The rich getting richer: The offseason thus far

Only a few weeks following the draft many of the major offseason moves have already fallen into place. Although the 2010 offseason will likely decide the fate of the league for the next decade, their is still a championship to be won next June. The theme of this summer seems to be that the teams that were almost good enough to win it this year are going all out for what could be their last chance. Several trades have solidified what appear to be this year's uber-contenders:

Vince Carter to Magic: Essentially, the Magic have replace Hedo with Vince Carter...not a bad tradeoff. The Eastern Conference champions will have a ridiculous starting 5, one of the most accomplished seen in a long time, and also made a big move in signing Brandon Bass, a undersized but rugged power forward who can give a different look coming off the bench behind Rashard Lewis. They still seem to be lacking some depth, especially after dealing Courtney Lee, but they are without a doubt one of the favorites

Shaquille O'Neal to Cavs: The Cavs are getting what they need, a big body in the post to defend Dwight Howard and rebound with intensity. That was not "the Big Z". Currently, the Cavs are also looking to add a SG, and Anthony Parker is a name being thrown around. They will be back strong next year, but still need more consistent perimeter scoring.

Shawn Marion to Mavs: The Mavs add yet another talented piece in acquiring "The Matrix". The Mavs have never lacked talent though. It will be interesting to see how Josh Howard and Marion play together. Will they have to share time or will one of them be traded. The Mavs have also re-signed Jason Kidd, so they definitely want to win now, but their window is closing fast. However, they did sign a legitimate post player in Marcin Gortat, filling a huge need...but he seems to do a lot of the same things as the now departed Brandon Bass. If their star players (Terry, Kidd, Marion, Howard, Nowitzki) mesh well and play defense, they can be the best team in the West...but that is a big if

Richard Jefferson to Spurs: Although Jefferson's contract is a burden, they knew their big 3 wasn't enough to put them over the top. So the Spurs traded spare parts and Bruce Bowen for a guy who has consistently averaged 15 to 20 points a game for the last 5 years. The addition of Antonio McDyess and rookie DeJuan Blair should help to fill the gaps left by the trade, and barring injury, the Spurs will challenge for the title.

These 4 trades have just made a plateau between teams that were in contention and teams that made the playoffs but never really had a shot (the Jazz, the Hawks, the Sixers....etc.) While it is debatable, if Gilbert Arenas is fully healthy, the Wizards trade for Randy Foye and Mike Miller could be added to that group. You don't give up the 5th pick unless you believe you can win now...

Also, 2 other teams have solidified in their spots in championship contention through free agency...

Ron Artest to Lakers: While this signing leaves Lamar Odom's future somewhat questionable, getting Ron Ron to replace Trevor Ariza is an excellent move. Ron is still a world class defender, and can hit jump shots when needed. The only worry is that he can get a little shot-happy at times, but the Rockets actually needed his offense, so I don't see that being a big problem

Rasheed Wallace to Celtics: I don't really love this move. I guess Rasheed is a good backup to Perkins and Garnett, but he doesn't rebound very much, so I would rather have kept both Leon Powe and Glen Davis...but now one will probably end up leaving. Nonetheless, the Celtics signing a veteran like Sheed shows their commitment to winning now, and means that they make other moves to back up this idea

Other than that here are the other moves not made by the 6 super-contenders:

Houston signs Trevor Ariza: With the potential of Yao being out for all of next season, the Rockets decided to let Artest go and get younger with Ariza. Now, with T-Mac coming off the books after this year, they have put themselves in solid position to nab a big name in the summer of 2010

Detroit signs Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva: Both of these guys are solid starters, but this team can't compete for a title with this roster...they need a dominant big man. They can definitely make the playoffs though. With McDyess leaving for SA, the Pistons still have room for 1 or 2 more players. Trading away Rip Hamilton might be in the works as we speak too

Toronto acquires Hedo Turkoglu: Portland wanted Hedo, but ultimately he choose the more metropolitan city, Toronto. The Raptors still have some cap room to play with, and they need a center, in a big way. With DeMar DeRozan filling a big hole, this team could surprise a few people this year.

Minnesota acquires Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila, and Oleksiy Pecherov and the 5th draft pick: Everybody knows that with the 5th and 6th picks GM David Kahn selected two pass first PG's, Jonny Flynn and Ricky Rubio, what seems to be the ultimate bonehead move. Maybe Rubio not playing here for a couple of year was all a part of Kahn's master plan. The idea is that by the time Flynn's rookie contract runs out, Rubio comes back to the US ( while still being only in his younger 20's) and takes over at the PG spot. Or maybe Kahn is just a huge idiot

Washington acquires Mike Miller and Randy Foye: While both of these guys are solid players, where do you fit in an aging shooter (Miller) and an undersized shoot first point guard (Foye) to your core of an eccentric injury prone superstar (Arenas), two potentially solid guards (Nick Young and Jarvaris Crittenton) and a guy who can't feel his face (DeShawn Stevenson). As if things weren't already tough enough in the nation's capital...

2009 Top 10 Free Agents

Well, here we are...one year away from the biggest, most important offseason in the history of the basketball universe. However, there are still free agents this offseason. These guys need a home. This year's crop is strongest at the forward positions, but still even isn't that great there. Good luck finding a decent center in free agency this year. The only guy who graces the top 25 list (see sidebar) is the Big Z, an aging jump shooter who got embarrased in the Eastern Conference Finals. This year's class is lacking of star power, but is full of bargains who can help put a team in title contention. Lets get started...

1. David Lee- Clearly a double-double machine for the Knicks last year. Still improving all aspects of his game. I don't think he will ever be a superstar, but he is an excellent guy in the post to eat up rebounds, and work guys down low. The Knicks have tendered him a qualifying offer, but Detroit and Portland are very interested

2. Steve Nash- Unless something changes, Nash will likely exercise his team option with the Suns. However, if he were to opt out, several teams would be interested, including the Knicks.

3. Ben Gordon- An undersized 2 guard, Ben Gordon may be the streakiest shooter in the League. He wasn't always given ample playing time in Chicago, but he has the propensity to score in bunches. Also, he has shown the ability to come through in crunch time. There aren't many teams looking for a 2 guard, but his possible suitors include Toronto, Detroit, Dallas, and the Bulls will also consider re-signing him. He is the best scorer of this class

4. Lamar Odom- Odom has earned himself a bunch of money and interest through the playoffs this year. He is a lanky SF who can do pretty much whatever he wants to on the court...assuming he wants to. The Lakers will likely resign both him and Trevor Ariza, but if they don't, Lamar may wind up in New Jersey and Toronto, as they both could use a player of his caliber at a wing spot

5. Jason Kidd- Despite his age, 36, Kidd is still an elite point guard. Remarkably, at his age he is still one of the top 5 guys most likely to get a triple double on any given night. He is an excellent rebounder for his size, and still is one of the best passers in the game, period. The Knicks have expressed strong interest so far. Mark Cuban may decide he still wants Kidd as well.

6. Charlie Villanueva- Essentially, this is a bigger, stronger version of Lamar Odom. Both guys run the floor well, are good shooters, and are mainly downgraded because they may not have a burning desire to play the game. The only reason Odom is higher on this list is because he proved himself in the playoffs. Villanueva hasn't had that chance. Cleveland has already expressed interest. Other good fits would be Detroit and Memphis. Milwaukee did not extend a qualifying offer due to insufficient funds

7. Hedo Turkoglu- With Vince Carter entering the Magic's picture, Hedo Turkoglu has chosen to opt out because the Magic will probably not be able to pay him what he desires. The playoffs stoked the fire for his suitors, as everybody was able to see what Hedo brings to the table, a veteran point forward who can knock down clutch shots...however, he is still somewhat of a defensive liability, as seen in the NBA Finals. Detroit and Portland are both interested

8. Ron Artest- Ron Ron has already stated that he would like to resign with the Rockets. Although he can get a little shot-happy at times, he is still an excellent defender, and a guy who can put up 15 points with great consistency. Other teams who might show interest are Portland and Toronto

9. Shawn Marion- Marion might be the most interesting free agent in this class. He has boatloads of talent, but people say he is stuck between positions and can only play in certain systems. I believe Marion is a SF, but people try to put him at the PF, which he does not enjoy. As far as the other criticism, Marion thrives in up-tempo systems like Mike D'Antoni's, but he can be a solid 3rd option on pretty much any team. In most other years, Marion would cost a ton of money, but I think he could be an excellent bargain for a team looking for some rebounding and versatility. The Raptors may resign him, but if the Hawks cannot resign Marvin Williams, they might take a look at Marion

10. Rasheed Wallace- As a fomer Pistons blogger, I know about the game of Rasheed Wallace. As a Pistons fan, I would rather see him leave, even if we only had to pay him 5 to 6 mil a year. Rasheed is one of the most physically gifted players in the league, but he simply chooses not to use these gifts, and ends up on the perimeter, putting up jumpshots. He would be best in the post, but he often avoids banging down low. Nonetheless, he is still a veteran who can provide consistent points and decent rebounding. The Cavaliers are his biggest suitors

Fireside Draft Chat Part 2

31. Sacramento Kings- Josh Heytvelt
32. Washington Wizards- Jonas Jerebko
33. Portland Trail Blazers- Patty Mills
34. Denver Nuggets- Nick Calathes
35. Detroit Pistons- Jeff Pendergraph
36. Memphis Grizzlies- Wayne Ellington
37. San Antonio Spurs- Leo Lyons
38. Portland Trailblazers- Derrick Brown
39. Detroit Pistons- Rodrigue Beaubois
40. Charlotte Bobcats- Jon Brockman
41. Milwaukee Bucks- Jermaine Taylor
42. Los Angeles Lakers- Dajuan Summers
43. Miami Heat- Dante Cunningham
44. Detroit Pistons- Robert Dozier
45. Minnesota Timberwolves- Dionte Christmas
46. Cleveland Cavaliers- Alade Aminu
47. Minnesota Timberwolves- Dante Cunningham
48. Phoenix Suns- Sergio Llull
49. Atlanta Hawks- Jack McClinton
50. Utah Jazz- Vyacheslav Kravtsov
51. San Antonio Spurs- Marcus Thornton
52. Indiana Pacers-Danny Green
53. San Antonio Spurs- Henk Norel
54. Charlotte Bobcats- Patrick Beverly
55. Portland Trailblazers- Jodie Meeks
56. Portland Trailblazers- Vitor Faverani
57. Phoenix Suns-Paul Harris
58. Boston Celtics- Chris Johnson
59. Los Angeles Lakers- A.J. Price
60. Miami Heat- Jeff Adrien

Fireside Draft Chat Part 1

Since everybody has now jumped all over the concept of the mock draft, I am posting a draft discussion. This post will eventually cover the all of the picks by Wednesday. To avoid a super-massive length, I am not doing analysis on my second round picks.

1. Los Angeles Clippers- Well, this is pretty simple. Everybody and their momma knows the Clippers are going to take Blake Griffin. He is in a tier above everybody else, and could be a 20 and 10 guy in the League (just like Michael Beasley, right?) However this creates a logjam, as the Clippers already have 4 competent bigs: Marcus Camby, Chris Kaman, DeAndre Jordan, and Zach Randolph. Look for at least one of them to be traded during the offseason, probably Kaman.
Pick: Blake Griffin

2. Memphis Grizzlies- Clearly, this pick will set the tone for the entire draft. A top pick will once again be decided by an unruly agent (see 2009 MLB Draft.) The pick comes down to two players. Rubio seems to be the better fit, as Mike Conley has yet to show he can fully lead a team. However, Dan Fegan may have already thwarted this idea, leaving the Grizzlies with Hasheem Thabeet. Thabeet is solid, but I wonder if he is worthy of a #2 selection. Really, the next few picks will be decided by the mettle of the Grizzlies decision makers. I think they will cave, but the possibility of them dealing the pick is very high
Pick: Hasheem Thabeet

3. Oklahoma City Thunder- If the Grizzlies let Rubio fall into the Thunder's lap, I think they have to take him. Either that, or they trade the pick. He fits a need. He could step in and play the point, letting Russell Westbrook move to the 2. If Rubio is gone, Harden is the pick here, with Thabeet in consideration. This team needs a G and a C.
Pick: Ricky Rubio

4. Sacramento Kings- Well, they got screwed. After having the worst record, they get pick #4. They could use an upgrade at just about every spot, except maybe shooting guard. Sources say, they have narrowed their choices down to Rubio, Tyreke Evans, and Jonny Flynn. Between the two left, I like Flynn better, but I think the Kings take the explosive Evans. To me, he seems more like an undersized 2, but they would let him play the point.
Pick: Tyreke Evans

5. Washington Wizards-This team should not be this bad. With a healthy Gilbert Arenas, they are a top 6 team in the East. With this pick, they either need a big man or a backcourt mate for Gil. Even with Harden still on the board, I think they go with Jordan Hill. He can learn from Antawn Jamison and even play the 5 a little. Their is also a strong possibility that the Wizards trade this pick and move down.
Pick: Jordan Hill

6. Minnesota Timberwolves- Much of this decision is based on something I am not sure of, whether the Wolves consider Randy Foye a 1 or 2. He is a combo guard for sure. With the draft obviously heavy on PG's, I think they will strongly consider Stephen Curry and Jonny Flynn. However, the best decision here is to take the best player available. That means James Harden, an NBA ready 2 guard, hardened by the Pac-10. This was Brandon Roy a few years back, who the Wolves drafted then traded. Now, they can't let Harden slip away.
Pick: James Harden

7. Golden State Warriors- Everything I just said about Randy Foye and the Wolves holds true for Monta Ellis and the Warriors. They need a guard, and this draft obliges. The Warriors have plenty of guys who can hit shots, so I don't see Stephen Curry going here. Jrue Holiday wouldn't have to go far, but he probably won't go this high. This leaves Brandon Jennings and DeMar DeRozan. The Warriors have a glut at SG (Jackson, Crawford, Azubuike, Bellinelli) so the pick is Brandon Jennings. However, I don't know how a Jennings-Ellis backcourt will hold up defensively...but really, when have the Warriors ever played defense?
Pick: Brandon Jennings

8. New York Knicks- Even though Jonny Flynn played at nearby Syracuse, I don't see the Knicks picking him. They already have one midget point guard. Many people believe that they place alot more value in Stephen Curry. He should fit well as a spot up shooter in Mike D'Antoni's system
Pick: Stephen Curry

9. Toronto Raptors- Assuming Shawn Marion is gone after the season, the Raptors obvious need is a slasher. For this reason, the pick has gotta be DeMar DeRozan. He doesn't seem like a future All-Star to me, but I guess it is better than starting Roko Ukic. The Raptors could also consider Gerald Henderson
Pick: DeMar DeRozan

10. Milwaukee Bucks- With Ramon Sessions future still up in the air, the Bucks probably will go with the best player available and pick a PG. The question is: Flynn or Jrue Holiday. Flynn has impressed a lot of people lately in his workouts, so I think he wins out.
Pick: Jonny Flynn

11. New Jersey Nets- To be honest, I really don't know what the Nets plan to do. Almost every mock draft has them taking a PG, but they have Devin Harris. They really need a starting SF, but I think they believe Ryan Anderson is a decent find, so they go with value and pick Jrue Holiday, to back up Harris and Vince Carter. Earl Clark is my second choice
Pick: Jrue Holiday

12. Charlotte Bobcats-The Bobcats need a SG...to either start or backup Raja Bell. This pick comes down to two players then, Gerald Henderson and Terrence Williams. The Bobcats love picking local players, but I think they pick a defensive player and choose Williams, who has really shot up a lot of draft boards
Pick: Terrence Williams

13. Indiana Pacers-Troy Murphy puts up solid numbers all day, but I get the feeling the Pacers front office would replace him in a hot second. Two PF's fit the bill here, James Johnson and DeJuan Blair. Blair is kind of slow, which means him in the frontcourt with Roy Hibbert would end badly.
Pick: James Johnson

14. Phoenix Suns-Well, if things play out like this, the pick seems pretty obvious. The Suns will need a SF when Grant Hill leaves in free agency. Enter the new Boris Diaw
Pick: Earl Clark

15. Detroit Pistons- If I were Joe Dumars, I would have a hard time passing up Jeff Teague. However, in his mind they already have two point guards in Stuckey and Bynum. For this reason, I think the Pistons go with Austin Daye, a skinny shooter who can backup Tayshaun and play the PF a little. Hopefully, they don't screw up and pick B.J. Mullens
Pick: Austin Daye

16. Chicago Bulls- I think Ben Gordon has his mind set on leaving, so the Bulls will need a new SG. Gerald Henderson is still there, but I think they might go big with this pick. The pick comes down to three players, DeJuan Blair, Tyler Hansbrough, and B.J. Mullens. Blair brings hard-nosed rebounding to the table, which is what they really need.
Pick: DeJuan Blair

17. Philadelphia 76er's- Around this pick last year the Sixers found solid value in Marreese Speights. They should find another good value when they draft a replacement for Andre Miller. The best PG on the board is Jeff Teague, with Eric Maynor and Ty Lawson close behind.
Pick: Jeff Teague

18. Minnesotat Timberwolves- If they Timberwolves move their sixth pick, this pick is probably moving too. But I can't say it will for sure. Anyways, the Wolves already got a guard in James Harden. They could use another, but I think they choose a big guy. B.J. Mullens is that guy. The Timberwolves can let him develop and play Al Jefferson at C. If he really turns out to be a star ( I seriously doubt it), the Wolves could move Jefferson to the PF, and trade Kevin Love, or make him play the SF (probably not though)
Pick: B.J. Mullens

19. Atlanta Hawks- Mike Bibby will probably be back, so the Hawks probably won't go PG (even though Lawson and Maynor are excellent values here). Instead, the Hawks will go big...cause they might, but probably won't, but might trade Josh Smith. Hello, Psycho T
Pick: Tyler Hansbrough

20. Utah Jazz- Usually, this team makes pretty sound decisions. I think they go value here and pick a PG, because D-Will could use a backup, and so could Ronnie Brewer. The best fit of the remaining PG's is Eric Maynor. If a good PF is here (Blair, Johnson, Hansbrough), I think they pick one to potentially replace Carlos Boozer
Pick: Eric Maynor

21. New Orleans Hornets-Since it is too early to start picking from the next tier of PF's, the Hornets choose the second best player available, SG Gerald Henderson. Even though his status has been falling, I seriously doubt Henderson falls this far
Pick: Gerald Henderson

22. Dallas Mavericks- The Mavericks certainly need to go big with this pick. I guess the guy they could go with is DeMarre Carroll. I know very little about this guy, but this is where most experts have him, late first round. The Mavericks would be better off with a C, but the next best C is Jeff Pendergraph, who will likely go in the second round. Taj Gibson and Omri Casspi are also options
Pick: DeMarre Carroll

23. Sacramento Kings- At this point, the Kings would be best off taking the best player available. They already will probably get a guard early on (I have them taking Tyreke Evans) but that won't stop them from taking another. They could go with Ty Lawson, who probably won't fall this far either. He would could play in the backcourt with Evans, and Kevin Martin could play the 3. This pick might end up in someone else's hands
Pick: Ty Lawson

24. Portland Trail Blazers- The Blazers are solid at every position, however they are looking for upgrades at the 1 and 3 spots. The elite PG's are now gone, so their best option is Sam Young, one of my favorite players in the draft. In my mind, he could definitely start over Nicholas Batum. I wouldn't be surprised if they give a long look at Omri Casspi
Pick: Sam Young

25. Oklahoma City Thunder- Sam Presti knows how to get value out of every move he makes. A good decision right here would be Omri Casspi, a tough and versatile player who can backup the 3 and 4 spots. Chase Budinger might fit too.
Pick: Omri Casspi

26. Chicago Bulls- Now that the Bulls got their big guy, they need that replacement for Ben Gordon, or somebody who can at least back up John Salmons. The Bulls may go with Chase Budinger, who could knock down open looks provided by Derrick Rose
Pick: Chase Budinger

27. Memphis Grizzlies- Since the Grizzlies didn't get one of the elite point guards with the second pick, they go after a guy who might turn out to surprise a lot of people, Darren Collison. Collison could give Conley a run for his money.
Pick: Darren Collison

28. Minnesota Timberwolves- When in doubt, go big. You can never have too many bigs, so that is probably what the Wolves will look at here. Lots of guys are coming into consideration, Taj Gibson, Josh Heytvelt, Jeff Pendergraph. However, I would not be surprised if they choose an international player
Pick: Victor Claver

29. Los Angeles Lakers- The Lakers need a guy who can relieve Gasol or Bynum. Why not go with a local guy. They could easily choose USC bruiser Taj Gibson
Pick: Taj Gibson

30. Cleveland Cavaliers- Although the Cavaliers need a backup C because of Ben Wallace's cloudy future, the value for the position doesn't exist at this spot. Instead they go with a guy who could potentially start at the SG spot, Toney Douglas, who is also a decent PG. Wayne Ellington and Jack McClinton could also be considered
Pick: Toney Douglas

Nick and Roll 2009 Season Awards

As the season draws to a close, it's hardware time, so without further ado...here are your winners

MVP: Dwyane Wade Runner-Up: LeBron James

Even though Kobe and LeBron both have much better team records, neither of these guys was on a team that only won 15 games the prior year. As of right now the Heat have 41 wins, guaranteeing them at least .500. Wade is leading the league with 29.9 points per game, and has carried the team to a probable 5 seed in the East. All of this has been accomplished with a supporting cast that really doesn't come close to L.A. or Cleveland. Along with all of his scoring, Wade is posting 5 boards, 7.5 dimes, 2.2 steals (second in the league) and 1.4 blocks (17th in the league) per night, showing he is now a pest on defense as well.

Coach of the Year:Rick Adelman Runner-Up: George Karl

While many coaches have led their teams to outstanding records, no team has had uncertainty in their roster like the Houston Rockets. Sure, they may not win as many games as last year, but if you would have asked anybody how the Rockets would do without Rafer Alston and Tracy McGrady, I doubt they would have answered 50 wins. Now Yao, Ron Artest, and Luis Scola have meshed together well with Adelman at the helm, and the Rockets look poised to finally get out of the first round.

Rookie of the Year: Derrick Rose Runner-Up: Brook LopezWhen the Bulls picked Derrick Rose, I was very skeptical. I mean how can you pass up a big time scorer like Michael Beasley? After one year, Rose has changed my mind. He is currently in top 10 for rookie in scoring, assists, rebounding, and steals, averaging 16.2 points and 6.2 assists per. However, his biggest impact has been on the team. While O.J. Mayo may score more than Rose, he was not able to bring his team anywhere near the playoffs. Rose has the Bulls sitting in the 7th seed. In a surprisingly good rookie class, Rose is the gold standard.

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard Runner-Up: Chris Paul

To stay with the yearly theme of this award, I am giving to the league's leading shot blocker. Dwight, of course, fits that role, averaging almost 3 a game. Now, Dwight is also the best rebounder in the League, bar none, averaging almost 14 per. This means that when he is in, the other team is not getting many second chance points, which can be a deciding factor in many games. Plus, with his size and scary athleticism, other teams are very wary of going anywhere near the paint

Most Improved Player of the Year: Kevin Durant Runner-Up: Chris Duhon

Most of the time this award is given to players who move from "average" to "good." Instead, the award is going to Durant, who moved from "good" to "great." He has made strides in virtually every area of his game. He 5 points more, putting him at 25.7 per. He is grabbing 2 more rebounds each game. He is shooting 5 percent better from the field. He is shooting 14 percent better from downtown. Most importantly, he has given the Thunder hope for the future. The Thunder have actually been able to hang with opponents (especially the Spurs) and they will only get better with time





Comeback Player of the Year: Shaquille O'Neal Runner-Up: Nene
After looking like his career was over, Shaq was re-energized this year in Phoenix. Last year, the Suns could not figure out what to do with Shaq. Now they don't know what they will do without him. His numbers didn't make huge leaps (except for his scoring, up 5 to 18 per game), but he made it back to the All-Star Game, and made sure people remembered that he is still a dominant center.

NBA First-Team:
G: Dwyane Wade
G: Kobe Bryant
F: LeBron James
F: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Dwight Howard

NBA Second Team:
G: Chris Paul
G: Tony Parker
F: Tim Duncan
F: Carmelo Anthony
C: Yao Ming

NBA Third Team:
G:Deron Williams
G: Joe Johnson
F: Kevin Durant
F: David West
C: Al Jefferson

NBA Defensive-Team:
G:Chris Paul
G:Dwyane Wade
F:Ron Artest
F:Tim Duncan
C:Dwight Howard

NBA All Rookie Team:
G: Derrick Rose
G: Russell Westbrook
F: O.J. Mayo
F: Kevin Love
C: Brook Lopez

NBA All-Rookie Second Team:
G:D.J. Augustin
G: Mario Chalmers
F: Luc-Richard Mbah a Moute
F: Jason Thompson
C: Marc Gasol

NBA All Sophomore Team:
G: Ramon Sessions
G: Rodney Stuckey
F: Kevin Durant
F: Luis Scola
C: Al Horford

NBA All Sophomore Second Team:
G: Aaron Brooks
G: Wilson Chandler
F: Al Thornton
F: Jeff Green
C: Spencer Hawes

Playoff Wishes

The Playoffs are almost here, they start Saturday April 18th, and cream is starting to rise to the top (well, except for the Bulls, WTF?). Since I am not afraid to own up to my bias', here are some of my wishes before the end of the season

• The Bobcats to stroll in and get the eighth playoff spot, hopefully taking it away from the Bulls. I really just want to see what Larry Brown can do if the Bobcats get in. To me, the Cavs don't seem unbeatable. Sure, they have only lost one game at home, but I think if some of their role players go cold, the Bobcats could beat them.


• First round matchups in the East: Atlanta vs. Philadelphia and Orlando vs. Miami. Why? I would love to see Atlanta advance a round, plus this would set up the battle of Florida with the Magic and Heat squaring off


• The Houston Rockets to face any other team in the first round but the Utah Jazz. I mean come on, the Jazz just seem to have the Rockets number. I am ready for the Rockets to advance to the second round, even if T-Mac won't be apart of it. Besides, the Jazz and Rockets don't really play what you would call up-tempo basketball. Other than the intensity between the two teams, the actual half court basketball can turn into a snoozefest

Watch Out! Tourney Players with NBA Potential

This is not going to be a list of the big name guys, because if you don't know names like Blake Griffin, Haseem Thabeet, and James Harden, then get out from under you're rock. Rather, this is a top 10 list of guys that might be in the League in a few years that you need to watch, and hope that they don't upset your favorite team. Most of my info is from nbadraft.net, in my opinion the best site for NBA Draft info

1. Eric Maynor-VCU Sr.- The notorious Duke Killer, he is back this year with a matchup against UCLA, a popular upset pick. I see him as a combo guard, even though he is only PG size. However, his shooting and defense currently have him pegged as a first round pick this year

2. Austin Daye-Gonzaga So.- An excellent shooter with 6-10 height, Daye is being closely watched by many NBA teams. He needs to get stronger, but will probably wait until the 2010 draft, where he could be a lottery pick.

3. Toney Douglas-Florida St. Sr.- A 6-2 point guard hardened by the ACC leads the Seminoles into the tourney. He could improve his current secound round potential with a win over the defensive minded Wisconsin

4. Jeff Pendergraph-Arizona St. Sr.- James Harden can't do it alone. Pendergraph adds a post presence to the Sun Devils. He is an efficient shooter, hitting on 58% of his shots. He will have to face Temple in the first round.

5. Dionte Christmas-Temple Sr. -Speaking of Temple, here is the man that dragged them to the tourney. Though he lacks outstanding athleticism, he can score from anywhere. You've been warned

6.James Anderson-Oklahoma St. So.- The Cowboys are capable of pulling major upsets. If so, James Anderson will be mostly responsible, as he could be a second round pick in 2010

7. Tyrese Rice-Boston College Sr.- Even though he only stands at 6-0, Rice is nearly impossible to stop. Any opponent of BC needs to watch out for this PG, who reminds me of Leandro Barbosa

8. Jarvis Varnado-Miss. St Jr.- Miss St. is not usually a powerhouse, but they have a beast in the paint. At 6-9, Varnado is the nation's leading shot blocker, and could be a first round pick in 2010

9. Raymar Morgan- Michigan St. Jr.- As much as I hate to say it, I think we could see a long tourney run by the Spartans, meaning we will see a lot of Morgan. The athletic wing could be a second round pick in two years

10. Edwin Ubiles-Siena Jr.- The best basketball school you've never heard of has produced Ubiles, a 6-6 2-guard who could be selected in 2010

Toney Douglas, Tyrese Rice, Dionte Christmas, Eric Maynor, Jarvis Varnado, Edwin Ubiles, , Austin Daye, James Anderson, Jeff Pendergraph, Raymar Morgan

Thursday Heat Check

Three Up:

Nate Robinson-Uhh, what is going on. Sure he can drive, and the big guys can barely see him, but how is he scoring this much? Last night, the surging Knicks beat the Pistons behind Nate's 30. Besides the game he missed, he hasn't scored less than 10 since January 17th. Also, his 4.1 rebounds per make a lot of taller guys feel embarrased

Atlanta Hawks- After a bad last week, they have now rolled off 3 straight wins against playoff teams, including potential 1st round matchup Detroit. Josh Smith's double-doubles have helped, but Joe Johnson's play is near angelic!

Dallas Mavericks-Just when you think the Mavericks are glue, (sorry if I offended any horses) they win 3 straight. A win over Washington at home is no big deal, but they did beat Portland and Phoenix. Jason Terry has caught fire, scoring 24, 25, and 33. However, I think the Mavs are relaxing because they really don't have anybody on their tail anymore. And really, they are only 1.5 games out of the second seed. The Western Conference is crazy.

Three Down:

Boston Celtics: After a huge win over the LeBron's, they trip and fall against the Magic and the Heat. I really don't expect this to continue. Over the next two weeks, they play the Grizz twice, the Bucks, the Bulls, and the Clippers

Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets fell how far? After starting March 2-5, they are now the 7th seed in the West, and the Suns and Mavs are licking their chops. The perimeter D is looking a little shaky, especially after giving up 14 3-Pointers in a loss to Sacramento

Toronto Raptors: I thought there would be big things in store for this team this year. I did not mean a draft pick. The Raptors are nearly out of contention, which is pretty hard to do in the East. I thought Shawn Marion would help get this team to the playoffs. Perhaps they need to give more minutes to Roko B. Ware

Tonight:

Lakers at Spurs: The two best teams in the West square off (sorry, Houston.) I like the Spurs, who should grind it out against a Lakers team that already had a tough game against the Rockets last night. Give me the Spurs by 2.

Cavs at Suns: The big questions is how many LeBron can score. I however would like to see if the Suns can keep hanging on to the hope of a playoff spot. I have the Suns by 6.

Tourney Wrap-Up

Once again, I apologize for my absence. I was deciding if I should begin blogging for mysportspen.com, but I decided I would rather devote my efforts here. Anyways, since I am not really getting any comments, I'm gonna wrap this tourney up right now

First the rosters of the other eight teams

Georgia Tech: UCLA:
PG: Stephon Marbury PG: Baron Davis
SG: Jarvaris Crittenton SG: Russell Westbrook
SF: Matt Harpring SF: Trevor Ariza
PF: Thaddeus Young PF: Kevin Love
C: Chris Bosh C: Dan Gadzuric
Bench: Jarrett Jack, Mario West Bench: Arron Afflalo, Matt Barnes,
Jordan Farmar, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute,
Jason Kapono, Earl Watson



Georgetown: Michigan State:
PG: Allen Iverson PG: Charlie Bell
SG: Patrick Ewing Jr. SG: Jason Richardson
SF: Jeff Green SF: Morris Peterson
PF: Roy Hibbert PF: Zach Randolph
C: Dikembe Mutombo C: Paul Davis
Bench: Othella Harrington, Mike Sweetney Bench: Maurice Ager, Shannon Brown,
Eric Snow


Stanford: North Carolina:
PG: Brevin Knight PG: Ray Felton
SG: Casey Jacobsen SG: Vince Carter
SF: Josh Childress? SF: Marvin Williams
PF: Robin Lopez PF: Antawn Jamison
C: Brook Lopez C: Rasheed Wallace
Bench: Jason Collins, Jarron Collins, Bench: Brendan Haywood, Sean May,
Mark Madsen Rashad McCants, Jerry Stackhouse,
Brandan Wright


Ohio State: Arizona:
PG: Mike Conley PG: Mike Bibby
SG: Daequan Cook SG: Gilbert Arenas
SF: Michael Redd SF: Andre Igoudala
PF: Kosta Koufos PF: Luke Walton
C: Greg Oden C: Channing Frye
Bench: None Bench: Jerryd Bayless, Richard Jefferson,
Jason Terry, Marcus Williams


Remaining Round 1:
U-Conn rolls LSU
Georgia Tech upsets UCLA
Georgetown eeks by Michigan State
North Carolina obliterates Stanford
Arizona gets a buzzer beater over Ohio State

Elite Eight:
Duke gets a close victory over Texas after Coach K deploys Shane Battier to shut down the Durantula

U-Conn dominates Florida, shooting 60% from the floor in the surpringly easy victory

Despite Iverson's scoring, Chris Bosh takes over down low and the five man squad from Georgia Tech advances again

Sheed and Jamison assert themselves down low, revealing how weak Arizona has been at producing low post guys. North Carolina wins by 10

Final Four:
Here we go. From the onset, these teams begin trading baskets back and forth. The teams are almost evenly matched at all the starter positions. The difference is in the bench, when the Dukies take a rest, Ben Gordon and Rudy Gay wreak havoc on Redick. Once the starters come back, Elton Brand goes to work on Charlie Villanueva, and the game gets tied back up. Ray Allen fakes a 3, then dishes to Rip, who knocks down an easy mid-range jumper. With 4 seconds left, Hill inbounds to Deng, who catches at halfcourt, starts to drive, then turns, shoots...and misses. Where is Christian Laettner when you need him?

North Carolina starts to celebrate to early and find themselves down early against the scrappers from Georgia Tech. At halftime, Roy Williams screams at the Tar Heels, and they come out motivated. Sheed decides to play defense against Bosh, and shuts him down. Marbury isn't having much trouble scoring, until Vince Carter switches onto him. Jamison abuses Young in the low post, and Tar Heels get their act together and roll to a 16 point win

The Championship Game:
Duke's loss means we avoid the dream matchup of Duke vs. UNC. Instead we have the U-Conn Huskies matched up against the Tar Heels of North Carolina. Heres a recap of the lineups

U-Conn UNC
Marcus Williams - Ray Felton
Ray Allen Vince - Carter
Rip Hamilton - Marvin Williams
Charlie Villanueva - Antawn Jamison
Emeka Okafor - Rasheed Wallace

Ben Gordon - Jerry Stackhouse
Rudy Gay - Rashad McCants
Caron Butler - Sean May
Josh Boone - Brandan Wright
Hilton Armstrong - Brendan Haywood


Early on, the game starts out quick with Ray Allen and Vince Carter going back and forth hitting jumpers. Marcus Williams starts feeding it to Rip Hamilton, who is usually open because Marvin Williams can't keep up with him. In the post, Jamison scores on Villanueva a few too many times, so Villanueva switches to sheed. When Ray Felton scores on the 2 straight drives, Ben Gordon subs in for Marcus Williams. Gordon and Jesus Shuttlesworth go off, and combine for 4 straight 3's. The Huskies head into the half up by 8. After the break, the boys in baby blue give it their all, as Rasheed starts heating up, and Vince Carter knocks down a few 3's. But Caron Butler heads in and shuts down VC. Rudy Gay also subs in, and UNC can find anybody to shut him down. The Huskies never let game even get close, and win by 15 points

The Connecticut Huskies are the 2009 NBA Alumni Tournament Champions

Connecticut vs. LSU

U-Conn:
PG: Marcus Williams
SG: Ray Allen
SF: Rip Hamilton
PF: Charlie Villanueva
C: Emeka Okafor

Bench: Hilton Armstrong, Josh Boone, Caron Butler, Rudy Gay, Ben Gordon, Donyell Marshall, Kevin Ollie

LSU:
PG: Ronald Dupree
SG: Brandon Bass
SF: Tyrus Thomas
PF: Glen Davis
C: Shaquille O'Neal

C'mon, this really isn't fair. LSU is quite inept at producing guards. Dupree is barely NBA level, and Bass is really a PF. I honestly think U-Conn's backup would beat LSU, and by double digits, easy. U-Conn has the best pure shooter (Ray Allen), the best mid-range shooter (Rip Hamilton), and one of the best streak shooters (Ben Gordon) in the world. How is Shaq gonna stop that. He could try flopping?

Previous Winner:
The post combo of Lee-Horford was too much for the Wildcats. Prince took over the game, scoring 26, and holding Corey Brewer to 6, but Rondo resorted to throwing his crapola jumper up too often, trying to keep pace with Mike Miller. Also, Jason Williams showed why he should still be in the NBA

Kentucky vs. Florida

Kentucky:
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Keith Bogans
SF: Tayshaun Prince
PF: Chuck Hayes
C: Nazr Mohammed

Bench: Jamaal Magloire, Randolph Morris, Antoine Walker

Florida:
PG: Jason Williams
SG: Mike Miller
SF: Corey Brewer
PF: David Lee
C: Al Horford

Bench: Matt Bonner, Udonis Haslem, Joakim Noah, Mareese Speights

Well, two SEC foes. Kentucky hasn't had a great program lately, and Florida has done a lot of catching up. Both of these teams should have solid additions in the future when Nick Calathes, Jodie Meeks, and Patrick Patterson all join the League. For now, it looks like Florida has the upper hand. Florida has really cranked out solid post players in the past five or so years. What team wouldn't want Lee, Horford, Noah, and Speights? Even Bonner is proving to be decent. Could the Rondo-Prince connection be deadly? Will we get to see Antoine Walker shimmy?

You decide! Or if you don't, I will!

Previous Winner:
Thanks for the info guys...sigh. It is pretty clear that Duke was going to win this game. Even with the new class of Kansas guys, they still weren't enough. Deng proves that Paul Pierce is not the best player in the world, driving all over him for 22 points. Duhon dishes out 13 assists, 7 to J.J. Redick who hits 9 3-Pointers. Kirk Hinrich attempts to counter with his Hinrich maneuver, but only hits 2-9 from beyond the arc. The most impressive Jayhawk was Julian Wright, who fared well against the lax defense of Mike Dunleavy. In the end, the Blue Devils win by 8, and Brand, Boozer, Maggette, and Grant Hill all escape without majorly hurting themselves

Uh-Oh

In case you haven't been watching TNT, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. The guys at the Dream Shake were right. The Rockets are a better team without Tracy McGrady. Tonight they faced off against an "Elite" Eastern Conference team, the Cavaliers. LeBron took 21 shots, and hit 7 of them. The Cavs were held to 34% shooting. Without T-Mac, opposing teams now have to start the game off playing against two of the best man-to-man defenders in the League in Ron Ron and Shane Battier.

Granted, tonight they were really hot shooting the ball, but you cannot not take much away from a 93-74 against the team with the best record in the East (well not anymore.) I think they don't really miss T-Mac that much, and trading Rafer Alston was brilliant. Aaron Brooks is showing that he can start. He had an off night, going 1-7, but he knew when to stop shooting, and to get the ball to the post.

If the Rockets stay in their current position, 4th, they would face the Blazers in the first round. Yes, the Blazers are exciting and all, but I don't know how many points they could put up against a defense this smothering. Also, I really don't think Oden could hang with Yao down low. They have an excellent shot at getting out of the first round this year. Of course, if this hypothetical situation were to happen, they would next have to play the Lakers. If Andrew Bynum isn't back by this time, the Rockets can beat the Lakers in a 7 game series

Kansas vs. Duke

Kansas:
PG: Kirk Hinrich
SG: Paul Pierce
SF: Julian Wright
PF: Drew Gooden
C: Nick Collison

Bench: Mario Chalmers, Darrell Arthur, Brandon Rush, Darnell Jackson, Raef LaFrentz

Duke:
PG: Chris Duhon
SG: Luol Deng
SF: Grant Hill
PF: Elton Brand
C: Carlos Boozer

Bench: Shane Battier, Mike Dunleavy, Corey Maggette, Josh McRoberts, J.J. Redick, Shelden Williams

This appears to be one of the best first round matchups squaring off two powerhouses. Kansas appears to be better at the guard positions, but continuously sent pretty good wing players to the NBA. Will Paul Pierce take over? Would J.J. Redick find his stroke if he put on the Duke uni one more time? Can Raef LaFrentz contribute anything besides cap relief?

You Decide! Or if you don't, I will!

Previous Winner: Texas rolls over the Tide. T.J. Ford and D.J. Augustin drive through Alabama's soft interior repeatedly and dish to Durant, who rains 3's. Mo Williams gets a few fast breaks and throws the alley-oop pass, but realizes LeBron is still in Cleveland, and that Robert Horry is slow and old. Antonio McDyess puts up 30 points against the non-existent defense of one Chris Mihm

Texas vs. Alabama

Texas:
PG: T.J. Ford
SG: Daniel Gibson
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge
C: Chris Mihm

Bench: D.J. Augustin, Maurice Evans, Royal Ivey

Alabama:
PG: Mo Williams
SG: Gerald Wallace
SF: Robert Horry
PF: Richard Hendrix
C: Antonio McDyess

Bench: Jermareo Davidson


Alabama just slipped into the tourament, the last team to avoid getting their bubble burst. Now they face a game Longhorns squad. Mo Williams may not have LeBron, but he does have G-Force himself, Gerald Wallace. Will Mihm be able to stop McDyess in the post? How many points will Durant score? Will Big Shot Bob come through again?

You Decide! Or if you don't, I will!

Introducing the 2009 NBA Alumni Tournament

Here is something I've been working on for a while. This is the 2009 NBA Alumni Tournament. With March Madness drawing near, it got me thinking, which college has the most impressive group of current NBA players? So I decided to create this. Each day I will write post one game, and through your comments, I will pick a winner. Without bias, I selected these 16 teams, as they all have very impressive NBA alumni. The matchups were then drawn at totally random. The only team that just missed out was Wake Forest. They only have 4 players, but 3 of them are Tim Duncan, Chris Paul, and Josh Howard. So anyways, let it begin

2-23 Recap

First off, you have to see this. Devin Harris is the man. Somewhere, Mark Cuban is crying. Just seeing the crowd go nuts is awesome. And I don't even like the Nets. Devin Harris gets player of the night obviously for that

Runner up however was pretty good. I don't know what got into him, but Krypto-Nate Robinson scored 41 points on 18 shots last night. The Knicks fed off this and got a 123-119 win over the Pacers, despite the best efforts of saboteur Al Harrington. He should never take 10 3-pointers in one game. He should not take 10 3-pointers in one week, or even one season.

Boston rolled again last night, beating up on the Nuggets. The Nuggets do not seem like a 3 seed in the West. I don't see them winning a playoff round.

Old Trade News

This is just my post from Motown Ballin. It wasn't really centered around the Pistons, so I figured I would post it here:

I did not know this but a Pistons trade went down on Monday. Nothing big but still, I don't know I haven't heard about this. Alex Acker was sent back to California, the L.A. Clippers, for a 2011 second round pick and a conditional 2013 second round pick. Maybe he will get a chance to play over there

On Tuesday, I announced that Tyson Chandler would be traded to OKC for Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox. No Dice! Apparently, Chandler has a messed up toe. Now, this is gonna create a really awkward situation for everyone involved.

Boston traded Sam I Am Cassell to the Kings for a 2015 second round draft pick. Yes, 2015, the same year Sam Cassell will turn 60.

The biggest trade so far went down last night. The Bulls dealt Drew Gooden, Andres Nocioni, Michael Ruffin, and Cedric Simmons to the Kings for John Salmons and B-Rad Miller. The Kings immediately released Sam Cassell and then pulled off a steal in acquiring Ike Diogu from the Blazers for Michael Ruffin. This trade doesn't really seem like it will help the Bulls all that much. Miller doesn't play much defense, so I don't see him making much of an impact. The Kings get three nice players out of this deal in Gooden, a good rebounder, Nocioni, a tough defender, and Diogu, a decent post player. Plus, they can now let Spencer Hawes develop

Chris Mihm got shipped to the Grizz for a draft pick. Apparently the Lakers were protecting their superstar player, D.J. Mbenga

Sources from ESPN are saying that the Kings will send Shelden Williams and Bobby Brown to the Timberwolves for Calvin Booth and Rashad McCants. Sources from Motown Ballin are saying whoopdee freakin doo.

Yahoo has a small blurb that says an Eastern Conference official is saying that the Bulls have dealt Larry Hughes to the Knicks for Jerome James and Tim Thomas. I believe that Hughes still has some game left. I like this trade for the Knicks. Jerome James is a walking example of buyer's remorse.

Chris Wilcox has been traded after all. He will be headed to the Knicks in exchange for Malik Rose. Wilcox and Lee should be fun to watch

The best news I've heard all frickin day, at least for a Rockets fan like myself. The Rockets have traded Rafer "Skip to my Lou" Alston to the Magic. The Magic will send a first round pick to the Grizz, and the Rockets will receive Kyle Lowry and Brian Cook. I don't really like Cook or Lowry that much, but Rafer getting exiled is just awesome. Plus, now Aaron Brooks gets his shot.

Welcome to Nick and Roll

Hello, my name is Nick, as you may have already figured out. I had a blog on blogger, Motown Ballin, or motownballin.blogspot.com. However, I kind of got tired of blogging about team, especially a team that isn't even my favorite. So this is my new blog, which will be about the NBA in general, and I may discuss NCAA basketball every once in a while too. So the Pistons, are not my favorite team, that distinction goes to the Houston Rockets. Hope you enjoy my new blog.