miss-match. Westbrook can get to the rim as well as anyone in the NBA and, if I'm OKC, I want Westbrook taking a good amount of shots. The shot selection needs to be improved, but I want him taking a large number of shots. Right below the number Durant takes.
So what is the problem? They do not have any great passers. Last year Westbrook averaged 8.2 assist, 9th in the NBA. That is not bad, however, their next leader was Durant at 2.7. This is where the problem is. (No, it's not Durant) It is the fact they need more passers. To compare let's look at the Sacramento Kings in 2001-2002. This Kings team lost in the Western Conference finals to the Lakers 4-3. Mike Bibby was their point guard and he only averaged 5.0 assist per game. Bibby was not in the least bit a "pass first point guard." The difference being
they had great passing big men. They had Chris Webber (4.8 assist per game) and Vlade Divac (3.7 assist per game.) What is really the problem for the Oklahoma City Thunder is not having big men that are both willing and talented enough to make an impact with their passing.
The Other Side of the Story
Everyone knows about the Los Angeles Clippers and Lob City. The thought of Chris Paul throwing alley-oops to Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan on a nightly basis makes Clippers fans drool. They are going to be the new team in L.A. Move over Kobe, the Clippers are back! But, what about the other side of the story? What’s going to happen to the New Orleans Hornets?
The Hornets have consistently been a playoff team, only missing the playoffs once in the last four seasons. However, that team was led by a core of Chris Paul and David West. Paul wanted out and left for the glitz and glam of Hollywood while David West signed as a free agent in Indiana. The Hornets did receive a couple of nice pieces in the Chris Paul deal, namely Eric Gordon, Al-Faroqu Aminu, Chris Kaman, and the rights to Minnesota’s unprotected 1st round pick in next year’s draft. Leftovers from last year’s team include Trevor Ariza, Emeka Okafor, Carl Landry, and Jarret Jack. That seems to be a nice core to build from, but look a little closer and this team is destined to be drafting in the lottery for the next couple of years. Kaman and Landy’s contracts are up after this season and will likely be signing somewhere else. Aminu seems to be a decent player who just doesn’t have a natural position. Jarret Jack is a career backup, and Ariza hasn’t been able to play as well as many hoped following a couple of good seasons on the Lakers. Emeka Okafor is a nice center but is being paid more this season than Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose… combined. And his salary increases in each of the next two years. The best player on this team seems to be Eric Gordon, a promising young shooting guard who averaged more points per game last season than his age in years. However, is it said that Gordon is waiting for his contract to be up next season to bolt for Indiana, where he played his college ball. That leaves the New Orleans Hornets fate up to the Minnesota Timberwolves unprotected 1st round pick. Can Player X save the Hornets? Only time will tell.
Getting A Little 'Cole' In Miami?
Norris Cole was the surprise of the night in the NBA scoring 20 points in just the rookies second game. Cole led the Heat in the fourth quarter to beat the Celtics after blowing a 20 point plus lead. He made 3 big time shots towards the end of the game and seemed to be the main threat when the Celtics went to a zone in the fourth quarter. During the first half the Heat were doing what they do best: running the fast break. Scoring 69 points in the first half alone, the game seemed to be heading towards an easy win for the heat. When the Celtics went to their zone, that's when things started going bad for the heat. Not many teams in the NBA have the defensive personnel to keep up with LeBron and Wade in man to man defense. In the fourth quarter Lebron seemed to turn into what Skip Bayless calls, "the frozen one." While Lebron did shoot well from the field (9-14) and had 26 points, he has yet to even attempt a 3-point shot this (while still young) season. Other teams may see this weakness in the Heat and start playing more zone against them. Even up to half the game as Tim Legler suggested today on Sportscenter. Another side story to the night that belonged to Norris Cole is what is going to happen with Mario Chalmers. I have been a fan of Mario Chalmers since he won the NCAA tournament. He has proven he can hit the big shot, but it is hard to be a starting point guard taking one shot in 19 minutes of play. Cole on the other hand shot 8-16 in 29 minutes. This may mean that Chalmers could find himself sitting on the bench a lot more this season then he thought.
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