Well, I wanted to make this post a while ago, but I've been fighting sickness for the last two weeks, so it's slightly belated. Anyway, I'm gonna give you my All-Star Teams, and explain to you why some of the guys you might expect to be there aren't.

First of all, note that this is not a lifetime achievement award. I do not care what you did last year, nor do I care what you might be expected to do for the rest of the year. Performance is what matters.

Second, while I do consider your team's record, it's not a huge factor to me. I'm not going to penalize you for having crappy teammates.

Finally, I'm going to list some relevant statistics for each player. These are not going to be PPG or RPG statistics, cause frankly those are usually poor measures of performance and you can find them anywhere. Because I'm going to be listing some statistics that some of you might not recognize, I'll give you a quick synopsis of some of them.

eFG (effective field goal percentage) - This is simply field goal percentage, except it gives extra credit for three-pointers.

ORtg (Offensive Rating) - A measure of how efficient an offensive player is. It's a ridiculously complicated formula, but basically it estimates how many points a player creates per every 100 possessions they use.

USG% (Usage %)- The estimated percentage of the team's possessions that a player uses  while they're on the floor. As a general rule, as USG% goes up, ORtg goes down (harder to be efficient the more you're asked to do). Point Guards often have lower USG% (around 20%), whereas high-volume scorers (DWade, LeBron, Kobe, etc.) usually have a USG% of 30% or more.

AST% - An estimate of the percentage of teammates' field goals that you assist on while you're on the floor.

TO% - estimate of turnovers per 100 possessions. Anything below 10 is outstanding, over 20% is usually pretty bad.

REB% - An estimate of the percentage of available rebounds that a player grabbed while he was on the floor.

(most statistics courtesy of basketballreference.com)

That said, on to the teams.

xphoenix87's Eastern Conference All-Stars

Starting Lineup

Guard-Chauncey Billups (53.4% eFG, 90.4% FT, 22.5 USG%, 128 ORtg, 34.6 AST%, 12.7 TO%)
One of the steadiest players in the league, and one of the most ruthlessly efficient offensive players out there. He's a nightmare to match up against for most teams because he's so good at backing down opposing point guards and abusing them with short turnaround jumpers or headfaking them into fouling him. Billups was an easy pick.

Guard-Jose Calderon (58.7% eFG, 91.7% FT, 130 ORtg, 44.8 AST%, 13.8 TO%, 5.58 A/T)
I know, he didn't even make the All-Star team, I must be out of my mind to have him as a starter, right? Well, lets look at him versus the actual All-Star starters, Jason Kidd and Dwayne Wade. There's been a lot of hype about Kidd and his near-triple double pace this season, but how about the fact that his 23.8 TO% is the worst of any starting PG in the NBA. He's a fantastic assist man, but a lot more of his passes are finding opponents' hands this year, and his extremely poor shooting really hurts him. The only real advantage he has over Calderon is his rebounding, which is exceptional for a guard. However, his offensive deficiencies are crippling, he just isn't a threat to score off the dribble at all. How about Wade? Well, obviously Wade is a fantastic player, but he isn't having a fantastic year. His team is absolutely terrible, to the point of embarrassment. He's missed 9 games with injury, and he really is having a very poor offensive year for him. His FG% is down, he isn't getting to the line as well, his turnovers are up, his assists are down, and his offensive rating is down 9 points to a pedestrian 103. He's still good, he still carries a huge load, but Calderon has just been too good. He leads the league in ORtg, he shoots the ball extremely well and he doesn't make mistakes. Not only does his 5.58 A/T ratio lead the league, but it does so by a wide margin. To put it in perspective, among players with more than 300 assists, Calderon's A/T ratio doesn't just lead the league, but it it's better than anyone over the last 8 seasons.

Forward-LeBron (33.6 USG%, 116 ORtg, 51.3% eFG, 37.8 AST%, 11 TO%, 11.8 REB%)
Any argument that LeBron should be the starter here? Didn't think so, moving on.

Forward-KG (24.2 USG%, 120 ORtg, 55.1% eFG, 17.2 REB%, 20.5 AST%)
More than any statistic, the impact of Garnett is most pronounced in these numbers.

106.9
24

98
38

The first two numbers are Boston's defensive rating and win total from last year. The second two are those same numbers from this year. Defensive impact has been notoriously tricky to quantify, but the effect of Garnett on Boston has been palpable.

Center-Dwight Howard (24.4 USG%, 115 ORtg, 21.6 REB%, 60.2% eFG)
Again, anyone want to argue this? Howard is easily the most dominant center in the conference, if not the entire league.

Bench

Guard-Dwyane Wade (33 USG%, 103 ORtg, 35.8 AST%, 9 FTA/36, 75.6% FT, 46.8% eFG)
Is he having a down year? Yeah, sure, but he's still Dwyane Wade. He still gets to the line as well as anyone in the league, and he's still a dynamic scorer and playmaker who can find his teammates. Plus, the guard corps in the East are crappy, so there isn't really anyone else here.

Guard-Rip Hamilton (24.7 USG%, 114 ORtg, 53.1% eFG, 23 AST%, 10.4 TO%, 81.5% FT)
Honestly, I searched really hard to find someone who deserved this spot, maybe someone that everyone else had missed. No dice. As I mentioned above, the guards in the East are so bad that I'm really kind of reaching here (as opposed to the West, which is overflowing with candidates). In the end, nobody I looked at was having a better year than Hamilton. A lot of people like Ray Allen here because of how well Boston has played, but I'm not buying that, and Rip is having a better year. Hamilton is an extremely efficient scorer, and might be the league's best at using off the ball screens (It's between he and Kevin Martin IMO). In addition, he's also a very solid defensive player (as with most Pistons players).

Forward-Caron Butler (24.4 USG%, 115 ORtg, 50.8% eFG, 91.3% FT, 20.5 AST%)
Butler supposedly made "The Jump" last year when he made it into his first All-Star game. Well, if he was jumping last year, he's flying this year. His turnovers are down, his assists are way up, his shooting percentages are way up, and he's carrying the Wizards in Gilbert Arenas' absence. His mid-range game has always been among the best in the league, but this year he has really increased his range, shooting 36.5% from long-range.

Forward-Paul Pierce (25.7 USG%, 110 ORtg, 49.6% eFG, 22.8 AST%, 8.8 REB%)
I was trying to decide between Pierce and Richard Jefferson here, and really the difference between the two is minimal. Their stat profiles are so similar that it's almost impossible to chose between them. Jefferson is putting up better pure scoring numbers, but Pierce is the better distributor and rebounder. In the end, it comes down to Pierce being the superior defensive player and more proven star.

Center-Chris Bosh (28.6 USG%, 117 ORtg, 14.9 REB%, 10.2 TO%, 48.9% eFG, 85.6% FT)
Even if Bosh didn't actually deserve this, he's really the only choice. At any rate, Bosh is having the best season of his career. He's often the forgotten 4th member of that LeBron, Wade, Melo draft class, but he has absolutel
y kept himself at that level. He hasn't yet become a dominant defensive force, but he's definitely improving as a disruptive force who can defend without fouling. Offensively, he rivals Garnett and Duncan as the best face-up post men in the league. He's got a great jab step, and he's so quick and so long that he's almost impossible to guard without help. That quickness means he gets to the line a TON, and his FT% has shot up to 85% this season. He's also got great hands, makes quick decisions, and picks his spots well, leading to very low turnover numbers for a guy his size who has such a high usage rate.

Wild Card #1-Richard Jefferson (27.5 ORtg, 111 ORtg, 48.5% eFG, 80.4% FT)
If I struggled with Jefferson vs. Pierce above, it didn't take a lot of thought to put him here. A bit overlooked in the Nets' collapse, Jefferson is completing his transformation from a role player who finished Jason Kidd alley-oops into the team's star-quality first option. It isn't the most efficient year of Jefferson's career, but he's taking on a much bigger role in the offense, and he's thriving.

Wild Card #2-Josh Smith (26.5 USG%, 100 ORtg, 13 REB%, 45.3% eFG, 20 AST%, 3.4 BPG, 2 SPG)
There were three people I considered here: Smith, Antwan Jamison, and Tayshaun Prince. Jamison is having a solid year, and he's rebounding than he ever has in his career. He doesn't make many mistakes (4th lowest TO% in the league), but the fact that he shoots 30% from the field really hurts him. He also doesn't play defense, and he just isn't a good enough offensive player to make up for that and get on the team for me. Prince is a fantastic player who often gets overlooked in Detroit, but he's a matchup nightmare with his length and versatility, and he's one of the premier perimeter defenders in the league. However, if I'm going to go with a defensive force, it's got to be Smith. He might not have much polish as an offensive player yet, but Smith is the rare player who can be a dominating defensive force against multiple positions. Like Andrei Kirilenko, he can match up with wing defenders, but he's also a force defending the rim and drifting into passing lanes. The Hawks are 9th in the league in defense, and the biggest reason is Smith's game-altering presence.

Some guys of note on the outside looking in

Kidd - People get wrapped up in the whole triple-double thing, but the fact is that Kidd has really fallen off as an offensive player. He can't finish around the rim at all anymore, and he's turning the ball over at a prodigious rate. People need to start getting used to the idea that the 34-year old Kidd may not be an elite point guard any more.

Jamison - I went over this above. Very good offensive player, very bad defensive player.

Michael Redd - What I said about Jamison, only more pronounced. To say that he plays matador defense is an understatement.

Hedo Turkoglu - Hedo is a fantastic story this year as he has really improved his play and become a key part of Orlando's success. He's had some truly great moments at the ends of games too. However, I think he's much more a top-tier role player than he is an all-star. He isn't a good defender, and his offensive numbers are good, but not great.

Joe Johnson - He's only noteworthy because he's on the actual all-star team. In reality he's having his worst season as a Hawk, and doesn't deserve to be on the team.

Western Conference team coming soon

Stats Explanation, Eastern Conference Overview

Toronto Raptors

Coach: Sam Mitchell
2006-2007 Record: 47-35
06-07 Expected Record: 44-38
Offensive Rating: 107.2 (9th in NBA, league average 106.5)
Defensive Rating: 105.8 (12th in NBA, league average 106.5)
eFG%: 50.4% (10th in NBA)
Possessions per 48: 92.6 (9th in NBA)

Roster
(You'll have to scroll to see it all. Red indicates new player, blue indicates rookie)

That Chris Bosh guy, he’s pretty good. I remember watching the US Team’s Red/White game over the Summer and thinking that he looked like Tim Duncan-Lite. He faces up a lot and is tough to stop because he’s got such great quickness for a big man. He’s also an exceptional mid-range shooter, so you can’t just play off him. He’s got great touch around the rim, and defensively he blocks shots without fouling. His big problem so far has been injury. The Raptors need him to shake off the foot problems that bothered him this summer, cause they don’t have a prayer without him.

The Two-Headed Monster of T. Jose Forderon gives the Raps surprisingly good production at the point guard position. Ford had the best year of his young career, becoming a more proficient mid-range shooter and continuing to cut down on his turnovers (2.55 A/T Ratio). He had a great year last year, but it didn’t seem very fluke-like, and I don’t think there’s much reason to expect him to play worse this season. He’s a high-usage guy who is probably the one guy on the team outside of Bosh who can get hot and really carry the load for a stretch. Calderon, on the other hand, is a low-usage, high-efficiency guy who does a great job coming off the bench. He’s an excellent passer and mid-range shooter, and last year he was an obscenely good finisher around the rim (63.8%). You can probably expect that percentage to drop off, but I also expect that Calderon will add more of a perimeter shot this year, which should offset that somewhat. Defensively he’s very solid, and at 6’3 has the height to make it tough to shoot over him (as opposed to Ford, who often might as well not even be there).

Raise your hand if you knew who Anthony Parker was before last season (put it down, I know you’re lying). Parker came back to the NBA after a long hiatus in Europe and ended up being one of the keys to Toronto’s success. He was killer from behind the arc, draining  44% of his looks from downtown, and was one of the more underrated defenders in the league last year. Most likely he won’t shoot quite as well this year as he shot last year, but his defense should still be plenty of reason to get him plenty of minutes.

I’m kind of torn on the acquisition of Kapono. On the one hand, I love that the Raps are surrounding Bosh with shooters on the wings, Kapono is a great fit for the team. On the other hand, they overpaid for him, and he doesn’t do anything besides shoot. Defense and rebounding all seem to be foreign concepts to Jason, but man does he have a pretty shooting stroke, to the tune of a league-leading 51.4% from three-point land last year. Kapono has been a great shooter his whole career, so there’s little reason to think he’ll fall off too much, and that kind of shooting can forgive a lot of wrongs.

Word is that Carlos Delfino’s perimeter shot looked WAY better over the summer than it has in previous years, which is good news for the Raps. Delfino has made good progress in each of his professional seasons, and he should fit in well with the international flavor that the Toronto has going on. He loves playing in the open court, and he’s got very good court vision for a forward. Defensively, Delfino is above-average, and he’s a very good rebounder for his position. He’ll probably be the main backup at the 2 and 3 spots, and if his jumpshot really is that improved, he could steal the starting spot from Kapono.

Garbajosa is another one of those guys who statistics don’t do a good job of quantifying. He’s a pretty bad offensive player and he’s not a very good rebounder, but his defensive toughness and versatility made him a big part of the Raptors’ improvement as a defensive team last year (from 28th in the league to 12th). He’s the consummate effort guy, and you love to have guys like that on the bench. In addition, he’s a very good passer and shoots fairly well from the perimeter (34.2%).

X-Factor: Andrea Bargnani – He’s 6’10, European, and has a quick release on his jumper, so he’d better get used to hearing the Dirk comparisons. While it’s far too early to make that judgment, the talent is obviously there. Already, we’ve seen a bit of a nasty streak and penchant for trying to dunk over people in Bargnani that European guys sometimes lack, and that’s a good thing. He moves really well for a big guy, and of course he’s got that very good jumpshot. His struggles last year (defense, decision-making) are common mistakes for young players, and not surprising for a 21-year old player coming over from the European game, he also improved a huge amount in the second half of last year. He’s got a lot to work on, rebounding and defense being the highest priority, but Bargnani should be a solid player, and possibly a star in the making. His playing style and ability to hit from the outside makes him a great compliment to Bosh in the interior, and his improvement will go a long way towards determining where this team finishes.

Overview

The Raptors made a huge jump in the standings last year by becoming a much better defensive team. They went from being the 3rd worst defensive team in the league to being above-average, which made a huge difference in the win column. The additions of Parker, Garbajosa, and Rasho Nesterovic made a big improvement, especially since they were replacing the likes of Charlie Villanueva, Jalen Rose, and Mike James. That defensive jump took them from having the 4th worst record in the East to having the 4th best. Offensively, the Raptors shoot a high percentage and very rarely turn the ball over, making them very efficient despite being the league’s worst offensive rebounding club. On the defensive end, Toronto rebounded surprisingly well, getting quality rebounding from basically every spot on the floor instead of having multiple dominant post rebounders.

Prediction

The success of the Raptors this season will be largely dependent on the health of Chris Bosh. If his foot problems turn out to be no big deal, then Toronto should easily make the playoffs and be a threat in the postseason. The additions of Delfino and Kapono should improve the team, and it’s not unreasonable to think they’ll be a 45-47 win team. More importantly, I like the way this team is being built. They remind me a lot of the Spurs. They found a great big man to build around, and they’re surrounding him with good defensive players, good shooters, and guys who take care of the ball. There’s a good mix of youth and veteran talent here, and I think that bodes well for both the present and the future.

4th in the East - Playoffs or Bust

Atlanta Hawks - Thumbs Up

Picks - Al Horford (3), Acie Law (11)

Start stockpiling provisions, the apocalypse is coming. The Hawks actually made the right move in this draft by taking the best player on the board and the best point guard on the board. The Hawks now have a scary core group of Law, Johnson, M. Williams, Childress, Smith, Horford, S. Williams, and Pachulia that could contend in the east for the next decade. Of course, this is the Hawks, and Billy Knight is still in charge, so that probably won't happen, but it's a very promising young group.

Boston Celtics - Thumbs Up

Picks - Gabe Pruitt (32), Glen Davis (35)

Well, it's hard to argue with basically trading the #5 pick for Ray Allen. Regardless of what happens with Allen's foot surgery and how his game will hold up with age, that's an incredibly cheap price for a guy with his talent. Their two draft picks, Pruitt and Davis, were both great values who went about 10 picks later than they should have. Pruitt should immediately help as a point guard with a jumpshot, and Davis was a great value who could turn out to be a star if he keeps his weight down. Few players in the draft were as adept post scorers as Davis; he's reminiscent of Zach Randolph without the off-the-court problems.

Charlotte Bobcats - On The Fence

Picks - Jared Dudley (22), Jermareo Davidson (36)

I was a huge fan of the Dudley pick when it happened, but I don't like it as much after the trade. Charlotte desperately needs more post players, especially with Okafor and May's health issues. Once they traded Wright, they didn't have that help coming in. I think they probably would've been better off with Tiago Splitter or Josh McRoberts there. I liked the trade, and there is the possibility that they could pick up another post in free agency, but that's a bit of a risk, as there aren't many good low post guys out there (Milicic and Varejao are really the headliners). Still, they did some good things and I like the way the franchise is heading in general.

Chicago Bulls - Thumbs Down

Picks - Joakim Noah (9), Aaron Gray (49), JamesOn Curry (51)

I hate the Noah pick, absolutely hate it. He's an inferior player to Tyrus Thomas and Ben Wallace in almost every way. The Bulls are a legitimate post scorer away from being a championship contender, and they had Spencer Hawes on the board. Not only did they pass on Hawes, but they also didn't make a move on Zach Randolph. I still think they should pursue a deal for Jermaine O'Neal (Thomas, Noah, Thabo Sefolosha and sign & trade P.J. Brown), but they don't seem interested in that either. For a team so close to contending, the Bulls seem very hesitant to make an aggressive move, and that would scare me if I were a Bulls fan.

Detroit Pistons - Thumbs Down

Picks - Rodney Stuckey (15), Arron Afflalo (27) , Sammy Mejia (57)

We've known for a while that Stuckey was their man, but I think they missed an opportunity when Nick Young fell to them. Stuckey is kind of a poor man's Randy Foye, and should be a decent combo guard in the league. However, Young has all-star level talent on the same level as Corey Brewer. Affalo is a Detroit-type player, but they don't really have a need at SG after taking Stuckey, and they had Marcus Williams, Glen Davis and Josh McRobert all available, who are better talents and need positions.

Indiana Pacers - ???

Picks - Stanko Barac (39)

I have no opinion. He's a face-the-basket 7-footer, and that rarely works out, but whatever.

Miami Heat - Thumbs Down

Picks - Daequan Cook (21)

Memo to Pat Riley: your team is aging quickly and you need to win now. Of all the gaps the Heat desperately need to fill, I don't think "inexperienced shooting guard with attitude problems" was one of them. If the Heat really wanted a shooter, Morris Almond was a much better pick there. Really, anyone was a better pick there. Kudos for bluffing Philly into giving up a second rounder to switch spots with you, but Cook is a terrible pick.

Milwaukee Bucks - On The Fence

Picks - Yi Jianlian (6), Ramon Sessions (56)

The decision on the Bucks' draft will be made sometime in the next few days as the Yi situation is fleshed out. If it turns out Yi isn't so averse to going to Milwaukee or if the Bucks trade him (Golden State is the likely candidate), then taking a chance on the best available talent was worth it. If not and Yi either doesn't show up or skulks through the season, then the Bucks made a terrible mistake. Time will tell on this one. Sessions was a great pick up that late though. He was a guy who people were talking about as a possible low first rounder after he had some impressive camps. Landing him at 56 was a great pick for the Bucks at a need position.

New Jersey Nets - Thumbs Up

Picks - Sean Williams (17)

I've wavered on this quite a bit, but in the end I think it was the right pick for the Nets. This is a franchise in limbo, and they need something big to happen. If Williams is able to display the kind of play that he showed at the beginning of the season for Boston College, this pick is a steal. It's a huge risk, but it's obvious that the Nets really thought this one out.

New York Knicks - Thumbs Down

Picks - Wilson Chandler (23), Demetris Nichols (53)

What will it take to get Isaiah Thomas fired? Check my last post if you want a detailed explanation of why the Zach Randolph trade was terrible for New York. Outside of that disaster, the Knicks reached on Wilson Chandler after they made a promise to him, they could've gotten him 10 picks later. I don't care if Isaiah knows talent, he's a crappy executive in every other facet.

Orlando Magic - Who Cares

Picks - Milovan Rakovic (60)

...Moving on.

Philadelphia 76ers - Thumbs Up

Picks - Thaddeus Young (12), Jason Smith (20), Derrick Byars (42), Herbert Hill (55)

I love almost everything about the Sixers' draft. Smith is a great pick for their PF need, Byars was an amazing value at 42, as was Hill at 55. However, I don't particularly like Young at 12, since I think Thornton and Wright were were better picks there. Also, they basically traded their 30th pick for the 42nd pick (cash considerations always bug me). All in all though, they had a very solid draft.

Toronto Raptors - Again, I Don't Care

Picks - Giorgos Printezis (58)

Darn this European influx. Again, I know nothing about this guy.

Washington Wizards - Thumbs Up

Picks - Nick Young (16), Dominic McGuire (47)

The Wizards got two steals where they were drafting. Young is a stud player who could've gone as high as #8 to Charlotte. McGuire is a great athlete who is a strong defender. For a pick that late, he's a great value.

Well, that's it for NBA stuff for a while. I'll post some on various deals that may happen in the offseason, but probably no more large NBA posts until I preview the next season.

Well, word is that Portland has given Oden the news that he's number one. Not a surprise, but it does take away the extraordinary chance of an upset.

San Antonio Spurs

Roster For 07-08

PG - Tony Parker
SG - Michael Finley, Manu Ginobili, Brent Barry
SF - Bruce Bowen, James White
PF - TIMMMMY!!, Robert Horry
C - Francisco Elson

Picks

1 - 28 (28 overall)
2 - 3 (33 overall)
2 - 28 (28 overall)

It must be great to be the Spurs. They've got the core of their team locked up for the next 3 years, and veteran free agents would kill to be on their team. It's almost unfair for the rest of the league. Remember that they've also got Manu's teammate on the Argentinian National Team and 2-time Spanish League MVP Luis Scola waiting in the wings. If all the Spurs did was resign Jaques Vaughn and Fabricio Oberto (which shouldn't be hard), they'd still have to be the favorites going into next year. In addition to that, they can try to use their mid-level exception to pursue a veteran free agent desperate for a championship (for example, if I were Grant Hill, I would be booking my plane ticket to San Antonio right now). So, who should the Spurs be looking at in the draft? Well, my favorite guy for them is Jared Dudley, at either 28 or 33. People are calling him the Josh Howard of this year's draft, and while I wouldn't go that far, I still think he's being overlooked and he's a perfect fit for the Spurs. Also, don't be surprised if they go for an international guy and store him overseas for a few years.

What They Should Do: Resign Vaughn and Oberto, make an offer for Hill, and draft Dudley.

What They Will Do: They'll do whatever is best. Of any franchise in professional sports, I wouldn't trust any of them more than I would the Spurs. They have a definite plan and they almost always seem to be making the right move.

Seattle Supersonics

Roster For 07-08

PG - Luke Ridnour, Earl Watson
SG - Ray Allen
SF - Damien Wilkeis, Mickael Gelabale
PF - Nick Collison, Chris Wilcox
C - Robert Swift, Saer Sene, Johan Petro

Picks

1 - 2 (2 overall)
2 - 1 (31 overall)
2 - 5 (35 overall)

The Sonics are in luck, even they can't screw this draft up. In the last 3 drafts, they've taken 3 consecutive 7 footers for whom the term "project" is being generous. However, even the Sonics can't screw up taking Kevin Durant. As if that weren't enough, there's more good news for Sonics fans. Apparently Atlanta is very seriously considering trading the number 11 pick for Luke Ridnour. That's not a joke, they're really considering that. Man, I love the Hawks, they're always good for a laugh.

What They Should Do: Take Durant, trade Ridnour for the 11th pick and take Acie Law or Spencer Hawes. In the second round, they can look at Ramon Sessions, Taurean Green, Marc Gasol, and Alando Tucker.

What They Will Do: Even Seattle can't scrrew this draft up, can they?

Toronto Raptors

Roster For 07-08

PG - T.J. Ford, Jose Calderon
SG - Anthony Parker, Juan Dixon
SF - Joey Graham, Carlos Delfino
PF - Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani, Jorge Garbajosa, Kris Humphries
C - Rasho Nesterovic

Picks

None

I
have liked the Raptors since they drafted Bosh as their franchise cornerstone. This doesn't figure to be a particlarly busy offseason for Toronto though. They don't really have any cap space, nor do they have any draft picks. I'm not even really going to address them, cause they're not really looking like they'll do anything this offseason. That's not a bad thing though, cause they're a young team that is gelling and improving more each year.

Utah Jazz

Roster For 07-08

PG - Deron Williams, Derek Fisher
SG - Gordan Giricek, Ronnie Brewer
SF - Andrei Kirilenko, Matt Harpring
PF - Carlos Boozer, Paul Millsap
C - Mehmet Okur, Jarron Collins

Picks

1 - 25 (25 overall)
2 - 25 (55 overall)

Not a whole lot of holes in this Jazz squad. They need to get Ronnie Brewer more minutes next year because, quite frankly, Gordan Giricek might be the worst defender in the league. They really need to trade Kirilenko, but he's got a terrible contract and his value is at an all-time low. At this point, it might be better to just hope he can turn it around next year instead of trading him for way less than what he's worth. At any rate, they need to be looking at someone in the draft who can help back up at the wing position, either SG or SF. The best options for them are probably Marco Bellinelli, Derrick Byars, or Rudy Fernandez.

What They Should Do: Be willing to trade Kirilenko, but don't give him away for nothing. He's still a very solid complementary player with the potential to be very good, and his trade value is very low at this point. Take one of the guys listed at #25.

What They Will Do: They're in the range of teams that might be looking at Daequan Cook, who I think is one of the most overrated prospects in the draft. I can't see him working well with Jerry Sloan, so I hope they avoid him with their first-rounder.

Washington Wizards

Roster For 07-08

PG - Gilbert Arenas, Antonio Daniels
SG - Jarvis Hayes
SF - Caron Butler
PF - Antwan Jamison, Darius Songaila, Etan Thomas
C - Brendan Haywood

Picks

1 - 16 (16 overall)
2 - 17 (47 overall)

Yikes. Well, probably the best thing you can say about this team is that Caron Butler has a good contract. Other than that, there isn't a lot to get excited about. Jamison's contract ends this year, Arenas has said that he'll opt out after next year, and the rest of the roster is filled with overpaid role players who are signed for 3 years. There's not really any young talent outside of Butler and Arenas, and they probably won't be keeping Arenas. Not a whole lot of hope for the future there. There's not a ton they can do about it right now though, and they'll probably still be a contender in the east next year. As far as their draft pick, they could use a wing guy, preferably one with some serious potential. Thaddeus Young fits the bill, and I don't think I've seen a mock draft that doesn't have him going to the Wizards. USC's Nick Young would also be a good option if he's still there.

What They Should Do: Try to get rid of Jamison for some young talent/picks before they lose him to free agency. I doubt they can get rid of him, but it wouldn't hurt to try. Take one of the Youngs with their pick.

What They Will Do: Eh, who knows, this is the same franchise that took Kwame Brown with the #1 pick. It's the NBA, anything could happen.