2011 NBA Mid-Season Report

Mid-Season Awards

MVP – Derrick Rose – Bulls

Rookie – Blake Griffin – Clippers

Coach – Gregg Popovich – Spurs

Defensive Player – Dwight Howard – Magic

Most Improved – Kevin Love – Timberwolves

Sixth Man – Lamar Odom – LA Lakers

Executive – Otis Smith – Magic

Elite Class

Boston Celtics (40-14)

The ‘Big Three’ (Garnett, Pierce, Allen) are averaging over 15 points per game and are shooting over 50 percent from the field. Rajon Rondo is leading the league is assists per game at 12.2. Glen Davis has been a force off the bench for the Celtics. Even with injuries to the O’Neal’s (Jermaine and Shaquille), Boston is getting by with the return of Kendrick Perkins. They are positioned nicely for a good run to one of the top three seeds in the Eastern Conference.

Miami Heat (41-15)

After a 9-8 start to the season, Miami went on a tear through the NBA. LeBron and Wade are putting up amazing numbers and Chris Bosh has been having a good year, but not what we’re accustomed to seeing from him. Even with injuries to Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller, the Heat were able to get through the middle of the season with decent production from James Jones and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. As long as LeBron, Wade and Bosh continue to produce and stay healthy, the Heat will be in contention through the Conference Finals.

San Antonio Spurs (46-10)

They have been playing perfect basketball all season long. Manu Ginobili is having another stellar season. Tony Parker isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. Tim Duncan is averaging a career low in points per game (13.4), but has been a great defender. The supporting cast has been spectacular. Richard Jefferson is having a bounce back year. DeJuan Blair is slowly becoming a great player around the basket. George Hill can play either guard position superbly. True to the Spurs great talent evaluators they found another gem in undrafted rookie Gary Neal. The Spurs are the real deal.

Contenders

Chicago Bulls (38-16)

Derrick Rose is without a doubt the MVP of the first half. If you don’t believe me, just look at what he’s been doing without Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer for most of the season. With Boozer back and Luol Deng shooting near lights out, the Bulls haven’t had to play a shutdown defense as much with Noah out. When he returns, expect the Bulls to be able to compete with the likes of Boston, Miami and Orlando.

Orlando Magic (36-21)

They made a major decision before the New Year by trading Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus and Rashard Lewis. They received Gilbert Arenas, Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson and Earl Clark. It dramatically changed the appearance of the team, but they continue to have Dwight Howard as their focal point. Jameer Nelson’s production has gone down a bit since the trade. However, Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson have seen their numbers soar with extended playing time. Richardson and Turkoglu will have to produce at a high level if they are to get past Boston and Miami.

Dallas Mavericks (40-16)

They find themselves staring up at their cross state rivals in San Antonio. Dirk Nowitzki, thankfully is back in the fold after a knee injury sidelined him for nine games. Even with the season ending injury to Caron Butler, Dallas is getting great production from Jason Terry and Shawn Marion who is filling the void left by Butler’s injury. Tyson Chandler is having a career year for Dallas. The Mavericks depth in the frontcourt is the one thing that will help them down the stretch.

LA Lakers (38-19)

Everyone is trying to make something out of the Lakers struggles of late, but it all has to do with their attitude. They’ve appeared to be out of it and not ready to play. That will change as long as you have Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson at the helm. Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom are having terrific seasons while Ron Artest is having the exact opposite. All three will need to be on their game and Kobe will have to get that killer instinct back for the playoff run.

Oklahoma City Thunder (35-19)

Kevin Durant is doing his thing. Leading the team and the league in scoring (28.9). Russell Westbrook is behind him with a respectable 22.2 points per game. Those two are fast becoming one of the best duos in the NBA. If you asked them, it isn’t all about them though. Jeff Green, James Harden and Serge Ibaka are big contributors to what the Thunder have built going forward.

Middle of the Pack

Atlanta Hawks (34-21)

Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Al Horford have been playing great basketball. Jamal Crawford is still playing up to his usual role of the sixth man. Atlanta isn’t out of the conversation of contenders so much as what they will be able to do in the playoffs. They will get in, but what will the trio of Johnson, Smith and Horford be able to do? History shows that the Hawks will probably get through the first round, but might last past the semifinals again.

New York Knicks (28-26)

Even if they don’t acquire Carmelo Anthony before the trade deadline, they still have a lot to be happy about. Raymond Felton has been playing at a high level all year. Amar’e Stoudemire is proving his worth as an elite player. Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler have actually increased their production from a breakout season a year ago. Landry Fields has been quite the find in the second round. The rookie is rekindling Knicks fans memories of John Starks. They can wait for Carmelo to be a free agent. The pieces they have are keepers.

Philadelphia 76ers (27-29)

They are getting great production out of Elton Brand for the first time since his arrival. He and Andre Iguodala are both great complements to each others game. Louis Williams is continuing to give the 76ers a prominent scorer off the bench. Jrue Holiday is starting to show signs of becoming a great floor leader in Philadelphia. Head Coach Doug Collins has found a nice mix that should keep the 76ers in the fold for the playoffs.

Indiana Pacers (24-30)

They made a coaching change by letting go Jim O’Brien and replacing him with assistant Frank Vogel on an interim basis. Since then the Pacers are 7-3. Thanks in part to the resurgence of Roy Hibbert and Darren Collison. Both have been disappointing thus far, but with Danny Granger being a consistent scorer for the Pacers both Hibbert and Collison picked a perfect time to get back on track. Mike Dunleavy is giving them what they need, which is a spark off the bench. They will be in a three team battle for the final spot going forward.

Charlotte Bobcats (24-32)

Still not quite sure if Larry Brown decided to quit, was fired or a little of both. Either way the Bobcats had to know it wasn’t going to last much longer with him. He was the interim, but will be the full time head coach, Paul Silas, has the Bobcats hopefully on the upswing for the final playoff spot. Leading scorer Stephen Jackson has been the source of trade rumors, but he and Gerald Wallace provide a good complement to each other. Charlotte will probably stay pat and worry about the roster after the season.

Portland Trail Blazers (32-24)

No team in the NBA has suffered more with the injury bug. Brandon Roy and Greg Oden both missing significant time this season. Roy will return, but will be limited in his playing time. LaMarcus Aldridge has been playing like an All-Star since Roy went down. Andre Miller and Nicolas Batum have increased their productivity and Wesley Matthews has been worth every penny the Blazers have given him this year.

New Orleans Hornets (33-25)

Things aren’t as bad as we thought in New Orleans. Chris Paul is healthy and playing at his usual All-Star level. David West is back to his former self. They are even getting consistent play from Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor has been a defensive stalwart for New Orleans. First year head coach Monty Williams has done a great job with so much turmoil to start the season. The Hornets should be in the playoff conversation the rest of the way.

Denver Nuggets (32-25)

Will they or won’t they trade Carmelo Anthony? If you’re Denver you have to do what’s best for the team, not the player. They should get something for him. Yet, they are still in the playoffs with him. Crazier things have happened, but you know that Denver’s window has pretty much shut. If Melo and Chauncey Billups are dealt, they do have a good core in J.R. Smith, Aaron Afflalo and Ty Lawson going forward with whatever they get for Anthony and Billups. Denver is in a lose-lose situation, but they need to make a decision now.

Utah Jazz (31-26)

The legendary head coach Jerry Sloan decided to call it a career recently. The real reason only he and the Utah Jazz know for sure, but we can leave the speculation alone for another time. Going forward Utah’s interim head coach Tyrone Corbin has a lot on his table. First to get Deron Williams’ focus back on basketball and not talking to the media. Second to find a cohesive second unit to help take the pressure off Williams, Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap. Utah was given a big blow losing Jerry Sloan and they could be in danger of falling out of playoff contention.

Memphis Grizzlies (31-26)

Zach Randolph and Rudy Gay are as good as it gets for Memphis. They couldn’t ask for a better inside outside combo. To help them along has been Mike Conley. To many analysts surprise, Conley has been a pretty adequate point guard after a subpar 2009-10 season. O.J. Mayo has been a disappointment and has been relegated to a bench role. He seems to fare better off the bench. Marc Gasol needs to be more aggressive around the basket. Memphis has a lot of offensive weapons, but not a lot of depth to make a serious run.

Outside Looking In

Milwaukee Bucks (21-34)

Brandon Jennings is back and healthy for the Bucks. It’s a good thing since they are on the outside of the playoff race, but they aren’t behind by much. Record aside, it’s been a disappointing year. Andrew Bogut hasn’t been the force inside like he was last year before getting hurt. The Jennings injury and the inconsistent play of John Salmons. Thankfully with the team getting healthy, they still have a chance, but high expectations look to have got the best of them.

Detroit Pistons (21-36)

They’ve had lineup problems and the issue of Richard Hamilton wanting more playing time. Overall they weren’t expecting to have a let down this year. Tayshaun Prince and Rodney Stuckey are having good seasons, but Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva are turning out to be $60 million dollar busts if they don’t pick up their game soon. Tracy McGrady is having a nice bounce back season, but it’s going unnoticed in Detroit.

Phoenix Suns (27-27)

They made a move with Orlando acquiring Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus for Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson and Earl Clark. Since then, they’ve only managed to have a .500 record and are considered an outsider from the crowded field for the final playoff spots in the West. Steve Nash will not be traded and Phoenix doesn’t have many other assets to use in a trade. It’s best for them to finish the year with what they have and hope that they can start fresh with Jared Dudley, Gortat and Goran Dragic being more involved in the rotation.

Golden State Warriors (26-29)

Not a whole lot to the Warriors except for Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry and David Lee. With Dorell Wright and Reggie Williams, they basically have a five man rotation night in and night out. There has been a lot of talk about them eventually trading Ellis or Curry. It probably won’t happen until after the season as the Warriors don’t want to mess with the chemistry they’ve developed this season. Ellis has been a big time scorer for them and Curry has improved in the assist department this year, but both players are the same type of two guard scorer. Lee has struggled with injuries, but he is a capable double-double machine.

Houston Rockets (26-31)

The Rockets are just one player short of being in the thick of the playoff hunt. The one player would have been Yao Ming, but with his injury aside the Rockets might be looking to make a move to give Kevin Martin and Luis Scola some help. Both Martin and Scola are having terrific seasons and there has been talk of getting Carmelo, but it would be best for them to get someone like John Salmons who Milwaukee acquired from Chicago last year. Houston has had trouble at the point guard position where Aaron Brooks has been injured. Houston should be in the fold, but probably won’t until next year.

Waiting for the Lottery

New Jersey Nets (17-40)

Even if they acquire Carmelo Anthony, they won’t be in the mix for a playoff spot. They want to build towards the future and they will make a deal or two to position themselves for that. Going forward Brook Lopez is the future for the team. Devin Harris, if he’s not dealt, is still the point guard who will setup the attack. Sasha Vujacic has been a pleasant surprise since being acquired before the New Year. He and Jordan Farmar have been a good duo off the bench.

Washington Wizards (15-39)

John Wall has been as good as advertised for the Wizards. He and leading scorer Nick Young have been superb and Washington is building something for the future. With Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee in the frontcourt, Washington might have a good core that will help them compete in the near future. All they need is just a few more pieces to mix in and they will be just fine going forward.

Toronto Raptors (15-41)

There have been only two players that have consistently produced for the lowly Raptors this year. Andrea Bargnani is putting up All-Star like numbers. DeMar DeRozan is having a breakout year for Toronto. After that, it’s pretty much it. Jose Calderon might be better suited elsewhere as the Raptors have a trade piece to get something in return for the future. Not that they were any better with Chris Bosh, but they were a competitive team.

Cleveland Cavaliers (10-46)

When Mo Williams and Anderson Varejao went down with injuries, that seemed to take the life out of the rest of the team. With Williams returning and J.J. Hickson playing at a high level, the Cavaliers are starting to get out of the losing trend. However, don’t expect them to win more than 20 games the rest of the way. Most of the teams in the NBA don’t play with as little motivation as Cleveland does.

LA Clippers (21-35)

A horrible start to the season didn’t help them in their quest to be competitive. They did find some solace in knowing that Blake Griffin was exactly what they thought he was going to be when he was drafted last year. DeAndre Jordan will slowly make All-Star center Chris Kaman expendable if he continues to struggle staying healthy. Eric Gordon is having a career year with his scoring output. They have a good mix at point guard with Baron Davis and rookie Eric Bledsoe. They won’t get back in contention, but they have a good starting point going into next year.

Sacramento Kings (13-40)

Unable to find their identity, Sacramento is now looking into playing elsewhere next season. As if things couldn’t get any worse, first round pick DeMarcus Cousins is having a bit of a meltdown. With his frustration, the Kings are slowing losing any edge they might have had. Cousins is having a good year and Tyreke Evans is still producing at a high level. They will have to consider what their identity is going forward and whether they have the right coach in place.

Minnesota Timberwolves (13-43)

It goes to show you that if you give a player time, he will blossom. Kevin Love has done just that this year. He and Michael Beasley have led the Wolves in almost every major category and they might be on their way out if they don’t get help fast. There is no identity at the point. Jonny Flynn has struggled mightily. Luke Ridnour has salvaged it, but they are counting on Ricky Rubio to eventually save the day. It could be a disaster if they don’t fix the supporting cast pronto.

My 2011 NBA All-Star Selections

In a perfect world, everyone that is deserving of an All-Star selection would be honored with one. Nothing is perfect and as much as we’d like it to be, it’s a lot more fun to have a debat about it. Here are my All-Star selections for the 60th NBA All-Star game.

Eastern Conference

Starters

C Dwight Howard – Orlando Magic

22.4 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 2.2 BPG

F Amar’e Stoudemire – New York Knicks

26.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.2 BPG

F LeBron James – Miami Heat

26.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 7.3 APG

G Dwayne Wade – Miami Heat

25.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 4.2 APG

G Derrick Rose – Chicago Bulls

24.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 8.2 APG

Reserves

C Al Horford – Atlanta Hawks
16.1 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 3.6 APG
F Josh Smith – Atlanta Hawks
16.2 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 3.4 APG
F Paul Pierce – Boston Celtics
19.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.3 APG
G Rajon Rondo – Boston Celtics
10.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 12.5 APG
F Danny Granger – Indiana Pacers
21.0 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.8 APG
C Brook Lopez – New Jersey Nets
19.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.4 BPG
G Raymond Felton – New York Knicks
17.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 8.9 APG

Western Conference

Starters
C Pau Gasol – LA Lakers
18.4 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.7 APG
F Blake Griffin – LA Clippers
23.0 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 3.6 APG
F Kevin Durant – Oklahoma City Thunder
29.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.8 APG
G Kobe Bryant – LA Lakers
25.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.9 APG
G Russell Westbrook – Oklahoma City Thunder
22.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 8.5 APG

Reserves
G Eric Gordon – LA Clippers
24.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 4.5 APG
F Zach Randolph – Memphis Grizzlies
20.0 PPG, 13.2 RPG, 1.5 APG
G Monta Ellis – Golden State Warriors
25.1 PPG, 5.6 APG, 2.3 SPG
F Dirk Nowitzki – Dallas Mavericks
23.2 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.5 APG
F Kevin Love – Minnesota Timberwolves
21.4 PPG, 15.5 RPG, 2.5 APG
G Deron Williams – Utah Jazz
21.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 9.4 APG
G Manu Ginobili – San Antonio Spurs
18.8 PPG, 4.8 APG, 1.8 SPG

I will listen to those who disagree with these rosters. Everyone of them I feel deserve to be honored as an All-Star. You can say that I left some deserving players out. I feel that this is as close as it should be for the 2011 All-Star teams.

2010-11 NBA Season Preview

* – indicates playoffs

(R) – indicates rookie

# – indicates new to team

MVP – Kevin Durant – Thunder

Rookie – Blake Griffin – Clippers

Coach – Scott Brooks – Thunder

Defensive Player – Dwight Howard – Magic

Most Improved – Michael Beasley – Timberwolves

Sixth Man – Jamal Crawford – Hawks

Executive – Danny Ainge – Celtics

Playoffs

Eastern Conference Finals

Boston vs. Miami

Celtics in 7

Western Conference Finals

Oklahoma City vs. LA Lakers

Lakers in 7

NBA Finals

Boston vs. LA Lakers

Lakers in 6

Finals MVP: Kobe Bryant

Eastern Conference

1. Miami Heat*

2. Orlando Magic*

3. Boston Celtics*

4. Milwaukee Bucks*

5. Chicago Bulls*

6. Atlanta Hawks*

7. New York Knicks*

8. Charlotte Bobcats*

9. Detroit Pistons

10. Cleveland Cavaliers

11. Philadelphia 76ers

12. Indiana Pacers

13. New Jersey Nets

14. Washington Wizards

15. Toronto Raptors

Heat – 1st in Southeast

Projected Starters

C Joel Anthony

F Chris Bosh#

F LeBron James#

G Dwayne Wade

G Carlos Arroyo

Three man rotation

F Udonis Haslem, F Mike Miller#, C Zydrunas Ilgauskas#

The Miami Trifecta is probably the greatest group of talent ever assembled since the Chicago Bulls of the 90s and the “Showtime” Lakers of the the 80s. The most asked question about the Heat is whether they have enough to surround Wade, Bosh and LeBron. Having shooters Miller, Eddie House and James Jones will open things up, but having Ilgauskas, Haslem and Juwan Howard in your frontcourt is a glaring weakness that won’t beat Boston or Orlando.

Magic – 2nd in Southeast

Projected Starters

C Dwight Howard

F Rashard Lewis

F Quentin Richardson#

G Vince Carter

G Jameer Nelson

Three man rotation

G Mickael Pietrus, G J.J. Redick, C Marcin Gortat

Orlando has been talking a lot of trash about Miami in the offseason. They feel that all the talk about the Heat is undeserved. They are right, but now they have to prove it in a new season. Howard and Nelson have to be on their game for Orlando to be in the conversation of the top 3 in the conference. Bringing in Richardson was a nice move that adds to their 3-point arsenal. Carter will need to not show his age. He needs to be the complementary piece the Magic needed from him last year.

Celtics – 1st in Atlantic

Projected Starters

C Jermaine O’Neal#

F Kevin Garnett

F Paul Pierce

G Ray Allen

G Rajon Rondo

Three man rotation

F Glen Davis, C Shaquille O’Neal#, G Nate Robinson

Boston had the right mixture of size to compete with the Magic in the East and the Lakers in the West. Now they have doubled that size with the additions of the two O’Neal’s (Jermaine and Shaquille). The “Big Three” of Beantown stayed intact and Rondo has joined the conversation of one of the best point guards in the game today. Glen Davis will be more involved with Garnett’s health in question now. When Kendrick Perkins returns around the All-Star break, that will be the perfect time for Boston’s playoff run.

Bucks – 1st in Central

Projected Starters

C Andrew Bogut

F Drew Gooden#

F John Salmons

G Chris Douglas-Roberts#

G Brandon Jennings

Three man rotation

F Corey Maggette#, G Carlos Delfino, F Ersan Ilyasova

Milwaukee has a lot to look forward to this year with Andrew Bogut healthy and Brandon Jennings coming off a great rookie season and a tremendous performance in the playoffs. Re-signing John Salmons was the best move of the offseason for the Bucks. What he did in his short stint in Milwaukee last year was phenomenal. Trading for Maggette and signing Gooden provides coach Scott Skiles with two players who have a nose for the ball. Milwaukee’s depth is among the best in the conference and they should make even more noise this year.

Bulls – 2nd in Central

Projected Starters

C Joakim Noah

F Carlos Boozer#

F Luol Deng

G Ronnie Brewer#

G Derrick Rose

Three man rotation

G C.J. Watson#, G Kyle Korver#, F Taj Gibson

The Bulls were seen by most as the team with the greatest chance of landing one of the top 3 free agents in Wade, Bosh and LeBron. They struck out, but managed to build a talented roster around their franchise player Derrick Rose. Boozer was the main piece. He will provide added rebounding and second chance scoring opportunities for the Bulls. Brewer and Korver were teammates of Boozer’s in Utah and both give Chicago some added scoring on the wings. Deng, Noah and Gibson had a productive season, but they need to do more to get Chicago out the bottom of the conference contenders. Watson is what the Bulls used to have with Ben Gordon. Watson is capable of matching what Gordon provided for them before.

Hawks – 3rd in Southeast

Projected Starters

C Al Horford

F Josh Smith

F Marvin Williams

G Joe Johnson

G Mike Bibby

Three man rotation

G Jamal Crawford, C Zaza Pachulia, G Jeff Teague

Atlanta gave Johnson a max-contract and Johnson believes that there is still unfinished business in Atlanta. That means that him, Smith and Horford will have to be better than advertised for the Hawks to make a dent in the playoffs. Crawford will have to match his production from a year ago. Teague will see more playing time with Bibby losing a step. The Hawks will need to see more out of Williams if they are to get a return on their investment of a top 5 pick in him. Atlanta has overachieved in the regular season, but have underachieved so much in the playoffs.

Knicks – 2nd in Atlantic

Projected Starters

C Timofey Mozgov (R)#

F Amar’e Stoudemire#

F Wilson Chandler

G Bill Walker

G Raymond Felton#

Three man rotation

F Danilo Gallinari, G Toney Douglas, F Anthony Randolph#

The Knicks got a star player, but he wasn’t their first choice. That’s not to say they aren’t satisfied with their decision to sign Stoudemire. He is now the face of one of the worst franchises in the past decade in the NBA. He instantly makes them a playoff contender in the East. With Felton as his new point guard, they both will need to be on their A game to get the Knicks back into the lime light. Gallinari, Douglas and Chandler provided some scoring last year and look to provide great support on the depth chart. Randolph will be the key as he’s seen as the missing piece to what coach Mike D’Antoni wants to build in New York.

Bobcats – 4th in Southeast

Projected Starters

C Nazr Mohammed

F Boris Diaw

F Gerald Wallace

G Stephen Jackson

G D.J. Augustin

Three man rotation

F Tyrus Thomas, G Shaun Livingston#, C DeSagana Diop

They will be looking to make their second consecutive appearance in the playoffs this year and they believe they can do it with the same cast of characters. Larry Brown decided to stay for another year as the head coach and there shouldn’t be any learning curves with the same players. Jackson and Wallace had productive seasons under Brown and he will be looking for repeat performances from them. Augustin will be running the show at point guard. How he will fare will depend on if Livingston can regain his old form before his catastrophic knee injury with the Clippers. Charlotte expects another playoff berth, but they won’t be getting very far if they do.

Pistons – 3rd in Central

Projected Starters

C Ben Wallace

F Austin Daye

F Tayshaun Prince

G Richard Hamilton

G Rodney Stuckey

Three man rotation

F Charlie Villanueva, G Ben Gordon, F Jason Maxiell

Detroit believes they have enough talent to get back into the playoff race this year after a dismal 09-10 season. Gordon and Villanueva need to be healthy for the entire year for that to happen. So much of their depth depends on their health. Hamilton and Prince struggled to stay healthy as well which the same can be said for them to stay healthy if the Pistons want to get to the playoffs. Stuckey is in a contract year and the Pistons expect him to be just as good maybe even better. They have tremendous depth in the frontcourt, but no one has stepped forward to add needed offense to the position. They will need that this year.

Cavaliers – 4th in Central

Projected Starters

C Anderson Varejao

F J.J. Hickson

F Antawn Jamison

G Anthony Parker

G Mo Williams

Three man rotation

G Ramon Sessions#, F Jamario Moon, G Daniel Gibson

No LeBron means that they have to find a new face or faces for the franchise. Head coach Byron Scott has his hands full in his third assignment in the NBA. He will have to maximize the most out of Jamison and Williams, both of whom had disappointing seasons last year. Hickson and Varejao showed flashes of amazing ability last year. Now they will be part of the offensive attack for the new look Cavaliers. Sessions was a great pickup in a trade with Minnesota. He will provide steady leadership for the offense that will need someone to call the shots night in and night out. It will be tough, but Cleveland has the right coach to ride this ship.

76ers – 3rd in Atlantic

Projected Starters

C Spencer Hawes#

F Elton Brand

F Thaddeus Young

G Andre Iguodala

G Jrue Holiday

Three man rotation

G Louis Williams, F Andres Nocioni#, G Evan Turner (R)

Doug Collins left the broadcast booth to become the head coach of a disappointing franchise. They have a legitimate star in Iguodala, but no one else has been able to step in to take the pressure off him. Brand needs to be that guy, but with injuries and a bruised psyche it might have to be someone else. Hawes and Nocioni were acquired during the offseason in a trade with Sacramento. Both weren’t given much of an opportunity to play there, but Collins knows what they both bring and will see plenty of minutes. Holiday showed promise as a rookie last year running the offense, but must limit his turnovers. Williams and Turner both provide an offensive spark off the bench, but don’t be surprised if you see Turner work his way into the starting lineup. Collins will have to be patient with the new look Sixers as this is a work in progress.

Pacers – 5th in Central

Projected Starters

C Roy Hibbert

F Josh McRoberts

F Danny Granger

G Brandon Rush

G Darren Collison#

Three man rotation

G T.J. Ford, G James Posey#, F Mike Dunleavy

The Pacers feel they are just a few steps away from being contenders in the Eastern Conference. That’s what led to the acquisition of Collison and Posey from New Orleans. Collison showed amazing playmaking ability filling in for Chris Paul last year and the Pacers were in desperate need of a point guard. Hibbert should have a nice season after his strong finish to last year. Granger struggled with injuries, but is still considered an elite talent even though there isn’t much help around him. Dunleavy will have to be healthy for the Pacers to make any noise in the standings. They won’t be anywhere near the bottom, but they won’t be near the top anytime soon.

Nets – 4th in Atlantic

Projected Starters

C Brook Lopez

F Troy Murphy#

F Travis Outlaw#

G Anthony Morrow#

G Devin Harris

Three man rotation

G Terrence Williams, G Jordan Farmar#, F Kris Humphries

They didn’t make the kind of splash they were hoping for when Free Agency 2010 started, but they still have plenty of space to make a run at other future free agents. Harris and Lopez are still the faces of the franchise that is full rebuild mode this year. Both should continue to put up stellar numbers and new head coach Avery Johnson will be able to mold the rest of the roster will them. Murphy and Morrow were acquired in trades. Murphy provides excellent help for Lopez down low and Morrow will provide some added scoring from the outside. Outlaw was given a pretty hefty contract and will given every opportunity to prove his worth. Farmar was signed to provide a steady backup to Harris in case he is lost to injury. Williams showed a lot of upside last year, but will have to continue on an offensively challenged team.

Wizards – 5th in Southeast

Projected Starters

C JaVale McGee

F Andray Blatche

F Al Thornton

G Kirk Hinrich#

G John Wall (R)

Three man rotation

G Gilbert Arenas, F Yi Jianlian#, G Nick Young

The lowly Wizards were perhaps the luckiest team in the offseason. When they were awarded the number one pick of the 2010 draft, everyone knew they would be drafting John Wall. With there being no surprise there, the Wizards are now left with a logjam at point guard. For now they will give Wall as much playing time as possible and have Kirk Hinrich play off the ball with Wall. Hinrich is an excellent outside shooter and ball-handler. Troubled point guard Arenas will get playing time, but for how long will Arenas stay down is the question. Blatche and McGee have a lot of upside and should provide some needed youth in the frontcourt. Thornton and Jianlian will need to live up to their potential.

Raptors – 5th in Atlantic

Projected Starters

C Andrea Bargnani

F Amir Johnson

F DeMar DeRozan

G Sonny Weems

G Jose Calderon

Three man rotation

G Jarrett Jack, G Leandro Barbosa#, F Linas Kleiza#

Toronto has good intentions for their team this year. The problem will be a lack of consistent talent. Calderon and Bargnani are good players, but they need at least two other pieces to maximize their abilities. DeRozan will be given a bulk of playing time, but has to do more than attack the rim. Jack and Barbosa provide a nice combination at the two guard positions, but their lack of size will hurt the team. Kleiza was a nice pickup in a trade with Denver. He can score a ton of points on any given night. Johnson was given a big contract for being an average player so far in his career. He will have to step up and provide a boost around the basket.

Western Conference

1. LA Lakers*

2. Oklahoma City Thunder*

3. Dallas Mavericks*

4. Utah Jazz*

5. Portland Trail Blazers*

6. San Antonio Spurs*

7. Houston Rockets*

8. Memphis Grizzlies*

9. Denver Nuggets

10. LA Clippers

11. New Orleans Hornets

12. Phoenix Suns

13. Golden State Warriors

14. Sacramento Kings

15. Minnesota Timberwolves

Lakers – 1st in Pacific

Projected Starters

C Pau Gasol

F Lamar Odom

F Ron Artest

G Kobe Bryant

G Derek Fisher

Three man rotation

G Steve Blake#, F Matt Barnes#, G Shannon Brown

With all the talk of what was happening in the Eastern Conference, the Lakers stood by and got deeper. They still have the best player in the game in Kobe Bryant. Pau Gasol is one of the best power forwards in the game. Artest and Fisher provide toughness and can make big shots at any given time. Odom has his ups and downs, but he is the most difficult player to guard aside from Kobe. Adding Blake and Barnes makes the Lakers a deeper team and perhaps even better than the last two championship teams. Brown being re-signed shows that all these guys are committed to continue bringing championships to LA.

Thunder – 1st in Northwest

Projected Starters

C Nenad Kristic

F Jeff Green

F Kevin Durant

G Thabo Sefolosha

G Russell Westbrook

Three man rotation

G James Harden, G Eric Maynor, F Serge Ibaka

They stayed quiet and re-signed their franchise player Kevin Durant. All of their young players gained some valuable experience by taking the Lakers to six tough games in the first round of the playoffs. Durant has a great young point guard in Russell Westbrook. Both will be a great duo for many years. Green and Harden can score with the best at their positions and Maynor is a serviceable backup to Westbrook at the point. Up front the Thunder are deep now with Kristic, Ibaka and 1st round pick Cole Aldrich. It’s hard to find a weakness on this team, aside from their age, but that didn’t stop them last year.

Mavericks – 1st in Southwest

Projected Starters

C Brendan Haywood

F Dirk Nowitzki

F Caron Butler

G Jason Terry

G Jason Kidd

Three man rotation

F Shawn Marion, C Tyson Chandler#, G DeShawn Stevenson

Dirk decided to stay and finish what he started in Dallas. The Mavericks hope that by keeping Haywood and trading for Chandler will be enough to help the Mavericks in the frontcourt. Never have the Mavericks had this much depth at that position and this is their best chance to take advantage of it. Kidd and Terry still can get the job done at their age, but Dallas may have to start thinking about the future in the backcourt. Butler is the best wing man Nowitzki has had since Michael Finley departed. Butler is fast and aggressive on both ends of the court. Marion will be relegated to the bench for this season, but it probably suits him better at this stage in his career.

Jazz – 2nd in Northwest

Projected Starters

C Al Jefferson#

F Paul Millsap

F Andrei Kirilenko

G Raja Bell#

G Deron Williams

Three man rotation

F C.J. Miles, G Earl Watson#, F Gordon Hayward (R)

Utah went through a lot of turnover in the offseason, but they feel they still have enough to compete in the West. Boozer left for Chicago and they replaced him with Al Jefferson from Minnesota. Jefferson has all the tools needed to be an elite big man, but he must stay healthy for that talent to be seen. Millsap will finally get a chance to start. Some would say that he has been there best player next to Deron Williams that last two seasons. Kirilenko and Bell are the defensive stalwarts that coach Jerry Sloan loves. Kirilenko has been in the doghouse of late, but will get a chance to redeem himself. Williams had a bit of a down year, but with a few new pieces, he should have another All-Star season.

Trail Blazers – 3rd in Northwest

Projected Starters

C Marcus Camby

F LaMarcus Aldridge

F Nicolas Batum

G Brandon Roy

G Andre Miller

Three man rotation

G Wesley Matthews#, G Rudy Fernandez, C Joel Przybilla

It starts and ends with Brandon Roy. He has to be playing at a high level every game. With him on his game, the next person will have to be LaMarcus Aldridge. He needs to live up to his potential and continue to be a force on the offensive end. Bringing back Camby is huge. He protects the basket so well and when Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla return from injury, the Blazers might have enough depth at that position to challenge the teams ahead of them in the West. Miller and Batum will need to be more involved in the offense this year. At times they looked lost. Fernandez seems to be happy now and the Blazers do need him as a spark plug off the bench. Matthews was signed to a sizable contract from Utah and is a defensive specialist, but can get hot from time to time.

Spurs – 2nd in Southwest

Projected Starters

C DeJuan Blair

F Tim Duncan

F Richard Jefferson

G Manu Ginobili

G Tony Parker

Three man rotation

G George Hill, F Antonio McDyess, F Matt Bonner

You still can’t count out the Spurs just yet. Yes they are a year older, but they have the swagger and some youth at key positions. Duncan, Parker and Ginobili are as good as it gets in the NBA. A lot of mileage on their legs, but they know how to pace themselves to get ready for basketball in April, May and June. Jefferson had a rough first year in San Antonio, but he should be primed for a bounce back year. Blair and Hill are the youth I was referring to. Blair is a rebounding machine, but a bit undersized for his position. Hill can play either guard position and can play some big minutes to give Parker or Ginobili some time off. McDyess is a crafty veteran who isn’t as explosive as he once was, but can still hit an open jump shot.

Rockets – 3rd in Southwest

Projected Starters

C Yao Ming

F Luis Scola

F Shane Battier

G Kevin Martin

G Aaron Brooks

Three man rotation

G Courtney Lee#, C Brad Miller#, F Jared Jeffries

Houston’s depth looks so much better when Yao Ming is healthy. He won’t be playing a ton of minutes coming off major foot surgery. It helps that they signed Brad Miller. Miller is a capable backup and with Scola primed for a big season, the Rockets shouldn’t have any trouble this year in the frontcourt. Brooks and Martin will have to complement what Scola and Yao will setup this season. Brooks was the most improved player last year and perhaps Martin could be this year with a full year in Houston. Lee and Jeffries provide excellent depth at multiple positions. Jeffries can play three while Lee can play either the shooting guard or small forward spot. Both can score 10 points every time out.

Grizzlies – 4th in Southwest

Projected Starters

C Marc Gasol

F Zach Randolph

F Rudy Gay

G O.J. Mayo

G Mike Conley

Three man rotation

G Tony Allen#, F Darrell Arthur, G Xavier Henry (R)

Seen as a team that had a lot of young talent that was going to take time to mesh. It didn’t take long as the Grizzlies were in contention for most of last season. Gasol and Randolph form a formidable duo around the basket. Mayo and Conley are good combo guards that must improve their shot selection and be more playmaker than shooter. Gay was given a big contract extension and the Grizzlies hope he can continue his upward trend since he arrived. They signed Allen to help solidify their bench. Allen is a good defender, but is somewhat of a liability offensively. Arthur and rookie Henry will need to step up and provide a spark off the bench. Memphis doesn’t have great depth, but enough talent to get in.

Nuggets – 4th in Northwest

Projected Starters

C Nene

F Shelden Williams#

F Carmelo Anthony

G Aaron Afflalo

G Chauncey Billups

Three man rotation

F Al Harrington#, G J.R. Smith, G Ty Lawson

Denver has taken a hit in the off-season with the Carmelo Anthony trade rumors swirling. They will continue to swirl all year long and that will lead to a lot of distractions. Billups and Harrington are the only two viable options that can help take the pressure off Anthony to score for the Nuggets. Smith can get hot, but has a wild streak that ends up hurting more than helping. Lawson and Afflalo brought a nice youth movement to their depth last year. They will need to continue bringing that added energy off the bench. Nene will have to do a lot of work around the basket with Kenyon Martin and Chris Andersen recovering from knee surgery. That might tax the Nuggets early in the season.

Clippers – 2nd in Pacific

Projected Starters

C Chris Kaman

F Blake Griffin (R)

F Rasual Butler

G Eric Gordon

G Baron Davis

Three man rotation

G Randy Foye#, F Ryan Gomes#, C DeAndre Jordan

It’s hard to consider the Clippers contenders, but this is the year they could easily make a run at one of the final playoff spots. Blake Griffin is the real deal and with him the Clippers feel the offense can open up in ways that it didn’t last year. Davis and Gordon will have to be sharp and gel with the additions of Foye and Gomes. Kaman had an All-Star year and should continue with Griffin as his running mate. Health will always be an issue with this group, but if they can get past that and finish with a respectable record, they could be in the playoffs in no time.

Hornets – 5th in Southwest

Projected Starters

C Emeka Okafor

F David West

F Trevor Ariza#

G Marco Belinelli#

G Chris Paul

Three man rotation

G Jerryd Bayless#, F Peja Stojakovic, G Willie Green#

Like with Denver, New Orleans had to deal with the trade rumors of Chris Paul. Rightfully so, he is confused as to where the direction is for the Hornets. They listened and made some moves that might help in the short term, but not the long term. In four separate trades they acquired Green, Bayless, Belinelli and Ariza. Out of all of them Ariza is more talented and Bayless is a good combo guard. Belinelli will get a chance to show his skills with Paul as his wing man. Green can score a lot of points off the bench and will provide depth. The question becomes what will happen with West and Okafor? West needs to return to his former self and Okafor is strictly a defensive minded Center now, with not a lot to offer offensively.

Suns – 3rd in Pacific

Projected Starters

C Robin Lopez

F Hakim Warrick#

F Grant Hill

G Jason Richardson

G Steve Nash

Three man rotation

F Jared Dudley, F Hedo Turkoglu#, G Goran Dragic

It’s amazing to see how a team can change with one player departing via free agency. That one player was Amar’e Stoudemire. He was the focal point of the offense and now the Suns have to find someone else to fill the void. The problem is they need more than one player to fill the void. Richardson will see his numbers grow, but will it help the team? Warrick will be given the first shot at taking over for Stoudemire. He’s not the same player, but can keep up the tempo that’s set in place with Nash leading the way. Turkoglu was happy to have a new home, but he has added pressure in Phoenix to produce. Dragic and Dudley figure to be more involved this year, but the roster isn’t as deep as in years past.

Warriors – 4th in Pacific

Projected Starters

C Andris Biedrins

F David Lee#

F Dorell Wright#

G Monta Ellis

G Stephen Curry

Three man rotation

F Reggie Williams, F Vladimir Radmanovic, G Charlie Bell#

The Warriors got a shot in the arm with the acquisition of David Lee. Whether it will help long term is the question. Ellis and Curry are great scorers, but that is the problem with Golden State is that they are scorers first and point guards second and third. Wright hasn’t been a full time starter, but is in an interesting situation. He will be the fourth or fifth option when he’s on the court and will be an after thought leaving him open. As in most years the Warriors bench is thin, but more so this year. They traded off almost every important piece in the off-season. Now they start anew with Williams, Radmanovic and newly acquired Bell to make something out of almost nothing.

Kings – 5th in Pacific

Projected Starters

C Samuel Dalembert#

F Jason Thompson

F Donte Greene

G Tyreke Evans

G Beno Udrih

Three man rotation

F Carl Landry, F Omri Casspi, G Francisco Garcia

Sacramento has a good group that maybe only a year or two away from contending. Evans is a legitimate star and will only get better. Drafting DeMarcus Cousins was seen as a risk, but it has only motivated Cousins which is a good thing for the Kings. Dalembert will be starting ahead of Cousins to ease him along. Dalembert is among the best defensive centers in the game today. The problem with the Kings is depth and a lack of a rotation. Landry, Casspi and Garcia will get their playing time, but coach Paul Westpaul was constantly shuffling his rotation last year that the players never got into a groove. They must settle on a consistent lineup or it will be a repeat of last year.

Timberwolves – 5th in Northwest

Projected Starters

C Darko Milicic

F Kevin Love

F Michael Beasley#

G Corey Brewer

G Jonny Flynn

Three man rotation

G Martell Webster#, Luke Ridnour#, F Wesley Johnson (R)

Last years debacle is over and now the Timberwolves want to see some improvement. Flynn is the point guard now and for the near future. Ridnour was a good pickup to help ease along Flynn’s development. Brewer had a career year and the Wolves would like that to continue. Love has butted heads with head coach Kurt Rambis, but that all seems to be in the past now. Webster was a draft day acquisition from Portland. He can get hot in a hurry and provides instant offense off the bench. Johnson can do the same, but they don’t want to rush him in his rookie season. Beasley will be in a surrounding with less fanfare than in Miami. It can only be a good thing as he will be able to find his comfort zone in a small market.

The Definition of Failure

Some of the greatest players in any sport are not always the best judges of talent or the best coaches for their respective sport. Wayne Gretzky couldn’t get the Phoenix Coyotes to the playoffs in his four seasons as head coach. They were a .500 team at best. Michael Jordan failed as the President of Basketball Operations with the Washington Wizards. Drafting Kwame Brown with the number one pick in 2001, when Pau Gasol was taken just two picks later, will be with MJ no matter where he goes. He is now the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, but time will tell if he can redeem himself in the executive seat of the NBA.

Those are just two examples. I give you one more. Isiah Thomas was named one of the 50 greatest NBA players of all-time. Without a doubt he is one of the best competitors the game has ever seen. Is he the best talent evaluator? Some would say yes. Here are some of the players he has drafted as an executive with the Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks.

G Damon Stoudamire – Raptors 1995
C Marcus Camby – Raptors 1996
G Tracy McGrady – Raptors 1997
C David Lee – Knicks 2005
G Nate Robinson – Knicks 2005 acquired from Suns during Draft
C Channing Frye – Knicks 2005

Now that’s not terrible. Stoudamire was a better player elsewhere, but he wasn’t terrible with the Raptors. Camby did get to the NBA Finals when he was traded to the Knicks. McGrady was a big part of the success the Raptors had going into the millennium before leaving as a free agent. Lee is a double-double machine. Robinson is a scoring threat when he steps on the court. Frye is an above average shooter for a player his size.

Now Isiah was not around long enough to see his acquisitions succeed, but he does have an eye for talent. That is why the Knicks, specifically owner James Dolan, offered Isiah Thomas a consultant position within the Knicks organization. I will put forth the reasons why Isiah should not have been offered the consultant position with a team he helped run into the ground.

Isiah was the owner of the CBA (Continental Basketball Association) from 1998-2000. Key word “was.” When Isiah accepted the head coaching job from the Indiana Pacers in 2000, he put the CBA in a blind trust in which the league didn’t find a new owner to take over Isiah’s duties. Plenty of blame goes around as to who helped ruin the CBA, but a good portion starts with Isiah who didn’t seem all that interested in the job.

Isiah accepted the head coaching job of the Indiana Pacers in the year 2000. He would still be the coach until 2003. The Pacers made it to the NBA Finals the year before Isiah was head coach. The Pacers were in a transition from being a veteran team to bringing in younger talent to get back to the Finals. Isiah made it to the playoffs every year he was coach, but was eliminated in the first round every time. When Larry Bird returned as Vice President of Basketball Operations in 2003, Isiah was let go.

Isiah wasn’t unemployed for long as the New York Knicks hired him as Vice President of Basketball Operations in December 2003. So began the unraveling of a once proud NBA franchise. Here are some of Isiah’s worst moves as VP of Basketball Operations for the Knicks

Trading for Eddy Curry – cost multiple draft picks & money
Hiring Larry Brown as head coach – Larry wasn’t gonna help
Trading for Stephon Marbury – “Starbury” only helps “Starbury”
Trading for Zach Randolph – he has talent, but his head isn’t in it
Signing Jerome James & Jared Jeffries to max contracts – enough said

Isiah after all this, hired himself as head coach in 2006 after the Larry Brown experiment failed. The Knicks were on track to make the playoffs by the All-Star break when Knicks owner, James Dolan, rewarded Isiah with a multi-year extension. Soon after that the Knicks fell off and out of playoff contention. The following year the Knicks finished with a 23-59 record. 10 games worse than the year before under Isiah the coach.

To top it all off, Isiah and Madison Square Garden were sued by a former employee for sexual harassment. A grand jury found them both guilty and had to pay $11.6 million to the victim. If you cost your boss $11.6 million, why would that boss hire you back?

James Dolan is not your typical owner though. He offers Isiah Thomas a consultant position with the Knicks while he is the head coach of Florida International, a NCAA Division 1 school. Besides the conflict of interest here, isn’t this a slap in the face to your current VP of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh? Donnie fired Isiah and now he has to know that Isiah is in a management role in New York while he’s still there.

I know, it’s just a consultant. What kind of power does a consultant have. Especially when he’s coaching Florida International. Well, if the NBA and NCAA were a little more concerned about this, they would realize that this opens up Pandora’s box. What’s to stop San Antonio, Dallas and Houston from asking Texas coach Rick Barnes to be a “consultant.” Or for the Lakers to hire Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski as a “consultant.”

Thankfully NBA commissioner David Stern told Isiah Thomas that this would not work because it would violate NBA bylaws of a current college coach working with an NBA team. However, a story in the New York Post reported that Knicks owner James Dolan had told the commissioner’s office of the planned hire of Isiah Thomas before it was announced. Why wasn’t it stopped then? The NCAA would rather focus on bigger schools and athletic departments, but sees no problem with this scenario.

Look no further than to James Dolan when he released this statement after Isiah turned down the Knicks offer.

“Although I’m disappointed that Isiah will not be working with the Knicks as a consultant, I continue to believe in his basketball knowledge, including his ability to judge talent,” MSG chairman Dolan said. “He’s a good friend of mine and of the organization and I will continue to solicit his views. He will always have strong ties to me and the team. We wish him continued success at FIU.”

“He will always have strong ties to me and the team.” “I continue to believe in his basketball knowledge, including his ability to judge talent.” That says to me that either James Dolan is smoking some serious stuff or Isiah Thomas has something on Dolan that he doesn’t want to come out.

The NBA and NCAA let this linger for too long and it should have been shot down as soon as they caught wind of it. What’s to stop Isiah from talking to James Dolan about basketball matters in the future? The answer: nothing.

NBA Free Agent Winners & Losers

It’s not in hindsight whether there are “winners” and “losers” of free agency. It’s simply a matter of who will be crowned the champions on paper. The NBA has a lot of the so called “middle of the road” teams that one or two moves can make them into contenders. This year has given those teams many opportunities to make a candidate to be the paper champions. I have narrowed down the winners, losers and an “undecided” section to four teams per category. If there should be more or none at all, do share.

Undecided

New York Knicks

What they got: F Amare Stoudemire, F Anthony Randolph, G Raymond Felton

The Knicks did get one of the top free agents on the market in Stoudemire, but they had their sights set on LeBron James. Is it a total failure? Not exactly. Yes, LeBron was the big catch, but it’s hard to say they lost when they brought in one of the best scoring forwards in the game. Felton is a proven point guard that actually took less money to come to New York. Randolph was the main piece New York received from Golden State in the David Lee sign and trade. Randolph has a decent outside-inside game and has a lot of upside. With an inside presence, a leader at the point and a scoring option off the bench, New York could matter again. It’s a tough sell in the “Big Apple”, but Knicks fans can be excited that their team will be in the mix for one of the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference

Phoenix Suns

What they got: G Josh Childress, F Hedo Turkoglu

Phoenix lost Stoudemire and decided to re-sign F Channing Frye and F Grant Hill. It makes sense for them because those two were a big part of what the Suns accomplished last year. Stoudemire was too, but it doesn’t put the Suns out of contention completely. Steve Nash is still around and acquiring Childress and Turkoglu can help offset the loss by getting two players looking for a fresh start. Childress has spent the past two seasons in Greece. Judging by his stats, he hasn’t regressed at all. He can be what Boris Diaw was for the Suns a few years ago. Turkoglu had a rough going in Toronto. After he left Orlando for “greener” pastures, he seemed to want to take it easy rather than play with urgency. Accusations of being a quitter and a liar hurt his reputation and Phoenix was willing to take a chance. Why not? He is just one year removed from leading the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals. The Suns can’t put all their hopes on Turkoglu, but he will be motivated to prove his doubters wrong.

Milwaukee Bucks

What they got: F Drew Gooden, F Corey Maggette, G Chris Douglas-Roberts

Because of another team in their division, I’m not putting Milwaukee in the winners category. However, I do like what they’ve done. Aside from Gooden’s over valued contract, he does bring added rebounding and defensive prowess that head coach Scott Skiles covets. Maggette is another tough guy who is constantly attacking the basket. He will instantly make the Bucks bench a force. Douglas-Roberts is an up and coming wing player who needs to improve his shooting stroke, but has crazy athleticism that will be utilized with Brandon Jennings leading this rising force in the Eastern Conference.

Utah Jazz

What they got: G Raja Bell, F Al Jefferson

Yes Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver will be missed. As will Wesley Matthews who was an undrafted free agent. Raja Bell will bring the toughness and defense that is a staple for Jerry Sloan’s teams. Bell has played for Utah before and his familiarity with Utah’s style of play lead him to pick Utah ahead of the Lakers. Al Jefferson was handed to the Jazz on a silver platter. Not a lot was given to Minnesota to land the double-double machine. Jefferson can be seen as an upgrade. One is the age difference (4 years) and two is offensive output. Both Boozer and Jefferson are prone to injury, but Jefferson can consistently put up 20+ points a game. Utah will probably need to make a few other moves, but getting Jefferson was a nice surprise.

Losers

New Jersey Nets

No LeBron. No Wade. No Bosh. No Stoudemire. No Johnson. That’s why they’re here. Not a single big name came looking for the Nets money. They settled for Travis Outlaw, Jordan Farmar and Anthony Morrow. They were the worst team in the league last year and probably won’t be any better this upcoming season. Small pieces will get you out of the cellar, but not out of the hole.

Toronto Raptors

Chris Bosh was part of a sign and trade with the Miami Heat that gave Toronto a huge trade exception. But it doesn’t make any sense. It seemed that they were extremely upset with Bosh’s handling of the free agent fiasco and weren’t going to help him get max money. Instead they backed down and in the beginning of free agency they threw 34 million dollars at Amir Johnson. The same Amir Johnson who has averaged 4.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game through four seasons. Good job.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Yes LeBron is gone. Was it their fault. Not entirely, but they should have planned better for it. With LeBron gone, the face of their franchise is Antawn Jamison. Mo Williams will have to stay as well and they can’t just sell of Delonte West. They have some good pieces in J.J. Hickson and Leon Powe, but they are near the bottom of the Central Division with Indiana and Detroit with one free agent subtraction.

Minnesota Timberwolves

They do have some good players in place, but what exactly is the plan? Michael Beasley is a better version of Ryan Gomes. Darko did play his best basketball in Minnesota, but was it worth 20 million for four years? You already have two point guards, three if you count Ricky Rubio. But that didn’t stop David Kahn (President of Basketball Operations) to sign Luke Ridnour, you guessed it, another point guard. Dumping Al Jefferson isn’t even the icing on the cake. When Minnesota finishes with the worst record this year, they will pin all their misfortune on Kurt Rambis. But it starts at the top.

Winners

Miami Heat

What they got: F LeBron James, F Chris Bosh, G Mike Miller

Yes they performed the ultimate coup and captured the top two free agents and brought them to Dwayne Wade’s team. Instantly they are a force to be reckoned with and it will be hard to keep all three of their game at the same time. The bench is still suspect, mainly in the frontcourt, but bringing in Miller was a good choice. He nearly shot 50% from 3-point range last year and that will pay big dividends for Miami in close games. Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Juwan Howard are not the answers at center, but they will make another move before camp.

Boston Celtics

What thy got: G Ray Allen, C Jermaine O’Neal, G Nate Robinson

Paul Pierce took less money so the Celtics could bring back Allen and Robinson. Allen decided that the best shot to win again was back in Beantown. Robinson didn’t want to leave a sure thing. O’Neal is a good fit to replace Kendrick Perkins. The “Big Three” will be together at least one more year (Garnett has one year left). As will head coach Doc Rivers. Do they have another run in them? Why not? If they can get into the playoffs healthy, they can beat anyone. But this is definitely the last run for this group.

Los Angeles Lakers

What they got: F Matt Barnes, G Steve Blake, C Theo Ratliff

Just getting Blake would have been good enough, but in the same day they grabbed Ratliff and Barnes out of the sky. Barnes was reportedly going to Toronto in a sign and trade with Orlando, but money problems nixed the deal. Immediately, according to Barnes, Kobe sprung into action and began texting Barnes to come to LA. With Blake and Ratliff the Lakers bench has a whole new attitude. It seemed at times that the bench seemed to lose focus far too often and get flustered. That shouldn’t be a problem with these three. Taking less money to win says a lot about an athlete. That’s exactly what these three did.

Chicago Bulls

What they got: F Carlos Boozer, G Kyle Korver, F Kurt Thomas

They got a great consolation prize in Boozer and nabbed one of the best shooters in Korver. Nearly getting J.J. Redick from Orlando would have put Chicago over the top. Thomas was a smart move. He has a knack for crashing the boards and will be able to spell Joakim Noah or Taj Gibson in a cinch. Ronnie Brewer and C.J. Watson were quiet additions that further strengthen the bench against some of the deeper teams in the Eastern Conference