This board serves as a testimonial to the inefficiency of the American workplace... ...I can't even remember the last time I posted from home .
Yet step away from your "ideal" and think about what it means for SA... AD > TP Bowen > Ferry So they have improved. Porter and Ferry are added to the bench and get the limited minutes they should. Daniels is not as bad as you seem to think he is. As for Bowen, most teams might not be able to handle a defensive oriented spot up shooter, but SA can. I've not claimed he will be anything but that in SA. Overall, this is a better lineup at the 1-3 than what the Spurs took the best record in the NBA with and went into the playoffs with last season. The bench is looking better in SA as well. As for LA, we'll see. I don't deny that they are tops in the league. Richmond and Hunter are nice additions, yet the loss of Grant is more significant than most care to admit. Walker is not on par with Grant, even with him at age 35. LA will be helped by the rule changes as well...which should help to mask Walker's defensive deficiencies. I can see The Cat's opinion about LA...everything seemed to click at the right time. Will that occur again? Of course, everything did come together at the right time...so if it is possible once, why not again? Sure, LA won with AC Green starting at the 4...but they didn't have a smooth ride in doing so.
Mr Spur. You act like AD is an "addition". He wasn't, he was on the team last year, and there was a reason he wasn't starting. A couple of good playoff game and some flashes as a back-up does not make you a good starter. Things change when teams night in and night out start on focusing on limitations and consistent performance night in and night out is demanded by your teammates. That is why Croshere, Travis Best, Anthony Carter, Shandon Anderson, and a host of other players don't look nearly so good when they are in starting roles. AD is not anything close to a "sure thing" as a starter, even if he does do some things well and made a fine back-up. The same holds for Bowen too, if he was that good the Heat would have used him as a regular in the playoffs and would have got a heck of a lot more than a minimum contract offered to him. The only proven starter of the 3 guys in new roles (again AD is not new to the team) is Smith. And he lost his job last year and has been physically freefalling for 3 years. Further, now the Spurs don't an adequate replacement/sub at the 2 with AD in his new role. In short, a lot has to come together with 2 unproven NBA starters in new starting role plus another new starter who got beat out on his previous team. The more I think about it I really think the Spurs will be 4th behind Sac and Portland. As much as I dislike those idiots in the NW I think Portland is going to be a load next year, they would tear up SA at the 1-2-3 and have much more depth and some big guys. On second thought, it looks like Arbonis is done and who knows if Kemp will ever provide anything. So right now I would give SA a clear edge over Portland. I still like Portland over Dallas though. As far as the Lakers, I take a very different view than Cat/Spur. With as much as went wrong last year, getting 0 from Rider and Harp, Fisher missing most of the season, not getting much from Grant, and with "the fued", the fact they pulled it togther when they appeared so vulnerable doesn't bod at all well for the rest of us for this year. Now Hunter is insurance to Fish, Mitch is in Rider's role but is like Rider with a heart and brain transplant, and Walker can spot Horry. They have more insurance, and better insurance (everywhere but at the "4", but Horry/Walker isn't terrible), than last year and they were able to survive last year anyway. That sucks for the rest of us.
Daniels has performed well when he has started. Portland better than SA because of an overwhelming difference in talent? I've heard that one before. Once again, look at who is being replaced in the lineup and tell me that is not an improvement. I didn't realize that Danny Ferry was that good.
If you read further I changed my mind when I looked at the front-line questions now for Portland because it looks like Sheed and Davis are the only sure bet contributers. And yes, I'd rather have DA, AD, Porter, Avery, Ferry, Elliott, Walker and Rose to support the twin towers than Smith, AD, Porter, Ferry, Bowen, Jackson and Rose. The main reason is DA is the best player among all these guys and you could count on him as a vital 2nd or 3rd option as well as good defense for heavy minutes. Smith should be able to score well in the set offense but he hasn't been asked to do the other for many years and will not produce nearly as many easy baskets. I understand you could debate otherwise (you like the new set of guys better), but I don't see how any reasonable person could conclude the Spurs and Lakers offseason moves didn't further the gap between them.
Mr. Spur- Stephen Jackson is a Port Arthur Lincoln High school graduate. Port Arthur Lincoln has a proud tradition of educating fine young people like Joe Washington of Washington Redskins fame, Earl Evans who had a good collegiate career at UNLV and Later UCLA, and B.J. Tyler who played for Philadelphia briefly. Being born in Port Arthur I am very proud of Stephen Jackson and hope he has a fine NBA career. He paid his dues in Europe. We wish him success.
