Rating the NBA Offseason

In an off-season dominated by LeBron, many people have overlooked numerous other moves made by teams around the league.  While some teams have completely changed personalities, other look relatively the same, but all of these moves must be viewed in the grand scheme of things.

I’ve rated the teams based on four factors:

1) Amount of money to spend

2) Ability to lure free agents within their price range

3) Fit of signees within current system and roster

4) Draft outcomes

For example, the Clippers can’t be downgraded for not being able to lure LeBron when they really had a 0% chance from the outset.  That being said, here are my grades thus far:

Atlanta Hawks – The story of the Hawks begins and ends with the signing of Joe Johnson, and while they are getting killed in the media for the size of the contract (largest given out this season), I tend to have a different opinion.  If the Hawks didn’t sign Johnson, what exactly would they have done? Who would they have been able to sign? I understand that Hawk fans are now stuck with Johnson for the next six seasons, and with a team who seems poised for numerous playoff runs, but never a championship run, but without Johnson they aren’t a playoff team.  While they definitely overpaid and didn’t get significantly better, people have to understand that the best case scenario this offseason was to maintain the status quo without getting any worse, and with that: mission accomplished.  As far as the draft goes, I like the Jordan Crawford signing, because his high scoring off the bench will fit right into their up-tempo style.  Overall Grade: B

Boston Celtics – For me, this team may be one of the most difficult offseasons to grade.  While they did well to resign Ray Allen and Paul Pierce while bringing back coach Doc Rivers, I have to wonder whether or not this was their best option.  The Celtics spent most of the 2009-2010 regular season underachieving due to the accumulative age of their players, and yet the core of that team remains almost entirely in tact.  Celtics fans will also be quick to point out that this was also the same team that was just minutes away from being the NBA champions last season, so that has to mean something.  Overall I look at this the same way I look at the Hawks.  While they didn’t get any better, this was still best-case scenario for them.  While I don’t think the big three will win another championship together, I think this team gives them the best chance.  In other news, the Celtics resigned Nate Robinson, and let Tony Allen walk.  I think the Robinson signing was perfect, and gives them scoring and a spark off the bench, while I think Tony Allen will be missed, but letting him go was probably the team’s best option. Overall Grade:  B+

Charlotte Bobcats – The Bobcats biggest loss this offseason was starting point guard Raymond Felton, while the Bobcats failed to make any splash signings.  In minor news, the Bobcats added Larry Hughes and traded Tyson Chandler for Erick Dampier, Eduardo Najera, and Matt Carroll.  Overall, this appears to be a disappointing offseason for the Bobcats, who did nothing to improve their roster from last season, especially given their lack of draft picks this season. Overall Grade: D-

Chicago Bulls – One of the teams in the LeSweepstakes who came out empty handed, it is difficult to justify a high grade for the Bulls this offseason.  Their biggest move was the addition of Carlos Boozer, who will fit perfectly alongside Joakim Noah on the front line.  Other notable moves include the signing of Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer as well as the trading of Kirk Hinrich.  The Korver and Brewer signings provide nice complimentary pieces to the roster they have assembled, however the Hinrich trade is especially devastating given their failure to sign LeBron.  They traded Hinrich solely to create room for a massive signing, and got nothing in return.  Overall the Bulls will be a team to watch in the east next season, but the loss of Hinrich was a blemish on an otherwise somewhat productive offseason.  Like the Bobcats, the Bulls had no draft picks this season. Overall Grade: C+

Cleveland Cavaliers – Unfortunately there is absolutely nothing positive that came out of this offseason.  While it was clear the former hometown hero had no intention of ever signing with his former team, he hung them out to dry by not allowing them to pursue other options in the meantime.  As a result, the Cavs ended up with zero draft picks and zero major signings.  In the meantime they also lost Big Z and will probably lose Shaquille O’neal this summer, leaving them with just one player under contract over 6′9″ (Varejao).  One potential move proposed by ESPN’s Bill Simmons is exploring a trade for Gilbert Arenas, however that trade looks extremely unlikely.  Overall Grade: F

Dallas Mavericks – The Mavericks grade begins and ends with their ability to resign Dirk Nowitzki.  When the Mavericks’ best player opted out of his contract, the team’s only goal became to resign their best player, which they were able to do – even at a discount.  The Mavericks convinced their best player to sign for just $80 million over four years, in hopes that they could be active elsewhere in free agency.  The remainder of their time was spent re-signing Brendan Haywood and a trading for Tyson Chandler.  Both will add solid big men to play in the front court alongside Dirk, and with the continued emergence of Rodrique Beaubois, the Mavericks have prepared themselves for another successful campaign.  Overall Grade: B+

Denver Nuggets – One of my favorite moves of the entire offseason belongs to the Denver Nuggets in their signing of Al Harrington to a contract last week.  While Harrington may be somewhat of a liability on the defensive end, he provides them with another high-powered scorer off the bench to add to a team who won’t have any problems scoring this season.  Elsewhere, the biggest priority here is to sign Carmelo Anthony to a long-term deal before next offseason, however thus far they have failed to do so.  With very little money to spend, and very few needs, I think the Nuggets did a great job finding a player that will fit in their system and compliments their existing roster well.  Overall Grade: B+

Detroit Pistons – After an atrocious offseason last year, the Pistons were remarkably quiet this offseason, doing almost nothing outside of the draft.  In the draft, however, they picked up talented big man Greg Monroe, who fit their needs, and could make an impact this season.  Overall, the Pistons had little to work with and accomplished nothing, so enjoy another losing season for DETROIT BASKETBALLLLLLL.  Overall Grade: D

Golden State Warriors – If you asked Warrior fans what the biggest move this offseason was, I can tell you it has nothing to do with David Lee.  The best thing to happen to Bay Area basketball this summer was a change in ownership.  The fans can finally look forward to an owner who may be committed to spending some money and winning, and luckily for him, that era will begin with David Lee in the fold.  In one of the busiest offseasons in the league, the Warriors have parted ways with Anthony Morrow, Kelenna Azubuike, Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf, and Corey Maggette via trade and free agency.  To compensate for their losses, they have added an all-star quality big man in David Lee and a versatile small forward in Dorrell Wright.  In the draft they added Ekpe Udoh, a raw big man who specializes in shot blocking more than shot making, but could be a long-term solution on the front line. Overall Grade: B+

Houston Rockets – With a GM as creative as Daryl Morey, you expect nothing less than a productive offseason, and this summer was no different.  After a late season trade that brought Kevin Martin into the mix and the impending return of Yao Ming, Morey knew that his team didn’t need much to continue their ascent in the western conference.  All he did was add a solid veteran center in Brad Miller at an affordable price as an insurance policy for Yao Ming, as well as rookie Patrick Patterson to boost depth along the front line.  Combine this with their ability to retain Luis Scola and Kyle Lowry, and the Rockets did everything they needed to this summer. Overall Grade: B+

Indiana Pacers – For as bad as a season as the Pacers had last year, you would think they would be one of the more active teams in the league.  Unfortunately for the folks in Indianapolis the team they got used to see lose last year isn’t getting any better.  While the Pacers had a solid draft pick going into the draft, they spent it on a player full of raw, undeveloped talent in Paul George who seems a little ways off from being a contributor in the NBA.  Overall Grade: F

LA Clippers - The Clippers are an odd case to examine, because they had the money to target whoever they wanted, and yet, the reality of them landing a star player was near zero from the beginning.  Free agents departing from the squad include Rasual Butler and Craig Smith, two players who aren’t guaranteed not to be wearing a Clipper uniform next season, but have yet to be signed by anyone.  Outside of that, the Clippers added Randy Foye and Ryan Gomes, in addition to draft picks Al-Farouq Aminu and Eric Bledsoe, both of whom figure to see some minutes this season.  Overall the team didn’t add a ton, but given their lack of desirability, they had an average summer.  I compare them to a below average student who just isn’t that smart regardless of how much they study.  That being said, the Clippers studied a lot this summer, and still landed at the class average.  Overall Grade: B-

LA Lakers - When a team wins an NBA championship and returns all of their best players, one can’t expect much during the off-season, but all things considered, the Lakers have done well for themselves.  Going with the student analogy that I mentioned above, the Lakers are the star athlete who just needed to pass their classes to stay on the team, but instead, they happen to ace the test anyways.  The signings of Steve Blake and Derek Fisher weren’t sexy by any means, and yet, they’re exactly what the Lakers needed.  The loss of Jordan Farmar, Josh Powell, DJ Mbenga, and possibly Shannon Brown will hurt the team, but they will be better at point guard given the system they run with Steve Blake.  Also, their draft cannot be overlooked in the slightest.  For a team with no cap room, they need to sign players to minimum contracts, and their ability to draft two players who are dominating the summer league and who could contribute this season late in the second round was definitely clutch. Overall Grade – B+

Memphis Grizzlies - It cannot be easy to be a Memphis Grizzlies fan, but hey, at least your best player (Rudy Gay) on an awful team got a huge contract to return this season right?  The addition of Tony Allen will definitely help  add depth to a team that needs it, but in no way is he a solution.  The drafting of Xavier Henry will also help, but again, he isn’t going to be the difference between a bad team and the playoffs.  Overall Grade – C+

Miami Heat - It would be easy for me to spend my time gushing about how great the Heat will be with the new big 3, but in reality, it was their action other than those three signings that will make the biggest difference.  Their ability to retain Udonis Haslem and James Jones while signing Mike Miller and Big Z was the difference between a team with no depth, and a team everyone in the league should be terrified of.  If there was ever an A+ offseason, this was it.  Overall Grade – A+

Milwaukee Bucks – While last season ended with so much pain and anguish following the injury to Andrew Bogut just before playoff time, the offseason did little to relieve any doubts fans may have.  The biggest moves have been the resigning of John Salmons and the addition of Drew Gooden and Chris Douglas Roberts, however none of those are season-changing moves.  Their draft was okay, but again, nothing overly special.  The Bucks are relying on improvement across the board from their younger players, and hoping they can simply ride the momentum they developed at the end of last season.  Overall Grade – C

Minnesota Timberwolves - Any time you can trade your best player for Kosta Kuofos, you have to do it, right?  Apparently that is how things work in the mind of the infamous David Kahn, who did just that in trading away Al Jefferson.  If their offseason ended there, it would be an awful one, but unfortunately for Timberwolves fans, things only got worse.  They also traded two second round picks for Michael Beasley and his awful contract, in addition to their resigning of Darko Milicic for an absurd 4 years and $20 million.  Darko Milicic.  Yes, that Darko.  The same Darko who has a career average of 5.6 points per game.  Thats one point for every million dollars he will be making for the next four years.  The Wolves did get better in the draft, with the addition of Wesley Johnson, who won’t be a star, but should be a solid contributor for a few years, and the acquisition of Martell Webster through a trade. Overall Grade – F-

New Jersey Nets - Entering the offseason, people hinted at the possibility of the Nets being a major player this summer, with a new owner and lots of money to throw around, but unfortunately, that never came to fruition.  Their best move of the offseason was the drafting of Derek Favors, who when teamed with Brook Lopez, could develop into one of the best front lines in the league.  The Nets also added point guard Jordan Farmar from the Lakers, who will provide some scoring off the bench in relief of Devin Harris, in addition to the signings of Anthony Morrow, Travis Outlaw, and Johan Petro.  All of these are solid signings, and give the team some depth throughout their lineup, but it remains to be seen whether this will be enough to put them into the playoffs. Overall Grade – B+

New Orleans Hornets - I guess the good news is that Chris Paul is still on the Hornets?  That is literally all that happened this offseason.  They had an unspectacular draft, and didn’t add any free agents, so there really isn’t much else to say.  Overall Grade – C-

New York Knicks - While the Knicks can claim membership in the group of teams screwed by LeBron James, at least they can’t claim membership in the group of teams who did nothing this offseason.  While the signing of Amare Stoudemire seems like a bit of a buzzkill given the potential for moves this offseason, he will definitely make the team significantly better from last year.  That being said, the loss of David Lee is a tough one to swallow, given that he was their best player for the past few seasons.  Overall the Knicks added Kelenna Azubuike, Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf, and Raymond Felton.  Felton should see time as the starting point guard this season, and Azubuike and Randolph will also both see significant minutes, so while they only made one splash signing, they, like the Nets, were able to add numerous solid players to a roster that needed a lot of help.  Overall Grade – B+

Oklahoma City Thunder - Objective number one was to lock Kevin Durant into a long-term deal.  Check.  Objective number two was to obtain a big man that can grow alongside the youth already on the roster, and GM Sam Presti is hoping that big man is Cole Aldrich, whom they added in the draft.  While the team didn’t get significantly better this offseason, they were one of the few teams who could afford to do so, given their projected growth and improvement over the next few seasons.  Overall Grade – B-

Orlando Magic - Another team with a slow offseason, the Magic had very little to work with, and ended up simply maintaining their roster from last season.  Their biggest move was the resigning of coveted guard JJ Redick, who has emerged from anonymity over the past two seasons to become a solid contributor.  They also signed Chris Duhon and Quentin Richardson, while adding Daniel Orton and Stanley Robinson in the draft.  Overall not an exciting offseason for Orlando.  Overall Grade – C+

Philadelphia 76ers - For a team with so little talent on its roster, I would have expected a busier offseason, however the 76ers were surprisingly quiet all summer.  The offseason began with the trade of Samuel Dalembert to Sacramento for Spencer Hawes and Andres Nocioni, and then the drafting of Evan Turner.  I actually like both of these moves, because I think Hawes and Dalembert will both fit nicely in Philadelphia, and I am a big fan of Evan Turner.  I think the 76ers will be better next season, but they haven’t done nearly enough to put themselves in contention for the playoffs.  Overall Grade – C-

Phoenix Suns - With the loss of Amare Stoudemire, the Suns needed to make some moves in order to stay competitive, and I think they did the best they could.  The addition of Hedo Turkgolu is the biggest wildcard because you never know which Hedo you are getting, but I think this was their only chance of remaining amidst the top of the conference.  They also added Hakim Warrick and Josh Childress to account for the loss of Leandro Barbosa, while also resigning Channing Frye.  Overall this was a tough offseason to swallow for Suns fans, because in watching their series against the Lakers, Amare was the only thing keeping them alive, and I just don’t see Hakim Warrick, Hedo, and Josh Childress making up for that gap in performance.  Overall Grade – C

Portland Trailblazers - In what has been a strange offseason for the Blazers, their activity has been tough to predict.  I would never have expected the amount of turnover from the start of last season to the beginning of this season, but the Blazers have lost Steve Blake, Martell Webster, and Travis Outlaw while adding Marcus Camby, Wes Matthews, and Luke Babbit.  I like the addition of Babbit, however I don’t see how they expect him to be much of an upgrade over Martell Webster, at least in the short term, which is where they should be focusing their attention given the make-up of their roster.  Matthews is the biggest question mark.  How does a one-year player who averaged 13 points a game in college merit a 5 year $34 million deal?  Sure he will be a nice player, and provide solid minutes, but where?  He obviously isn’t starting over Brandon Roy or Nicholas Batum, and is a bench player worth that kind of money?  The same can be said for Babbit, who will quickly find himself lost in a list of shooting guards and small forwards including Jerryd Bayless, Rudy Fernandez, and the aforementioned Matthews, Roy, and Batum.  Overall this was a very strange offseason in Portland, and I just don’t see how they got any better.  Overall Grade – C

Sacramento Kings - The first major move made by the Kings was the addition of Samuel Dalembert in the trade mentioned above for Spencer Hawes and Andres Nocioni.  Dalembert should be a better fit in the Kings’ system, and if given quality minutes, could become an above-average NBA big man.  Outside of that trade, the Kings have been quiet, only aquiring other new players through the draft.  They did add Demarcus Cousins, who has the potential to be one of best rookies in the league this season, and will definitely start and contribute immediately.  Overall Grade – B

San Antonio Spurs - When the resigning of Matt Bonner is the highlight of your offseason, you know things have been dull.  Spurs didn’t do much in free agency or the draft, but rumors of the resigning of Richard Jefferson could be good news for a team that needs all the help it can get. Overall Grade – D

Toronto Raptors - When the opportunity to take a mulligan on the signing of Hedo Turkgolu presented itself, the Raptors’ front office jumped all over it.  While Leandro Barbosa won’t be a season-changer, he will be a nice piece to add to a team that doesn’t have many other nice pieces.  Obviously the loss of Chris Bosh was devastating, however, I don’t think anyone was surprised.  The addition of Ed Davis in the draft was a solid pick, and he could see lots of court time this season given their lack of talent and depth. Overall Grade – D-

Utah Jazz - While everyone expected Carlos Boozer to leave town, I don’t think many people forecasted the loss of Kyle Korver and Wes Matthews as well.  What was expected to be a slow summer in Utah, quickly turned into a devastating one very quickly.  And then David Kahn came calling.  In a trade that was about as one-sided as the Pau Gasol deal, the Jazz literally stole Al Jefferson from the Timberwolves to make up for the loss of Boozer.  Jefferson could very easily become a monster this upcoming season playing alongside Deron Williams, as long as his health can be maintained.  The Jazz also signed Raja Bell and added Gordon Hayward in the draft, both of whom will receive lots of playing time this upcoming season.  For a team on the verge of losing so much to recoup just about all of it, while maybe even improving, the Jazz must be given credit for putting together what could possibly be the most creative offseason in the league. Overall Grade – A

Washington Wizards - The good news is that the Washington Wizards added John Wall in the draft.  The bad news is that Gilbert Arenas is still under contract.  The best move of the offseason came with the acquisition of point guard Kirk Hinrich, however it appears that three of their best players all seem to play the same position now, in point guard (Arenas, Wall, Hinrich).  The Wiz also added Yi Jianlian to add some depth to a roster that seems surprisingly talented.  If the Wizards can make the Arenas situation work, or can deal him for something useful, it will change the entire complexion of the team, however, as of now that seems unlikely.  Overall Grade – B

So there it is.  Every team, every move, graded.  In summary, the best offseason obviously goes to the Miami Heat, however there were a few teams who didn’t have to spend a ton of money in order to earn high grades.  I really liked what Utah did this offseason, because they had so much to lose with Carlos Boozer, and yet managed to remain near the upper echelon of the Western Conference.  I also really liked what the New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks did, in adding numerous quality players to rosters that desperately needed depth.  I thought the Lakers, Celtics, and Mavericks all did a good job maintaining their positions near the top, with the Lakers’ stellar draft, while the Celtics and Mavs were able to keep their best players around.  I thought Golden State, Houston, and Denver all improved themselves this offseason without having to splurge on the free agent market.  It has been a busy summer around the NBA, and while things may not have been as crazy as predicted, it was definitely one of the most memorable offseasons in NBA history.

NBA Mock Draft

1. Washington Wizards – John Wall

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
PG	19	6′4	195	Kentucky

Incredible athlete with good size at the point guard position.  Excellent slasher but needs to work on his jump shot. With his skills and athletic ability he has the potential to become a major impact player for years to come. A no brainer draft pick even for Washington.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
09-10	37	34.8	16.6	.461	.754	.325	4.3	6.5	4.0	1.8	.5

2. Philadelphia 76ers – Evan Turner

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
SG	21	6′7	210	Ohio State

Terrific ball handler who can score, rebound, and pass.  Also is an aggressive defender.  Needs to improve his perimeter shot and commit fewer turnovers. Some people question Turner’s upside, but I think he is going to be great and he fits well with the 76ers, especially if they go back to their run and gun style like when Andre Miller was running point.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
07-08	37	27.1	8.5	.470	.699	.333	4.4	2.6	2.7	1.3	.5
08-09	33	36.4	17.3	.503	.788	.440	7.1	4.0	3.5	1.8	.8
09-10	31	35.8	20.4	.519	.758	.364	9.2	6.0	4.4	1.7	.9

3. New Jersey Nets – Derrick Favors

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
PF	18	6′10	246	Georgia Tech

Athletic big man with strong rebounding and shot blocking abilities.  Needs to develop low post game.  Has an insane leaping ability and potential talent level is through the roof. Favors is a great consolation prize for the Nets and will join a solid big man in Brook Lopez.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
09-10	36	27.5	12.4	.611	.629	.000	8.4	1.0	2.5	.9	2.1

4. Minnesota Timberwolves – Wesley Johnson

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
SF	22	6′7	198	Syracuse

One of the most versatile prospects in his ability to play multiple positions, score efficiently, and shoot from range.  Also will rebound, block shots, and gather steals at a high rate.  The question is whether he has the ability to be the number one option on an NBA team. Transferred to Syracuse for the 09-10 season. Practicing against Corey Brewer on a daily basis should improve them both and create a brighter future for the T-Wolves.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
06-07	31	31.7	12.3	.445	.753	.294	7.9	1.1	2.0	.8	1.1
07-08	27	27.0	12.4	.396	.779	.333	4.0	1.4	2.1	.9	.4
09-10	31	35.0	16.5	.502	.772	.415	8.5	2.2	2.3	1.8	1.8

5. Sacramento Kings – Ekpe Udoh

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
PF	23	6′10	240	Baylor

An excellent shot blocker and rebounder.  Offensive game needs to improve but has already begun developing a solid midrange shot.  Would benefit if he were to get stronger. Transferred from Michigan to Baylor after his Sophmore year. His length will be very helpful to a mostly undersized Kings team.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
06-07	35	20.3	5.0	.469	.585	.000	4.0	.8	.8	.7	1.9
07-08	32	26.0	6.0	.437	.589	.375	5.0	.9	1.1	.8	2.9
09-10	36	35.1	13.9	.490	.685	.269	9.8	2.7	2.4	.8	3.7

6. Golden State Warriors – Greg Monroe

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
PF	19	6’11	247	Georgetown

A long lefty with an NBA body.  Not super athletic but is the most skilled big man going into the draft.  Can score in a variety of ways and has a high basketball IQ.  A great upside but his intensity and toughness are questionable. Don Nelson loves athletes but I think this time he will choose Monroe because of his versatility.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
08-09	31	30.9	12.7	.572	.700	.333	6.5	2.5	2.5	1.8	1.5
09-10	34	34.2	16.1	.525	.660	.259	9.6	3.8	3.3	1.2	1.5

7. Detroit Pistons – Demarcus Cousins

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
PF	19	6′10	250	Kentucky

Has great size and a NBA ready body.  Extremely skilled for a big man.  Work ethic is a major question. Will be able to score immediately. Detroit needs talent and size and Cousins provides both, an easy choice in my opinion.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
09-10	38	23.5	15.1	..558	.604	.167	9.8	1.0	2.1	1.0	1.8

8. Los Angeles Clippers – Paul George

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
SF	20	6’7	185	Fresno State

A long athletic player who can shoot.  He has a high basketball IQ and naturally will let the game come to him. The Clippers have two choices in this draft: draft a PG for the future or get another big in case Blake goes down again and I think they will go with the latter.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
08-09	34	34.6	14.3	.470	.697	.447	6.2	1.9	2.3	1.7	1.0
09-10	29	33.2	16.8	.424	.909	.353	7.2	3.0	3.2	2.2	.8

9. Utah Jazz – Gordon Hayward

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
SF	20	6’8	200	Butler

Shot threes at 45% in his freshman season.  Not a great athlete but has good size and picks up a lot of steals. Hayward is a hard worker who could fit very well into Jerry Sloan’s system.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
08-09	32	32.7	13.1	.479	.815	.448	6.5	2.0	1.7	1.5	.9
09-10	37	33.5	15.5	.464	.829	.294	8.2	1.7	2.3	1.1	.8

10. Indiana Pacers – Ed Davis

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
PF	20	6′10	225	North Carolina

A very active big man with excellent length.  Strength is a question. Very good on the boards. Athleticism should be the Indiana Pacers number one concern so drafting Ed Davis will be a very good start, but don’t be surprised if this pick gets traded to Denver or New Orleans (for Collison or Lawson).

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
08-09	38	18.8	6.7	.518	.573	.000	6.6	.6	1.1	.4	1.7
09-10	24	26.9	12.9	.578	.659	.000	9.2	.9	1.9	.4	2.7

11. New Orleans Hornets – Al-Farouq Aminu

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
SF	19	6’9	215	Wake Forest

A 7’4 wingspan and athleticism help Aminu to impact a game in multiple ways.  Inconsistent play is worrisome along with the questions of what position he will play in the NBA. As an NBA G.M. it is a common theme to draft based on potential and with a leader like Chris Paul I could see Aminu flourishing as a Hornet.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
08-09	31	29	12.9	.516	.671	.179	8.2	1.5	2.6	1.0	1.2
09-10	31	31.3	15.8	.447	.698	.273	10.7	1.3	3.2	1.4	1.4

12. Memphis Grizzlies – Xavier Henry

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
SG	19	6′6	220	Kansas

A lights out shooter who can finish around the basket.  He relies too much on the three ball and needs to be a greater threat off the dribble. Henry could soothe the sting of potentially losing Rudy Gay and will most likely be an instant contributor.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
09-10	36	27.5	13.4	.458	.783	.418	4.4	1.5	1.9	1.5	.5

13. Toronto Raptors – Kevin Seraphin

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
PF	20	6′10	258	France

Has a 7′3 wingspan and is a good shot blocker.  Cannot do much offensively outside of five feet from the basket. A definite project but with Bosh most likely leaving Toronto needs to give its fans hope for the future.

14. Houston Rockets – Hassan Whiteside

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
C	20	7’0	235	Marshall

Very long and athletic big man with a big upside.  With that being said he is also a risk due to personality.  An absolutely dominating shot blocker who recorded three triple-doubles in his freshman year. I couldn’t think of a better back up player coming out of this draft for Yao Ming than Whiteside.

15. Milwaukee Bucks – Luke Babbitt

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
SF	20	6’9	220	Nevada

A skilled shooter with NBA three point range and has decent rebounding skills.  Doesn’t appear to have the athleticism and quickness to defend forwards in the NBA. A long range threat such as Babbitt could push the Bucks into a top four team in the East especially with a healthy Andrew Bogut next year.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
08-09	34	32.6	16.9	.456	.864	.429	7.4	1.4	1.9	.7	.7
09-10	34	37.1	21.9	.500	.917	.416	8.9	2.1	2.4	1.0	.8

16. Minnesota Timberwolves – Solomon Alabi

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
C	22	7′1	245	Florida State

An excellent shot blocker and athlete.  Rebounding is poor for his size. Has a good floor presence. Minnesota has some very skilled big man in Kevin Love and Al Jefferson but they don’t have the height this guy brings to the table.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
07-08	9	10.3	3.9	.484	.556	.000	2.2	.0	1.2	.1	1.2
08-09	35	22.3	8.4	.540	.680	.000	5.6	.3	1.6	.5	2.1
09-10	32	25.6	11.7	.534	.794	.000	6.2	.5	1.9	.6	2.3

17. Chicago Bulls – Patrick Patterson

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
PF	21	6′9	235	Kentucky

Already has an NBA body and strength. He is a good shot blocker and rebounder.  Slightly undersized for the position and does little to “wow” scouts. Chicago definitely needs an instant contributor as opposed to a project with their potential to land Wade or LeBron.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
07-08	25	35.7	16.4	.574	.731	.000	7.7	1.7	2.1	.8	1.2
08-09	34	33.7	17.9	.603	.768	.000	9.3	1.9	1.9	.6	2.1
09-10	38	33.0	14.3	.575	.692	.348	7.4	.9	1.1	.7	1.3

18. Oklahoma City Thunder – Cole Aldrich

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
C	21	6′11	245	Kansas

Has a good basketball IQ and can score, rebound, and block shots.  The main question is if he is explosive and quick enough for the NBA.  Solid face up game. The Thunder could use a Center who is not over-the-hill plain and simple so Aldrich could be of great help here.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
07-08	40	8.3	2.8	.518	.684	.000	3.0	.1	.5	.3	.9
08-09	35	29.6	14.9	.598	.792	.000	11.1	1.0	1.6	.6	2.7
09-10	36	26.8	11.3	.562	.679	.000	9.8	.9	1.6	.8	3.5

19. Boston Celtics – James Anderson

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
SG	21	6′6	195	Oklahoma State

An efficient scorer with good range and a solid defender.  A bit one dimensional offensively. Anderson will have big shoes to fill if Ray Allen isn’t resigned but he definitely has the range to be a solid replacement.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
07-08	33	30.9	13.3	.435	.714	.379	3.7	1.1	2.0	.8	.5
08-09	35	33.5	18.2	.482	.829	.408	5.7	1.4	2.0	1.1	.7
09-10	33	34.1	22.3	.457	.810	.341	5.8	2.4	2.4	1.4	.6

20. San Antonio Spurs – Larry Sanders

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
PF	21	6′10	220	VA Commonwealth

A Terrific rebounder and shot blocker.  Still very raw and needs time to develop. Improved his perimeter shot last season. I think the Spurs showed all year that they need someone other than Tim Duncan to rebound and Matt Bonner clearly isn’t that guy. I think Larry Sanders could be that player.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
07-08	32	16.6	4.9	.504	.456	.000	5.2	.1	.8	.3	3.0
08-09	34	26.6	11.3	.510	.558	.000	8.6	.4	2.1	.6	2.7

21. Oklahoma City Thunder – Craig Brackins

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
PF	22	6′10	230	Iowa State

Excellent offensive player with the ability to play both inside and outside. He isn’t overly impressive on the defensive end but does play hard. The Thunder have been great with draft picks these last few years and Brackins will  just add to the talent on ever improving team.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
07-08	32	27.7	11.4	.434	.732	.280	5.0	1.3	1.7	.3	1.0
08-09	32	32.5	20.2	.475	.697	.284	9.5	1.3	2.3	.5	.9
09-10	32	35.1	16.5	.420	.760	.310	8.5	2.2	2.1	.8	1.2

22. Portland Trailblazers – Damion James

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
SF	22	6’8	224	Texas

Extremely tough and has improved his perimeter game.  Ball handling needs improvement. Is more of a 4 in a 3’s body. James will have to fight hard but could sneak into the Blazers rotation if he works hard.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
06-07	35	25.9	7.6	.493	.595	.091	7.2	.9	1.5	.6	1.2
07-08	38	31.2	13.2	.461	.570	.413	10.3	1.3	1.6	.7	1.3
08-09	35	29.5	15.4	.468	.684	.326	9.2	1.3	2.3	1.0	.9
09-10	34	30.3	18.0	.501	.674	.383	10.3	1.0	2.0	1.7	1.2

23. Minnesota Timberwolves – Armon Johnson

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
PG	21	6′4	195	Nevada

A great athlete for the point guard position.  A good scorer but lacks a consistent shot from any sort of range.  Does not possess great court vision. The T-Wolves love point guards as they showed last year so don’t be surprised if they pick up another one.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
07-08	33	31.2	11.5	.482	.776	.346	4.0	3.4	2.4	.8	.2
08-09	34	32.3	15.5	.431	.789	.278	3.6	4.3	2.5	.9	.2
09-10	34	34.5	15.7	.495	.678	.239	3.4	5.6	3.4	.8	.4

24. Atlanta Hawks – Terrico White

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
SG	20	6’5	211	Mississippi

A big time athlete who is fundamentally sound.  He can play both guard positions. The Hawks love athletic players and White recorded the highest Vertical Leap in the combine plus the Hawks may need a player to fill the Joe Johnson void.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
08-09	31	30.0	13.7	.428	.628	.354	3.4	2.3	1.8	.8	.3
09-10	35	31.5	15.1	.430	.714	.343	4.6	1.5	1.3	.9	.2

25. Memphis Grizzlies – Elliot Williams

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
SG	20	6′4	180	Memphis

A good on-ball defender.  Questions of whether he can play the point in the NBA.  Has trouble going right off the dribble.  Transferred from Duke after his Freshman season. This guy could be a Memphis connection and could be a nice addition to the Grizzlies.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
08-09	34	16.6	4.2	.441	.500	.250	2.3	.7	.9	.6	.0
09-10	34	33.3	17.9	.459	.758	.366	4.0	3.8	2.9	1.3	.1

26. Oklahoma City Thunder – Avery Bradley

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
SG	19	6′3	180	Texas

Strong and quick with an efficient mid-range jumps shot.  Brings a lot of intensity to the defensive end. Many say he was the best perimeter defender in college basketball. Bradley will benefit greatly from having to go against Westbrook and Harden if he gets picked up by the Thunder.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
09-10	34	29.5	11.6	.432	.545	..375	2.9	2.1	1.5	1.3	.5

27. New Jersey Nets – Eric Bledsoe

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
PG	20	6′1	190	Kentucky

Very quick point guard who plays hard on both ends of the floor and is very tough.  Is a bit turnover prone and could use some more playing time.  His pass first mentality is good but he also has the ability to score. Bledsoe may get a lot of time at PG if Harris goes down again and it never hurts to have a back-up plan.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
09-10	37	30.3	11.3	.462	.667	.383	3.1	2.9	3.0	1.4	.3

28. Memphis Grizzlies – Quincy Pondexter

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
SF	22	6′7	200	Washington

Hadn’t lived up to potential in college until senior season but still needs to work on his jump shot.  Pretty efficient scorer. Pondexter has the athleticism and defensive ability to be a spark for the Grizzlies.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
06-07	32	23.9	10.7	.498	.760	.375	4	1.5	2	.7	.2
07-08	33	24.4	9.9	.452	.685	.288	4.8	1.9	1.8	.5	.2
08-09	35	28.1	12.1	.511	.742	.214	5.9	1.6	1.9	.7	.4
09-10	36	32.3	19.3	.528	.827	.353	7.4	1.8	1.9	1.3	.6

29. Orlando Magic – Jordan Crawford

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
SG	21	6’4	195	Xavier

Claim to fame was dunking over Lebron James at Nike skills academy.  Has very deep range on his shot and just knows how to score.  Is a bit small for the off-guard position.  Transferred from Indiana after his Freshman year. Jordan Crawford is a great scorer who could bring a much needed offensive punch to the Magic bench.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
07-08	30	25.3	9.7	.440	.746	.366	3.4	2.3	1.9	.9	.2
09-10	35	32.8	20.5	.462	.773	.391	4.7	2.9	2.4	1.3	.2

30. Washington Wizards – Tibor Pleiss

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
C	20	7’0	220	Germany

Energy player on defense with a developing offensive game.  Fundamentally sound.  Lacks explosive athleticism and may want to play in Spain a few years before coming to the NBA. Pleiss will add height to a team that needs it and could improve greatly in the next few years.

Round 2

31. New Jersey Nets – Tiny Gallon

32. Miami Heat – Ryan Richards

33. Sacramento Kings – Gani Lawal

34. Portland Trail Blazers – Charles Garcia

35. Washington Wizards – Alexey Shved

36. Detroit Pistons – Dexter Pittman

37. Milwaukee Bucks – Lance Stephenson

38. New York Knicks – Dominique Jones

39. New York Knicks – Grevis Vasquez

40. Indiana Pacers – Ben Uzoh

41. Miami Heat – Jarvis Varnando

42. Miami Heat – Trevor Booker

43. Los Angeles Lakers – Devin Ebanks

44. Milwaukee Bucks – Miroslav Raduljica

45. Minnesota Timberwolves – Sylven Landesberg

46. Phoenix Suns – Willie Warren

47. Milwaukee Bucks – Jon Scheyer

48. Miami Heat – Jerome Jordan

49. San Antonio Spurs – Kyle Singler

50. Dallas Mavericks – Darington Hobson

51. Oklahoma City Thunder – Nemanja Bjelica

52. Boston Celtics – Stanley Robinson

53. Atlanta Hawks – Manny Harris

54. Los Angeles Clippers – Sherron Collins

55. Utah Jazz – Andy Rautins

56. Minnesota Timberwolves – Brian Zoubek

57. Indiana Pacers – Luke Harangody

58. Los Angeles Lakers – Mikhail Torrance

59. Orlando Magic – Daniel Orton

60. Phoenix Suns – Dwayne Collins

By: Michael Hartley

2010 NBA Offseason: The Summer of Change

Many teams in the NBA will undergo drastic modifications this offseason as they attempt to re-shape their teams to become legitimate contenders for the NBA Championship. The official start to the NBA offseason came when the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Boston Celtics 83-79 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. The NBA Draft will take place this Thursday (June 24th); then a week later on July 1, the most star-studded free agency period of all time begins.

GM’s and owners have been salivating over the talent available this summer via free agency. Some of the big names available include Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, Amare Stoudemire, Dirk Nowitzki, Joe Johnson, Ray Allen, Manu Ginobili, Rip Hamilton, and Yao Ming. Organizations like the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, and Miami Heat will be looking to add multiple superstars to their teams.

This summer, teams will attempt to do what the Celtics did in the summer of 2007. After finishing last in the Eastern Conference with a 24-58 record, Boston acquired two superstars in Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett and went from last place to first place in the Eastern Conference standings with an astonishing 66-16 record. They made the finals two out of the last three years and won the title in 2008. All this started happening the season after they finished 34 games under .500!!!

The quick turnaround of the Celtics gives hope to teams looking to go from bottom feeders of the NBA to elite status. Teams have a chance to become immediate threats and to go from last to first instantly like the Celtics did. Two teams that struggled last year that have a great chance of thriving the upcoming season are the Washington Wizards and the New Jersey Nets. A brief analysis of the state of these two teams are given below.

1. Washington: After finishing last year with a 26-56 record, good enough for the second worst record in the Eastern Conference, the Washington Wizards are poised to be back in the postseason. The Wizards have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and are projected to take John Wall. They are also able to afford a maximum salary player with around $15 million in cap space available. The addition of a superstar and John Wall will help Gilbert Arenas and Co. bring the Wizards back into the playoff picture.

2. New Jersey Nets: Billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov has made it clear that he is willing to do anything and everything to gain respect in the NBA. After winning only 12 games last year, the climate in New Jersey seems to be changing with the arrival of new Head Coach Avery Johnson. The large amount of cap space the Nets have (around $25 million) will allow them to significantly improve a roster that already boasts numerous fine pieces (Brooke Lopez, Devin Harris, Courtney Lee, Yi Jianlian and Terrence Williams). They have the cap room to go after one top free agent and two solid role players. The fact that they possess the third overall pick in the upcoming NBA draft also helps out.

There are many uncertainties going into the free agent period; the only certainty is that the NBA will be forever changed due to the ridiculous amount of player movement that is bound to happen this summer. Teams such as the Washington Wizards and the New Jersey Nets could start being known as “winning franchises” while traditionally respected teams may decline substantially as a result of this year’s free agency. No matter what happens, it will be a very entertaining summer for NBA fans.

By Tony Kottoor

Patrick Patterson

Patrick Patterson

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
PF	21	6′9	235	Kentucky

Already has an NBA body and strength. He is a good shot blocker and rebounder.  Slightly undersized for the position and does little to “wow” scouts.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
07-08	25	35.7	16.4	.574	.731	.000	7.7	1.7	2.1	.8	1.2
08-09	34	33.7	17.9	.603	.768	.000	9.3	1.9	1.9	.6	2.1
09-10	38	33.0	14.3	.575	.692	.348	7.4	.9	1.1	.7	1.3

Mason Plumlee

Mason Plumlee

Position	Age	Height	Weight	School
PF	20	6′10	230	Duke

Has a tremendous upside.  Gambles too often on defense.  Very athletic.

Year	GMS	Min	Pts	FG%	FT%	3pt%	Reb	Ast	TO	St	Blk
09-10	34	14.1	3.7	.462	.543	.250	3.1	.9	.9	.5	.9

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