Breaking Down The Deals

[Erick Blasco]

The initial rounds of trading and free agency are accounted for with superstars making the biggest splashes. Since LeBron James and Chris Bosh have been talked about ad nauseam, let’s examine which other acquisitions will have their teams riding the crests, and which will have them needing life vests.

 

Amar’e Stoudemire—New York Knicks

 

The last time the Knicks acquired a surly, expensive, immature star, Stephon Marbury held the team hostage for half a decade. Amar’e Stoudemire by default shouldn’t prove to be that cancerous, but his presence hardly guarantees success.

 

Stoudemire does bring a lot to the table. He’s explosive off the dribble from 18-feet in, with the kind of primetime athleticism that overwhelms most frontcourt defenses. He can score with his back to the basket, is an excellent mid-range jump shooter, and will even pass when he knows an assist is on the horizon.

 

He’ll provide the Knicks with the reliable one-on-one scorer the team has lacked, while also doubling as a ferocious screen/roll finisher. Plus, his defense automatically is an upgrade over David Lee.

 

On the flip side, Stoudemire has a subpar basketball IQ and no longer has the services of Steve Nash to serve him cookies on a platter. Stoudemire’s also proven to be antagonistic when he’s getting fewer touches than he feels he deserves. How long will it take Stoudemire to lash out when he realizes that Toney Douglas or the rumored Raymond Felton aren’t quite MVP-caliber point guards, or that defenses can devise schemes structured to strictly take him away without Steve Nash reading defenses and manipulating them.

 

Moreso, Stoudemire’s sad-sack defensive awareness gives back much of the production he puts up.

 

Perhaps Stoudemire can provide just enough firepower to push the Knicks into the playoffs. But there’s also an equal chance that the reunion of Stoudemire and Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni ends in disaster.

Grade: C-

 

Raymond Felton—New York Knicks

 

Felton’s a solid point guard who can run an offense and who posted the most efficient shooting percentage of his career last season by taking fewer shots and improving his three-pointer.

 

Still, a career 33% shooter, Felton will have to continue to improve his jump shooting to be an asset in the Big Apple. If not, teams will simply go under screens in screen/roll situations, not allowing Amare Stoudemire free reign to roll to the basket.

 

The last non-shooter the Knicks signed to run the point was Chris Duhon. That didn’t work out too well. Felton could be a similar disappointment.

 

Grade: C

 

 

Carlos Boozer—Chicago Bulls

 

Carlos Boozer provides the back-to-the-basket scorer the Bulls have lacked for a decade. He has a number of quick spins or fadeaway jumpers in the pivot, is an excellent screen/roll player, and has the quickness to create offense from the high post as well. He’s too short to be an impactful defender, but pairing up with Joakim Noah will alleviate some of his defensive shortcomings.

 

Finally the Bulls have an inside-outside pairing that can create havoc in the playoffs.

 

Grade: A

 

 

Kyle Korver—Chicago Bulls

 

Chicago struggled with their offensive spacing without Ben Gordon last season, something Korver’s presence will take care of. Korver’s an excellent catch-and shoot player who also knows how to work without the ball and will execute an offensive set. He’s an average defender who can’t create his offense, but he fills a needed role in Chicago.

 

Grade: A-

 

Drew Gooden—Milwaukee Bucks

 

Gooden can shoot and rebound consistently, and can sometimes drive, post, and defend. Gooden’s problem is a lack of focus that leads to mistakes or passivity. However, he’s better than Ersan Illyasova and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute at creating his own shot and rebounding, and is nice insurance at center should Andrew Bogut suffer any setbacks with his various arm and wrist injuries.

 

Grade: B

 

 

Chris Douglas-Roberts—Milwaukee Bucks

 

Chris Douglas-Roberts is an attacking two-guard who can finish around the hoop, but he’s a poor jump shooter which limits his effectiveness. He fell out of favor with New Jersey’s coaching staff by complaining about his playing time during the entire season 2009-2010 season. With the Bucks, he’ll mostly likely be the team’s fifth wing once Michael Redd comes back and likely won’t see much burn either. How long will it take for him to wind up in Scott Skiles’ doghouse?

 

However, Douglas-Roberts has talent and Milwaukee didn’t give up anything (a second round pick) to acquire him. If he can understand his role and improve his jump shot, he can become an asset this season and into the future.

 

Grade: C

 

 

Daequan Cook—Oklahoma City Thunder

 

A shooter who shoots too many blanks, Daequan Cook isn’t NBA material. Expect him to ride the pine in Oklahoma City.

 

Grade: F

 

 

Morris Peterson—Oklahoma City Thunder

 

Morris Peterson is on the decline, so he shouldn’t factor too heavily into the on-court happenings of the Thunder. What he will provide is a veteran wing to mentor Kevin Durant and James Harden who can hit an occasional three-pointer.

 

Grade: C

 

Martell Webster—Minnesota Timberwolves

 

Webster’s a solid defender and three-point shooter who also gives the Timberwolves a package of athleticism and court IQ they haven’t seen from the wing. That said, he can’t create his own shot, something the Timberwolves desperately need from their wings.

 

Grade: C+

 

 

Darko Milicic—Minnesota Timberwolves

 

Darko has spent his entire career griping about playing time under the assumption that he’d be a big time performer if teams would only commit to giving him 30-plus minutes a night. Not only is he self-absorbed and delusional, but he’s never come close to providing glimpses of potential indicating that he could be an NBA featured player.

 

As is, Darko has a modicum of offensive talent packaged into mechanical post moves, but he has poor basketball IQ and can’t defend a statue. The Timberwolves are the only team in the league that would willingly start Darko. Consider this season, Darko’s final opportunity to prove himself.

 

Grade: D

 

 

Michael Beasley—Minnesota Timberwolves

 

Beasley’s lack of refinement hurt him in Miami, where he was too unpolished to play smart, winning basketball. In Minnesota, the expectations are non-existent, and Beasley will have room to make mistakes as the T-Wolves’ featured player.

 

His defense is horrendous, he’s slow to understand what defenses are doing, and his feel for the game is poor—but he has undeniable talent, something the T-Wolves haven’t had much of recently.

 

With the T-Wolves expected to be down in the dumps for several more seasons, taking a flier on Beasley could pave huge dividends down the road.

 

Grade: A

 

 

Steve Blake—Los Angeles Lakers

 

The perfect fit for the Lakers, Blake knows how to run an offense, is crafty off the bounce, and is a terrific three-point shooter. Point guards in the triangle don’t have as much responsibility as in other systems. Blake’s main responsibilities will be bringing the ball up, making the correct trigger pass, reading the defense, and either cutting or spotting up based on how the defense reacts to the machinations of the triangle. Given that Blake has a high basketball IQ, these things will come quickly to him.

 

Expect him to split time with Derek Fisher, getting more playing time in the middle of halves, with Fisher getting the bulk of the minutes and the beginnings and the ends of halves and games.

Grade: A+

 

 

Chris Duhon—Orlando Magic

 

Duhon’s a smart pick-and-roll guard who makes terrific passes on rolls, and sees defenders sagging from the wing or corner. However, he’s a subpar shooter who was dreadful for much of last season. What’s there to keep teams from going under screens when defending Duhon, preventing open roll lanes for Dwight Howard?

 

At least, unlike Jason Williams, Duhon’s a sound decision maker and a quality perimeter defender. Duhon should prove to be a better backup than a starter.

 

Grade: B-

 

 

Kirk Hinrich—Washington Wizards

 

Hinrich is still a pesky perimeter defender who can handle and run an offense. His competitive nature will give John Wall someone to emulate, while also keeping Gilbert Arenas off-the-ball at all times. Hinrich’s ability to spot up and shoot will also allow him to play alongside either guard for short stretches. A smart pickup for a team devoid of good role players.

 

Grade: B+

 

 

Randy Foye—Los Angeles Clippers

 

Foye’s too short to be a two-guard, and is too shot happy to be a point guard. He does do a decent job as a playmaker off the bench for teams that need energy from a second unit. He’s a useful backup, but the Clippers are in trouble should anything happen to Eric Gordon.

 

Grade: C+

 

 

Ryan Gomes—Los Angeles Clippers

 

Gomes understands the game, but isn’t able to create his own offense, and doesn’t have three-point range. With a Clippers team that features far more playmakers than Gomes is used to from Boston and Minnesota, he should be able to carve a niche for himself as a backup forward who knows how to manufacture offense without the ball.

 

Grade: B-

 

Brian Cook—Los Angeles Clippers

 

All Cook wants to do is stand at the top of the key and launch threes. He needs to shoot them at a high clip because he can’t do anything else. He can’t defend, he can’t finish, he won’t pass, and he’s devoid of physicality. Couldn’t the Clippers just keep Steve Novak?

Grade: D-

[The Regime]

Steve Blake—Los Angeles Lakers

 

The perfect fit for the Lakers, Blake knows how to run an offense, is crafty off the bounce, and is a terrific three-point shooter. Point guards in the triangle don’t have as much responsibility as in other systems. Blake’s main responsibilities will be bringing the ball up, making the correct trigger pass, reading the defense, and either cutting or spotting up based on how the defense reacts to the machinations of the triangle. Given that Blake has a high basketball IQ, these things will come quickly to him.

 

Expect him to split time with Derek Fisher, getting more playing time in the middle of halves, with Fisher getting the bulk of the minutes and the beginnings and the ends of halves and games.

 

Grade: A+

 

You hit it right on the head. Blake will be a perfect fit in our offense, a huge (couldn't emphasize it anymore) upgrade over Farmar. A lot of people still don't realize how big of a signing this actually was, Blake could very easily be our best three point shooter outside maybe Kobe and Fish, there is a huge dropoff after those two.

 

I realize I didn't mention Sasha, he's just too inconsistent for my liking.

Edited July 17, 2010 by Confidence

[Legacy]

What are your thoughts on the Warriors trading Corey Maggette and trading for David Lee?

[Poe]

Good stuff once again.

 

 

I disagree with the grade on the Darko acquisition. Since the Wolves were already one of the worst teams in the league without a real sense of direction for the future of the franchise, featuring Darko in their offense won't be a great risk. They are going to give Darko a good amount of playing time each game and allow him to feel his way into games without the pressure of being benched for slipping up. There's no pressure in winning either, since they won't likely be a playoff team either way.

 

Besides, who else would they have started at center? Ryan Hollins? There isn't exactly a lot to choose from at center in free agency, either.

 

 

Perhaps it's too early to really put a grade on it, but I think there is a good possibility we may see a good year from him. He's only 24, and if he turns out to play well, they'll have solidified their center position for the longterm. The Wolves could find themselves heading in a good direction with a core of Milicic, Beasley, Flynn, Johnson, and Rubio.

[Riot]

Agree with pretty much every rating you had. I too see Duhon being a better backup than a starter. An interesting stat about him, in 59 games started he shot 36.6%, in 8 games off the bench he shot 48.1%.

 

But what about Quentin Richardson?

[Poe]

Agree with pretty much every rating you had. I too see Duhon being a better backup than a starter. An interesting stat about him, in 59 games started he shot 36.6%, in 8 games off the bench he shot 48.1%.

 

But what about Quentin Richardson?

 

The Magic downgraded from Jason Williams and Matt Barnes to Chris Duhon and Quentin Richardson. They are doing a good job of getting steadily worse each year.

[Erick Blasco]

What are your thoughts on the Warriors trading Corey Maggette and trading for David Lee?

 

http://www.otrbasketball.com/forums/topic/13958-breaking-down-the-trades/

 

I looked at most of the early trades with this article. You can see Lee, Maggette, and much more!

[Erick Blasco]

Good stuff once again.

 

 

I disagree with the grade on the Darko acquisition. Since the Wolves were already one of the worst teams in the league without a real sense of direction for the future of the franchise, featuring Darko in their offense won't be a great risk. They are going to give Darko a good amount of playing time each game and allow him to feel his way into games without the pressure of being benched for slipping up. There's no pressure in winning either, since they won't likely be a playoff team either way.

 

Besides, who else would they have started at center? Ryan Hollins? There isn't exactly a lot to choose from at center in free agency, either.

 

 

Perhaps it's too early to really put a grade on it, but I think there is a good possibility we may see a good year from him. He's only 24, and if he turns out to play well, they'll have solidified their center position for the longterm. The Wolves could find themselves heading in a good direction with a core of Milicic, Beasley, Flynn, Johnson, and Rubio.

 

I just don't think he's that good, especially considering how they essentially sent out Al Jefferson to create room for Milicic. What happens if he turns in a mediocre year or worse? Then what? They'd be on the hook for three more years and they don't exactly have another center waiting in the wings (unless they move Love to center with Beasley at the power forward. Imagine that duo defending your paint.).

 

If he does play well, then it'll be the first time Milicic will have shown anything. I'm all for realized potential, but players with work ethics as poor as Darko don't usually snap their fingers and "get it."

[Riot]

The Magic downgraded from Jason Williams and Matt Barnes to Chris Duhon and Quentin Richardson. They are doing a good job of getting steadily worse each year.

Steadily worse each year... right. I don't know why you think Williams is a better backup than Duhon. Williams did a solid job filling in for Jameer when Jameer got injured, but it wasn't too long before he ran out of gas, the guy is 34. Not only will Duhon do what J-Will did better, but he is young and is capable of playing starter minutes if need be.

 

Who is better between Barnes and Richardson, that is debatable. Barnes is a better rebounder, but man sometimes, he was just awful offensively, it took him a couple months to get the hang of it. He's not a reliable 3 shooter at all. Richardson is, and it won't be a surprise if he ends up serving us better than Barnes did.

[Erick Blasco]

Agree with pretty much every rating you had. I too see Duhon being a better backup than a starter. An interesting stat about him, in 59 games started he shot 36.6%, in 8 games off the bench he shot 48.1%.

 

But what about Quentin Richardson?

 

I don't have the article with me, but I think Basketball Prospectus had a breakdown of probable or estimated shooting percentage. Basically there's an expectation for each player to have a three-point shooting percentage based on that player's previous percentages, age, and comparable players.

 

They found that during the beginning of last season, when Duhon was shooting 24%, there was something like a 0.6% chance of him actually shooting that number. It was one of the most extremely unlikely slumps a player could have. Then he got red hot and was shooting at such high percentages that there was only a tiny percent chance that he would shoot so phenomenally well. Then he concluded the season with a slump that lasted basically from the first week of January to the end of the season.

 

It was nothing but crazy slumps and streaks the whole year round.

 

I have another round of deals I'll be looking at sometime towards the end of next week. Q-Rich will be there.

[Erick Blasco]

Steadily worse each year... right. I don't know why you think Williams is a better backup than Duhon. Williams did a solid job filling in for Jameer when Jameer got injured, but it wasn't too long before he ran out of gas, the guy is 34. Not only will Duhon do what J-Will did better, but he is young and is capable of playing starter minutes if need be.

 

Who is better between Barnes and Richardson, that is debatable. Barnes is a better rebounder, but man sometimes, he was just awful offensively, it took him a couple months to get the hang of it. He's not a reliable 3 shooter at all. Richardson is, and it won't be a surprise if he ends up serving us better than Barnes did.

 

You will find out that Q-Rich is as streaky as they come from downtown but it won't stop him from putting up shots.

[Riot]

You will find out that Q-Rich is as streaky as they come from downtown but it won't stop him from putting up shots.

Yeesh.. sounds like Pietrus. Look forward to the next article.

[Poe]

I just don't think he's that good, especially considering how they essentially sent out Al Jefferson to create room for Milicic. What happens if he turns in a mediocre year or worse? Then what? They'd be on the hook for three more years and they don't exactly have another center waiting in the wings (unless they move Love to center with Beasley at the power forward. Imagine that duo defending your paint.).

 

If he does play well, then it'll be the first time Milicic will have shown anything. I'm all for realized potential, but players with work ethics as poor as Darko don't usually snap their fingers and "get it."

 

Sending out Al Jefferson for picks is the move that deserves a low grade IMO. If they wished to move him completely for the sake of Darko, I believe they could have gotten some better value for him, especially since they are in need of wing players.

 

 

It's true that without Milicic they don't have anyone else at center, but they didn't have anyone to begin with. You've said it yourself, Al isn't cut out to play center. Plus the Love - Jefferson combo never worked.

 

Also, Darko isn't exactly getting a back-breaking amount of money, especially in comparison to Amir in Toronto and Hakim in Pheonix. With the whole team under some favorable contracts, they'll most likely be able to explore other options through free agency (and the draft as well), assuming the Milicic experiment doesn't work.

 

 

The main reason I believe it deserves a higher grade is that they aren't running a high risk, nor are they setting themselves up for failure if it goes wrong. They aren't in the greatest position to "win now", nothing else would have put them in a better position for this year, there weren't any better options at center, and they will be in position to explore other options in the future if it fails. It's an experiment worth trying.

 

But anyway, that's just my opinion.

[Poe]

Steadily worse each year... right. I don't know why you think Williams is a better backup than Duhon. Williams did a solid job filling in for Jameer when Jameer got injured, but it wasn't too long before he ran out of gas, the guy is 34. Not only will Duhon do what J-Will did better, but he is young and is capable of playing starter minutes if need be.

 

Who is better between Barnes and Richardson, that is debatable. Barnes is a better rebounder, but man sometimes, he was just awful offensively, it took him a couple months to get the hang of it. He's not a reliable 3 shooter at all. Richardson is, and it won't be a surprise if he ends up serving us better than Barnes did.

 

 

They are getting worse. They went to the NBA Finals two seasons ago. They lost their second best player in Hedo, and replaced him with VC. Having their starting PG back, plus an improved bench helped them get to the conference finals, but they still weren't as good as the year before.

 

Now they are starting to lose the depth they had before by downgrading their SF and backup PG positions, and the inevitable downgrade at SG due to age. It's highly doubtful they will get past the 2nd round, especially when the East is growing in strength. The Heat, Bulls, Celtics, and even the Bucks will be better teams than the Magic next year.

 

 

And why do I think Duhon and Q-Rich are worse? Duhon was a starter and Williams was a bench player, yet they still produced roughly the same numbers. Plus Duhon is too bad of a shooter and playmaker to be anything more than a third string PG, IMO. He has some bright spots, but his overall play simply isn't good enough.

 

Q-Rich is a two trick pony on offense, 3 point shooting and post play. While the shooting will be valuable for the Magic style of play, what they need on the team is perimeter defense and energy. Q-Rich's lack of size makes him limited one on one, so he's only reliable as a help defender.

 

As far as overall offensive play goes, Matt Barnes is statistically equal to Quentin Richardson. Both shoot 57% in their True Shooting percentage. The main difference between both players is that Matt Barnes is a good defensive player that provides what the Magic need on their team, and Q-Rich is a poor one on one defender that only brings more of what the Magic already have offensively.

Edited July 17, 2010 by Poe

[AtTheDriveIn]

They are getting worse. They went to the NBA Finals two seasons ago. They lost their second best player in Hedo, and replaced him with VC. Having their starting PG back, plus an improved bench helped them get to the conference finals, but they still weren't as good as the year before.

 

Now they are starting to lose the depth they had before by downgrading their SF and backup PG positions, and the inevitable downgrade at SG due to age. It's highly doubtful they will get past the 2nd round, especially when the East is growing in strength. The Heat, Bulls, Celtics, and even the Bucks will be better teams than the Magic next year.

 

And why do I think Duhon and Q-Rich are worse? Duhon was a starter and Williams was a bench player, yet they still produced roughly the same numbers. Plus Duhon is too bad of a shooter and playmaker to be anything more than a third string PG, IMO. He has some bright spots, but his overall play simply isn't good enough.

 

This is all opinion. Mindless, delusional opinion.

 

The only team who will have overtaken the Magic as a regular season team this coming season is the Heat because of their three superstar approach, but that serves as no implication for the off-season. Awfully confident of your team, aren't you? The Bucks? They replaced Warrick with Gooden and added Chris Douglas-Roberts. I'm shocked that you're not jumping on them for 'downgrading', well I'm not really, you're completely biased, but I'm just making the point. The Bulls and Bucks will continue to stay middle of the pack in the East. The Magic on the other hand, haven't regressed at all. They will field exactly the same team that they took to the conference Finals.

 

As I stated, mindless delusional opinion.

 

Q-Rich is a two trick pony on offense, 3 point shooting and post play. While the shooting will be valuable for the Magic style of play, what they need on the team is perimeter defense and energy. Q-Rich's lack of size makes him limited one on one, so he's only reliable as a help defender.

 

3 point shooting and post play? What other ways are there to score nowadays? The mid range game is dead. There's only so many ways a player can score. That number is roughly 2. I think I'm correct in saying that you of all people know what the Magic need on their team. Pietrus and Reddick are plenty for wing defense if its needed so desperately, but it rarely is because Carter and whoever they play alongside Carter is usually enough.

 

As far as overall offensive play goes, Matt Barnes is statistically equal to Quentin Richardson. Both shoot 57% in their True Shooting percentage. The main difference between both players is that Matt Barnes is a good defensive player that provides what the Magic need on their team, and Q-Rich is a poor one on one defender that only brings more of what the Magic already have offensively.

 

It's actually 57% Effective Field Goal Percentage, not True Shooting, but it's the same thing. And since you've brought up numbers, Richardson's counterpart (the person he's defending) shot 48% eFG, was forced into 2.5 turnovers (compared to Richardson's 1.4) and has a PER equal to Richardson's (15.5 PER) per 48mins. I don't care what kind of defender he is. Barnes in all honesty was too inconsistent to be a good defender anyway. The fact is that statistically contains his player every 48minutes he's on the court.

 

 

I have a feeling someone is a little bit bitter that Magic aren't getting any worse and will continue to contend for best team in Florida and in the Southeast Division.

[Riot]

I have a feeling someone is a little bit bitter that Magic aren't getting any worse and will continue to contend for best team in Florida and in the Southeast Division.

Ya know I just remembered that Poe actually predicted the Magic to be the 4th seed before last season started. What can I say Poe, you're underrating the Magic again and will be proven wrong again.

[Jamesus]

I just don't think he's that good, especially considering how they essentially sent out Al Jefferson to create room for Milicic. What happens if he turns in a mediocre year or worse? Then what? They'd be on the hook for three more years and they don't exactly have another center waiting in the wings (unless they move Love to center with Beasley at the power forward. Imagine that duo defending your paint.).

 

If he does play well, then it'll be the first time Milicic will have shown anything. I'm all for realized potential, but players with work ethics as poor as Darko don't usually snap their fingers and "get it."

 

Milicic was starting to look good whenever he was a member of the Orlando Magic. By good I mean, hey if this guy would of got the opportunity, he could be something. That is just the problem, with Darko, he is a big what, if? Darko just got [expletive]ted on when he got drafted. I don't think the Pistons had Rasheed at this time either when they drafted him, or it might of been Ben Wallace. Not totally sure, don't hold me to that. He had the worst coach a rookie could possibly ever have too, next to Don Nelson, Larry Brown. Scouts fell in love with Darko. Its not that Darko was a bad player when he was draft, its just, he went to a team where getting playing time was impossible. Think about it, Darko could be a big name everyone is jizzing about, and Chris Bosh could very well be in Darko's position. Know what I'm saying?

 

Hes not that good, you're right. The thing about Darko is, he couldn't get any worse, and when you are Minnesota, it couldn't get any worse. That's not a fear for Timberwolves fans. The fear for them would be his contract. Timberwolves fans are to busy worrying about what Kahn is going to do next.. Might want to throw whether Ricky Rubio comes and plays for them or not in there too.

 

Back on subject, I've always liked Darko. Believe it or not, hes got potential. His legs, are bound to be one of the most fresh sets of legs from the 2003 draft, that is still in the NBA. To be honest, he has a great skillset... Hes a good passer, from what I've seen, he dishes it to guys on the cuts. Hes got some nice moves on offense too. Hes got the left handed hook shot down, which is good. He can step out and hit the jumper from time to time, too. Hes a big body, can block shots. I would take him over Kwame Brown, I doubt that means much though.

 

But still, it would take a crackhead to trade away the guy who is the rock of your franchise, to create minutes for him. With Darko, I guess it is better late than never. I was actually shocked he didn't recieve more playing time in New York, I figured he would strive under D'Antoni. I feel for you Minnesota fans, those who are still left.. Be strong, and avoid the Miami bandwagon.

[Poe]

This is all opinion. Mindless, delusional opinion.

 

The only team who will have overtaken the Magic as a regular season team this coming season is the Heat because of their three superstar approach, but that serves as no implication for the off-season. Awfully confident of your team, aren't you? The Bucks? They replaced Warrick with Gooden and added Chris Douglas-Roberts. I'm shocked that you're not jumping on them for 'downgrading', well I'm not really, you're completely biased, but I'm just making the point. The Bulls and Bucks will continue to stay middle of the pack in the East. The Magic on the other hand, haven't regressed at all. They will field exactly the same team that they took to the conference Finals.

 

As I stated, mindless delusional opinion.

 

Really? Can I call you a homer for overrated your own team, and say it's mindless and delusional to even think they can be any good? God forbid you back up YOUR opinion.

 

 

Seriously though, my thinking for the Heat being better should be obvious enough. I think most people can agree that they will likely be the top seed in the East.

 

You already know why the Celtics are better. I think you saw it first hand.

 

The Bulls filled the holes they needed filling - a post player, a shooter, and depth at the wing. They will most likely be in the top 3.

 

The Bucks are a team with a lot of weapons, and an excellent coach. Had Bogut been healthy, they would have faced the Magic in the second round, and we would have gotten to see two of the top 3 centers go head to head. If Bogut is healthy and Maggette fits like a glove, they will be a top 4 or 5 team next year.

 

 

The Magic, on the other hand, ARE regressing. Carter is losing his touch, the Magic have lost some depth by downgrading a starter and a role player, Lewis' averages have continued to decrease year after year, and Jameer lacks the abilities of a pure point guard (which is part of the reason that made Turkoglu so important).

 

The Magic are going to need a monster year from Howard if they want to regain that 2nd seed. He better get a post game fast.

 

 

3 point shooting and post play? What other ways are there to score nowadays? The mid range game is dead. There's only so many ways a player can score. That number is roughly 2. I think I'm correct in saying that you of all people know what the Magic need on their team. Pietrus and Reddick are plenty for wing defense if its needed so desperately, but it rarely is because Carter and whoever they play alongside Carter is usually enough.

 

Carter is a deadful defender. Redick is decent and Pietrus is pretty good, but they come off the bench. With a starting line up including Lewis, Carter, and Nelson, they need that player that can play a role as a lockdown defender, that can provide that energy and toughness his teammates can feed off of. Barnes played that role for the Magic. Q-Rich can't.

 

 

And you've got to be kidding me if you think there are only 2 ways to score in basketball.

 

Yea, how about it. Make every player only practice camping and shooting, and posting up, and nothing else. Forget the midrange game, forget driving to the basket, forget cutting to the basket, forget using offball screens, forget the pick n roll game, forget the fast break, forget crafty moves such as the step back jumper, reverse lay up, euro-step, floater, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. ETC.

 

 

It's actually 57% Effective Field Goal Percentage, not True Shooting, but it's the same thing. And since you've brought up numbers, Richardson's counterpart (the person he's defending) shot 48% eFG, was forced into 2.5 turnovers (compared to Richardson's 1.4) and has a PER equal to Richardson's (15.5 PER) per 48mins. I don't care what kind of defender he is. Barnes in all honesty was too inconsistent to be a good defender anyway. The fact is that statistically contains his player every 48minutes he's on the court.

 

Q-Rich is still not a better offensive player than Barnes, and Barnes is the superior defender. Perhaps he isn't the best lockdown defender in the league, but he at least brought a certain element to the team that was needed.

 

 

I have a feeling someone is a little bit bitter that Magic aren't getting any worse and will continue to contend for best team in Florida and in the Southeast Division.

 

I honestly don't care about that. Division rivalry means nothing to me. I just don't believe the Magic are as good as last year. I was right last offseason when I said the Magic 09-10 wasn't going to be as successful as the 08-09 year. With the moves made, and the way things are heading already, I don't see how the Magic are going to.... magically reverse this spell.

 

The Magic are going downhill. You mad? At least they are still a playoff team, and could potentially make the second round.

Edited July 17, 2010 by Poe

[Poe]

Ya know I just remembered that Poe actually predicted the Magic to be the 4th seed before last season started. What can I say Poe, you're underrating the Magic again and will be proven wrong again.

 

I was wrong about that. I thought the Carter replacement would take a bigger hit than it did. I underestimated the bench depth that was added, and it was probably the best bench in the league too. Nelson was an obvious upgrade to Alston, and Barnes managed to fill a needed role, and may have been more important than Courtney Lee. These things managed to make up a good deal of the loss of Hedo.

 

But I was right about one thing. They weren't as good as the previous year.

[Erick Blasco]

Milicic was starting to look good whenever he was a member of the Orlando Magic. By good I mean, hey if this guy would of got the opportunity, he could be something. That is just the problem, with Darko, he is a big what, if? Darko just got [expletive]ted on when he got drafted. I don't think the Pistons had Rasheed at this time either when they drafted him, or it might of been Ben Wallace. Not totally sure, don't hold me to that. He had the worst coach a rookie could possibly ever have too, next to Don Nelson, Larry Brown. Scouts fell in love with Darko. Its not that Darko was a bad player when he was draft, its just, he went to a team where getting playing time was impossible. Think about it, Darko could be a big name everyone is jizzing about, and Chris Bosh could very well be in Darko's position. Know what I'm saying?

 

Hes not that good, you're right. The thing about Darko is, he couldn't get any worse, and when you are Minnesota, it couldn't get any worse. That's not a fear for Timberwolves fans. The fear for them would be his contract. Timberwolves fans are to busy worrying about what Kahn is going to do next.. Might want to throw whether Ricky Rubio comes and plays for them or not in there too.

 

Back on subject, I've always liked Darko. Believe it or not, hes got potential. His legs, are bound to be one of the most fresh sets of legs from the 2003 draft, that is still in the NBA. To be honest, he has a great skillset... Hes a good passer, from what I've seen, he dishes it to guys on the cuts. Hes got some nice moves on offense too. Hes got the left handed hook shot down, which is good. He can step out and hit the jumper from time to time, too. Hes a big body, can block shots. I would take him over Kwame Brown, I doubt that means much though.

 

But still, it would take a crackhead to trade away the guy who is the rock of your franchise, to create minutes for him. With Darko, I guess it is better late than never. I was actually shocked he didn't recieve more playing time in New York, I figured he would strive under D'Antoni. I feel for you Minnesota fans, those who are still left.. Be strong, and avoid the Miami bandwagon.

 

He could be a decent rotation guy, sure. He has some offensive skills, and you're right about Detroit being a tough situation for him. Remember though, the T-Wolves expect Darko to be their starter based on what-if's.

 

Normally I'd be fine with starting a project seeing as the T-Wolves are rebuilding and looking for any talent at all. But Milicic is infamous for being notoriously lazy and self-absorbed. Players with that kind of character background don't usually blossom as they get older. He doesn't want to put the work in.

 

You know what rookie actually did put the work in and forced Larry Brown to give him minutes? David Lee. He was a bench warmer when he was drafted and worked his way into the rotation simply based on his effort. Next thing you know, he's an all-star a few years later. That's how you earn playing time. Darko expects it to be handed to him. Now he HAS been essentially handed a starting position and I have no confidence that he'll do much with it. He's spent his whole career pouting instead of working so I doubt whether he has a sophisticated enough offensive package that will perform at any kind of high level.

[Lone Wolf]

An A for the Wolves!??! lol

 

I heard Darko is working on his conditioning, defense and shooting abilities as of right now. I hope that's true.

[Flash]

You guys better make sure Q stays in shape. He had no choice but to be in prime physical condition in Miami. Probably the best shape he ever has been while he was in the league. That's really the key to how effective he's gonna be.

[*Swish*]

Michael Beasley—Minnesota Timberwolves

 

Beasley’s lack of refinement hurt him in Miami, where he was too unpolished to play smart, winning basketball. In Minnesota, the expectations are non-existent, and Beasley will have room to make mistakes as the T-Wolves’ featured player.

 

His defense is horrendous, he’s slow to understand what defenses are doing, and his feel for the game is poor—but he has undeniable talent, something the T-Wolves haven’t had much of recently.

 

With the T-Wolves expected to be down in the dumps for several more seasons, taking a flier on Beasley could pave huge dividends down the road.

 

Grade: A

 

I can't agree with you on that. Are you talking only about the Timberwolves positive side? because you should also talk about Miami negative side. I mean it's not that negative but the Heat are not a three man team. They need a nice core to make them win and Michael Beasley was a great guy that could of made us win sometimes. Even though they traded him for money (which isn't too bad because they could get another player like Shaq, Richard Jefferson, or someone else), I think it was smarter to keep Beasley. They maybe traded him because they were fed up of him. Anyways, I don't like that for the Heat.

 

Steve Blake—Los Angeles Lakers

 

The perfect fit for the Lakers, Blake knows how to run an offense, is crafty off the bounce, and is a terrific three-point shooter. Point guards in the triangle don’t have as much responsibility as in other systems. Blake’s main responsibilities will be bringing the ball up, making the correct trigger pass, reading the defense, and either cutting or spotting up based on how the defense reacts to the machinations of the triangle. Given that Blake has a high basketball IQ, these things will come quickly to him.

 

Expect him to split time with Derek Fisher, getting more playing time in the middle of halves, with Fisher getting the bulk of the minutes and the beginnings and the ends of halves and games.

 

Grade: A+

 

can't agree more on that. Blake will work perfectly in the Lakers triangle offense. And as you said he has great basketball IQ, which I love to see in the NBA. He's a good three point shooter, and Lakers aren't a great three point shooting team so he's the right guy for Lakers. LA was trying to find a PG and I think this guy will do a great job.