Rafer Alston/Kyle Lowry/Brian Cook Trade Analysis

My keyboard is on fire, but here goes the last analysis of the trade season. The most significant trade before the trade deadline is happening for Orlando. The Magic will receive Houston's Rafer Alston. The Rockets will receive Kyle Lowry. Brian Cook, a first round pick, and some filler will go to Memphis.

This deal works for everyone. Lets take this one step at a time. First, the Grizzlies. They are a team that has the lowest payroll in the league, but they have a tremendous amount of young talent. A first round pick is only going to add to that. With Mike Conley playing extremely well the last few weeks, and OJ Mayo in the long term plans, the Grizzlies got rid of Lowry. Coming into the season, they were wondering what they would do with Javaris Crittendon, Kyle Lowry, and Mike Conley. It was for sure going to be a throw down to see who would win the job. Crittendon lost the battle first, and then Conley proved that he could be the guy bringing up the court. Now Lowry finds himself on a struggling Houston team.

As for Houston, I think that Lowry can help them out back there. He will increase all of his averages of 7.6ppg and 3.6 assts a game. He will see a lot of playing time because I think that Rick Adelman will continue to play Aaron Brooks off the bench in the same capacity Brooks has played all season. Brooks will compete for the starting job next season, but as of now, Lowry will be given the thumbs up. The Rockets will also get Brian Cook. Cook has developed a terrible reputation of being a shooter every time he touches the ball. Problem is, he can't shoot. Cook is only shooting 38.3% on the season. Don't expect that to change anytime soon as he probably won't get in the rotation that often, but his salary made the deal work. Cook's impact on the team will be minimal. Overall, Lowry is about half a step down from Alston, but for next season, after he learns Adelman's unique offense, he will be a much more effective player. Lowry is a steal with his talent and salary. Lowry is due to make $1.1 million this season, and just over $2 million next season with a qualifying offer in none other than, the summer of 2010. From watching Lowry play, he doesn't seem like he commands on the floor. He seems to force the game. Lowry also seems to play off of other players. He waits for a player to make a move, and he reacts to that. It doesn't seem like Lowry creates opportunities for himself outside of his occassional drive to the basket. I think that is something he can work on, and will change when he gets used to the talent around him in Houston, and of course, when the Rockets are healthy (if that ever happens). This is the perfect situation for Lowry to develop himself as a credible guard. The spotlight is on him in Houston, and he will be asked much more next season than this season. Think of the last part of this season as a warmup for Lowry.

So the last point guard that went to Orlando from Houston was a guy named Steve Francis. The guy who came to Houston was Tracy McGrady. We know how that went down. Put aside what you may think about T-Mac right now, and realize that he averages over 29ppg in the playoffs. When healthy, Tracy McGrady is one of the NBA's elite. Steve Francis, not so much, to say the least. When Jameer Nelson went down, Orlando tried to play it like Anthony Johnson could carry the load. After watching the unathletic veteran for a few games, it became very clear that Johnson would not be able to hold the fort down. So here comes Alston. The guy has had some big games the last couple games. Alston is an extremely streaky shooter. I never thought about it, but Alston is a poor man's Jameer Nelson. He is averaging 11.5 ppg, 5.4 assts, and 1.19 steals. Nelson averages 16.7ppg, 5.4 assts, and 1.21 stls. With the exception of points, those are virtually the same numbers. Alston is smaller in size, has the handles, can pass, and score. I can make this comparison because they both played with a dominant center that changes defenses. We should also note that Alston has never had a full arsenal of options available to him. He does have that in Orlando. Expect his numbers to jump a little bit. I think they have some similarities and some differences. The similarity is their shots off of screens. Nelson loves shooting off of screens and giving the pick n'roll pass. Alston likes to shoot off of screens, but the pick n'roll isn't so big in Houston, but Alston had his fair share of assists to Yao. I think Alston will make an immediate impact in Orlando, and that is what they need. Alston was stuck in the limbo land of Houston, and he is now on a championship contending team. If the Magic don't like what Alston is doing, he is making $4.9 million and will make a bit above that next season, but his contract expires in none other than the summer of 2010. Perfect. Alston will undoubtedly thrive off of Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu's shooting ability. He will be able to create shots for himself, and like Jameer Nelson, Alston loves to drive to the basket. We have seen this time and time again, Alston driving to the basket, defenses collapose, and he drops the ball off the Scola or Yao for the easy put away. Well, the same thing is going to happen in Orlando with the exception of dropping off to a PF or SF, he could kick it out to the wings for 3, or give it to Dwight Howard. Either option is going to be a favorable outcome for the Magic. The one concern is when Nelson comes back. Do they just have Alston come off the bench? I think they will let that happen for a while, but they will probably trade him away after they don't need him. Alston is a quick bandaid for the Jameer Nelson loss. After Nelson is back and healthy, Alston's expiring contract and proven play will be good trade bait next season. It is looking good for Orlando. They can now safely start discussing a legitimate playoff run.

Izzy

Sheldon Williams/ Bobby Brown for Rashard McCants/Calvin Booth Trade Analysis

Sheldon Williams and Bobby Brown got sent to Minnesota for Rashard McCants and Calvin Booth.

This trade is pretty minor so we will focus on Sheldon Williams and Rashard McCants.

The trade is a neutral move for both teams. Sheldon Williams was the 5th pick in the draft, and has never lived up to expectations after a standout college career at Duke. Sheldon is limited by his athletic ability, and his lack of post presence. In college, Williams was able to out muscle inferior defenders, and get a lot of clean-up baskets. In the NBA, it is obviously a different story. Williams has not started any games this season, and averaged 10.2 minutes for the the Kings. His stats are minimal this season, and have been throughout his career. Williams is averaging 3.7 ppg and 2.6 rebs. Don't let Kevin McHale fool you. They have articulated that Al Jefferson's injury prompted this trade for Williams, but this is another financial move. Williaims is due about $3.3 million this season and has an option for next season. I don't know if the Timberwolves will pick it up. I suspect that they won't, and will use it to go after another player. It is worth noting that Calvin Booth averages 5.2 ppg and 1.9 assts and only makes the minimum (for his experience) at $442,144. All-in-all, the impact for the Wolves will be virtually nil.

The Kings have been pretty active in the trade market. This is their 3rd trade that they have been involved in throughout this trade season. Again, they have acquired all of these players for financial reasons (with the exception of Andres Nocioni). Rashard McCants, the former TarHeel star, never quite lived up to his expectations. McCants and Booth are both expiring contracts. They will have a combined $3.7 million in expiring contracts (McCants has a qualifying option at $3.4 next season). McCants is averaging 9.1ppg and .9 assts. Outside of some scoring, he is largely ineffective. Like I said in the Nocioni/Miller analysis, Sacramento is cutting costs. These small market team fans must get used to this because the small market teams can't afford to incur the luxury tax penalty like big market teams can. It makes financial sense for the Kings. They have the worst record in the league so I guess at this point acquiring minimal impact players is a good thing. Calvin Booth has played in 1 game this season, and will probably see double that action, at most, for the rest of this season. The Kings are in a good position financially going into the 2009-2010 season.

Izzy

Brad Miller/John Salmons for Andres Nocioni/Drew Gooden Trade Analysis

I have heard rumblings about Brad Miller being on the trade market for the last two days. Brad Miller and John Salmons get traded for Andres Nocioni, Drew Gooden, Michael Ruffin (sent to Portland), and Cedric Simmons. The Blazers also sent Ike Diogu to Sacramento.

I like this trade for the Bulls. I wrote a while back about how Brad Miller was one of the most underachieving players in the NBA. He is a 2-time All-Star, and actually played for the Bulls from 2000-2002 before moving onto Indiana. He has been plagued by injury for the last couple of seasons, but when he has played this season, he has been putting in a lackluster effort. Miller went through the motions, and just sort of existed on the court. He is capable of playing as one of the most fundamentally sound Centers in the league. He proved that when he was in Indiana, and that is why Sacramento signed him to such a big deal. This puts Chicago in good position for, none other than, the Summer of 2010. Chicago will easily be a major player that summer. No one is really talking about Chicago, but lets not forget that they are the 3rd biggest market after LA and New York. They have Brad Miller's $12.25 million, Larry Hughes' $13.6 (although he may be traded before his contract expires), and potentially 5 other players who will have either a team option or qualifying offer in the summer of 2010. Derrick Rose has a team option for that year that I can safely assume the Bulls will pick up. Brad Miller is more of a high post guy expect Miller to be setting a lot of high screens for Derrick Rose. Pick N'Roll will probably be Vinny Del Negro's go-to play after a while. The most under appreciated part of Miller's game is his passing. He is averaging 3.4 assists this season, which is high for a big man, but don't think that is his limit. I believe that Miller will be up to around 5.5 assists by the end of the season. There are a plethora of shooters that Miller will be able to go to in order to increase those assists. Miller also brings 11.9 ppg and 8 rebs to the table. Not too bad, but expect those averages to go up a bit. We have to take into account his lack of effort, but we can't blame him. How much effort would you put in if you were on the worst team in the league?

So lets look at John Salmons. The Spurs wanted Salmons really badly because of his affordability. Salmons is easily the best deal in the league. He averages 18.3 ppg, 4.2 rebs, 3.7 assts, and 1 steal a game for the discounted price of $5.1 million this year. Salmons is undoubtedly part of the Bulls' long term plans as he is signed through the summer of 2011. Salmons has played solid all year. He shoots about 47% from the field, and has good size. I can imagine that Del Negro will go for a lineup of Miller, Deng/Ty Thomas, Salmons, Gordon, and Rose/Hinrich. That would be a solid lineup for the Bulls, and would put them in position for a strong playoff push towards the end of this season. The Bulls may not have an incredibly strong bench past Hinrich and Thomas wth this lineup, but this would give them a 10-man rotation if you throw in Gray, Noah, and Sefolosha (expect Aaron Gray's playing time to be cut). A good start for a Bulls team that has been criticized since the passing of the Jordan era. General Manager John Paxon has finally made a move that has made both financial sense and basketball sense. I think the Bulls may be able to capture the 8th spot, but that would be the best case scenario. This has put the Bulls in a good situation for the future and for next season. Ben Gordon will be a free agent this summer and it is doubtful that Gordon will re-sign with the Bulls. That will be another $6million free for them to go after a mid level player to complement the core they have right now.

As for Sacramento, I'm not going to go too in depth into the basktball side of this trade because it was made more for financial reasons than anything. The Kings have abandoned this season. Nocioni is the only player the Kings wanted to get for basketball reasons. They acquired Nocioni who still has about $29 million on his contract left with an option of $7.5 million for the 2013 season. That is a long term deal, and the Kings seem to have Nocioni in mind for the long run. Nocioni is a shooter. He is inconsistent, and he will probably always be inconsistent, but he brings little else besides shooting to a team. My thinking is that the Kings want to acquire a big man and hope that Kevin Martin develops into the star they think he will be, and surround Martin and the big man with shooters. As far as Gooden goes, he is actually from Northern California (Oakland, 2 hours southwest of Sacramento), and he is an expiring $7.1 million at the end of the season. Something that will make owners George and Gavin Maloof smile. Gooden is actually posting better numbers than Brad Miller this season. He is putting up 13.1ppg and 8.6rebs. Of course, he is not as good of a passer as Miller, but again, Gooden is a financial acquisition. The Kings are trying to cut costs at this point, and may look to the future. Their small-market mentality makes it hard for them to go over the luxury tax because they are likely to not be able to cover themselves financially if that happens. The Kings were currently at $70 for this season, and this trade allows them to save some money in the long term. Cedric Simmons also adds a bit of financial relief as well for the Maloof brothers. He is due $1.7 million at the end of the season with an option for about $2.6 million for next season. Simmons' basketball impact is minimal as he averages 2.5 ppg and 1.1 assts a game. For Kings fans, it seems like a lifetime ago that they were playing the legendary playoff series' against the Lakers in the early part of this decade. Lets hope that they can come back to relevancy some time soon.

Izzy

Tyson Chandler and Joe Smith/Chris Wilcox Trade Analysis

The second big trade in the last week happened earlier today. The news came out that the Hornets' Tyson Chandler, and the draft rights to former Cal star, Devon Hardin, had been swapped for the Thunder's Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox.

This was a very interesting move. It had been rumored for a long time that the Hornets were looking to deal Tyson Chandler because of his monster deal. He is due to make about $23 million the next two seasons with an option of $12 million in the 2011/2012 season. This move made a lot of financial sense for the Hornets. The Hornets had a payroll of $67 million this season which is $4.15 million under the salary cap right now. They would have been due to pay $77 million next season, but with this trade, they are able to get the expiring contracts of Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox, which will give them more flexibility. Smith and Wilcox make a combined $11.4 million this season, and that will all come off the books for the Hornets next year. In the short term, the Hornets are pretty much out of the discussion to win the West. Wilcox and Joe Smith just can't handle the Pau Gasols, the Tim Duncans, the Yao Mings, the Nenes and the rest of the tall Western Conference forwards and centers. Although Chandler is still recovering from an injury that has kept him out since January 20th, he should be expected to maintain his current level of production. The Hornets have given up their best shot blocker, and since dominant bigmen are so hard to come by in the NBA, losing the 7'1 Chandler is a big blow to them inside. Chandler was not the most productive offensive player, but he understood how to play as a big man. He averages 8.8 ppg, but he knows his value doesn't come from the offensive end. It won't have to with the rapid development of Durant, Green, and Westbrook. Chandler doesn't have an incredibly threatening post game, but he was an incredible rebounder and one of the best shot blockers in the league averaging 8.4 rebs and 1.4 blks a game. Those numbers are a little low considering his size, but rest assured, players think twice before trying to put a shot up over Chandler. He is a definite asset in the middle. He will help the Thunder develop their team. He will be an excellent complement to Durant, Green, and Westbrook. The Thunder are obviously not a very good defensive team, and Chandler has made a living off of his defense and rebounding. A good fit for them overall. The one x-factor I see here is Chandler meshing with the front court of Nenad Kristic and Nick Collison. The upside is that Chandler is 26, which is great for the Thunder because they wanted to allow their core of young talent grow together, and Chandler will undoubtedly facilitate that growth, and be very much a part of it. Another part of Chandler's game that is often overlooked because he doesn't get that many points is his FG%. He shoots 56.3% from the field. It is further proof that this guy can play around the basket, and is a finisher. Remember, Chandler was playing with the US team for the summers prior to the Beijing games so he has been around the best in the league, and has practiced with the best in the world. His veteran leadership as well as his skill set will be a valuable tool for the Thunder's growth.

As for New Orleans, they get Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith. The Hornets have stated that they think Wilcox is athletic and will fit into their system. I have yet to see it. He is listed at 6'10 and 235. Every time I have seen him play, he has been a lackluster defender, and at times gets lost in the game. He is not a big threat on the offensive or defensive end. He averages 8.4 ppg, and 5.3 rebs. Wilcox is going to have a tough time guarding anyone in the West. Granted, those numbers are from this year, and it is hard to get motivated when you are playing for one of the worst teams in the NBA, but Wilcox is in a contract year. We all know what that does to players. It motivates them. If Wilcox can find that "trade inspiration" as I like to call it (when a player moves from a bad team to a good team), he might be an asset to the Hornets for the latter half of this year. Do I really think he is going to have an amazing end of the season? No, but I'm trying to be as optimistic for the Hornets as possible. Joe Smith is pretty much an older version of Chris Wilcox (Both of them are Maryland products. I had to get that ACC jab in there.). Smith is also 6'10, but is 10lbs lighter than Wilcox at 235lbs. He is basically split minutes with Wilcox down the middle in OKC with both players playing about 19 minutes a game. Smith averages about 6.6 ppg and 4.5 rebs. As you can see, both Wilcox and Smith are not big threats either way. Neither player averages more than a block a game. In fact, the average blocks per game for both Smith and Wilcox is .55 blocks a game. They will be a non-factor inside. It is a crucial loss for the Hornets who thrived on Chandler being able to body-up inside. I do believe that this is Hornets GM Jeff Bower's way of saying, "We will see you next season." He can't be criticized too heavily for that considering how clear cut the race in the West is getting. Bower has learned from the Phoenix Suns case study that having the best point guard in the league, an all-star PF, and some shooters is not going to win you a championship. In fact, it will bring you to the brink of a championship only to realize that the team is not good enough, and completely melt down. Bower is avoiding that. He will updoubtedly sign a Center this summer, and look to next season. Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Drew Gooden, Antonio McDyess, and Rasho Nesterovic are among the big name unrestricted free agents this summer. I don't doubt that the Hornets will go hardcore after one of those players. The Hornets will test their limit in the playoffs. They will play as hard as they can, and see where their deficiency lies. After they figure that out, they will be very active in the offseason. The future looks good for New Orleans.

Vladimir Radmanovic for Adam Morrison Trade Analysis

News came out that the Lakers have traded Vladimir Radmanovic for the Bobcats' Adam Morrison and Shannon Brown.

I'm not sure what to make of this trade. It seems like a lateral move for the Lakers, at best, and a tiny step forward for the Bobcats. I'm going to give the win to the Bobcats for a few reasons. Reason one is that Larry Brown and MJ got to get rid of Morrison, someone they were not fond of, especially after his awful play during his starting job role after Gerald Wallace went down. They add Vlad-Rad, a player they believe can play the 3 or the 4 and can stretch the defense with his outside shooting. Of course, Vlad-Rad has been criticized for his lack of effort at times, and his inconsistency. Radmonovic is also not known for his defensive capabilities, which is one of the reasons Larry Brown fell out of favor with Morrison. When it all comes down to it, Vlad-Rad and Morrison have the same flaws. They both play little to no defense, inconsistent scorers, and inconsistent effort. The Bobcats made the trade probably because they believe that they can Vlad-Rad can hit shots a couple more times than Morrison can. In reality, it was probably just to get rid of Morrison, and they realized that Vlad-Rad was the best thing they were gonna get for him.

On the Lakers side. The Lakers get a 3rd pick who never panned out. We all remember Morrison making ridiculous shots at Gonzaga, but many were skeptical about his success in the NBA. He has proven those doubters correct. Morrison is not the most athletic, but he is a shooter, and that is why the Bobcats took a chance on him. A shooter who will make a shot every now and then, but he won't provide the instant offense we need off the bench night-in and night-out. It is also unknown what role Morrison will play on the team. Vladimir Radmanovic has recently lost his starting job to Lamar Odom, and it will be interesting to see how Phil Jackson utilizes Morrison, if at all. What I think, and what I hope, the Lakers are using Morrison for is a trade piece for another deal. The only one I can see right now is for Amare. Yes, Amare Stoudamire. Lamar Odom and Adam Morrison for Amare would work out financially. The Suns would get the very rare skill set of Lamar Odom, and a guy who could play almost any position except Center in Terry Porter's system. This is all speculative of course, and there has been no mention of Morrison being traded again. It leaves Lakers fans to wonder why Morrison was acquired in the first place. It will save the Lakers $7 million in cap space next season, but the Lakers have not been known as a money saving team. If that is the ultimate reason, I think the Lakers and Lakers fans can live with that. The Buss family has proven they will do whatever it takes to win, and if cost cutting now for wins in the future is what the team is doing, that is something Lakers fans can deal with. Well, Lakers fans can only hope that Morrison will be part of a bigger deal. Morrison's contract is guaranteed until the summer of 2010 with an option for the 2010/2011 season. That could be attractive to some teams, and Lamar's expiring $11.4 million is also an enticing option. As of now, the Lakers just hope that Morrison can develop up to his potential, and prove everyone wrong. Nonetheless, interesting news coming out of the NBA, and one that may not be favorable to Purple and Gold faithful right now. We have seen Mitch Kupchak do it before. We are just outsiders that may not have a perspective on what Kupchak's grand plan is.

Izzy

If you want more trade news and rumors, a great piece by SI will let you know everything you need to know before February 19th.

Analysis on the Jason Richardson and Boris Diaw/Raja Bell trade

There were two trades that went down in the NBA today. The Hornets, Wizards, and Grizzlies were involved in a trade. The impact of that trade is relatively minor so I will focus on the big trade that went down today. The trade was Jason Richardson, Jared Dudley, and a 2nd round pick from Charlotte to Phoenix for Boris Diaw, Raja Bell, and Sean Singletary.

Lets start off with Charlotte. I have no idea what they are doing with this trade. They give up their top scorer for two mediocre scorers in Diaw and Bell. Diaw is signed until the summer of 2011 and has an option for the 2011 and 2012 season. Bell is signed until the summer of 2010. So cap space was not the motivation. They couldn't even fake like they were going for Lebron because Diaw's 9 million is still on the books during the summer of 2010. The rotation of Richardson, Augustin, and Felton was working out really well for Larry Brown. It is a little surprising that they broke that rotation up. I expect the Bobcats to make Bell part of that 3-man rotation, but it will be with Bell playing a much smaller role than in Phoenix. The acquisition of Diaw makes a little more sense, and he will be the backup for Okafur. It bolster's Charlotte's size, but I can't justify giving up my top scorer for two role players that would fit in well with a championship calibur team. Clearly, Charlotte is nowhere near a championship, but they still took these two players on. It is at best, and I stress the word 'best', a linear move for the Bobcats.

For the Suns, this has continued the trend of good players moving West. Jason Richardson gives the Suns a chance to compete with the best teams in the West. The West is so good on paper, if you were to try and rank the teams without seeing them play, you could legitimately make a case for the top 6 teams in the West to be in multiple positions in the West. Jason Richardson averages 18.7 ppg and 4.1 rebs a game and has about 2 3-pointers a game. He is also a decent defender who will cause a lot of matchup problems for teams. He will be able to body up the the SG or SF on any team they play. That includes the Kobe's and Odom's, the T-Mac's and Artest's, and the Roy's and Outlaw's of the West. Not to mention the East's SG's and SF's. Shaq and Amare will provide good interior defense, and being able to have a 3-man rotation of Hill, Barnes, and Richardson provides a strong combination of defense and offense whenever any of the 3 are on the floor. It also gives them a tremendous amount of versatility in their offense. They have a strong inside presence in Shaq which allows Stoudamire more freedom, and putting gunners like Grant Hill, Richardson, and Barnes on the perimeter will stretch defenses thin. Throw in a penetrating pass-first point guard in Nash, and the Suns looks like a pretty good team.

Nash said that he was sad to see Raja Bell leave because Bell was Nash's best friend, but I don't think Nash will be disappointed with the player he is getting in return. The Suns are not in the cellar of the West anymore. The West has become ultra competitive. I am too young to make a claim that this is the strongest a conference has been, but I can't imagine that a conference in the past has surpassed the current Western Conference in talent by much. There is no doubt that as an NBA fan this has been one of the most exciting time periods to follow the league. The competition between the teams will ensure that teams will be fighting all season long for playoff seeding. This mitigates some arguments people make about the NBA season being too long, and the teams not caring. I think we can be safe in assuming teams will be fighting until June.

Izzy

Evaluating the Marcus Camby trade

My cousin and I were talking about the recent trade and have come up with the following conclusion. Denver is screwed and the Clippers are going to make the playoffs next year. What are the Nuggets thinking? They just happened to be on the better end of the tightest Western Conference in the modern era and they give away the one player who can give them some sort of defensive presence because they did not want to pay luxury tax. Nugget fans, that is a classic example of a team managing by the plus and minus of the accounting ledger instead of with a commitment to the W/L column. How ironic that the Nuggets trade Camby to a team that is notorious for a front office that has not pulled the trigger on a deal because Donald Sterling didn't want to cut those checks. Clippers fans, things just got a whole lot brighter. Yeah, there is no Elton Brand, but Camby is not half bad and it works out well for the Clips and here is why. (Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby left)

For starters, the Clippers have had some of the absolute worse drafting in basketball, and I would say worst, but we all know that Minnesota is the winner of that one. The Clippers give up a second round pick that would have been a complete waste of a pick anyway. It would be one of those picks where management finds out they are on the clock, throw a bunch of pieces of paper with names on them and Donald Sterling and Elgin Baylor throw darts at the pieces of paper and see what name they hit. Don't believe that is how they draft? How about their draft records of Yaoslav Korolev, Melvin Ely, and Michael Olowokandi, the player who is in those drunken NBA debates about who was the worst #1 pick of all time, Kwame Brown or Kandi man? The Clippers could have given up a first round pick and this deal would have been heavily in the Clippers favor. Bottom line is, Clippers got great value for giving up nothing. The LA teams are stealing...errr...I mean, trading really well!

The Clippers shouldn't be too disappointed for losing Brand. I am a firm believer in a player doing what is best for himself. I can sympathize with Brand (or maybe it was David Falk) with his decision to go to Philly. The guy has a devastating Achilles injury and no one knows how he is going to come back and play. I see Clipper fans rolling their eyes, but would you really want to invest $80 million+ in a guy who hasn't played in a season and might not be up to where he was? If he came back and couldn't produce like he used to, it would tie up finances for a long time. Err on the side of caution and move in a different direction. Camby is a one year rental, and if you are Mike Dunleavy that is something you can easily work with.

Lets just think about if Brand came back, the Clippers don't have the cap room to sign Camby, and Kaman becomes less productive. Obviously a healthy Brand > Camby, but Kaman needs the ball to produce. Kaman averaged 15.7 ppg this past season compared to the 06'-07' season where he averaged 10.1 ppg and increased his field goal percentage to 48% from 45%. Clear proof that he needs the ball to be effective. This is clearly a plus on Kaman's end.

Camby is an excellent complementary player next to Kaman. He was slow on the weak side rotation, but he played on the Nuggets. There was a reason he was a defensive player of the year and why he was such a coveted asset when he played for the Raptors and Knicks. I expect Camby to help Al Thornton grow and having a promising player like Thornton as your backup is something I'm sure Mike Dunleavy likes to see when looking down the bench. Camby can play the 4. I would not be surprised if Dunleavy used Camby as the 5 and put Thornton in at the 4 and tried to play some small ball that B.Davis is used to. It makes the options very problematic. Two seven footers in the front make it a pretty tough matchup for a lot of teams. Camby can play outside more instead of having to matchup down low like he had to do in Denver. It will leave him to shoot the 15-18 ft jumpshots that he loves and leave Kaman a lot of room down low to do what he does best, posting up. Camby doesn't need the ball to score, he will find his way. If Camby isn't spotting up for a mid-range jumper, he is crashing the boards for an offensive rebound. Defensively, both Camby and Kaman will be great. The mere presence of both in the lane will be enough to discourage opposing guards from driving in the lane and make it tougher for opposing bigs to just power the ball inside. Mike Dunleavy is going to be a very happy coach with a lot of options.

If you are worried about Camby's 9.1 ppg not being enough. Al Thornton averaged around 18 points in the last month of the season and will get his reps in the summer league and be ready to continue that upward trend into the 08'-09' season. To add to all of this, if Eric Gordon can be an effective scorer, it will lighten the load even more for Camby and he can focus on the defensive end. The Clippers losing Maggette was the biggest blow to their rotation. It is hard to find a player right now who can match Maggette's contribution, but it isn't devastating. The Clippers are coming out next year as a clear playoff contender. If they live up to expectations they should be the team that replaces the Nuggets in the playoff seeds. The Nuggets hurt themselves from that perspective too. They fueled a Clipper team that is desperately trying to make moves, and when the Clipper faithful thought it would be a long shot, the Nuggets said, "Here, take our 8th spot."

And the Western Conference arms race continues...


Izzy

Picture Sources: nba.com Getty Images (first), hoopsvibe.com (second), nba.com (third), daylife.com (fourth)

Off season to-do list: Nuggets

The Nuggets are an incredibly confusing team, to say the least. They have incredible talent on the team, but underachieve every single year. Most Denver fans will point to George Karl, but it has less to do with George Karl's coaching than it has to do with the chemistry of the team. There are a few things that the Nuggets could do that does not have to do with cutting George Karl from the head coaching position.

When AI was traded from Philly everyone thought putting him alongside Melo was going to create an unstoppable offensive force. Those predictions were true, and one of the few predictions about the Nuggets that came through. Melo and AI are obviously two incredible players who know how to score. It was sort of strange to hear Melo's name being thrown around in trade rumors. My theory on that is the Nugget's did that to scare Melo after his off-court troubles instead of actually trying to trade him. I have reason to believe that theory, other than the fact that trading for Chauncy Billups would have been a side step for the Nuggets and made them smaller in the front which would have made no sense for the Nuggets. The other name that came up was Rasheed Wallace and if the Nuggets were looking for a player that doesn't have off-court trouble, Wallce probably wasn't the right way to go anyway. Melo is staying in The Mile High City period.

The Nuggets got ousted by the Lakers 4-0. It was a sad reminder that this current Nugget team cannot get this done. A lot has not been said about this, but AI is in the last year of his contract and he is due to make $21.9 million this season. That is an unbelievable trade asset that the Nuggets have. I doubt that something happens before the season starts, but come February, if the right team puts together the right package, AI could be shipped out very quickly. Obviously AI has had a remarkable career, but his aging body has logged a ton of minutes and he has taken more punishment and injuries through his career than some team's starters combined have gone through. He did average 26.4 points, 7 assts, and 2 steals, but those numbers are down from his glory days in Philly. AI is one of the quickest players in the history of the NBA and no one is denying that. The pieces of the Nuggets are the main road block preventing them from doing damage in the Western Conference. The Nuggets could get great value back for AI because keeping him just causes problems. It would be foolish to sign him to another long term contract after this one expires in the summer of 2009 because he is an aging guard and it has not been working thus far. It is time for the Nuggets to part with AI. With AI's $21.9 million salary, a team could put together a very nice package. A team who needs a quick fix short-term fix in the back court, one of the best offensive assets in the league, quickness, toughness, and wants to secure sellouts every night could attempt to acquire his services and might explore trade options. No team immediately comes to mind, but just expect teams to be interested in his expiring contract and expect the Nuggets to listen intently.

The Nuggets seem to lack the strength and mental toughness needed to succeed in the West. AI has the mental and physical toughness and is a good defender, but this is where things get murky for the Nuggets. Outside of AI, it doesn't seem like any of the other players have that. Kenyon Martin made an astronomical salary of $13.2 million in this past season and is due to make $14.1 million in the coming year and it rises about $1.2 million over the next 3 years. This super athletic forward out of Cincinnati has had times where he has performed up to his salary, but not when it counts in the post season. He averaged 12.4 ppg, 6.5 rebs, and 1.2 blks. Those numbers are not terrible, and he was the third highest scoring Nugget by .1 point above J.R Smith, but those numbers are not living up to his salary. His contract is usually for a 20pt/10 reb/2.5 blks type of guy. He is an amazing defensive asset and he has the ability to shut down whoever he is guarding, but his offensive production might be hindered by Melo and AI taking 38 of the teams shots. To Martin's credit he does get a lot of clean up opportunities and shoots the highest field goal percentage on the team at 53.8%. He seemed to crack under the pressure of the playoffs and seems to be a little of a hothead on the court and his emotions dictate how he plays which is a huge liability for any NBA team, but K-Mart is by no means the only Nugget guilty of these flaws.

After Carmelo Anthony was drafted out of Syracuse he was hoped to be the franchise savior for the Nuggets. He has been able to keep them above water for the past few years, but never anywhere near what his 03' draft class buddies Lebron James and Dwayne Wade have done for their franchises since being drafted. The Cavs are consistently at the top of their conference as well as Wade bringing home a championship for Miami. Bosh and Melo have performed up to expectations individually, but have not been surrounded by the right mix of talent to finish the job. Melo is locked up under contract for the next 4 years with a salary that increases from $14.4 million and increases up to $18.5 million until the summer of 2012. This means that the Nuggets have put their franchise on Melo's shoulders and he needs to produce something besides a first round exit or the Nuggets will try and move in a different direction. Melo has been productive in his role as the team's cornerstone. He averaged 25.7 ppg and 7.4 rebs in the past season. The biggest flaw in Melo's game is not going to the rim enough. He too often settles for a mid-range jumpshot instead of using post moves that could utilize his size and strength. He also plays almost no defense which is probably the Nugget's biggest problem as a team.

J.R Smith is exploring different opportunities in different places and may not be in Denver next year. If he does happen to return to Denver he will make $2.3 million and his offensive production will be good enough to justify that contract. Smith needs to go to a new team. His personality is better suited to be on a team of veterans who are proven winners. The first team that comes to mind are the Spurs. Surrounding himself with teammates who can show him how to get to the elite level will be the best thing for his career. He is an incredibly talented player and would be a starter on 80% of teams in the league, but coming off the bench for Denver doesn't allow him to establish a rhythm early and has to rely on streaky shooting in order for him to be effective. His offensive performance against the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs will be remembered and teams will be willing to cut big checks for that kind of performance from Smith. If he gets on the right team, his underperforming 12.4ppg average will drastically increase. I have a lot of respect for his game, and he is an undervalued player because of the team he is on. At this point, he is not in a role where he can make the Nuggets a winner, and this may be one area where George Karl's misuse in utilizing his skills to their full capacity may be one area where George Karl has failed in.

The Nuggets collectively play little to no defense which explains why their opponents put in 89.1 field goals a game which is about 5 more field goals than the league average of 84.3 field goals from opponents per game. They have good defensive players on their team like Marcus Camby who was a former defensive player of the year in 2006 and averaged 3.61 blocks this past season. K-Mart is also a solid defensive player and AI has always been quick enough to stay in front of his man, but collectively the Nuggets look confused on defense and are slow on rotation and have terrible weak side help. The Nuggets lack the mental toughness and focus to be an elite team. It was almost every game against the Lakers in the first round that they lost their cool down the stretch when it was tight and their play just went downhill from there.


The squad they have assembled undoubtedly has the talent, on paper, to be one of the best teams in the league, but their constant underachievement implies that there is a problem somewhere. Some point at George Karl, some point at AI and Melo, some point at chemistry, and the list goes on, but it is a combination of all of it. The Nuggets are limited by the salary cap in what they can do this summer. Any movement for them will come via trades. If J.R Smith stays the Nuggets have a salary of $76.9 million dollars which is well above the salary cap. I wish I could say more to what they can and should do, but realistically, improving defensively and mentally are the only things they can do. Roster upgrades cannot come through the free agency period this year and that hurts a team who is constantly battling for the 8th spot in the playoffs every year. They have tried pairing one of the greatest offensive players of all time in Allen Iverson with one of the league's young superstars in Carmelo, but have failed to see any positive results. It may be another long year for Nuggets fans, as they continue to be just as confused by the lack of results as the Nuggets' front office. At this point, all the Nuggets fans can do is cling to the memories of the 90s success and hope this is just a lull in a franchise that is desperate for results.

Links:

This is a glimpse of Allen Iverson's workout and strength training program during the season.

Here is a close up look at the new Nike Hyperdunks at the low price of $240, and Kobe was even nice enough to sign a few pairs for those lucky enough to grab them in a releasing in Santa Monica.

Josh Smith got the star treatment in Philly and he could very well be a star there by July 9th.

My cousin and I were wondering who on Team USA was not sponsored by Nike. I named Dwight Howard because I vaguely remembered something about him being sponsored by Adidas. He is in fact sponsored by Adidas and the amazing photoshopers at Nike were able to do a great job at the old 'blackout-the-adidas-logo-in-team-photos' trick.

A friend and I were talking today about how many athletes go broke after they stop playing professionally. Right on cue, Vin Baker's house was filed for foreclosure because he was not able to make the payments on it. Here is a list of Vin Baker, and Lattrell Sprewell and other professional athletes who are in financial trouble.

I don't really know why this is news, but I guess for those incredibly interested in any breath the new rookie class is taking, here is the latest from the Miami Heat's early practices with Michael Beasley.

Picture sources: nbauniverse.com (first), nba.com (second), lakers.topbuzz.com (third), nba.com (fourth), jordanextreme.com (fifth), uk.eurosport.yahoo.com (sixth), espn.com (seventh)

Izzy