I was watching the latest Spurs-Suns clash on TNT and found myself actually feeling a little sorry for the Suns and especially their fans.  I don't mean to come across as a condescending Spurs supporter (okay, maybe a little) but it's easy to see why it would be so frustrating to be a Suns fan.  They have been the victims of unfortunate injuries, overreative NBA rules, and some bad luck.  But longtime San Antonio followers can certainly recall our own team that tormented us for so long: the Utah Jazz.

Like the Suns of the last half decade, the pre-Duncan Spurs seemed to be better than they actually were.  Whereas the Suns had the coaching style of D'Antoni to inflate the opinion of the team because of gaudy stats, the gaudy stats of David Robinson and some of his teammates belied the fact that they were a very soft team.  Gritty, tough basketball is what wins in the playoffs, so while the Nash Suns and Robinson Spurs were very talented and fairly well-coached, they couldn't get it done in the end.  Seemingly every year we were exposed as frauds by the Utah Jazz.  Jerry Sloan's mental toughness had permeated that team (with the exception of Karl Malone, which is why they couldn't seal the deal) and executed ruthlessly.  Like today's Spurs, you knew what they were going to do and you couldn't stop it anyway.  I prayed for injuries to befall John Stockton and Jeff Hornacek, who threw dagger after dagger into my heart.  I raged when Karl Malone would get away with superstar calls (he kneed Robinson in the chest and Robinson got called for blocking).  I developed a distate for people I knew at school and church who were from Utah. 

In retrospect, I realize I hated the Jazz so much for not just beating up my team in a way that sometimes bordered on the shady, but for exposing my heroes and soft and not being clutch.  An honest Suns fan will take a hard look at the last few years and realize that they weren't quite as close to winning it all as it might seem - they didn't have the grit, toughness, and winning mentality to be a champion.  With that said, it doesn't mean you can't appreciate a team for what it is: your team, the team you love, with its warts and all.

     It's easy to criticize the Suns for making two potentially fatal errors: tinkering with their court chemistry and trading a star for a washed-up superstar near the end of his run.  But I submit to you that while the trade is a significant gamble for the Suns, the fiscal and chemistry components minimize the downside while the upside is potentially a championship for their franchise.  Allow me to explain.

     Obviously, in nearly every way, statistical and actual, Shawn Marion is a far superior player to Shaq at this point in their career.  Marion's faster, a better shooter, fiercer rebounder, more effective scorer, and a suffocation and versatile defender, contrasting with O'Neal's now Shawn Bradley-ish efforts.  But as anybody who watched the most recent Super Bowl knows, winning is not just about talent.  The Knicks arguably have one of the most talented teams in the league, but are more or less a $200 million VH1 reality show.  More importantly, some talents matter more than others.  Specifically, you can point to one element in every NBA champion in recent memory: dominant post play, especially defending the paint.  Why is this the case?  If football is a game of inches, basketball is a game of percentages.  Quite simply, shots in the paint are more likely to go in, so taking and preventing them greatly  significantly increases your chance of success.  Shaq is a better post scorer than Marion and the double teams he will draw will open up their shooters, a service Shawn doesn't provide in the half-court game so critical in the playoffs.  Related to that, O'Neal is a very good passer down low, both to cutters and shooters.  His post presence also makes it likely the Suns get an offensive rebound whenever he or Stoudemire are paired with one another, providing more close-up shot opportunities - most of Marion's offensive rebounds are further out on the floor.  While overall Marion is a superior defender, Shaq still takes up a lot of room on defense and must be accounted for.  Shawn Marion may be more talented at this stage of their careers, but O'Neals talents are better suited for the style of basketball played in the playoffs.

  Bob Whitsitt says he didn't major in chemistry, but Steve Kerr at least has done some brushing up.  Shawn Marion stops just short of being a cancer and takes a toll on the veteran leadership (i.e. Steve Nash) having to babysit both him and Amare.  Something is wrong with a player who'd rather be the featured player on a middling team over being in the top three of a championship contender.  On the other hand, Shaquille O'Neal is one of the most revered and well-liked players in NBA history.  Have you ever heard a complaint from teammates about Shaq that wasn't related to the Kobe feud?  Shaq is the Godfather of the whole NBA.  He provides leadership and credibility as well as likeability.  As far as ability in the playoffs, O'Neal simply buries Marion in the comparison.  He is one of the premier playoff performers in history, as evidenced by 4 rings and 3 finals MVPs.  Marion is a total playoff bust.  As a Spurs fan, I've watched him time and again dominated by Duncan's offense and taken out of the game by Bowen's defense.  In comparison of issues of character regarding chemistry and playoff performance, the Shaq is truly Marion's daddy.

     The one dimension where the Suns emerge truly victorious in this trade is in its financial aspects.  Shawn Marion presents a unique problem - he's remarkably talented but not really a star, so how do you compensate him?  With his contract expiring next year and given his desire to be traded, the Suns risked either losing him for nothing or signing him for huge money while his game declines.  This is now Miami's problem to deal with.  Speaking of new Miami problems, they now inherit the moronic Marcus Banks contract, the dumbest move of the Colangelo era.  (Seriously, they gave away the draft picks that could have been Luol Deng, Rajon Rondo,  Kyle Lowry, and Rudy Fernandez.  Three of those point guards to relieve the burden of Nash plus all of them were cheaper than Banks.)   Phoenix doesn't just shed two problem contracts, it puts itself in an excellent cap position in 2010.  That year the contracts of O'Neal, Nash, and Bell all come due, putting them 20-25 million dollars under the cap.  The free agents that year?  Oh just Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, et al.  Do you think one of them might want to play in warm weather with Amare Stoudemire (and probably a re-signed Nash) for a passionate fan base and player-friendly coach? 

     If Shaq proves to be a bust, the Suns at the very least how smoothed out team chemistry and given themselves unbelievable cap flexibility (see Bill Simmon's article on "Chemacterility").  But if Steve Kerr is right, we get to see Steve Nash weep with joy rather than frustration.      

     On a human level, I was pleased to see that the NBA draft went fairly sensibly.  On a more depraved level, I felt a longing for comically bad draft picks (Desegana Diop, anybody?) that compelled me to hi-five my invisible friends.  Thank goodness for free agency which more than satiates my desire to clown GMs with more dollars than sense.  I shall also take a few moments to give credit to where credit is due, throw in some random predictions, and express my fondest wishes for all 29 NBA teams (don't act like the Bobcats are an NBA team).

 

Atlanta

 

     When Billy Knight is your GM, either controversy or hilarity is guaranteed in any personnel move.  Drafting Shelden Williams falls more on the controversial side, but I'm actually going to defend Knight in this selection.  Everybody was screaming for them to draft a point guard, an obvious need, but this neglects two important issues: the Hawks' pathetic interior defense/defensive rebounding and that they needed experience/leadership.  Which sounds better: Scenario A - you draft an intelligent, hardworking leader who blocks shots and is a monster on the glass, compelling you to bring in an experienced point guard via free agency/trade OR Scenario B - you draft a laptop-stealing/out-of-shape point guard, compelling you to look for an interior presence in a grossly-overpriced and thin market of big men?  Knight actually made the right call given his circumstances.  Drafting a swingman would have been beyond idiotic given their current glut of such players.  They drafted a player who will contribute immediately in areas of profound need in addition to being a leader and someone the fans will appreciate.  Memo to Shelden: thanks for making me look bad with your preseason play. 

     Getting rid of Al Harrington is fantastic.  His absence frees up playing time for potential future stars (we know what Al is going to give us) and gives cap flexibility instead of the NBA's second-most-overrated player (a category in which Steve Nash really is #1).  Signing Speedy Claxton, a vital cog in the Spurs' 2003 playoff run, as an experienced point instead of picking an unproven rookie with character issues was the right move on such a young team.  I still can't believe I just said Knight did a good job.  The Hawks are that much closer to snatching that coveted 10th spot in the East.  (I will take that last statement back if Marvin Williams plays in-season like he has in the summer leagues.)

     Actually, sucking is the best possible route for the Hawks in ridiculously deep draft.  With that in mind, we should congratulate them for their off-season.

 

Boston

 

     You have to congratulate Danny Ainge - his team will win all of the Rucker League tournaments.  But who will play defense in the NBA?  Potential-wise Telfair may be Earvin Johnson, but achievement-wise he's more Ervin Johnson.  Leon Powe might actually be a nice pickup; hopefully he plays well enough to convince the Celtics to not give the overrated Jefferson Eddy Curry money for Eddy Curry play.  Ainge did manage to shave a year off of bloated big man pay in swapping LaFrentz for Ratliff, also acquiring guaranteed shot-blocking and leg injuries in Theo.  Rondo isn't a distributor, but he is an upgrade.  Let's hope for the Celtics that he isn't just the second coming of Flip Murray.

 

Charlotte

 

     They drafted the 'Stache, but when Brandon Roy hoists the Rookie of the Year trophy this year and is knocking down clutch shots in the playoffs in a few years, the Bobcats will conclude they made the wrong choice.  And I like Morrison.  I might be inclined to crack on them for not doing more in free agency, but there's a principle I learned about the NBA: free agents only help you win championships if you already have a good team.    True franchise players are drafted and never leave via free agency (though they are traded).  The glaring exception to this is when Shaq joined the Lakers.  And for the most part, good free agents don't want to go to bad teams for a reasonable price, especially not in NBA-nobody towns like Charlotte.  With guys like Oden and Durant in the draft next year, the Bobcats are much better off in the long run sucking for now than tying up big money in players who won't help them win big. 

 

Chicago

 

     John Paxson will get the award, but Isaiah Thomas deserves to win Executive of the Year for the way he guaranteed the Bulls will be strong playoff contenders for the next decade thanks to the supremely idiotic Eddy Curry deal.  Dealing overpaid and underachieving Chandler for cap space (formerly known as P.J.) was good both for Da Bulls and Tyson.  Swapping whining for leadership is always the right call.  Sure, Ben Wallace is overpaid - they gave Tim Duncan money to a guy with half of Duncan's game- but it will probably prove to be a worthy gamble leading them to win a weak East where the only opponent of consequence is Miami. 

Cleveland

     The Cavs are Exhibit A in how much it means for your team when you replace an idiot GM with a competent one.  After moronic picks like Dajuan Wagner and Desegana Diop in the lottery, this year they selected guys who make sense at the positions they were drafted.  Shannon Brown finally adds a guy alongside James who can create his own shot and score like crazy. Daniel Gibson probably becomes Damon Jones 2.0: good shooting but in this version, with excellent rebounding and some athleticism, minus the Diddy-wannabe wardrobe.

     Let's all welcome Drew Gooden back to Earth with his signing of an appropriate extension.  After whining about not getting Nene money, Gooden and his agent Calvin Andrews are now acting like it was the best contract ever.  Credit Danny Ferry for putting together a contract that gives his team flexibility while rewarding his player and not succumbing to the whims of a delusional above-average power forward.  At least some teams are learning that you only have to offer a little bit more than the other teams in the market can pay for in order to keep your guys.  Allan Houston and Zack Randolph certainly profited by their teams not abiding by this simple principle. 

 

Dallas

     So they trade Marquis Daniels and draft his younger, cheaper clone; good call.  Letting Keith Van Horn go is the right call being that Austin Croshere is the younger, cheaper Keith Van Horn.  Croshere is a nice pickup for them, adding even more shooting and rebounding to a team not lacking therein.  Not resigning KVH and the trade bring the Mavs a little closer to cap sanity.  Resigning Terry was a must, and they did it right at his market value, which I didn't even know Mark Cuban knew how to do.  Not getting Mike James is a minor setback, but as long as Devin Harris progresses as he should, there's no question we'll see Dallas right back on top.

Denver

     Have Gilbert Arenas and Manu Ginobili taught us nothing?  Hanging on to your second-round draft picks is a no-risk, high-reward opportunity.  Having lost their first-rounder in the future-killing Kenyon Martin trade, they gave away their second-round pick.  On a team with depth issues, why not take a guy and let him develop in Europe or the NBDL if he doesn't make the squad? 

     Extending Carmelo was obvious, but signing Nene to that huge money?  What incentive does he have to earn that now?  This deal screams bust.  The Warriors think this signing is too expensive.  Why would Denver pay Steve Nash money for Steve Blake production?  This is one of the keys to perpetual mediocrity: All-Star money for back-up players.  

Detroit

     Note to the Sonics: do like Detroit and take your Senegalese project big men late in the second round instead of flushing away your lottery pick.  Losing Ben Wallace is a big blow, but what they're not spending on him may be their salvation.  Take into consideration that they were slipping even with him on the squad and that now they can play five-on-five on offense now, it's not as big of a blow as what we might first think.  Mohammed will fill in admirably; fans and his team will appreciate his hard work and smart play but lament that he isn't Big Ben.  In Flip Murray, the Pistons finally have somebody who can create his own shot.  He's a little playground in his style, but Flip Saunders will find a way to incorporate that.  And one question: why give away Maurice Evans, a proven solid player with nice potential when your perimeter rotation is still so weak?

Golden State

     The way Warriors fans know they're team is doomed is that the Earth is rotating.  On a struggling team with shaky post play, the best solution is to draft a center that can't hold his position (if he finds it) and needs lots of work on his post moves.  O'Bryant was a fantastic pick!  Here's all you need to know: Chad Ford loves his upside.  ESPN's "Insider" Chad Ford loves anybody with "great length" and "freakish athleticism."  The only way Chad Ford could love this pick more is if the player was named "O'Bryantovic" and played four minutes a game for a fifth-rate Macedonian team that plays on a milking bucket attached to a barn.  Nobody talks about achievement with O'Bryant; it's always "potential."  When "potential" isn't accompanied by actual winning or at least obscene stats (e.g. high school numbers of McGrady), "potential" is nearly a lock for "bust."  Ask the Pistons about a certain Serb with loads of "potential."

     Trading Derek Fisher for spare parts from Utah is bad basketball-wise, but smart financially.  Fisher is a solid contributor on the court who affects teammates positively, but is wildly overpaid.  But wildly overpaid is Golden State's way: they're committed to more than $150,000,000 over the next three years to their starting five that can't make the playoffs.  Even Mark Cuban thinks they overpay. 

     The only laudable move for the Warriors was the purging of Coach Montgomery followed by the upgrade to Don Nelson.  Nelson's crazy schemes will make them more watchable, but 35 wins is the zenith.  Any hopes beyond that are delusional; Nelson still has a point guard who is a lousy shooter but loves to hoist it anyway, a small forward whose best asset is his ability to get paid (and that's probably his agent's best asset) and a gaggle of big men who fear their own shadow.  These guys are still doomed and will be until they fire the owner.

Houston

     After Vince Carter's picture by "underachievement" in the dictionary, you have the Houston Rockets.  How can a team with a dominant center and a potential Hall of Fame wing player not be elite or at least good?  We won't be able to tell how well they did this summer for some time until we see how good Rudy Gay becomes in Memphis.  Shane Battier brings five things the Rockets desperately needed: shooting, tough perimeter defense, intelligent play, leadership, and a reasonable contract.  You could make the argument that they should have drafted a point guard (i.e. Marcus Williams) and create a very strong case (hopefully one not including a laptop), but since McGrady does so much of the ball-handling and new point guards are not usually reliable, it may not have been a bad decision.

     Getting rid of Swift was an obvious move.  Any big man who doesn't rebound and can't score in the post other than on dunks is a problem.  Steve Novak will have to work to be Steve Kerr or risk becoming Mike Penberthy.  As for snagging Bonzi Wells, some nights it will seem brilliant, others you'll remember why he's played for half of the league.  You have to wonder if the Rockets' conservative approach to this year's draft night will prevent them from becoming a great team rather than just a good, solid squad.   

Indiana

     What is the source of desperation for Al Harrington?  Why does his "unparalleled" athleticism translate to blocked shot numbers like Steve Nash's? (Nash: .15, Harrington .18)  Do the Pacers really need an average rebounding, sub-par shooting, foul-prone, no-defense forward?  Why lock themselves into perpetual slightly-above-averageness with a bloated contract on a team when they're looking to get rid of such contracts?  Why take minutes away from a promising Danny Granger?  A move for Harrington is an unofficial declaration that the Pacers are not trying to win a championship.  Jermaine O'Neal deserves better.  While many applaud the acquisition of the trade exception for Peja, it just enables them to bring in the cap-killer from Atlanta.  To the Pacer's credit, they did not bring Harrington in for quite the stupid money he wanted nor did they give Atlanta the $3 mil that they wanted.  Credit Bird and Walsh for that stand.

     As far as their draft-day acquisitions, both seem to be great athletes, but Williams and White don't really seem to be great basketball players.  It doesn't make much sense to bring in raw players who won't produce for some time when you're trying to win now.

 

     Speaking of not trying to win, they dealt their only productive point guard who can play more than 60 games for Old Man Armstrong and garnish.  This was purely a short-sighted move to open up a little bit of money to bring in Harrington.  Basketball-wise, they can't possibly think it prudent to trade a productive point guard, the rarest of creatures, for a professional athlete who has membership with the AARP.  That being said, the Croshere-for-Daniels swap was win-win for both teams.  Croshere was useless to Indiana and Marquis is a major upgrade over the departed Fred Jones.  Now they are guaranteed to have an athletic guard on the court even if Stephen Jackson decides to brawl with an entire stadium.

L.A. Clippers

     Elgin Baylor is dead and has been replaced by a clone.  After deft moves like acquiring coach Dunleavy, Brand, Magette, and Cassell all at the right price, he made moves this summer that looked like a good team smartly tweaking the roster to win bigger. One of the biggest mysteries of draft night was how would the Clippers do with their choice not in the single digits.  They scored: they drafted solid, talented guys at positions of team need (center and shooting guard) that may or may not be brought in right away.  They resign team leader Sam Cassell to an appropriate contract.  Then the Clippers let Count Chocula and his one-dimensional game go to the Clippers only to bring in multi-faceted and newly reenergized Tim Thomas for less money.  And you still don't think that Elgin Baylor is dead or at least possessed by an alien entity?

L.A. Lakers

     In case you're under any illusions, the Lakers are a bad team made above-average by the brilliance of Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson.  In the Jackson-less season, had Kobe broken his leg in training camp, this team would have aspired to be the Bobcats.  This team embodies the idea of lacking depth; other than Bryant and Odom, there isn't a player on last year's roster that would be so much as the 7th man on any Western playoff roster on the other teams.  In that context we analyze the Lakers' off-season moves.

     More than anything they needed a point guard and got one.  Jordan Farmar was the best available and he's got to be better than a dude who chooses to be called "Smush."  Kudos on the Maurice Evans acquisition, an athlete who knows how to play basketball.  Being a cap-strapped team, the Lakers weren't looking to be major players in free agency, so they threw their mid-level at Vladimir "Count Chocula" Radmanovic.  The Count brings excellent long-range shooting where the Lakers ranked 19th last year.  Despite his Euro defense (which is sighted along with the Easter Bunny and unicorns) and guard-like rebounding, he's a basketball asset for the sum they acquired him.  But this signing is a double-edged sword: for all of his basketball merits, his signing prevents the Lakers from being major players in free agency after next season when the hideous contract of Brian Grant is over as well as those of Mihm, McKie, and Walton.  But if you really think he's better than the whole free agent crop of 2007, then this is your signing.

     I do have to apologize for a comment I made in a previous blog indicating that the Lakers' bench would be a middle-of-the-pack WNBA squad.  I apologize to the WNBA, their players, coaches, and fans: your brand of basketball should not be degraded by saying that the Lakers' bench could make it in your league.  I am very sorry.

Memphis

     If you forgot that Jerry West is a genius, let this off-season be your reminder.  West knows how to gamble: he turned a chain-smoking Serb into a cocky high-schooler who became perennial MVP candidate Kobe Bryant.  So this year he rolls the dice and again trades proven commodity Shane Battier for potential superstar Rudy Gay.  Memo to mediocre teams in a rut: this is the type of move you need to make The Leap.  Grizzlies had poor athleticism, so he drafts Gay and reacquires Stromile Swift who can both fly.  West helps remedy toughness in the frontcourt issues by snatching Alexander Johnson in the second round.  At the one, he lets china doll Bobby Jackson go and kills two birds (scoring and the 1 position) with one stone by grabbing Kyle Lowry.  In addition to having a young team with a bright future, they'll have a ton of money after the season once Eddie Jones' obscene contract comes off the books even with the absurd Brian Cardinal contract.  In just two years, we could be talking about the freaking Grizzlies as perennial championship contenders, assuming that can be done with a point guard who once tried to conceal marijuana at an airport metal detector by wrapping it in foil.

Miami

     They had no draft picks and even less cap space, so their changes were to scrape up some undrafted guys that I've never heard of.  Being the returning champs is a very nice thing, but to depend on increasingly creaky players like O'Neal, Mourning and Payton while assuming Posey, Walker, and Williams will stay under control/motivated is a fairly substantial gamble with very little upside. 

Milwaukee

     Most people say that Milwaukee fleeced the Raptors in giving them a beat up Ford for Villanueva.  I disagree.  What team doesn't need a guy who can't shoot above 40%, is pushed around on the defensive end, and is a major injury liability?  Why would you want a big man who played well out of position at small forward, improved on an already solid shot, and has star potential?  Yes, yes, the Bucks really bit it this time.  (Note: sarcasm may be present in the previous paragraph and probably the following.)

     Mad props go to the Bucks for trading a big chunk of potential cap space for three average players with overly-long contracts; ALWAYS trade potential big cap space for perpetual mediocrity.  With no first round picks thanks to the brilliant trade to get Magloire in the first place (sarcasm now ending), the Bucks snatched the kind of guys the second round was made for.  Chad Ford reports that David Noel tested as the best athlete in the Orlando pre-draft camp which I guess is a good thing, but at least he comes from a winning program with great coaching.  Regarding Damir Markota the Euro big man, obtained from San Antonio via trade, may I echo Charles Barkley from draft coverage a few years ago and say the Spurs picked him - I guess he can't be that bad.

Minnesota

     They got Foye but should have kept Roy.  Given the way Foye tore apart the summer competition, he looks like he'll give the Wolves just the scoring option they need to keep Garnett a top fantasy choice...I mean to win.  Minnesota also reminded us they're not that smart and fell for the classic "I've never done anything before this year, but on this bad team I was a ball hog and scored in bunches" routine perpetrated by Mike James.  Why is Stephen Jackson coming to mind?  Mike James is proof that given enough shots, virtually any NBA player can be a 20 point scorer.  Remember that Dominique Wilkins as an old man was the leading scorer on the Spurs in the David Robinson-less '96-'97 season.  Don't forget that not long ago Jerry Stackhouse was the #2 scorer in the league on a terrible Pistons squad.  But since the Wolves don't care about winning, the point is moot.

New Jersey

     See, karma is real.  Banishing the evil spirit Kenyon Martin compelled the basketball gods to reward them with Marcus Williams, a lottery talent who through idiocy of his own and that of NBA GMs freefell into the lap of Rod Thorn.  Williams will be an excellent heir apparent to the still-awesome Jason Kidd and an obvious upgrade over the Bosnian dude and the ancient Vaughn.  Here's a free tip to all NBA personnel employees: there are exactly two foreign point guards who are successful in the NBA, namely Steve Nash and Tony Parker.  And when you think about it, Canadians don't really play all that differently from us and Parker's dad is American.  When it comes to point guards, buy American.  Go Euro on your swingmen.

     We've been hearing for three years about Josh Boone is going to blow up, but where are the results?  Ditto for Hassan Adams, but at least the Nets drafted him in round two.  I'm actually a big fan of the Mikki Moore trade. He's a good energy guy in the post and he'll give the fans someone to cheer for while Vince Carter is moping on the sideline being consoled by his mother.

New York

     Were I to give the Knicks a grade for the off-season moves, I'd give them an H, because not only is it lower than F, it stands for "hilarious."  Clearly the worst move was hiring Isaiah Thomas as coach.  This guarantees that any of their young players will learn absolutely nothing about how to win or play basketball correctly.  They'll play like the Phoenix Suns alright, but after the Suns had all participated in a shot-drinking contest after they intentionally sprained their ankles. 

     Watching the NBA draft was awesome.  You remember that feeling when Michael Jordan was alone on a breakaway something awesome was going to happen?  Same as when the Knicks were on the clock.  Lottery talent Marcus Williams was still squirming in the green room.  All sorts of athletic wingmen around plus a few solid big man prospects were waiting to be picked.  Then they snag Renaldo Balkman, whoever the hell he is.  It was so gratifying.  Just before the pick ESPN was interviewing some of those "knowledgeable" New York fans who were spouting wisdom such as "yo, uh, uh, Isaiah gonna turn things around this year.  We gonna get Marcus Williams and come back, baby!"  After the pick was announced and the boos exploded, I laughed my ass off.  Spike Lee's eyes nearly popped out of his head, followed by his "we are screwed!" laughter and clapping.  I feel incredibly sorry for Balkman.  He might be the first 20th pick in the draft to be scrutinized as much as the 1st.  The one element that makes this pick truly horrific is how the hell do you pass up Williams and then draft another point guard later?

 

     The Knicks follow up this brilliance by drafting their 10th guard Mardy Collins.  Then they lose promising young big man Jackie Butler to the Spurs because they suddenly cheap out when it's a position of need.  Following this they plunked down a wad of cash to Jared Jeffries who brings wonderful things to the table such as abysmal shooting (32% 3PT, 59% FT) and a high foul ratio, both already glaring Knicks issues.  The only thing this team is missing is Darius Miles.  Please pull the trigger on Richardson-for-Miles, Isaiah.  Maybe some of those "knowledgeable" New York fans could lend Dolan and Thomas a hand in running their team.

Oklahoma City

   You can easily make the argument that the Hornets got better, but how much better remains to be seen.  Personally, I think they've bitten off more than they can chew.  Individually, I like all of their moves to a degree, but it probably would have been smarter to try to change a little bit more gradually.  The first glaring issue is that they dramatically overpaid to get Peja.  His health and numbers have declined over the past few years.  If he can stay healthy, the counterargument from Byron Scott is that playing with Chris Paul and in an open offense will reverse the trend of playing with constantly injured and declining teammates in his latter days in Sacramento and in Indiana.  It's a huge gamble on a guy with a record of disappearing in crunch time and who couldn't stop Montgomery Burns from going to the hole.

     Apparently there is a premium on athletic big men who can't score, explaining the acquisition of three of them (Tyson Chandler, Hilton Armstrong, and Cedric Simmons.)  However, this may prove to be a worthy gamble in the middle for two reasons: all of these guys are young and can learn plus blocked shots and rebounds are what ignite fast breaks, and Byron Scott's teams know what to do in the open court.

Orlando

     I have no idea how to evaluate Orlando's draft.  I really want to like the Redick pick.  Redick is such an excellent player and his candor and character are impressive, but the question is how his game will translate to the pros.  Will he be Reggie Miller-lite?  Will he become Steve Kerr?  Or bust?  Dick Vitale was hilarious with his honesty during the draft, hitting up J.J. for free tickets after all the "free publicity."  Way to make you and ESPN seem unbiased, Dick.

      Having just looked at the list of salaries for the Magic, I was surprised to note that with the exception of Grant Hill, this is the most cost-effective team in the NBA.  Bogans, Ariza, and Outlaw are all nice contributors being paid what rather minor role players should be paid.  Orlando is going to have a lot of money come the next summer; if Darko does anything and Dwight Howard continues in his path, don't act like your team's free agents aren't going to want to play with them.

 

Philadelphia

     Allen Iverson's Lonely Hearts Club Band just got a little more miserable.  Drafting Iguodala's prot