Maybe it's just the situation, you know? Shooting in practice vs shooting in games. Shooting wide open vs shooting while being guarded. I guess the pressure of trying to prove yourself in a workout is different from the pressure of hitting an open shot in a game situation. I just wonder how you seperate the Dirk's and Pejas from the Bokis? I hope the Rockets learned some things though. They shouldn't draft a guy they didn't work out themselves (Griffin) nor should they let one draft workout impress them (Boki). How much sharing of draft workout results do you think goes on Clutch? I mean, I can imagine not wanting to make people aware of a player to make sure he's there when you pick, but I can also see the benefit of knowing if a guy only performed well for your team.
Great thread! Clippers were absolutely desperate to clear enough space to give Kobe a fully maxed deal. They did everything they could since Kobe's people fully assured them that he was coming if they had the cash. They also figured that Livingston was going to be a steal (and he still could be), and that playing Okafor or Howard next to Brand (with Wilcox and Ely still on the roster) would be redundant. It was all going to be beautiful: Brand, Maggette, Bryant, and Livingston. Then Shaq got dealt and Kobe knifed Baylor in the back. What's equally surprising to me is how little it seems to matter to Kwame that he's watching his career slide off the table. Curry is pulling a rope-a-dope since he knows how much money is at stake, but Kwame seems content to watch his value fall to the MLE level. I have serious questions about his head and whether he'll ever 'get it.' Exhibit A in the risk that comes with taking a 18 year old as the number 1 pick. Wizards have killed endless deals involving him, and I still suspect that they'll try and keep him if the deal is in the Etan Thomas range. Of course, this is the franchise that gave up on Googs, Webber, and Rasheed. Still can't wrap my head around how will the Warriors East is doing this year. Is this rhetorical? The only thing Melo still has going for him right now is his marketability, and even that's taken a hit. He's got to get it in his head that he's not a top 10 player yet and that he needs to learn and develop. Really head-scratching over this one. Mullin came in and the word was he wanted to clear space for a big splash into FA the summer of 2005. Well, he pissed all of that completely away last summer. The Foyle contract is utterly baffling still (less than 17 minutes a game for that money?). And the Richardson/Murphy signings killed any thoughts of getting under the cap, despite the fact that Richardson is likely never going to be an All-Star. How this team gets out of the mud is past me. Hawks - I like the young guys they've added (Smith, Childress), but I don't know if they can develop with Harrington at the 3. Moving Walker would be good only if they can get back a decent big man signed long term, seeing as they won't be the hottest FA spot around. They'll get more help in the draft, at least. Hornets - I'm relatively certain Shinn is going to hold back on fire sales. He's already been put on notice by Stern in regards to attendance, the city is already disillusioned and unsatisified with the product, and NO is a market that has struggled with supporting major league sports historically. This is a team that literally can not afford to burn everything to the ground and start over. A healthy Davis and Magloirre will go a long way, a top 3 draft pick will help tremendously, and if they can move Mashburn's expiring contract for someone like Jalen Rose, they'll be in business. GSW - They're not hiding the fact that they'll move Davis/Robinson, but they want draft picks or players for providing the cap relief, which is why Uncle Cliff isn't a Net yet. I don't expect to see them move for anything spectacular, but they should be gone soon. Portland - Here's a funny story. All of a sudden, they wish they could keep SAR and get rid of maxed-out Randolph. Zach has proven himself to be the worst teammate possible, openly lethargic and apathetic about everything other than getting his touches and shots. He's rapidly becoming a cancer on the team. Derek Anderson's knees are shot, it seems, and they're trying to wedge him into any deal. They're also going to triple PG lineups (Telfair, NVE, Damon), and will only have one of these guys around next year. This franchise is about to sink like a stone, and Nash's job may be in jeopardy. Bucks - I'd consider this team most likely to go into fire sale mode. They're slipping further and further out of the playoff race, and are petrified with Redd's future on the team. Can this market support a luxury taxed team long term anyway? Moving KVH may be paramount if they want to hold onto Redd. Move him for Walker or SAR or NVE, and they'll have the breathing room. But if Redd has already let them know he plans to walk......who knows? I'm mostly watching Marshall and Rose. Where they go will be interesting. Bosh must be hating life at this point. The Rockets proved to be a case in how drafting for need instead of best available can backfire. With Francis and Mobley on board, the team didn't want to bring in anyone that would create a logjam. Do Parker or Tinsley develop behind Francis? Does Redd (who didn't play much initially behind Allen), Simmons (scant production his first couple of years), or Jefferson (originally billed as a 2) get PT behind Cat? We also see the Rudy T fetish - he was near-obsessed while coaching the team when it came to perimeter shooting forwards. Started with Horry, went to Chilcutt and Bullard, and extended to Griffin, Collier, Langhi, Boki, and Mirsad Turkan. This really hurt us in our drafting decisions, IMO. Evan
Oh well, we would not have Yao or Tracy if we had those guys, and I would take those two over every player mentioned....
The Rocket's draft decisions have just confounded me. For years, it appears that they manage to screw themselves beyond comprehension. Based on what I have seen in recent years, they need some new folks making these decisions. In the last six years, the Rockets have a horrible drafting record. (Besides Ming and Mobley, who is doing well?) To compound the problem they have agreed to some of the dumbest trades and contracts ever made. Rice, Norris, Taylor, Cato, etc. Now, the Rocket's have become a retirement home for "Ole Knicks." The management of this team needs some serious attention, and changes. I am thankfull for Ming and TMac, but please, bring in some folks who can find the gems out there. S.A. seems to be able to do it.
2. The wizards have three players averaging 20+ and Juan Dixon stepping up big. When you have so many scoring options sure you'll be that high in the East. Lot of people bashed Hughes and Arena...but I think both are putting up 22 per. That team is a poor (maybe destitute) version of the Suns. Kwame won't pan out. He reminds me a lot of Marc Jackson when I watch him play. Olowokandi even. No footspeed, no exposiveness. 3. No question. D. Wade. D. Wade averages more point, assists, steals, blocks, and minutes. In some cases much more. And he shoots FG's almost 100 points better. Sure having Shaq helps, but Carmelo just isn't that good. To compare him to LeBron and Wade... it's not really fair.
While I'll agree about the draft picks being absimal, the trades in recent years haven't been that horrible. CD's closed the deals that got us Francis (IIRC, none of the players traded are still in the league, and none of them lasted long) and McGrady - two huge moves. The Pippen trade is tough to judge - we had no leverage after he began going to the media, he had demonstrated that he wasn't the same player anymore, had a monstrous salary, and yet we still got several servicable players (including Walt Williams and Cato) and did not take back bad contracts. We were the ones that signed Cato to a larger contract than deserved, but he also kept us from bottoming out at the center position as Dream fell apart. I'd do the Norris trade again in a heartbeat. The Rice trade wasn't great, but it probably beat signing and keeping Shandon Anderson for the money he ended up getting. CD's also made some fantastic signings over the years - Jim Jackson and Bobby Sura as examples. Mobley was locked up in one of the best deals in the league. There's good and bad in every franchise - we just tend to dwell on the negative with our own squad. Still beats being a Warrior or Knick fan. Evan
He was also hurt by having to live in the shadow of a certain Elton Brand. He did fill the void nicely enough for Duke to win a championship in '01, but all the credit went to Shane Battier and "Don't call me Jason" Willaims and to a lesser extent, Mike Dunleavy.
In regards to the Wizards, I gotta say with a healthy Larry Hughes, I think that the Wizards have the best backcourt in the NBA. The team simply gelled with Jamison in mind as well and all the players know that the big 3 (Arenas, Jamison, and Hughes) are the focal point of their offense. I have gotta say, Hughes is just sick and Arenas is simply a effiecient scorer.
Oops, I meant to also post a question for Nuggets4: I wanted to know what the general consensus on K-Mart is in Denver. When I heard that the Nuggets got him, I really thought it was such a significant pickup, but night in, night out I don't really hear too much on how either he's been a positive pickup or a disappointment. What's your take on him?
Happy. He's been a good emotional spark for the team at times. I won't say all of the time because the team's a disaster. But there have been some definate moments where he's fired the team up perfectly. Biggest problem most have is that a lot of people wanted to call the Nets bluff. Giving him a max contract? THat's ok. Giving up 3 picks for him? That's ok. Doing both? Dumb. But that's the story of this team.
thanks you made my day I'd like to add being a HAWKS FAN or even the Clippers cause they just tease Rocket River
Thanks for the reply Nuggest4! KMart would have probably been a perfect fit for the Rockets, so it's interesting to see how's he is fitting with the Nugs.
