Anyone have insider on [ESPN] rating the trade article?

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=182388

Read the thread.

 

Actually nevermind. I should have read the thread.

 

Spoiler

Feb. 21: Redick heads to Milwaukee

The Bucks send guards Doron Lamb and Beno Udrih and forward Tobias Harris to the Magic in exchange for guards J.J. Redick and Ish Smith and forward Gustavo Ayon.

Milwaukee: C+

What are the Bucks doing? That's been the question everyone around the league has spent all week trying to figure out. Milwaukee was as active as anyone, and reportedly in discussions to trade for Josh Smith as part of a three-way trade until just before the deadline. Those talks broke down, but the Bucks still made the biggest splash of any team by acquiring Redick.

Despite Redick nominally being a rental -- he's in the last year of a contract -- it's somewhat unclear how much this trade will help Milwaukee the rest of the way. That will depend on how interim head coach Jim Boylan manages his revamped backcourt. The Bucks don't have a true backup for Brandon Jennings at the point after dealing Udrih, which presumably means Redick and Monta Ellis will share ballhandling duties as part of a three-guard rotation. If that's a win, it's not by much. The clearer upgrade comes when Redick takes Ellis' minutes, giving Milwaukee a more efficient option at shooting guard. Our Bradford Doolittle estimated that change adding about a win to the Bucks' bottom line.

The more interesting question is what Milwaukee does this summer. Assuming Ellis opts out of his contract, the Bucks have the option of using the amnesty provision to clear Drew Gooden's salary off the books and cut their cap figure to about $44 million. (Trading Ayon or turning down his player option saves nearly another million.) That means Milwaukee could offer Smith somewhere in the neighborhood of $15-17 million as a free agent, which might be the best offer he gets, while still re-signing Jennings and Redick.

The Bucks would have to skimp on filling out the roster to stay under the luxury-tax threshold, but a starting lineup of Jennings, Redick, Smith, Ersan Ilyasova and Larry Sanders is an intriguing mix. That might even be good enough to earn home-court advantage in the East. Of course, Smith might not really be interested in playing in Milwaukee, and giving up the promising Harris remains an expensive price for the right to pay Redick fair-market value this summer. So the Bucks don't grade out much better than if they had done nothing at all.

Orlando: B

From the Magic's perspective this decision was much more straightforward. Orlando knew Redick would likely leave as an unrestricted free agent and wanted to get value for him before then. The Magic reportedly had multiple offers of late first-round picks and decided instead to go with Harris, the No. 19 pick in 2011 and a prospect with more upside than anyone Orlando could have gotten with one of those late first-rounders.

Harris was a favorite of John Hollinger's Draft Rater in 2011, and has played well enough in limited action in Milwaukee that his top SCHOENE comparables include Gerald Wallace, Tim Thomas and Rashard Lewis (as well as Julian Wright, to temper that excitement). There are two concerns with Harris. The first is that he's still so young (20) that he might not really get it until after the conclusion of his rookie contract in 2014-15. Secondly, his skill set overlaps with the Magic's other project small forward, Maurice Harkless. Harris appeared as one of Harkless' most similar players coming out of college. There may not be room for a pair of wings who lack 3-point range, and it's not clear whether Harris can handle regular action at power forward.

A more minor quibble is that it's unfortunate Orlando didn't have time to route Udrih to a contender he might have helped down the stretch. That way the Magic could have gotten a little more long-term value out of this deal.

Feb. 21: Warriors dodge the tax

In separate trades, the Warriors send guard Charles Jenkins to the 76ers and center Jeremy Tyler to the Hawks in exchange for conditional second-round picks.

Golden State: B+

The Warriors had one goal Thursday, and that was to get under the tax threshold. They entered the day $1.2 million over, which necessitated dumping both Jenkins and Tyler. What makes this a win is that they managed to do so without giving up any other assets. In fact, they technically received second-rounders in both trades, though Sam Amick reports "they'll never see the picks." Jenkins may be missed, but he has never rated particularly well by the numbers, so it's not a huge loss. Golden State has enough wiggle room to fill the spot of third point guard with players on short-term contracts and stay under the tax.

Philadelphia: B+

The 76ers have shuffled through backup point guards all season long, trying out Maalik Wayns, Shelvin Mack and most recently Jeremy Pargo. Jenkins has somewhat more upside than those players. Powerfully built and quick, Jenkins showed the ability to get to the basket off the dribble when he started at point guard during Golden State's Tankapalooza last spring. If he can develop his playmaking, Jenkins has a future in the league.

Atlanta: B

Tyler's future is much less certain; he has played just 63 minutes this season, and the overwhelming adjective to describe his NBA career to date is "raw." Tyler is obviously gifted. He possesses soft touch around the basket and footwork that belies his girth. However, Tyler is going to have to sharpen his work ethic to make the development necessary to play rotation minutes in the NBA. He showed little progress last summer in Vegas, which was disappointing. Nothing much ventured for the Hawks, who will pay Tyler the minimum for the rest of this season and hope to see some sign of hope for the future.

Feb. 21: Mavericks add sharpshooter

The Mavericks send forward Dahntay Jones to the Hawks in exchange for guard Anthony Morrow.

Dallas: B

For a team that has long prided itself on outside shooting, the Mavericks are surprisingly low on 3-point threats this season. Other than Vince Carter and O.J. Mayo, who have 105 triples apiece, the only Dallas player with more than 100 3-point attempts is rookie Jae Crowder, and he's making them at a 32.6 percent clip.

Morrow offers a little more depth and Jones isn't much of a loss. That said, with the Mavericks' postseason chances remote -- the latest Hollinger Playoff Odds show them making it 13.6 percent of the time -- they should probably be playing younger Dominique Jones and Jared Cunningham at 2-guard, not the 27-year-old Morrow. This move would have made more sense for a true playoff contender.

Atlanta: B

This is strictly a salary dump for the Hawks, who will save about $400,000 the rest of the season because of the difference in the two players' expiring contracts. Jones might play a little, but he essentially duplicates DeShawn Stevenson's skill set and Atlanta has rightfully committed to playing rookie John Jenkins (shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point range) at shooting guard -- the reason Morrow was expendable in the first place.

Feb. 21: Thunder bolster bench with Brewer

The Thunder send a 2014 second-round pick to the Knicks for guard Ronnie Brewer.

Oklahoma City: B

Adding Brewer really cost the Thunder next to nothing. Oklahoma City had to give up a second-round pick that's likely to fall at the end of the round in 2014, and Brewer is making the veteran's minimum this season. He gives the Thunder another option on the wing and will probably fill the role Daequan Cook did during the 2012 postseason, playing spot minutes when Kevin Durant slides down to power forward in smaller lineups. With Brewer's 2-point percentage tumbling this season, however, incumbent DeAndre Liggins might be the better option. Liggins is a better outside shooter and has shown stopper promise at times over the past month.

New York: C

This is completely logical. Iman Shumpert's return from a torn ACL bumped Brewer out of the rotation, and he has seen just 12 minutes of playing time in February. Trading him opens up a roster spot to be used on frontcourt depth -- starting with Kenyon Martin on a 10-day contract -- and also brings back a second-round pick of some value. Still, there's the outside chance that the Knicks might miss Brewer if injuries strike their wing players during the playoffs. When you're already miles over the luxury tax, doesn't it make sense to avoid that risk by eating James White's salary to free up a roster spot?

Feb. 21: Blazers get backup PG

The Blazers acquire Eric Maynor from the Thunder in exchange for the rights to Giorgos Printezis.

Portland: B+

As noted earlier this week, the Blazers are in position to potentially benefit from a deadline deal by upgrading an obvious weakness -- their terrible, horrible, no good, very bad bench. Because Portland is so young, any deal had to preserve the team's future. This one doesn't seem to affect it either way, as Maynor is in the last season of his contract. Maynor has struggled this season in his comeback from a torn ACL -- he's making barely 30 percent of his 2-point attempts -- but Daily Thunder's Royce Young reports he's looked better over the last couple of weeks since shedding a bulky knee brace. Besides, it would be nearly impossible for Maynor to be worse than the Blazers' current backup point guards, Ronnie Price (who will reportedly be waived to clear a spot on the roster) and Nolan Smith.

Maynor is young enough to be a long-term option for Portland, though the Blazers might not want to guarantee his expensive qualifying offer ($3.35 million) and instead let him become an unrestricted free agent.

Oklahoma City: B

It's a bit surprising that the Thunder did not get a pick in return for Maynor. It looks like Oklahoma City was more concerned with creating an open roster spot and a trade exception for Maynor's contract ($2.3 million) that will be good through next year's deadline. Saving a little money the rest of the season, even after potentially signing a replacement third point guard, doesn't hurt either. Lastly, Printezis is more valuable than many of the players whose rights are exchanged this time of year. He's a key player for defending Euroleague champion Olympiacos whose translated statistics suggest he could make the leap to the NBA.

Feb. 21: Raptors get Telfair

The Suns send guard Sebastian Telfair to the Raptors for center Hamed Haddadi and a 2014 second-round pick.

Toronto: C-

For the Raptors, Telfair is primarily insurance. John Lucas III has played well as Kyle Lowry's backup since Jose Calderon was traded, but Toronto didn't have a third point guard or a combo guard capable of swinging to the position. The Raptors could have signed a free agent, but that would have meant waiving Haddadi and eating his salary. This way they saved somewhere between $75,000 (a rookie) and about $200,000 (a veteran) on the cost of a replacement, and they also got a better player in Telfair. I'm not sure that's worth a second-round pick likely valued at somewhere in the neighborhood of a million dollars, but it's not a huge loss either way.

Phoenix: B+

A Telfair trade was one of the largest deadline inevitabilities. After Phoenix's coaching change, interim coach Lindsey Hunter turned to rookie Kendall Marshall as his backup point guard in place of Telfair, who has played just 15 minutes in February. That the Suns were able to get any value out of Telfair is a win. The pick -- the worse of Sacramento's and Toronto's in 2014, according to the Arizona Republic -- figures to be in the upper half of the second round.

Feb. 21: Wizards ship Crawford to Celtics

The Wizards send guard Jordan Crawford to the Celtics in exchange for injured guard Leandro Barbosa and center Jason Collins, per sources.

Boston: A

Jordan Crawford represents the danger of fitting NBA players into a stereotypical box. Crawford has been labeled a gunner, and it's stuck despite the fact that he was a good enough playmaker to run the point in December when the Wizards were desperate. His assist rate is more than twice as good as former Washington teammate Nick Young, for example. Of course, Crawford isn't shy about calling his own number, either -- he's used 26.5 percent of the Wizards' plays this season, a higher usage rate than any Boston player save Paul Pierce.

Crawford, fittingly, will essentially fill Barbosa's role for the Celtics. They're similar players, with Barbosa's edge in 3-point shooting offset by Crawford's superior mix of 3-point and free throw attempts. The Celtics can use a player like this, especially in the postseason, when they'll be stuck in half-court games; it's easy to envision Crawford getting hot and helping the Celtics win a playoff game, a la Young's strong first-round series when he was with the Clippers last season. Boston also gets Crawford at a decent price next season before he heads off to restricted free agency and tries to sucker someone into overpaying for his scoring, as Philadelphia did with Young.

As a bonus, by including both Barbosa and Collins the Celtics have opened up a roster spot to sign a buyout candidate to help up front.

Washington: D

It's hard to see the logic here from Washington's perspective. Crawford did apparently want a trade, and he punctuated his Wizards career by tossing his jersey into the stands after Tuesday's loss to Toronto in frustration over being benched. Nonetheless, it's difficult to believe that this is the best Washington could get for him: two expiring contracts of players who have no value.

The Wizards may point to shedding the last year of Crawford's contract, but we're talking about $2.2 million for a team that's not likely to have more space under the cap than the midlevel exception anyway. You don't trade players on their rookie contracts to save money. If Washington couldn't deal with Crawford anymore, why not send him home and try to trade him at the draft?

Feb. 21: Bobcats, Magic swap expiring contracts

The Bobcats send Hakim Warrick to Orlando for Josh McRoberts.

Charlotte: B

The Bobcats, who took on a little extra salary when they traded Matt Carroll to New Orleans for Warrick in a swap of expiring contracts, essentially undo that effect by dealing Warrick for another expiring contract in McRoberts -- whose salary is cheapest of the three players. The net effect is about neutral, and McRoberts is also the only player of the group who should be on the court at this point of his career. So consider this a (very small) win for Charlotte.

Orlando: F

Sam Amick reports the Magic will waive Warrick, and I'm not sure what I'm missing here. There must be cash involved or some unreported element because otherwise Orlando could have just waived McRoberts and saved the difference in their contracts the rest of the season, which comes to about $250,000.

Feb. 21: Heat ship Pittman to Memphis

The Heat send center Dexter Pittman and a 2013 second-round pick to the Grizzlies in exchange for the rights to forward Ricky Sanchez.

Miami: B+

For the Heat, this move is less about finances and more about clearing a roster spot. They preferred midseason pickups Chris Andersen and Jarvis Varnado to Pittman, with Varnado replacing Pittman as their developmental center. After Miami signed both Andersen and Varnado for the remainder of the season, their roster was full at 15 players. Now the Heat have the opportunity to join in the buyout fun over the next couple of weeks, and it came at a relatively small price since the pick they're trading is currently the penultimate selection -- No. 59 overall. If Miami doesn't like any of the buyout pickings, this roster spot could go to another project big man: Greg Oden.

Sanchez has been passed around more than a white elephant gift; this is the fourth time, and second consecutive deadline, he's been traded. Already 25 and playing low-level basketball in Argentina, he has no NBA value, but the league requires every team to get something in a trade.

Memphis: B

The Grizzlies needed to add a 13th player by next Wednesday to avoid running afoul of the NBA's roster minimum. That provided an obvious opportunity for them to take on a player and get something in return. That something, in draft pick terms, isn't very much. The projected 59th pick will allow Memphis to draft and stash a player come June, or sell the pick to someone else who wants to do that.

The Grizzlies may have settled for a lesser second-round pick because Pittman could still have some value to a team without a true center behind Marc Gasol. Pittman hasn't been very effective in his limited NBA playing time -- he's not a good enough post scorer to justify getting the ball, though that's the strength of his game -- but he is a big body.

Feb. 20: Houston shuffles power forwards

According to reports, the Rockets send center Cole Aldrich, guard Toney Douglas, forward Patrick Patterson and cash to the Kings in exchange for forwards Francisco Garcia, Tyler Honeycutt and Thomas Robinson, and send forward Marcus Morris to the Suns in exchange for a second-round pick.

Houston: B+

As of Tuesday, the Rockets had a Kentucky player and a Kansas player as their rotation at power forward. Now, they still might have the same thing, only different players. Houston sent out starter Patrick Patterson and backup Marcus Morris, landing Thomas Robinson as the centerpiece of a three-player package that also includes a second-round pick.

Let's start with the obvious: Robinson hasn't been very good as a rookie. He has had a tough time dealing with shot-blockers in the paint and is getting more than 10 percent of his shots rejected, per Hoopdata.com, one reason he's shooting just 42.9 percent from the field. Surprisingly, Robinson's performance is more or less in line with his translated junior season at Kansas, which earned him consensus All-America honors.

Robinson was much more efficient as a sophomore, when he backed up Marcus Morris and twin brother Markieff, and supplied energy off the bench. There have been nights when Robinson has embraced a similar role for the Kings, but he'll have to do it on a regular basis to become a valuable NBA contributor. And he must cut out bad shot attempts and the overdribbling that has caused him to turn the ball over on nearly 20 percent of his plays. Having teammates such as Jeremy Lin and James Harden capable of setting him up will help Robinson, who has been assisted on less than half of his field goals.

The Rockets could take a chance on Robinson because of their depth and flexibility. The small lineup that started Wednesday's game against Oklahoma City, with Carlos Delfino at small forward and Chandler Parsons sliding down to the 4, probably will continue to get run. Rookie Donatas Motiejunas has started to play well, and Terrence Jones could also be in this mix. From this group, Houston will hope one power forward emerges.

Daryl Morey isn't done yet. The Rockets still have about $5 million in cap room to add an expiring contract for the playoff run before the deadline. They also might continue the pursuit of Josh Smith; Robinson and the other players they added (Garcia has a team option next season that is effectively an expiring contract) can be aggregated in a multiplayer deal because Houston is under the cap. Even if the Rockets don't do anything now, they'll be players this summer. Dealing Marcus Morris means Houston shaved $1.5 million off the 2013-14 payroll and now should have enough room for a max offer to Smith or Dwight Howard.

Sacramento: D

Let's start with the positive. Patterson is, today, a better player than Robinson. He's also plausibly a better fit next to DeMarcus Cousins because of his ability to space the floor. So the Kings have improved somewhat for the rest of a season that's on the Sleep Train to nowhere. All that will do is hurt their draft pick. Their focus, obviously, should be on the future, and there the story is much murkier -- even before we consider the pending sale of the team to new owners who don't yet have any say in operations.

First, Patterson has a year and a half left on his rookie contract. Robinson has three-plus cost-controlled seasons, and teams rely on the value players provide before hitting free agency. Second, Robinson is nearly two years younger than the 23-year-old Patterson, who has essentially maxed out his value as a fringe starter or quality reserve. As poorly as Robinson has played as a rookie, his upside is much higher.

We're not even eight months removed from Sacramento drafting Robinson over Damian Lillard and Andre Drummond and nobody batting an eye. So even if you believe Patterson is the better player and that he'll help former Kentucky teammate Cousins, that's not the only criteria for a good trade. It's hard to believe that, if the Kings had made up their minds to move Robinson, they couldn't have at least gotten some kind of draft pick or cap relief out of the deal. Instead, they prioritized saving money (about $1.3 million in payroll the rest of the season, plus $1 million in cash, according to USA Today) over a brighter future.

Phoenix: A

Of the three power forwards in this deal, Morris has the best three-year SCHOENE projection. If he keeps up his 38 percent shooting from 3-point range and can improve his strength to deal with bigger opponents, Morris has a chance to become a starter in this league. Getting such a player with two years left on his rookie contract for a second-round pick is excellent value. The only real downside from the Suns' perspective is that they suddenly have two brothers and only one power forward position. Marcus planned to move to the perimeter as a pro, but he has been more effective since becoming a stretch 4 this season. As a result, he'll battle twin brother Markieff for playing time. In the short term, Phoenix can make room for both by using Luis Scola as a backup center if Jermaine O'Neal is traded before the deadline.

Jan. 30: Gay goes to Toronto

In a three-way trade, the Grizzlies send forward Rudy Gay and center Hamed Haddadi to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for forward Ed Davis, guard Jose Calderon and a second-round pick before sending Calderon to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye.

Memphis: B+

Before the trade was finalized, rumor had it the Grizzlies and Raptors had agreed to their portion of the deal with or without a third team. Good thing Memphis could move Calderon, because that piece was crucial from the Grizzlies' perspective.

In Prince, they get a replacement for Gay at small forward who can potentially be as effective in a very different fashion. While Gay is the far superior shot creator, his low efficiency this season has taken a toll on the Memphis offense. Prince is a slightly better outside shooter who knows his limitations and will help the Grizzlies on the defensive end.

There's a risk that Zach Randolph, Mike Conley and Marc Gasol may not be able to pick up the extra shots opened up by swapping Gay for Prince. But it's easy to see why Memphis figured that chance was worth taking because of the long-term financial implications. While this year's savings (about $2.4 million the rest of the season) aren't inconsequential, the key is that the Grizzlies no longer have to operate in fear of the luxury tax going forward. And they've added a couple of nice assets. Davis is in the midst of a breakout season after entering the Toronto starting lineup as an injury replacement, and Memphis structured the deal so as to create a $7.5-million trade exception they can use to add a perimeter shooter or backup center before the trade deadline.

Toronto: D+

The Raptors had a good problem. With Calderon playing so well after they added Kyle Lowry last summer, they had two starting point guards and the chance to use one as a trade chip. While the coaching staff appeared to prefer Calderon, who had been starting ahead of Lowry, the front office chose the latter and dangled Calderon's expiring contract to land Gay.

Clearly, Toronto views Gay as the superstar the team has needed to contend since losing Chris Bosh to the Miami Heat. The numbers don't bear that out; for that matter, neither do accolades. Even in 2011-12, his best season, Gay didn't get any serious All-Star talk. Yet he's paid at that level -- he's one of 18 players in the league making more than $15 million -- and will be through 2015, limiting the Raptors' flexibility. (Gay can opt out of his contract in 2014.) Making matters worse, Gay's skill set is similar to that of Toronto shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, who was just signed to a contract extension. For the privilege of paying Gay and DeRozan $27.5 million next season, the Raptors surrendered Davis, who was thriving after replacing Andrea Bargnani at power forward.

There's an element of desperation here to get back in the playoffs after a four-year drought. Really, though, this is mostly a matter of the same thing that has plagued Bryan Colangelo's tenure in Toronto -- questionable talent evaluation.

Detroit: A-

Joe Dumars managed to make a Prince trade work both now and this summer. Shedding the remaining two years of Prince's contract reduces Detroit's committed 2013-14 salary to below $30 million, and provides ample cap space this summer to build around the Brandon Knight-Greg Monroe-Andre Drummond core.

The Pistons achieved that without dashing their slim playoff hopes for this season. In fact, Calderon may be an upgrade. The Spaniard is enjoying a terrific season and gives Detroit its best playmaker since Chauncey Billups. With more depth in the backcourt, the Pistons can slide rookie Kyle Singler to his natural small forward spot to replace Prince. The only downside is that Knight's development may stall a bit with Calderon cutting into his playing time and opportunities to run the offense.

Jan. 22: Grizzlies dump salary

Wayne Ellington and Josh Selby and forward Marreese Speights along with a protected 2015 first-round pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for forward Jon Leuer.

Memphis: B

The motivation for the Grizzlies here is obviously financial. Memphis sheds some $6.3 million in salary, which gets the team safely below the luxury tax. So new owner Robert Pera will now pay less salary and avoid the tax, plus receive the league's distribution of taxes paid by other teams -- half of which will go to non-taxpayers.

That's a solid saving for a single first-round pick, though it comes with a risk. Because of the protection, the Cavaliers only get the pick if it's in the lottery and outside the top five in 2015 or 2016 (it's top-five protected the next two years and unprotected in 2019). The Grizzlies have to hope they're still a playoff team three years from now to maximize their value. And they'll also have to replace Speights, who was a key part of their rotation.

Cleveland: B+

For the Cavaliers, this is a nice use of their cap space. Not only do they take a chance on a lottery pick two years down the road, they also get some decent players.With Anderson Varejao sidelined, Speights will take over as the backup to rookie center Tyler Zeller, while Ellington adds shooting to the Cleveland wing rotation for the rest of the season. Consider this a good deal that has a chance to be a great one if Memphis tanks in a couple of years.

 

Can someone please post this article about AB0 leaving Sacramento? http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/nba/rumors/post?id=3480

 

Spoiler

Aaron Brooks and his agent,Leon Rose, began speaking with the Houston Rockets shortly after the Sacramento Kings waived the point guard on Friday. Brooks gained his freedom by agreeing to a buyout with Sacramento and as expected he's agreed to terms with Houston.

“I just think I can help out,” Brooks told the Houston Chronicle. “That’s all I want to do. I’m comfortable there. They have a good team and a good coaching staff. It feels good. I’m definitely happy to be coming back.”

According to the newspaper, Brooks will sign a two-year contract on Tuesday and this season he gets $2.5 million. In 2013-14 he will also earn $2.5 million if the Rockets keep him.

Brooks, who was drafted and played for the Rockets from 2007-2011 when he was traded to Phoenix, will provide depth at point guard behind Jeremy Lin and Patrick Beverley.

To make room for Brooks the Rockets will likely waive Tyler Honeycutt.

 

Can somebody post this article comparing Westbrook to Kobe please?

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9015572/russell-westbrook-similar-kobe-bryant

thanks in advance

 

Spoiler

There really hasn't been a star like Kobe Bryant, who has had both a huge following of supporters and a long line of haters.

Winning two titles without Shaquille O'Neal has helped put his legacy in a positive light, but questions about his willingness to be a consistent "team guy" still exist. He makes it more challenging for his doubters when he decides to be a passer and then does so extraordinarily well. His zeal to win and fully compete shape him into a single-minded scorer all too often, making him a hard guy to feel warm and fuzzy about.

In Oklahoma City, there is now another all-NBA-caliber player who boils the blood of his detractors with his rambunctious actions, facial expressions and decision-making, while inspiring his teammates and fans with his lust for winning: Russell Westbrook.

Is Westbrook the next Kobe Bryant, a lethal scoring machine who can help carry a team to titles while still infuriating the masses? The similarities between the two are striking.

Power guards

Bryant and Westbrook can both dominate opponents physically. As an athlete in his prime, Kobe had it all -- the incredibly rare combination of length, elite athleticism in terms of quickness and bounce, and the power to play through defenders and not just around them. The only other shooting guards to ever have that combination, at Kobe's size, were Michael Jordan and Clyde Drexler. (Walter Davis lacked power, as did Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter. Dwyane Wade is significantly smaller.)

Westbrook is even rarer. He ranks as the most athletic point guard we have ever seen. His overall combination of physical skills gives him a bigger advantage in that aspect of the game than any point guard has ever enjoyed. But it comes at a price, as we have seen for years with Kobe.

For lack of a better word, both men are often "bullies" in games, just like Shaq and Charles Barkley and pretty much every great big man who featured a dominant physical game. Coaches demand that players with physical advantages use them as often as possible. So powerful players develop a mindset to dominate and relentlessly attack opponents. This can lead to the player becoming single-minded in his effort to overmatch the opponent.

The issue with Kobe and Westbrook is that they are guards and have the ball in their hands all the time. There's a saying, "To a hammer, everything looks like a nail." That applies perfectly to Kobe and Westbrook. They are almost always being defended by men who simply cannot match up with them physically. Some might be strong enough but lack the quickness. Others might be quicker but slighter. And almost all of them are shorter.

Kobe and Westbrook, therefore, do what any big man would do -- they look to exploit that disparity of physical talent against their defender and most help defenders, as well. This is where their games most parallel each other and where they draw the most criticism: Because of their physical advantages, they take more bad shots than they should since they can get them off and make enough to continue to believe that they are good shots.

Intense competitors

Both Kobe and Westbrook have a complete offensive game to match their physical prowess. They also have the necessary IQ to read the game. Kobe, to most experts' eyes, can be like a coach on the floor. His pedigree, playing for the best NBA coach in history (Phil Jackson) for so many seasons, gives him an understanding of the game few have. So when Kobe has launched one long contested jumper after another during his career, playing with men who were capable of scoring and were open, it was seen as Kobe ignoring what he knew to be the right play and instead focusing on his own matchup advantage.

To Westbrook, every defender looks like a "mark," and he goes about taking the mark down almost every chance he gets. When he does so while Kevin Durant is waiting patiently in the wings, and Westbrook misses shot after shot, that is when his decision-making is criticized.

Unlike Kobe, we are not yet sure Westbrook understands all of the mistakes he is making. No one is ready to proclaim him as one of the smartest guards in the league.

Ironically, the same incredible driving force that compels both men to churn out bad possessions also can serve as their guiding light. Kobe has been considered the most competitive player in the league for years. Chris Paul is in that same league, and Westbrook is quickly getting there. The true competitor wants to prepare to win just as much as he wants to win, because he understands how more of the former leads to more of the latter.

Kobe, following in the footsteps of guys such as Jordan, Magic and Bird, was always able to add skills to his game. And we are seeing that same pattern in Westbrook. He can "hammer" opponents with his jump shot now better than he ever could, which often leads to his problems.

Westbrook has a favorite move, in which he rises up to shoot a jumper just as he appears to be ready to drive hard to the rim, and he can hang on to the ball and change the timing of his release to ensure he can get it off. It's a hard shot to contest, but it is also a hard shot to make. Westbrook has taken 471 2-point shots between five feet and the 3-point line and has made just 171 of them (36.3 percent). Of those shots, 355 of them were from 10 to 19 feet, most of which were the pull-up jumpers off the dribble that he loves. But he has made only 135 of them (38 percent).

It's not as if Westbrook is a ball hog who leaves Durant to fend for himself. Westbrook has assisted on 163 of Durant's made field goals and has found Serge Ibaka for buckets 130 times. Those are significant numbers when considering that missed shots and fouls are not counted. So we know that he values his role as the lead ball handler and understands his teammates can't be expected to play well if they are not involved in the offense. He just doesn't seem to do it often enough.

But there is every reason to believe that another postseason failure will compel him to reconsider his strategies.

Can Westbrook have Kobe's success?

The Thunder have one of the best offenses in the league in recent seasons. Still, there is room for improvement if and when their starting point guard recognizes that he and his team would be better off if he turned down just a few of those tough jumpers and attacked the rim or moved the ball to an open teammate instead. Critics of Kobe and the Lakers also recognize that line of thinking.

Ultimately, Kobe has been able to get away with a lot of his bad habits because his teams have won five titles and he never played with another top wing scorer. Westbrook hasn't won anything at this level yet and plays alongside the league's best wing scorer, which is why some thought the Thunder should have kept James Harden and traded Westbrook.

There is a fine line between employing Westbrook like a sledgehammer while still running a beautiful offense; the Thunder don't want to curb Westbrook and therefore hurt the team, or let him do too much and render the offense less effective. It begins and ends with Westbrook's willingness to play with that edge yet not take as many of those tough jump shots. If he does that, he can quiet his critics, just as Kobe has.