Charlotte Bobcats

Needs and Assets: Southeast Division

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:00:00 -0800

Our continuing look at the needs of ever club and any potential assets that can be utilized to obtain those needs. Today we'll be looking at the Southeast:

Orlando Magic
Draft Pick(s): None
Free Agents: Hedo Turkoglu, Marcin Gortat, Tyronn Lue, Adonal Foyle & Jeremy Richardson
Team Needs: Back-up C & size in their frontcourt
Assets: Expiring contracts heading into next offseason including Rafer Alston who should be moved before the season starts.

It was no surprise that Hedo Turkoglu chose to not pick up his player option this offseason and test the free agent waters. Turkoglu's production this season dropped noticably compared to last season's Most Improved Player bid, but he was a clutch performer in the postseason. At 30, this also might be his last opportunity to cash in as a free agent.

The Magic have claimed they'll do whatever it takes to bring Hedo back and not break up their core, but that could have repercussions that could hurt the club. Whatever the Magic end up paying Turkoglu could push them well beyond the luxury tax. This isn't the type of franchise that can throw money around like the Celtics or Knicks, so we'll see if they'll put their money where their mouth is.

The other concern raised by re-signing Hedo is the future of Marcin Gortat. Orlando may not have the ability to pay Hedo whatever he wants and match any offer for Gortat who became a hot commodity after filling in at center whenever Dwight Howard was in foul trouble. He doesn't have eye-popping numbers, but his production in limited minutes could be very enticing for a number of teams.

The other goal for Orlando this offseason will be moving Rafer Alston. Alston was a stopgap to run the team until Jameer Nelson came back from injury. He also did a phenomenal job leading the team during the first two rounds of the playoffs and was playing with confidence and swagger. The Magic's run to the finals was improbable and created a problem at the point. The deep run allowed Nelson to recover from his injuries and start to play against the Lakers, but his increase in minutes shook Alston's confidence and created conflict. Now the Magic will have to find a taker for Alston, and it shouldn't be an issue considering his expiring contract.

The Magic have no picks in Thursday's draft, but they can still be active in the trade market. Any team looking for a point guard could trade for Alston as a one-year solution. This would allow a team to draft more of a project at point and gives them a year to develop the pick.

Atlanta Hawks
Draft Pick(s): 19th & 39th
Free Agents: Mike Bibby, Marvin Williams, Zaza Pachulia, Ronald Murray, Solomon Jones, Thomas Gardner & Mario West
Team Needs: PG, C, SF and back-up everything
Assets: If they're trying to win now, Speedy Claxton and Mo Evans have movable contracts. They'd also like to move Josh Smith, but his long-term deal will make that difficult. If they don't care about this season, Joe Johnson's expiring $15 million contract.

The Hawks are at a crossroads this offseason. They have made the playoffs the past two seasons but have been bounced in the first round both years. They have a number of key guys hitting the free agent market and could either decide to look to the future or right now. The biggest name in their free agent crop being Mike Bibby.

Bibby was the catalyst that got Atlanta back into the playoffs in 2008 after a 10 year drought. He was the veteran leader that the Hawks needed and a proven playoff performer (I love alliteration) that could show the younger players the ropes. If Atlanta brings Bibby back, it should be for no more than three years and shouldn't break their bank, but we'll see if Bibby is willing to accept that after being overpaid for the last four seasons.

The other concern will be re-signing Marvin Williams. We all know that the Hawks should have taken Chris Paul or Deron Williams over Williams in the 2005 draft, but that was hardly his fault. He has been judged negatively as a result ever since. Despite that Williams has been a very solid NBA player since coming into the league. He is a restricted free agent this offseason, and there should be some interest from other teams. The only factor that could help the Hawks save on his contract is the availability of bigger name forwards.

That will leave the Hawks with a decision of whether to re-sign Zaza Pachulia or Ronald Murray. They may be able to sign both and make this point moot.

There will be a lot of questions as to what the Hawks should do heading into the draft. There is no guarantee that Atlanta will be able to re-sign all of their free agents, so they certainly will be looking to fill any potential openings via the draft. They'll have a number of options at 19 with Jeff Teague, Eric Maynor and Darren Collison available at point guard and Chase Budinger and Sam Young available at the wing positions. Atlanta also is very high on Tyler Hansbrough, but that just might be conjecture to force another team to move up for him.

Miami Heat
Draft Pick(s): 43rd & 60th
Free Agents: Smush Parker, Jamario Moon, Jamal Magloire, Joel Anthony & Luther Head
Team Needs: C, SF & back-up PG
Assets: More expiring deals than you can shake a stick at.

The Heat have put themselves into a perfect positions for next summer. They'll only have about $13 million committed when they pick up the options on Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers, Daequan Cook and James Jones. Miami can then back the Brinks truck up to Dwyane Wade's front door when he inevitably opts out to cash in. Even with his max deal next season, let's assume the salary cap will be set at $58 million, so the Heat will have an additional $20-25 million to spend on the rest of the free agent class next summer.

Unfortunately this translates to very unexciting summer of 2009 for Miami. The Heat may end up re-signing Jamario Moon to fill a need, but they don't have the cap space to do much more than that. We'll see if they even choose to use their Mid-Level Exception this summer since it may just end up being a waste.

Of course the Heat are prepared to pay Dwyane Wade whatever he wants no matter what their cap situation next summer, so Miami may decide to use Jermaine O'Neal's expiring $23 million contract or work out a package that includes Udonis Haslem. Just don't hold your breath.

The draft will give the Heat an opportunity to add more depth. Unfortunately they won't be making their first pick until after David Stern has stopped announcing the picks. At that point, the Heat will just be looking for the best player available no matter what position. They should look for a back-up point guard or anyone to play in the front court. Don't be surprised if they drafted a project to store overseas for a year or two.

Charlotte Bobcats
Draft Pick(s): 12th, 40th & 54th
Free Agents: Raymond Felton, Sean May, Juwan Howard & Sean Singletary
Team Needs: SG & PG
Assets: Raja Bell can be moved. Nazr Mohammed and Vlad Radmanovich have contracts that could be appealing.

The Bobcats are going to be a tough nut to crack this offseason. They have brought on a number of contracts that could scare off any trade partners. The have Boris Diaw, Gerald Wallace and Emeka Okafor signed for $9 million or more for at least the next 3 seasons (Okafor is signed through 2014).

Charlotte also haven't given themselves much cap flexibility this or next offseason. Raja Bell is their only expiring contract next summer unless Radmanovich opts out of his contract which isn't likely. That leaves them with very few moves they can realistically make this summer, and very few teams would consider making a trade to bring on more payroll with the number of free agents next season.

It looks like Charlotte is willing to let Sean May walk. They have chosen not to give him a qualifying offer making him an unrestricted free agent. That will allow may to test the free agent waters, but it also gives the Bobcats the ability to re-sign him at a smaller contract. They have however made a qualifying offer to Raymond Felton and should be able to re-sign him to a long term deal. This at least will address one need at point guard.

With Felton signed and Augustin still under his rookie contract, the Bobcats should look to draft a shooting guard at 12. Gerald Henderson will definitely be available and Terrence Williams might be there too. Either player would be a good fit for Charlotte. Williams isn't great offensively, but he is a very good defender. He also is a great rebounder for his size. Henderson is more polished on offense and a very smart player. His midrange game is about as good as anyone coming out in the draft. Williams will probably be the better player when it's all said and done, but Charlotte should take a long hard look at Henderson considering their 27th ranked offense last season.

Washington Wizards
Draft Pick(s): 5th & 32nd
Free Agents: Juan Dixon
Team Needs: SG & C
Assets: Washington has a plethora of expiring contracts for next summer, and there are quite a few teams that would take on Antawn Jamison's contract.

The Wizards will not be major players in this offseason's free agent market. They just don't have the cap space to make a splash. This may also be the case in next summer's bonanza. They have nearly $54 million already tied up ($41 million of which going to Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison), and that is before they pick up the options on Nick Young, Javaris Crittenton and JaVale McGee. If they pick up all their team options, they'll be looking at a $67-68 million payroll after signing their draft picks.

With that being said, Washington will not be changing the make-up of their team through free agency. It is more likely that they'll be looking to trade Jamison for expiring contracts or use Etan Thomas, Mike James or Brendan Haywood and their expiring contracts to bring in another big name player. No matter how you slice it, Arenas' contract has put the Wizards in a very uneviable position and leaves them about as flexible as a 75-year-old man.

The draft will be the best avenue for the Wizards to pick up a talented player. They have a need at shooting guard, so they are hoping that James Harden falls to them at 5. Harden is a very good scorer, a good off-ball defender and not DeShawn Stevenson, so basically he is a triple-threat. The Wizards would love to have him and make Stevenson expendable. If he doesn't fall to them at 5, Washington will be left with a choice of Jordan Hill, Stephen Curry or Tyreke Evans (if available). Hill would be drafted to give them the ability to trade Jamison whereas Curry and Evans would be able to play both guard positions and take the pressure off of Arenas to handle the ball.

News Roundup: VC, Kaman, Yao and '09 Draft

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:36:55 -0500

Cavemen in Cleveland?!?! Impossible? No. Probable? Maybe.

The world has come a far way now breaking news on Twitter. We now have star players voicing their opinions on everything from Chad Ochocinco wanting to fight Mike Golic to Kevin Love telling the whole world Kevin McHale would not be back with the T'Wolves next year.

It was only a matter of time before something relevant to the Cavs was reported.

Last night Rich Bucher reported, via the awesomeness that Twitter has become (can't figure out if I believe that statement or not), that the Los Angeles Clippers thought they had a deal done for center Chris Kaman 48 hours ago. And the team that it was with was? If you guessed the Cavs, you're right.

*Trying like heck to move one of their bigs, Kaman or Camby. (Moving Zach just beyond possibility.) Cutting costs everywhere

*Clips were confident they had a Kaman deal 48 hrs ago. That changed last night. Camby to OKC is still out there right now.

*Don't have all the details [to Kaman deal]. Best I can tell, it was to Cle, similar to what they were offering for Shaq.

Pretty interesting I must say so myself.

From the looks of it, Ferry is exploring every possible way to improve this team. So far it looks like he's pretty much been offering Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic around to see what's the best deal, in his eyes. Most of the discussions that have been brought up in recent days have been rehashed talks from the deadline but this seems to be someone that Ferry just may be getting interested in (maybe he is and maybe he isn't but we haven't heard his name linked to the Cavs before).

Kaman is a interesting player. After being diagnosed with ADHD when he was 2 years old and being place on medicines such as Ritalin and Adderall, he has since been told (early 2008) he actually does not have ADHD and he was mis-diagnosed. Since then he has been treated for his so called "learning problem" and has seen improvements both on and off the court.

Kaman is a 27 year old center that has progressed season-by-season in becoming a better player. He entered the league as a goofy looking kid from Central Michigan and has since developed a decent all-around game.

Offensively, he's a decent scorer who can score in a multitude of ways. He's got a decent low-post game, is athletic enough to take guys off the dribble and has a good mid-range game that he's developed. He put up 14.6 points per 36 minutes last year, had a USG% of 20.9 and had a TS% of 55.2. (Just for comparison, here's Z's numbers: 17.1 pts/36mins, 23.8 USG%, 52.3 TS%) All decent numbers for a center who only played in 36 games last year but all those numbers were still close to career highs for him, which is kind of scary (in a bad way).

Defensively, he's never been a terrific defender but he isn't a slouch either. Coming in at around 270lbs., he's got surprising athleticism that helps him to be a pretty good rebounder and shot-blocker.

So what's the problem? Well for one he's due $33.9 million over the next 3 years. While he is a solid center and isn't too old, he isn't worth that type of money. And with GMs worried about 2010 cap space, taking on a contract like Kaman's isn't exactly something most GMs would want to do.

The second problem is that he's only played in 77 games the past two seasons. While he's stayed relatively healthy previous to those two years in the NBA and college, some worry about whether or not this is him beginning to break down or whether this just may be a little kink in the system.

Vinsanity Talks Resume

Ferry's been quite active in trying to rehash old talks from the trade deadline and from previous years and this time it's with a guy we all know too well: Vince Carter.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported that the Cavs and Nets have resumed talks about Carter.

The Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers have discussed Vince Carter(notes) again, sources said. As financial losses mount for New Jersey's ownership, it appears more likely that the Nets will try to move Carter and the two years and $33.6 million left on his deal. The Nets would have to take Ben Wallace(notes) and Sasha Pavlovic(notes) in return.

But then the New York Post reported something different. (keep in mind it's Peter Vecsey)

With that in mind, contrary to a Yahoo! report, the Nets have had no conversation with the Cavaliers since mid-February regarding Vince Carter for anybody, much less Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace, who talked about retiring but is not about to forfeit $14M.
Zero!
Would Ratner love to be save $33M, which is what Carter is owed over the next two seasons? No doubt. But only if the Nets got to keep his 20-point average, sprinkled with plenty of 30s and a few 40s. Or could get a cheaper clone who, don't forget, also must donate five assists and five rebounds per outing.
Aren't many of those featured creatures roaming around the NBA tundra . . . at least who can be had. Carter probably can be had -- that's why the Cavs, Spurs and Blazers all thought seriously or talked deliriously about getting him just prior to last February's trade deadline -- but not for rotten bananas.
Want Carter? Gotta give to get! And at this moment, the Nets are engaged in no substantive trade talks.
Zero!

While Carter is still talented and still has game, it doesn't seem too smart to spend your best trading chips on someone who doesn't fill any of your biggest needs at this moment. Would he be a nice piece? Definitely. But not right now with our needs, our assets and with the money he's still owed.

It looks like Ferry is doing his due diligence in checking out every player he's ever been interested in.

It'll be interesting to see what the Wallace-Pavlovic deal eventually brings in.

Cavs Keying On 3 Guys To Trade Up For?

While the Cavs are probably interested in more than 3 players in trading up for, it was interesting to hear who Brian Windhorst mentioned in the Plain Dealer on Sunday

The chatter in the league is that the Cavs are very interested in moving up in the draft. They have been talking to teams just outside of the lottery (starting with the 15th pick) down into the low 20s.

As they look to move up, the Cavs might be targeting three players who most certainly will not be there at 30.

One is Ty Lawson, the dynamic and speedy point guard from North Carolina. Though he's small and that doesn't exactly fit what the Cavs need with undersized guards Mo Williams and Delonte West, Lawson has proven to be a winner and an excellent decision maker for the national champs. He's been overlooked by some teams and the Cavs love to find undervalued players in the draft. They feel Daniel Gibson and Darnell Jackson fit that same mold.

Another is Sam Young, an experienced wingman who proved to be a strong defender at Pittsburgh while playing in a power conference (Big East). Ferry is very close to the Pitt program and has been keeping an eye on Young for the past several years. Young fits the Cavs' need for size on the perimeter.

The last is Earl Clark, a tall power forward from Louisville who can play a little inside and out. The Cavs spent an extended period interviewing him at the Chicago Draft Combine. At 6-10 from a power program, he also fits a need.

Because the Cavs have shown a willingness to spend money and some teams are operating deep in the red, there has been a belief that the Cavs will look to purchase a first-round pick. Teams are allowed to spend up to $3 million to get them and, as a result, that is almost always the price. But do not assume the Cavs will definitely pull the trigger. They might be able to find better uses for the money. If they are going to buy a pick, the second round is more likely. The Cavs might be able to find a sleeper in there, especially between their picks of 30 and 46. Last season the Cavs spent $300,000 to buy the rights to Sasha Kahn out of the second round and that might be the type of check they prefer to write to get another player in this draft.

All interesting players in their own right, the best news is that Ferry and Co. is looking very hard to trade up in the draft. The thing that they need to be most careful though is that the draft is historically not very productive outside the top-10 and the talent is pretty much the same from 11-22. In a weak draft like this, especially, the Cavs also need to be careful in who they're choosing to trade up for.

As far as teams that may be willing to move down and/or out of the draft, there's been a lot of rumors out there.

Detroit has been rumored to be offering #15 and Amir Johnson for cap space. Atlanta has been said they're offering #19 and Speedy Claxton for cap space. The Phoenix Suns, #14, are always seem willing to move their picks for money. The cash-strapped Charlotte Bobcats at #12 may be forced to sell their pick with ownership problems. The Nets have been said to be very active in trade talks involving their pick. The Hornets seem willing to sell their pick with tough economic times giving their franchise a hard time. The T'Wolves have 3 picks in the 1st round and seem willing to trade away one or maybe two of their picks. The list goes on and on.

The good news is that a lot of teams 12-22 seem willing to sell/trade their pick(s) if need be. The other good news is that there are very little buyers (basically the Cavs, Blazers, Celtics, Spurs and Rockets) and a lot of sellers.

Let's hope Ferry has that San Antonio draft eye (hasn't really proven whether or not he has it yet) and can snag a player that will develop into a nice core piece down the road.

Additional Players In For A Workout

In an update to my original post on who the Cavs had in for a draft workout, it's been listed on HoopsReport.com that the Cavs have had more players in for a workout. Here's the additional names that weren't mentioned previously.

Eric Maynor (VCU, PG)
Jimmy Baron (Rhode Island, G)
Chase Budinger (Arizona, G/F)
Paul Harris (Syracuse, G/F)
Patrick Beverely (Ukraine, G)
Wayne Ellington (North Carolina, G)
DaJuan Summers (Georgetown, F)
Lester Hudson (UT-Martin, G)
Austin Daye (Gonzaga, F)
Lee Cummard (BYU, G)
Wesley Matthews (Marquette, G/F)
Danny Green (North Carolina, G/F)
Jeff Teague (Wake Forest, G)
Nick Calathes (Florida, G)
Taj Gibson (USC, PF)
Ahmad Nivins (St. Joseph's, F/C)
Ryan Toolson (Utah Valley State, G)
Luke Nevill (Utah, C)
Josh Shipp (UCLA, G)
Jeremy Pargo (Gonzaga, G)
Dionte Christmas (Temple, G)
Taylor Griffin (Oklahoma, F)
Paul Delaney (UAB, G)
Dar Tucker (DePaul, G)
AJ Price (UCONN, G)
Stefon Jackson (UTEP, G/F)

Yao + 2010 Free Agency + Chinese Investors = Cavs?

It's doubtful anyone bought into Yao Ming coming to Cleveland in 2010 with Chinese investors buying ownership in the team, but Yao squashed any chance of that rumor being true on Friday.

Rockets center Yao Ming has called a possible move to Cleveland an "unknown" amid rumors that the Cavaliers' new Chinese part owners want to sign him.

In a recent interview with his hometown Shanghai TV station, Yao said he continued to have "much affection" for the Houston Rockets, the team that took him in the first round of the 2002 draft and with whom he has played all six of his NBA seasons.

While it could conceivably happen in 2010, don't get any hopes up.

And finally: 3 more rumor filled days until June 25th comes and all of this madness ends, but just for a short time until Free Agency starts up July 1st.

But until then.....Adios Amigos!

No Picks? No Problem: How the C's Can Work Magic This NBA Draft

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:26:07 -0500

The Celtics do not have the opportunity to make any selections this year's NBA Draft. However, Celtics executive Danny Ainge has been trying to negotiate with some of the Draft's lottery teams in an attempt to snag some pretty intriguing prospects.

Some team needs include a backup small forward and a backup shooting guard (there's no way we can check these tasks off without acquiring someone via trade), a big man, and a veteran. We have one spot open to pick up a free agent, preferably a big man with experience. Chris Andersen and Brandon Bass are some possibilities.

The Celtics are also hoping to re-sign Glen Davis after his exceptional play in the playoffs while replacing the injured Kevin Garnett. They will have to compete with some teams willing to give Davis the big bucks in order for him to come play for them. He'll attract a few big contracts from the lesser teams who have money available.

With Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe returning, we should be better than last year's team without even making any moves. However, Powe's injury is much more severe than Garnett's, who recently had surgery to repair his knee. Powe could miss the first month or two of the season because of that, but should be ready to come back healthy and rested for the remainder of the season. Hopefully he won't take a long time to get back into a groove.

As the Draft aproaches, Danny Ainge, Wyc Grousbeck, and other important members of Boston's front office have to look at this "to-do list," and decide whether or not they want to move some players to get a lottery pick.

Ray Allen is most certainly on the block because of his expiring contract. Apparently young studs such as Bill Walker, Kendrick Perkins, and Rajon Rondo are also on the block. But, despite all the hype, I doubt that any of those three will be shipped out.

Can the Celtics work magic this year? Here are some potential deals that could go down before, during, and after the Draft.

With Shaq And Suns, Ferry Is Talking With The Right Team, But For The Wrong Player

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 02:30:00 -0500

You can't blame the Cleveland Cavaliers for not hogging the NBA headlines even while being out of the NBA Finals. They're doing just as good of a job as anybody at staying in the headlines despite their season being over.

First, the news was about the transfer of 15 percent of the team's ownership to an overseas Chinese investment group last month. Next, erroneous reporting by SLAM Magazine incorrectly had them talking with Rasheed Wallace about a two-year deal worth $10 million per year, an impossibility given the Cavs' current cap situation. Then, Mike Brown's job came under fire with Pat Riley being thrown in the mix as the replacement.

Now, on the day that the Los Angeles Lakers won their 15th championship and Kobe Bryant won his first NBA Finals MVP, the news throughout Sunday was about the possibility of Shaquille O'Neal teaming up with LeBron James in Cleveland in 2009-10.

The thing that should strike you as the most intriguing with this recent news is that Ferry is already all over it this early in the offseason. The NBA Finals weren't even over as of Sunday morning, and talks were already about the Cavs being aggressive in the wake of their devastating loss to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals.

And the fact that he was talking to the Phoenix Suns and GM Steve Kerr, a good friend of his, should be even more encouraging if you're a Cavs fan. So while it was good to see Ferry being aggressive and talking to Kerr, he struck out on his third at-bat:

He was talking about Shaq.

Because if the Suns are looking to do a salary dump and get rid of a player with a big contract -- a player that could fill a need for the Cavs, at that -- then Ferry should be talking to Kerr about one Jason Richardson.

Oh, Ferry is no stranger to Richardson. Rumors linked the Cavs to Richardson even at the trade deadline in '07, when the former Michigan State Spartan was in the midst of an injury-riddled season. Ferry was said to have tried again for J-Rich last summer when the latter was with the Charlotte Bobcats, but an early-season trade sent the two-time Slam Dunk Champion from North Carolina to the desert in Arizona to play with the Suns.

And in 58 games with the Suns this past season, the 28-year old Richardson averaged 16.4 points while shooting 38.3 percent (102-for-266) from 3-point range and a stunning (for a perimeter player) 48.8 percent from the floor. The 6'6", 225-pounder is a big two-guard who played all 82 games for the Bobcats in '07-08 (automatically dismissing any impending comparisons to Larry Hughes), during which he put up 21.8 points and shot 40.6 percent (243-for-599) from downtown.

In fact, outside of that '06-07 season, Richardson has been durable and injury-free for the most part. With that one season as the outlier, the least games that Richardson has played in a season is 72 in 2004-05. Starting with his rookie year in 2001-02, he has played in 80, 82, 78, 72, 75, 51, 82, and 72 games, respectively. That's pretty impressive and speaks a lot for Richardson's durability.

As far as his contract goes, Richardson is due $13.3 million next season and $14.4 million in 2010-11. If the Suns took back a package of Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic, it wouldn't save them any money for this season, so Ferry would have to get creative while still including Pavlovic's non-guaranteed contract in the deal.

That would be the difficult part, as a package of Pavlovic and Daniel Gibson would total only $9.2 million and not work under the league's trade provisions. Including J.J. Hickson in the mix makes the deal work, but then the question becomes about whether or not a young big man with a lot of promise is too much to surrender for acquiring a potential 20-points-per-game shooting guard. The answer from here, by the way, is "yes it is."

The other options would include either trading Ben Wallace, with him and the Suns agreeing to a contract buyout (in the case Wallace retires), or getting a third team involved (like Ferry did in the Mo Williams trade). Trading Wallace for Richardson straight up actually increases the Suns' payroll for next year and gives them absolutely no incentive in getting a deal done.

But with Richardson, the Cavs have a big two-guard in the prime of his career who can really shoot the lights out and attack the rim. Yeah, he was humiliated by LeBron earlier this season when he tried to go for a 360 dunk on a fast break in a game against the Cavs in Phoenix, but I'm sure that bygones can be bygones in this case.

Pairing Richardson with All-Star Mo Williams in the backcourt would give James his most dynamic backcourt to work with since he's been in the NBA, and sliding Delonte West to the bench would add a punch to a unit that was pathetic at best against Orlando. West has proven that he can play both guard positions, and that trait would be valuable in having him be the team's sixth man backing up either Richardson or Williams.

It doesn't address the team's problems in the frontcourt, but you can't argue that adding a 28-year old shooting guard who has averaged 18.6 points per game and shot 36.6 percent from beyond the arc during his eight-year career doesn't make this team substantially better. It may not help much with the matchup problems posed by the Magic, but it also makes the Cavs harder for Orlando to match up against on their own end.

So Ferry and Kerr are talking. That much is for sure. Ferry's friendship with Oklahoma City GM Sam Presti helped tremendously in getting a deal done for Mo back in August. And he's going to have to rely on his friendship with Kerr to help him get a deal done this summer.

Now, if only he can talk about the real player that will make the Cavaliers a nightmare to defend for years to come. Then we're really talking.

The Ray Allen Saga Continues: Possibilities For Trading Partners

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:10:00 -0500

Rumors are a funny thing. At times, even a silly thing. But this time, I'm convinced. Ray Allen might not be gone, but the Celtics are certainly shopping. They may even come across some intriguing offers.

Why not? Allen is a seasoned veteran with a legendary jumpshot and a refreshing sense of professionalism. If I was an executive, I'd take a player like that in a heartbeat. Then again, I wouldn't want to give up too much (naturally).

After a silly trade rumor concerning Allen came to our attention, things began to leak out. Is Rondo on the trading block? No of course not. But Allen? Yes, yes he is. And from the way I see it, the Celtics are making it seem obvious that they would like to use Allen as their trade bait.

So, the Ray Allen saga continues, and I'm watching intently. After the jump are possible teams that may be fishing for Ray-Ray.

David Aldridge Blogger Q&A

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:55:00 -0800

DAVID ALDRIDGE NBA Blogger Q&A

In preparation for the NBA Finals coverage on NBA.com, veteran NBA journalist and television analyst/reporter David Aldridge conducted an NBA Blogger Q&A session where he addressed the upcoming NBA Finals, key match-ups between the Lakers and Magic, pending NBA Draft and off-season, as well as colleagues at TNT and NBA.com. David has served as the TNT and NBA.com Insider for the network's NBA coverage since 2004, appearing both in the studio as well as on the sidelines. Prior to his time at TNT, he spent eight years at ESPN reporting on the NBA and writing for ESPN.com. He has also written for the Washington Post and the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Q: What are your thoughts overall on the NBA Playoffs this year and what is your key match up for the Finals? (Rey-Rey from TheNoLookPass)

DA: "Well, I think the playoffs have been terrific, especially with Chicago and Boston. We've seen some incredible team performances, some incredible games with great last-minute shots, and a lot of dramatic series'. The Houston/LA series, which I don't think anybody thought was going to be very competitive with Yao [Ming] out, was spectacular. Obviously, Denver and LA was very competitive and Orlando beating Cleveland; which I don't think anyone really thought was going to happen. The playoffs have been terrific so far.

For the NBA Finals and match-ups, the keys are the obvious ones: [Pau] Gasol vs. Rashard Lewis, I think that is going to be a big match up; the two of them have their obvious strengths in terms of their individual games. Pau is going to have trouble guarding Rashard and vice versa. I think [Trevor] Ariza vs. [Hedo] Turkoglu is going to be a big, big match-up because Orlando has so much of a half-court offense with Turkoglu down the stretch. If Ariza can keep Hedo from being a distributor and get the ball to the other two good shooters; that will be a very important match-up." (NBA.com breakdown of Howard vs. Bynum here.)

Q: Media wise: Do you have a problem with Jeff Van Gundy covering Stan Van Gundy? What about Magic Johnson covering the Lakers? (Justin at SportsCracklePop)

DA: "Obviously, I'm sure it's difficult for anyone to cover something that his siblings are involved in. I'm sure it's tough for Jeff, but he is a professional and I think he's going to be fair. He's done a very good job of calling it like he sees it and I have no doubt he will continue to do that. With Magic [Johnson], we have watched him over the years and he does not hesitate to criticize the Lakers when they play poorly and I have no doubt that if they play poorly he won't hesitate to do it again. I believe both guys give a fair assessment as they should."

Q: Earlier this week, we posted a piece about Adam Morrison and JJ Redick facing off in these finals. Can you remember another situation like this is NBA history, when two relative busts, linked so closely together, ended up being non-contributors during the league's premier showcase? (Justin at SportsCracklePop)

DA: "I think those two guys are not where they want to be in their NBA careers, but I would say that J.J. Redick did play very well for the Magic this season and helped the team win games, especially in the Orlando/Boston series guarding Ray Allen. The shots just weren't falling for him then. He's coming along and helping them in some ways. Adam Morrison is not going to play in this series, and that just might be that he's not in the right position right now. I am hesitant to call players busts, though, overall."

Q: Obviously, next summer is the big free agent bonanza. Who will be the biggest signing of this off-season? Will it be Allen Iverson reuniting with Larry Brown in Charlotte? Ben Gordon coming home to New York? (Justin at SportsCracklePop)

DA: "I think Detroit is going to be really active this off-season whether it's with Carlos Boozer or Paul Milsap, maybe David Lee. I think they are going to do something this off-season that puts them back into contention in the Eastern Conference. Think about some of the free agents: look at Lamar Odom who I think is going to have a lot of suitors this off-season because of the way he has played in these playoffs. I think Trevor Ariza is going to get a lot of attention as well, maybe from a team like Memphis that is going to have a lot of cap room to take a look at an Ariza. To get the players they want, they're going to have to be aggressive and spend I think Boozer will have a lot of attention this summer. It seems like there are some things going on there and he may be on the move.

Q: How is it to work with Charles and company - would you ever wear any of Craig's suits? Would he ever wear the outfits Craig Sager wears? (Lizz at Lizz's Lockeroom)

DA: "[laughs] You know what? I think one night it would be great if we did a bizarro TNT night where he would were a charcoal tie and a black three-piece suit, and I come out in three-piece pink suit. I wouldn't mind trying that once. Working with the Turner guys is so great in every aspect of the job from production to content to working with people like Marv [Albert] , Reggie [Miller] and Kevin Harlan. It's such a treat. They do a great job and really like working there. I've come along way with them, they bring incredible amounts of intelligence and knowledge to the broadcast. I mean the proof is in the pudding with that show, you look at the Emmy Awards the studio show gets with Ernie [Johnson], Charles [Barkley] and Kenny [Smith]. They are the best in the business and wonderful to work with.

Q: What is the best NBA Finals you've covered in your career? (Lizz at Lizz's Lockeroom)

DA: Great question. I guess for me it might have been last year's because when I came to the NBA we had the whole Boston/LA rivalry so I've always had that. For me to jump back into the history of that rivalry 20 years later that was a lot of fun. It was really terrific to see Boston and LA competing for a championship, and with the history, that was a lot of fun. Watching the Bulls dominate those six championships. The Phoenix series in '92 was a great series. I really felt that series should have gone 7 games."

Q: If Kobe captures his 4th NBA title, where does he stand amongst the League's all-time greats? Can we start making a case for KB24 to "one day" surpass MJ as the G.O.A.T.? (Peter at PRC Hoops)

DA: "I don't think right now you can put Kobe in the same category as Michael Jordan. If you look at Kobe's years in the league, which is 12 or 13 years, that is incredible. But he has three titles and MJ has six, and I don't think you can compare right now. I think Kobe is certainly the best player of his generation - no question. Like Bill Parcell says, its all about the [titles] and you know Mr. Russelll has 11 so no one is catching him and Michael has six, so I think those two guys have to be considered as No.1 and No.2 in greatest players ever."

Q: There's only room for one Superman on Twitter. Looking solely at content, whose Twitter game is superior: Shaq or Dwight Howard? (Peter at PRC Hoops)

DA: "I'm going to plead the fifth on this because I'm not a Twitter guy and Facebook is more than enough for me right now. I like to see the stuff that Shaq does here and there, like the meet-ups so I guess I'll have to give it to Shaq. But, I'm old school and not on Twitter enough to make a good call."

Q: Your Facebook profile indicates that you went to DeMatha High School. Did you play ball for Morgan Wootten? If so, what was that experience like? How does he compare to the elite NBA coaches? (Peter at PRC Hoops)

DA: "I did go to DeMatha, but I did not play for DeMatha. My game was not there [laughs]. But I do know Morgan Wootten well. He is as decent a human being as I've ever met, and he is a tremendous guy who is a very humble person. Even though I never played for him, I learned from him how to win with class and I've been fortunate to know him. I see him as one of the more successful high school coaches and he does it in a way that doesn't call attention to himself. He is a class act through and through. I've gotten to know him in school, and after school, and am very lucky to know him. "

Q: What moves would you make if you were the Wizards in their situation?

DA: "Well, I think they have to do two things: they have to get a point guard - not because Gilbert [Arenas] can't play PG, but they have to start thinking about playing Gilbert off the ball because that's his strength - and I think a solid PG will do well somebody they can give the ball to - and somebody they can throw the ball to inside. They really struggle to score inside, and you can't be a jump-shooting team and win in the playoffs at some point - and even Orlando is an example, but they have a guy you can throw the ball to. You have to have someone inside to get the ball. They have talent, but they need to strike a balance. Those are the two moves I would make.

I would look to trading that pick, I think they might be able to get something out of it but I'm not sure cause there are different views on how this draft is I think this draft is about as good as most but it's not a great but it's not horrible you can get good players out of this draft. I know they don't want to trade one of those big three guys but maybe they have to get someone they like such as Amar'e Stoudemire - they have to look at that."

Q: The Magic seem to have a more balanced attack while the Lakers are all about Kobe. What team do you see having the edge? Do you think it's more important in the finals to have an insane scorer like Kobe Bryant or a low post presence like Dwight Howard? (Richie from MVN)

DA: "I think Kobe has tried very hard this year to add balance to that team. I think the Lakers are much more balanced than a couple years ago. I think he trusts Pau and needs Pau to do and play well. He needs Ariza and Lamar Odom to play well. In that sense, I think the Lakers are a very balanced team. They are a team that can score and their defense creates offense for them as well. I think LA has the edge; same reason LA has had the edge in every series thus far. Their size up front is so difficult for other teams to match up with. You have two seven-footers in Gasol and [Andrew] Bynum, and throw in Ariza at six-eight and Odom and six-ten. It gives Phil [Jackson] some real flexibility with lineups and who's going to go in stretch of games. That's why I think they have the advantage. Their interior defense is better than everyone else. Their guards and their bigs can single cover - playing help defense makes it difficult to score against.

Q: What are your thoughts on Obama picking the Lakers in Six?

DA: "I did see that and I concur. Actually, I said that before so Mr. President took my pick as Lakers in six games."

Q: In the NBA Finals press conference today, you asked Dwight about the officiating - are you working on a story for it and what is your angle and/or thoughts?

DA: "I am working on a piece on NBA officiating, but I'm not sure when it will run or exactly figured out what I'm going to say and how I'm going to say it. It will definitely run during the NBA Finals, but it's definitely a topic that everyone is talking about and I want to take a serious look at the officials because I did write a column on the NBA conspiracy theories and it will be along those same lines. I got a lot of response from that, and a lot of people have strong views on officiating in the league. I really want to address those things in a very serious column and that's what I'm going to try to do."

"Coming up on NBA.com, I'm going to have my picks tomorrow (Lakers in six). I think everyone at NBA.com is going to have their picks up tomorrow for the finals so you will see some of the other writers' picks, too. Obviously, for the NBA Finals for NBA TV, we'll be with Ahmad [Rashad], CWebb [Chris Webber], and [Gary] Payton for pre-game coverage at the Staples Center here in LA. After the game, me and Rick Kamla will be breaking stuff down and covering the pressers. Then, we'll be on again with Ahmad, CWebb and Gary for post-game.

"When we go to Orlando for Game 3, we're going to be having a lot of fun. We'll have the NBA TV crew, plus Ernie, Chuck and Kenny so we'll have so much new content on NBA.com and some great TV coverage both online and on NBA TV. It should be a fantastic series."

I'd like to thank Kyle Scriven for helping me get involved in this Q&A. For more Finals coverage, go to NBA.Com.

For my own, uh, themed NBA Finals preview, go here.

Follow me on Twitter. I am on there as @TheNoLookPass. You can also follow Kyle at @TheHitmanSpeaks.

2009 NBA Playoffs: NBA FINALS Predictions

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:03:14 -0800

#1 Los Angeles Lakers (WEST) Vs #3 Orlando Magic (EAST)
So it's set! The Disney Finals! Boy, do I miss the Disney afternoon...

Anyway... let's talk about the NBA Finals and look at this very, uh, unbiased preview!

Let's get dangerous.

THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS. Last year, they got their ass kicked in the Finals by the Boston Celtics. It's already ~~amazing~~ astounding that they made the Finals after a couple of first round failures in the previous two years. So they set out on a mission to get rougher, tougher, and meaner to get back to the big stage.

And they did in the first fifth of the season. They rolled through the competition with crisp offense and effective (if not, frantic) defense. Along the way, Andrew Bynum got hurt yet again... but they got him back in time for the Playoffs.

Somewhere along the line, they got bored. They would get up for the big games against Boston or Cleveland... but then they would play lazy against teams like Indiana or Charlotte. Still, they finished with the best record in the West with a 65-17 record.

They dispatched of Utah rather quickly in the first round... but then the LAZY Lakers came out against Houston. Houston pushed them to seven games before L.A. finally decided that enough was enough. They then went through a rough-and-tumble series against Denver before they saved their best play in the last two games of the series. It was a lot of head-scratching, hair-pulling, angst, and wall-punching because of these up-and-down Lakers... but they're back and they seem to be focusing and peaking at the right time. A lot of people said that they don't deserve to win the title... but what matters is that they GOT to the Finals.

THE ORLANDO MAGIC. For a lot of the year, we always thought they were one step or one piece away from the championship. We all thought that Boston and Cleveland were simply too strong to take on.

But they did show that they belonged. Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis were all-stars, yes... but Jameer Nelson became one, too, after playing out of his mind and showing leadership that kept the Magic focused on the prize. When Nelson was lost for the year, they swung a trade to get Rafer Alston to solidify the point guard position. They finished third again in the Eastern Conference... but improved by seven wins from the previous season.

A lot of people certainly didn't take the Magic seriously after they struggled to put away the Philadelphia 76ers. But it was the series against Boston (without Kevin Garnett) that took them to another level. They finished off Boston in seven (at their house) and this was after surviving a Big Baby game-winner in Game 4.

And then they went against the Cleveland Cavaliers (crowned by the media and fans as champions 403 times in the playoffs). Cleveland came into the series on fire (8-0 in the playoffs). But Orlando stole Game 1 from them. The LeBron James game-winner from Game 2 didn't bother Orlando too much as they won Games 3 and 4. Orlando went on to "shock" Cleveland in six games as they prevented a Kobe Vs LeBron match-up in the Finals. Orlando grew up in the postseason right in front of our eyes. Dwight Howard punctuated the Cleveland series with a career-high 40 points... and both sides of the floor seem to be clicking for them Magicians. We expect Dwight to be MORE of a beast in this series.

Now... the main storyline right now is that Jameer Nelson may play in the Finals. I don't think it changes the gameplan much for the Lakers but I think they do get a more consistent jumpshooter in Jameer. However, he hasn't played in four months so he may not even play that much. Basically, if Jameer plays, the Lakers just have to watch out even more from the perimeter. And we all know L.A.'s trouble on defending the outside.

All right. Both teams don't lack star power. L.A. has Kobe, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom. Orlando has Dwight, Rashard, and Hedo Turkoglu. The other starters are obviously going to be important. On L.A.'s side, Derek Fisher hasn't played good ball since he came off his suspension... although Trevor Ariza has been tearin' it up from downtown. Andrew Bynum has the unenviable task to guard D12... but I think it's more of a confidence issue for him. As for Orlando? Rafer is as hit or miss as they come. As for Courtney Lee? She sounds hot.

(The picture above? She LOOKS like a Courtney Lee.)

But for real, though, this will be a huge test for Lee.

Their benches? Well, Odom will come off the bench with Bynum starting... and Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, and Sasha Vujacic have played better... but not consistently. Orlando's Mickael Pietrus played great against Cleveland and I assume that he'll be the hellish, athletic defender and 3-point shooter. Kinda like the Lakers' Ariza. Orlando can also rely on Anthony Johnson, Marcin Gortat (POLISH HAMMA!), and J.J. Redick for some steady play... but the Magic's bench has obviously been Pietrus.

Laker fans feared this match-up. Magic has shooters all over the place (including their 6'10" forwards) and the worst part of the Lakers game has been their perimeter defense (especially when lazy). But I don't think the Lakers will be lazy since the stakes are high once again. They have to be like the Gummi Bears. Bouncing here and there and everywhere...

Plus they are longer than Cleveland. The Lakers aren't dwarves at all.

I don't think the Magic will have as many open looks (assuming they don't play lazy perimeter D) as they did against the Cavs. Dwight Howard will eat up the middle so the Lakers will try to use all 18 fouls on him (expect our favorite, DJ Mbenga, to get some burn). But the whole Lakers frontline can score, too, and they will certainly make Turkoglu and Lewis work. That's what doomed Cleveland in the first place.

As much as Orlando has grown up, they are in a whole new world.

The Lakers know what they're in for now. When focused, I don't think ANY team can beat them. We also know that L.A. has this dude named Kobe Bryant, who is as chill as they come at the end of games. And he'll be the difference-maker in every game that they play.

REY'S PREDICTION: Lakers in 6.
PETER: Orlando in 6.*
JIMMY: Lakers in 6.
NICK: Lakers in 6.
DAVE: Lakers in 7.* (is really hoping for Orlando in 6.)
TONY: Coming soon.

*They hate the Lakers.

I also got predictions from the Lady Ballers.

COLLEEN: Orlando in 7.
ALEXIS: Orlando in 6.
JESSICA: Orlando in 6.
CHERYL: Orlando in 6.
ELIZABETH: Orlando in 6.
LISA: Orlando in 5.

But then I forgot that they're ALL from Orlando! Ha ha ha ha.

Get'cha head in the game!

Time to watch some Lion King.

Follow me on Twitter. I am on there as @TheNoLookPass. I am READY for the NBA Finals.

2009 NBA Mock Draft - Version 2.0

Sun, 31 May 2009 09:18:10 -0500

A week and a half after publishing Version 1.0, it's time to edit the first round of the draft. There will be many picks that don't change, but there are definitely some risers and fallers and that will be depicted in this version.

1. Los Angeles Clippers - Blake Griffin, F, Oklahoma

This is a no-brainer pick. He has been the #1 pick in this draft since last November and has won every Player of the Year award you can think of. I've already posted my thoughts on this pick for the Clippers, so I won't go over it again. He's got the potential to be a top power forward in the league in a few years, but also if he doesn't develop much of an offensive game, could have already plateud. I don't expect that to happen, so he will develop into a very good, borderline great, power forward in the league.

2. Memphis Grizzlies - Ricky Rubio, G, Spain

Rubio's agent has already said they will do what they can to avoid him going to either Memphis or Oklahoma City, but the same agent tried to do this with Yi last year and failed. Ultimately, I think Rubio decides to play for whoever takes him and Memphis, with the #2 pick, should take the 2nd best talent on the board. People widely consider Rubio and Thabeet to round out the top-3 with Griffin, but I could see Memphis consider Jordan Hill at this pick if they do not want to stunt the growth of Mike Conley, Jr. In the end, Rubio is the pick and should embrace the chance to play with OJ Mayo and Rudy Gay.

Memphis' brass has been over in Spain interviewing this kid and Marc Gasol, fellow Spaniard, has talked to him as well and it seems as if Rubio is coming around to the idea of being in Memphis.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder - Hasheem Thabeet, C, Connecticut

The Thunder have many holes and are not in a position to draft by, well, position. Other than Westbrook, Durant and Jeff Green have solidified their spots on this team. Nenad Krstic was a nice pickup last year, but he's not a center you would want to build around. Thabeet would give them an instant upgrade in the defense department and if his offense ever comes around, he could become a really nice player. He must bulk up, but who in the draft doesn't? Also considered James Harden and DeMar DeRozan at this spot.

4. Sacramento Kings - Brandon Jennings, G, Italy

The Kings have drafted big men in the last two drafts with Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson. Both of them look as if they will grow into good players in the league. Add to those two Kevin martin and Andres Nocioni, the lack of a playmaking point guard really holds this team back. Beno Udrih was given a horrible contract and the Kings will be eating that while Jennings runs the show. Though Jennings isn't a pure point guard, his scoring ability will be greatly welcomed by the Kings.

5. Washington Wizards - Jordan Hill, F, Arizona

The Wizards are actually trying to shop the pick, but if they keep it, I think Hill will be a great pick at #5. I think that Hill will be the 3rd best prospect in the draft behind Blake Griffin and DeMar DeRozan. Hill has developed his game to a higher level after every season at Arizona and should only keep getting better. If he can add more weight and some refined post moves, he'll be a very productive player in this league.

Read the rest of the article here!

Dwight Drives Magic Past Cavs Into Finals

Panayotovich NBA Mock Draft: v. 1.0

Fri, 29 May 2009 02:40:00 -0500

After earning national recognition in 2007 for having the most accurate mock draft, I've got my work cut out for me yet again this summer. No worries though, I'm ready to hand it to Chad Ford for the third consecutive year row come June 25.

Remember, there is absolutely nothing set in stone at this point in time. Many changes will come about as team workouts get underway in the upcoming weeks. I'm trying to ignore all the ridiculous speculation and stay focused on penning in players where I believe they will best fit.

Things are going to get interesting after David Stern announces the reigning College Basketball Player of the Year as the top overall pick. With two players vying for the No. 2 selection, there's bound to be a domino effect for each impending scenario. Without further ado ...

1. Los Angeles -- Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma, So.
Headlining the 2009 draft class is the explosive Griffin, the most dominant player on the board. Blake's combination of size, speed and athleticism is second to none, and he's hands down the best player in the draft. If he can master the mid-range jumper, he'll be unstoppable. Taking Griffin is a no-brainer regardless of the plethora of big men on the Clips roster. Talk about winning the lottery.

2. Memphis -- Ricky Rubio, PG, Spain, 1990
This is where things get interesting. While the Spanish prodigy is more than ready to migrate overseas, there are several question marks surrounding his draft status. First, will he leave his comfortable situation in Spain and risk playing in a Memphis market that hasn't been kind to former nationals Pau Gasol and Juan Carlos Navarro? If yes, will the Grizzlies front office select Ricky over Thabeet, who owner Michael Heisley prefers. For now, I'll pen in Rubio because of his amazing playmaking abilities. His basketball knowledge is off the charts and some scouts say he is eerily similar to Pistol Pete. You'd have to be out of your mind to pass this kid up.

3. Oklahoma City -- James Harden, SG, Arizona State, So.
Harden exploded onto the draft scene this season as he torched the nets all year long in Tempe. Don't let the dismal tournament performance fool you, this kid can flat out score. He's got great size to go along with his sweet jumper, although I'd love to see him be more aggressive taking the ball to the cup. Harden could slide nicely into the rotation in Oklahoma City and form a very solid backcourt with Russell Westbrook. And who better to show him the ropes than Kevin Durant.

4. Sacramento -- Jrue Holiday, PG, UCLA, Fr.
Call it a reach if you must, but Holiday is the real deal. Jrue wasn't able to showcase his abilities to the fullest playing in Ben Howland's system, not to mention Darren Collison returning wasn't exactly expected. Nonetheless, Holiday fits the mold in Sacramento, where the Kings are in dire need of a point guard. His defensive tenacity is incredible and he's got one of the best motors in the draft. Combine that with his strength, exceptional floor general skills and long 6-foot-8 wingspan, and you've got all the makings of a very special player.

5. Washington -- Hasheem Thabeet, C, Connecticut, Jr.
Rumor has it the Wiz are exploring options to trade up for Thabeet after Javale McGee didn't pan out this past season. However, there's a slight possiblity that the 7-foot-3 Tanzanian could fall right into their laps. Trust me, I'm well aware of his height, shot-altering capability and ability to block shots into next week, but after watching him get pushed around by Michigan State in the Final Four, I saw nothing but red flags. I'm still skeptical of his strength and defensive positioning in the paint. He's a sure-fire top five pick, but I've got him at the back end because he's very, very raw -- and his offensive artillery is a joke.

6. Minnesota -- Tyreke Evans, PG/SG, Memphis, Fr.
Simply put, Evans is a proven winner and he wants the ball in his hands with the game on the line. That's saying a lot for a 19-year-old that played in such a high-tempo offense at Memphis. He cemented himself throughout March Madness as the best freshman in all of college basketball with an amazing 33-point performance against Missouri. His ability to drive the lane and attack the basket is hard to overlook, and he's a great ball handler with an explosive first step. The sky is the limit for the Aston, Pa., native.

7. Golden State -- Brandon Jennings, PG, Italy, 1989
Unfortunately, college basketball fans didn't get to witness how talented the American exile was this past season as he opted to skip college and bring his game overseas. And while he had a slight falling out with Lottomatica Roma, it doesn't change his freakish speed and athleticism, not to mention his ability to create off the dribble and envision reads before they happen. Pair him with Monta Ellis and you have a dangerous backcourt for years to come.

8. New York -- Stephen Curry, PG, Davidson, Jr.
Not sure whether Knick fans are going to ring out cheers or boos, but it seems almost certain that Curry will be playing his home games at the Garden next season. He fits perfectly into Mike D'Antoni's run-and-gun offense and he's got the sweetest stroke in the draft. DeMar DeRozan would be a tremendous fit as well, but something tells me the star of the 2008 tourney is headed for the Big Apple.

9. Toronto -- Jordan Hill, PF, Arizona, Jr.
A lot of experts are penning Hill in the top five, although I've got him falling at the moment because the majority of teams before Toronto are looking to draft guards. He'd have the luxury of going up against Chris Bosh on a regular basis and could help shoulder the load shoud CB4 leave in the summer of 2010. Depending upon how well Hill works out (and where Thabeet is picked), he could definitely rise up the board when all is said and done.

10. Milwaukee -- Jonny Flynn, PG, Syracuse, So.
Flynn's stock has skyrocketed as of late as several GMs are impressed with his athleticism and explosiveness. As he displayed throughout the Big East and NCAA tournaments, Flynn is a great leader and an extremely strong player that pushes the ball relentlessly. And his vertical leap more than makes up for his lack of height. Should Ramon Sessions bolt for free agency, the Syracuse alum could easily pick up the slack and keep the Milwaukee train on track.

11. New Jersey -- DeJuan Blair, PF, Pittsburgh, So.
I can understand why GM Rod Thorn wants toughness at the 4. Watching a platoon of Ryan Anderson and Yi Jianlin at power forward would have me drooling at the mouth for a player of Blair's caliber. He's built like a tight end and possesses great hands to accompany his insane 7-foot-3 wingspan. While he might not have the height of the typical PF, there's nothing small about his play down in the paint.

12. Charlotte -- DeMar DeRozan, SG, USC, Fr.
Getting a player with DeRozan's skill set and potential at this point in the draft would be a no-brainer for the Bobcats. He might be the best athlete in the entire draft and his size has scouts and GMs shaking their heads. There are still a couple question marks with his game, but with the way he progressed throughout his freshman year at USC, I wouldn't be shocked if he was an All-Star in five years with how much talent he brings to the table.

13. Indiana -- Jeff Teague, PG, Wake Forest, So.
With the way his sophomore campaign ended against Cleveland State, I'd love to see Teague return to Winston-Salem for his junior season. If not, he's got the talent and potential to warrant a lottery selection, and as he showed in huge wins over North Carolina and Duke, he's a playmaking leader that can score at will. With Jarrett Jack's Pacers future in question, Teague would be a great replacement. When his ball handling abilities and decision making come full circle, he's going to be an absolute stud.

14. Phoenix -- Earl Clark, SF, Louisville, Jr.
The Suns would love to get their hands on Clark, as he was a tremendous asset all year long for Louisville. His natural versatility would work wonders in the Suns' fast-paced offensive attack. The athletic Clark plays long, he's a great distributor and he makes scoring look easy from 15 feet and in. God help defenders if he bulks up and develops a low-post arsenal.

15. Detroit -- Austin Daye, SF, Gonzaga, So.
While his best dayes are down the road, Detroit is re-stocking for the future and should have the patience to wait for a star like Daye to develop. He's still visibily frail, but that was the knock on Tayshaun Prince as well. The Irvine, Ca., product will never bang in the post with the power forwards, but if he packs on the pounds and hits the weight room, he'll be a dangerous weapon at the 3. Daye has all the tools to be a star; whether or not he's motivated to become one is the key.

16. Chicago -- Gerald Henderson, SG, Duke, Jr.
It was hard dropping Henderson this low because he's such a tough, talented player. Or maybe I'm just biased and would love to see him playing for the Bulls. Either way, he's extremely versatile and does everything very well. His biggest knock is that he's undersized, but hell, I'll take my chances on someone that has the testicular fortitude to hammer Psycho T in the nose.

17. Philadelphia -- Ty Lawson, PG, North Carolina, Jr.
Assuming the Sixers don't bring back Andre Miller, they'll be faced with the decision of taking Lawson or Eric Maynor. Many consider it a coin flip, although I point to this past NCAA Tournament as Lawson's breakout party. He was by far the biggest reason the Tar Heels won the national title as his quickness worked wonders on both ends of the floor. He's a great athlete with good court vision and his size concerns will go to the wayside if he learns how to change speeds.

18. Minnesota -- James Johnson, PF, Wake Forest, So.
Many feel Johnson has what it takes to crack the lottery seeing as how he's a unbelievable athlete with great size and build for the pros. However, as someone who's seen him play at least 10 times, his basketball IQ suffers compared to his competition. So many times this season Johnson thought he was a point guard in transition and either lost the handle or threw the ball away. That won't cut it in the league. He's still got the tools though, and a team like Minnesota should have no problem taking a flier on him.

19. Atlanta -- Eric Maynor, PG, Virginia Commonwealth, Sr.
With Acie Law not cutting it in Hotlanta, the Hawks are primed to select Maynor, who is one of the most NBA ready players in the draft. He's a seasoned veteran that excelled in the national spotlight against the likes of Duke and UCLA. He might not be as quick as Lawson, but he's better at attacking the basket. Combine that with his defensive repertoire, and you've got a well-rounded player that will get results.

20. Utah -- Tyler Hansbrough, PF, North Carolina, Sr.
Like most college seniors that enter the draft, Hansbrough has a limited upside as far as growth is concerned, but you can't discount his tenacious play in the paint on both sides of the floor. He's the type of gritty, hard-nosed player that could flourish under Jerry Sloan in Utah. T-Hans is an extremely hard worker that outhustles and outworks his competition. He's not the most talented player, but with a sweet mid-range jumper and the ability to get to the charity stripe and convert, he'd be a bargain at No. 20.

21. New Orleans -- Wayne Ellington, SG, North Carolina, Jr.
The Philadelphia native's hot hand from three-point land would undoubtedly give the Hornets another perimeter option off the dribble-drive for Chris Paul. Ellington was a shooting star throughout the NCAA Tournament and by working on his pull-up last offseason, he's more than just a catch-and-shoot player. His range mirrors that of Curry's and when he gets hot there's no cooling him off.

22. Dallas -- B.J. Mullens, C, Ohio State, Fr.
With Erick Dampier posting some of the lowest averages of his career this season, it might be time to invest in a center for the future. Mullens was a projected Top 5 pick at the beginning of the college season on potential alone, although he struggled often in Columbus. Still, that doesn't change the fact that he possess an unfair amount of size and athleticism. He's explosive above the rim and when he gets it all together, he'll definitely be a productive player.

23. Sacramento -- Gani Lawal, PF, Georgia Tech, So.
While there's still a strong possibility he withdraws from the draft and returns for his junior season, the Kings would love to scoop him up and let him develop along an already young frontcourt featuring Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes. Lawal is long and athletic, and he's a very tough, physical player. He's still raw, but at this point, it's all about potential.

24. Portland -- Chase Budinger, SG, Arizona, Jr.
Trade rumors for Rudy Fernandez are heating up again and should Kevin Pritchard pull the trigger, Budinger has enough athleticism and explosiveness to fill the void. A former volleyball player, Chase is blessed with an insane vertical that allows him to crash the boards better than most of his matchup players. His jumpshot keeps getting better and better and he's not afraid to create his own looks.

25. Oklahoma City -- DaJuan Summers, SF, Georgetown, Jr.
Summers is a great athlete with loads of talent and potential. While he was the prototypical small forward in college, many believe he has the size and the know-how to develop a low post game. He's an above average shooter, but he needs to be more aggressive and attack the paint. At this point in the draft though, he's definitely worth the selection.

26. Chicago -- Terrence Williams, SF, Louisville, Sr.
One of the most flamboyant players in the draft, Williams is the definition of versatility. An extremely athletic point forward that explodes to the basket, T-Will has all the tools of a lottery pick although his decision making and tendency to disappear has scared teams away. However, in a less heralded role where he isn't expected to make all the big plays, Williams could flourish.

27. Memphis -- Sam Young, SF, Pittsburgh, Sr.
If Young had not just turned 24-years-old, we'd be locking him into the lottery. Scouts are questioning his upside (or lack thereof) despite his ability to score from inside and outside, and finish with the best of them above the rim. Young has come a long way on the defensive side of the ball as well and he could really find his niche playing with Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo in Memphis.

28. Minnesota -- DeMarre Carroll, PF, Missouri, Sr.
A scrappy, hard-nosed player, Carroll made a name for himself this season leading Mizzou to the Elite Eight. He's a very strong player that loves to crash the boards. His stock is rising after a few great workouts, where I've heard his jumpshot has improved by leaps and bounds. Carroll is a little undersized for the 4, but his athleticism and energy could be vital off the bench for the Wolves.

29. Los Angeles -- Darren Collison, PG, UCLA, Sr.
Collison is a very interesting player as he was pegged as a potential lottery pick during his sophomore season in Westwood. Things didn't quite go as planned, but the senior guard is a fantastic all-around prospect at the point guard position. Derek Fisher is waning out the end of his career, and picking a incredibly quick court general like Collison with NBA range and great defensive length would be well worth the risk if Jordan Farmar isn't ready to handle the everyday duties.

30. Cleveland -- Derrick Brown, PF, Xavier, Jr.
Brown would bring explosiveness and athleticism to a frontcourt that definitely lacks a punch. Ilgauskas has never been known for his toughness and Varejao is nowhere to be found on the offensive end of the ball. Brown is a strong finisher around the circle and is adept at shooting the long ball (43 percent). He's a little bit of a tweener, but should he remain in the draft, it's worth the risk to give him a shot.

As always, discussion and comments are welcomed. Also, feel free to e-mail me with any further questions or follow my Twitter updates as the draft draws closer. Let the debating begin!

Dan Gilbert Selling a Share of the Cavaliers to Chinese Investors? An Inside Look at the Cavs' Ownership Group

Sun, 24 May 2009 00:06:31 -0500

LeBron James has always talked about becoming a "Global Icon," a declaration that has only fueled the speculation about whether or not Cleveland is a big enough city for him to accomplish his off-court goals.

Now, one of the largest overseas markets -- the Chinese market -- could be getting involved with the Cavs for that sole purpose: Expanding the franchise's appeal and marketability in the world's largest country.

From our boy Brian Windhorst at the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

According to multiple sources within the Cavs, franchise majority owner Dan Gilbert has a tentative agreement in place to allow a group of Chinese investors to purchase a significant stake in the Cavaliers Operating Company, the entity that owns the Cavs and operates Quicken Loans Arena. The group is led by JianHua (Kenny) Huang, a Chinese businessman who has become successful by linking American and Chinese companies...

...The direct impact of the move is securing the future of the franchise, which has been in a minority ownership flux for the last couple years as it loses millions in attempting to build a championship-quality team around James. It will not only mean an injection of capital but will open the Cavs to business in China. The move, which has been kept mostly secret in America, is being supported by the NBA as they have encouraged development in China.

The other effect, which is surely the more interesting side to Cavs fans, is how vital this new link could be for James -- providing a huge tie-in with an economy James is eager to tap.

Any team ownership transfer of more than five percent must be voted on by the NBA's Board of Governors following background and financial checks. If the deal comes to fruition and is approved by team owners, it could help to remarkably strengthen James' relationship with the Chinese fans and consumers that he's been working to reach for the last four years.

Huang, who has been working with the Cavs for the last two years in securing Chinese sponsorship through one of this companies, would represent a direct link between hundreds of millions of Chinese basketball fans and James. If the deal comes off, Chinese fans could start to feel a connection to James and it could expand his business interests by remaining with the Cavs past next season when his contract with the team expires.

In other words, there is great potential in being with a franchise that has a deep relationship to China -- likely even more so than just playing in the largest market in America. There has been intense speculation that James will be attracted to playing in New York because of the business opportunities.

"You have to think globally," James said recently of his business interests. "I have a lot of fans in China and they're important to me."

James and Nike, by far his largest sponsor, have been on a mission to create a bond with the Chinese over the last three years in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics. James has made four visits to China, one with the Cavs as part of a preseason trip in 2007.

With basketball exploding in popularity among millions of young Chinese with exponentially growing buying power, James has targeted opportunities in the Far East to make the same kind of marketing impact in modern China that Michael Jordan had in the United States in the 1980s and 1990s. Only the market there operates on a dramatically larger scale.

Becoming the Jordan of China from a marketing standpoint would allow James to reach his goal of someday becoming the first billionaire athlete.

Windhorst continues in this extremely juicy article behind the Cavaliers ownership and business operations. Ever wonder what happened to R&B star Usher, who was a minority owner at one point, before he started popping up for the playoffs?

Despite being the Cavs' majority owner, Gilbert's ownership team is perhaps not what he thought it would be when he purchased the club, its debt and the rights to run The Q for $375 million in 2005. At the time, former majority owner Gordon Gund and Gilbert's cousin and longtime business parnter David Katzman were believed to have taken a combined ownership stake of more than 30 percent. Gilbert also had a deal to sell a piece of the team to music star and actor Usher Raymond IV.

But over the last several years things have changed. Gund has begun to pull back on his desire to remain a part owner and focus on his foundation, the Foundation Fighting Blindness. He's already reduced his stake in the team from the initial investment.

Usher remains a part owner, but did not invest the amount he and Gilbert agreed to at the beginning and has taken a low profile after being on the dais with Gilbert, Katzman and Gund on March 1, 2005, the day the ownership transfer took place...

...Over the last four years, the Cavs have spent around $20 million in upgrades to The Q, invested $25 million in a practice facility in Independence and spent wildly on players. The Cavs have paid the luxury tax in each of the last two seasons and this year will commit to more than $100 million in payroll and taxes.

Even with record-shattering revenue -- including one of the most rewarding local television deals in the NBA despite being in the 17th-largest market -- the Cavs are still believed to be losing millions. Their current owners are also heavily invested in industries that have suffered losses over the last two years.

The Cavs ownership group currently consists of three faces. Coach Mike Brown now routinely refers to the team's "three owners" which include Gilbert, Jeff Cohen and Nate Forbes. Cohen is a wealthy builder of homes and commercial properties in Michigan and Florida. Forbes is a Detroit-based mall developer. Gilbert made his fortune mostly in mortgages.

What's interesting is that I have never looked at the Cavs as a franchise in some sort of financial trouble. Gilbert seemed like a shrewd businessman, and the upgrades he had made all throughout the franchise since taking over in March 2005 were just astronomical in their magnitude. There were tremendous arena upgrades, to the seats to the hardwood floor to the tremendous state-of-the-art scoreboard.

Then there was his huge investment in the team's new practice facility, the Cleveland Clinic Courts in suburban Independence, Ohio. That facilility has been referred to as the elite practice facility for any team in the NBA and has been said to set the standard for practice and team headquarter facilities in professional sports.

But an article by ESPN.com's Bill Simmons in mid-February planted the seeds of doubt:

You need a team with a dwindling fan base and/or bailing sponsors and suite/courtside customers. (I count 11: Indiana, Memphis, Milwaukee, Sacramento, New Jersey, New Orleans, Miami, Orlando, Minnesota, Charlotte and Philly.) You need a team trapped in an aging stadium that can't drum up local money for a new one. (I count three: Sacramento, Jersey and Milwaukee.) You need an owner who purchased his team because he was worth a ton of money ON PAPER ... only now, he's worth significantly less and might even be worth $10 for all we know. (Consensus candidates for this list: Phoenix, Hijack City, Jersey, Memphis, Indiana, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Charlotte ... and, surprisingly, Sacramento and Cleveland.) You need cities with NBA-ready, modern arenas either finished or about to be finished that would love nothing more than stealing a team. (Definitely Kansas City, Anaheim, San Jose, Louisville, Tulsa and Pittsburgh; possibly Columbus, St. Louis; and just for fun, let's throw in Montreal and London.) And you need a struggling team that can actually extricate itself from its lease.

With the state of the mortgage industry, which has been blamed by many as the start of the current economic recession, it's easy to put two and two together and see how Gilbert can be in financial trouble. It's absurd to think that in a league in which over half the owners are having a financial crisis, the Cavs and Gilbert are bulletproof.

In an article published earlier this month, Gilbert was named one of the five best owners in the NBA by Sports Illustrated, who had this to say about the founder of Quicken Loans and Rock Financial:

In 2005, Gilbert inherited a woeful franchise. The lottery-doomed Cavs were riding a six-year playoff drought, but they did have a draw in a rookie named LeBron James from nearby Akron. After a rough start to his tenure, Gilbert began a process that included surrounding his marquee star with complementary talent, adding an able GM in former Cavalier Danny Ferry and installing a players' coach in Mike Brown. Cleveland made the playoffs in 2006 and hasn't looked back since. A year later, Gilbert funded a state-of-the-art $25 million practice facility for King James & Co. that is among the best in the NBA.

The attempt to tie in a Chinese group as a part of the ownership team could also end up saving Gilbert cash, as the sale would bring in a steadier cash flow at its onset.

As far as the Cavs' roster is concerned, even with Wally Szczerbiak's expiring contract coming off the books this summer, the Cavaliers will still be far above the salary cap. If they re-sign Anderson Varejao, it could once again put the team above the league's luxury tax threshold.