Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Where Will They Go?


At midnight tonight its finally here. The much talked about Summer 2010, NBA Free Agency period will be open. Players will be moving, players will be staying. Some fans will win the lottery while others will be left empty handed. Here is one man's opinion on how it will all play out.

David Lee
Where He Should Go-Chicago Bulls
Where He Will Go-New Jersey Nets

Carlos Boozer
Where He Should Go-Utah Jazz
Where He Will Go-Chicago Bulls

Amare Stoudemire
Where He Should Go-Phoenix Suns
Where He Will Go-New York Knicks

Dirk Nowitski
Where He Should Go-Dallas Mavericks
Where He Will Go-Dallas Mavericks

Joe Johnson
Where He Should Go-Atlanta Hawks
Where He Will Go-New York Knicks

Chris Bosh
Where He Should Go-Miami Heat
Where He Will Go-Miami Heat

Dwayne Wade
Where He Should Go-Miami Heat
Where He Will Go-Miami Heat

Lebron James
Where He Should Go-New York Knicks
Where He Will Go-Cleveland Cavaliers

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Will It Happen?

For over a decade, the New York Knicks have strayed from NBA power to NBA punchline. Isiah Thomas, Stephon Marbury, Eddie Curry...the list of awful decisions has seemingly had no end.

The one bright spot during the horror show was the hiring of Donnie Walsh. This respected NBA figure took over as the Knicks President of Basketball Operations on April 2, 2008 and has accomplished a 2 year goal of clearing salary for the 2010 free agent class.

Any talks of the Knicks 2010 free agent plans begin and end with Lebron James. Knicks fans have marveled and fantasised about seeing the games best young star call the Garden home since 2006. Trading productive players such as Jamal Crawford, Zach Randolph, and Nate Robinson were all seen as good moves because the ultimate reward would be coming in 2010.

Summer 2010 is here and it's put up or shut up for Donnie Walsh and the entire New York Knicks organization. Acquiring All Stars like Amare Stoudemire or Joe Johnson would be nice, but will ultimately be seen as a failure. A free agent of Lebron James' calibre has never been seen in NBA history. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that the Knicks are planning to jump on. Donnie Walsh has put all his eggs into the Lebron James basket and that basket will need to be filled come tip off in October.

Besides the glamor and glory of New York City, what else do the Knicks have to offer? They have missed the playoffs 8 of the last 9 seasons, they are coming off a 29-53 campaign, their only All Star is an unrestricted free agent. Why would the game's biggest star come to a supposed train wreck like that?

Fear not Knicks fans, Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni know exactly how they will answer that question. In terms of coaching, Lebron has played and won with Mike D'Antoni in the Olympics. He knows how effective his fast-paced offensive system can be when he has the proper talent. Lebron can look at Donnie Walsh and know he will do everything in his power to build a championship contender. He has done a marvelous job in riding the team of over priced semi-stars the last 2 years and will continue to build the team the right way going forward.

As far the roster goes, what exactly is Lebron James looking at? He knows the Knicks can afford him and any other Free Agent of his choosing, preferably Chris Bosh. Lebron has stated he is a fan of Danilo Gallinari, a young forward who continues to improve every year. The pieces will not be entirely in place in 2010-2011 but if free agency goes according to the Knicks plan, they have unlimited potential going forward.

If anyone deserves Lebron James, it is the New York Knicks fans. If waiting since 1973 to win a championship and watching the team lose two NBA Finals during the 90s isn't enough, think of the misery they have endured over the last decade. Nothing seemed to ever go right and this may finally be their chance to have their day in the sun.

Little known fact about the 2009-2010 Knicks. Their attendance was 5th highest in the entire NBA. Higher then the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers...and those two storied franchised appeared in the NBA Finals. That statistic alone is enough to prove to Lebron that Madison Square Garden will be bumpin' every night he takes the court.

The summer of Lebron has finally arrived. The Knicks are ready, their fans are ready, the only question left to answer is Lebron ready? His superstar status is already through the roof but could only get bigger in the Big Apple. The games biggest star playing the world's most famous arena in the world's most famous city? That's a scenario that would normally be too good to be true. Lucky for Knicks fans, that will not be the case come July 1st.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

NBA Draft Preview


1. Washington Wizards - John Wall, PG, Kentucky

-The best player in the draft is a no-brainer with the 1st overall pick. At only 19 years old he may be somewhat raw, but the talent and intangibles are what makes Wall the best prospect available. Should Gilbert Arenas return, he and Wall would make up a great guard tandem in the back court. This would allow Arenas to play more of the 2 guard while Wall runs the offense. A great start to the rebuilding stage in Washington.

2. Philedelpia 76ers- Evan Turner, SG/SF, Ohio State

-The 2010 Naismith Award winner has been the consensus number 2 leading up to the draft and his reputation holds true as he becomes the 2nd player off the board. He has three years of big time college basketball experience and plenty of awards to back him up. He is bit light to play forward right now and lacks the overall athleticism and outside shot to be a starter at the 2 guard, so his position is in influx right now. Turner looks as if he will be a good player but he is not the kind of rookie to build a team around.

3. New Jersey Nets- Derrick Favors, PF, Gerogia Tech

-Prokhorov adds another young piece to an already bright nucleus. Favors is big enough and athletic enough to be a future Chris Bosh. He was never given great guard play during his lone season at Georgia Tech, which may have hindered him from putting up even bigger numbers. Favors might be the most impressive physical specimen in the draft in terms of his size and speed. Adding Favors to the Devin Harris/Brooke Lopez combination and factoring in the team's salary cap room makes the Nets a scary team going into the 2010-2011 season.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves- Wesley Johnson, SF, Syracuse

-Passing on Stephen Curry and Brandon Jennings to take Ricky Rubio really hurt the Timberwolves last year so they will attempt to make up for it by taking the safer Wesley Johnson. In his lone season with the Orange, Johnson proved to be a big time player, winning the Big East Player of the Year Award, as well as being a consensus First Team All-American. Johnson will provide immediate help for a young Minnesota team. He is very polished after spending three years in college and is one of the lower risk prospects in the draft.

5. Sacramento Kings- DeMarcus Cousins, C/PF, Kentucky

-Perhaps the most intriguing prospect in the draft falls all the way to number five. At close to 300 pounds, Cousins will most likely be a Center in the NBA, especially in Sacramento. Though he is somewhat immature and can be a hot head from time to time, Cousins has the look of a winner and when he is focused he is truly dominant. Many are calling him a high risk, high reward type of player but he is by far the best player on the board so Sacramento is smart to wrap him up.

6. Golden State Warriors- Greg Monroe, PF, Georgetown

-A mature big man who can pass and create for others, Monroe was a leader during his time at Georgetown. He will certainly need to play tougher at the NBA level because he could be pushed around during his Big East days. Monroe will be a decent player at the next level but he may never be a solid starter. The drop off from the top 5 to Monroe is very steep.

7. Detroit Pistons- Ed Davis, PF, North Carolina

- Won a National Championship as a freshman and then suffered a broken wrist for a God-awful Tar Heel team as a sophomore. Davis is a very physical player but has a limited offensive game. There is enough to work with going forward and that is why Detroit takes him over the safer Cole Aldrich.

8. Los Angeles Clippers- Al-Farouq Aminu, SF, Wake Forest

-Somewhat undersized but very quick and gifted. Aminu and Blake Griffen could form a young forward tandem for the next 10 years in LA. Aminu is far and away the best player left so LA shouldn't over think the operation and just take him at number 8.

9. Utah Jazz- Cole Aldrich, C, Kansas

-The consistent big man on the team ranked number 1 for most of the college season, Aldrich looks to be a safe bet to be a decent NBA player. His ceiling is somewhat limited but as a rotation player he will be valuable. The Jazz are facing the prospect of losing Carlos Boozer in Free Agency so taking a big man like Aldrich is a good way to begin the eventual replacement.

10. Indiana Pacers- Daniel Orton, C, Kentucky

-The backup to DeMarcus Cousins does not have much experience but has a lot of upside as an NBA player. At 6-10 and 250 pounds, Orton has room to grow and thicken out as an NBA center. He will most likely not contribute much early in his career but he has long term potential to be productive.

11. New Orleans Hornets- Patrick Patterson, PF, Kentucky

-When 4 of the first 11 picks are from one school, you wonder how the Wildcats didn't at least make it to the Final Four last year. Patterson was the veteran on the team of one-and-done Wildcats and his leadership last year helped John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins become the college forces they were. Patterson is pretty well rounded at both ends of the court so his selection at number 11 seems smart. He will be able to contribute as a rookie off the bench due to his experience and basketball IQ.

12. Memphis Grizzlies- Luke Babbitt, SF, Nevada

-The Grizzlies might lose Rudy Gay come July 1st so they attempt to replace his offensive productivity with Babbitt. Scouts say he will help as an NBA scorer but he has absolutely no defensive presence whatsoever. Because he played at a lesser publicized school, there is not much hype surrounding Babbitt as the draft approaches but Memphis is apparently very high on him.

13. Toronto Raptors- Gordon Hayward, SF, Butler

-The darling of the Tournament, Hayward quickly became the face of the underdog Butler Bulldogs last season. He is very light at 6-9, 210 pounds and he looks as if he will lose speed if he were to put on weight. Hayward could potentially be a J.J Redick type of player but he will need to improve his defensive game to reach that plateau.

14. Houston Rockets- Xavier Henry, SG, Kansas

-As a Jayhawk, Henry quickly established himself as a great shooter at the college level. At 6'6 and 220 pounds he has decent size already and could be a good spark plug off the bench early in his career. The Rockets need more offensive production and Henry would be a good selection as the Lottery Picks finish up.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Worst to First?


The NBA's worst record, the leagues lowest attendance number, three different head coaches, and a changing of location? The 2009-2010 NBA season couldn't have gone much worse for the New Jersey Nets.

Fast forward to today, and a team that once looked so bleak is starting to appear ready to make a run in the near and distant future.

The decision to move the team from Newark to Brooklyn was a great start in revitalizing the franchise. Playing in the world's biggest market is going to bring fans to the games regardless of the team's record. The Knicks may have always been the main focus in the Tri-State area, but if things go according to plan the navy blue and red will overtake the blue and orange as the colors of New York basketball.

Mikhail Prokhorov is perfect for New York. In a town where fans have as many rooting options as any, it takes a full blown commitment to winning to maintain an interest. Prokhorov has the look of a man who will use billions in improving the team. His decision to hire Avery Johnson as head coach has all the makings of a great choice. Johnson compiled a 194-70 record during his four seasons in Dallas. A loss in the 05 Finals after leading 2-0, followed by an embarrassing loss to the number eight seed Golden State Warriors in the 06 playoffs was enough to push Mark Cuban over the edge in firing Johnson. Since his departure in 06, Johnson has been an NBA analyst at ESPN. It remains to be seen how the layoff will affect him in his return to coaching. In the meantime, however, the hiring of Johnson seems to be step one in what will surely be an eventful summer.

From a roster perspective, the Nets are not as far off as originally thought. Sure the team had the misfortune of falling to third in the NBA lottery but drafting Derrick Favors or DeMarcus Cousins remains a solid contribution to an already young team. Though their 09-10 record would indicate otherwise, the Nets have their core in place. Devin Harris is already, if not on his way, to being one of the league's best Point Guards, while Brooke Lopez is one of the game's premier Centers. Harris and Lopez are the two pieces that will attract All Stars like Lebron James and Chris Bosh to the Nets...that and Prokhorov's millions.

The Nets are already in position to offer big money to at least one max contract free agent. With a little more roster trimming, they will be in the ideal scenario of affording two. Adding two All Stars to the Harris-Lopez combo will surely make the Nets a long term contender in the Eastern Conference. For a team that was so close to winning a championship from 01-03, maybe Prokhorov's guidance is the final ingredient for this title-craved franchise.

From the impending bright lights of New York to the hiring of Avery Johnson to the July 1st countdown, the Nets appear to be a team on the brink of greatness. From where they were to where they eventually may be, they had to go through hell before they reached heaven.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Kobe's Quest for Number Five


The best player in the world is set to take the NBA Finals stage for the third straight season in his quest for a whopping fifth NBA Championship. By the way, did I mention it is a Lakers-Celtics match up. Where have we seen this before?

The majority of the 2010 NBA Playoffs have been a bore. Non competitive basketball has been the theme for most of the series so far. Tomorrow night, however, may very well be the light at the end of the tunnel that many of us have waited for.

In a rivalry rich with great players and great moments, the 2010 NBA Finals will be yet another chapter to the astonishing history between the Lakers and Celtics. It was only two years ago that the "Big Three" came together and won a championship for Boston after the Celtics were coming off a year in which they were the NBA's worst team. It was only last year that Kobe Bryant finally shut up his critics when he won his first championship without Shaq. In year three it appears that everything has come full circle as young stars like Rajon Rondo take up the mantle in a series that will look very different than the one from only two seasons ago.

Everyone expected the Lakers to be here. They are clearly the NBA's most talented team with the games most talented player. The Celtics? Not so much. The number four seed from the East went through a season of ups and downs in route to an apparent decline. Come playoff time, the team turned it on and defeated the top seeded Cavaliers and Magic fairly easy in 6 games a piece. Everyone knew Garnett, Allen, and Pierce but with the emergence of Rondo, the Celtics appear ready to win their second championship in three years. Doc Rivers said it best when he stated that the Garnett, Pierce, Allen, Rondo and Perkins starting five has never lost a series together.

The Lakers have a bit of off the court drama going on. The Phil Jackon dilemma seems to be hanging over the team like a cloud as they prepare for the biggest games of their season. With all the distractions and uncertainties surrounding the team, Kobe Bryant remains the constant. When Rondo is eating up Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant will step in and shut him down. When the Lakers need a run to put away the Celtics at the end of the game, Kobe Bryant will take up the mantle. When the defining moments of the 2010 NBA Finals decide the champion, Kobe Bryant will make sure he turns those moments in the Lakers favor.

When going match up by match up, it appears the Celtics should be the favorite in the series. Sure Kobe will be the best player on the floor, yet four of the next five best players belong to the Celtics. If you are struggling like many others in picking this series, let Kobe be the defining factor. Will the "Assassin" really allow his team to lose another championship to the same opponent as in 2008? Surely not.

While everyone focuses on what Lebron James said to Larry King, Kobe Bryant will be winning his fifth NBA Championship. Look out Michael Jordan, Kobe is creeping up on you.