Well, with the NBA lockout just days away, the focus has changed from the very weak NBA draft held on Thursday. Even with the inevitable approaching, I still found myself fascinated with the NBA draft. Even with a weak class of incoming players - I was still there looking and analyzing at all the picks. So, without further ado, let's look at a few of those players who I think could have some fantasy value in 11/12 (whenever that is)...
#1 - Kyrie Irving - of course the #1 pick is going to have fantasy value. Cleveland is in full rebuild mode and should play him 30+ minutes a night. Because really, are they going to let an aging Baron Davis run the show? I don't think so. My concern on Irving is that he played about 300 minutes of college basketball. So he's still a bit of an unknown. But, like any rookie on a bad team, he will force shots and try to do too much. I say JBL owners beware...
#2 - Derrick Williams - To me, he looks like the best player right now in this draft. The problem, he plays in Minnesota (so far). He'll be behind Beasley and Love but should still hopefully carve out 25 minutes or so. I think he can have some fantasy value for sure.
#3 - Enes Kanter. I like this guy's potential. Despite not playing last year at Kentucky I think he has great potential to be a factor in Utah this coming season. I think he can pair nicely with Big Al and provide a presence in the paint for the Jazz. He will take over Okur's minutes and should be a fantasy factor as the season moves along. Kanter and Favors are a nice young duo that could allow them to move Millsap.
#6 - Jan Vesely. I love this dude for so many reasons!! I love this kid because he tongued his girlfriend when he was drafted. He's known as the 'Dunking Ninja' on You Tube. When asked if he was the European Blake Griffin - he responded with, "No, Blake is the American Jan Vesely." He is the next Andrei Kirilenko! And remember what AK47 went for in the land of fantasy a few years ago?? He was a $50 dollar player. I think this kid has that kind of potential.
#8 - Brandon Knight. While I'm not a huge fan of the player, I'm a bigger fan of the situation he landed in. For the longest time, Knight was pegged as the #3 choice going to Utah to play behind Devin Harris. However, he slipped to #8 and now has a chance to start in Detroit. Stuckey is not a pure PG and I think Knight could actually get significant minutes next season. Again, I think he will struggle with his shooting %'s but he should earn himself a JBL team spot on Auction night.
#9 - Kemba Walker. He gets mixed reviews from the experts on whether he'll make in the pro game. I like him though. Another guy who I think landed in the right situation. Charlotte is trying to change it's culture and only has Augustin and Henderson in the backcourt right now so I think Walker can earn enough minutes to be a fantasy factor. He was the PG on the NCAA winning team that wasn't loaded with stars so he can definitely play. I think he could be a late night pickup on JBL auction night.
#10 - Jimmer Fredette. Another perfect situation for a guy. Jimmer can play PG beside a much bigger guard Tyreke. The knock on Evans was that he wasn't a pure PG and loved to drive the ball too much. Well, now Tyreke can drive and kick it out to one of the best shooters the NCAA has ever seen. The Kings backcourt now features high volume guys like Tyreke, Jimmer, and Marcus Thornton. Will there be enough balls to go around?? No doubt this guy gets drafted at Auction.
#12 - Alec Burks. I admit, I don't know much about this kid. I do know that he was one of the best SG options available though and that he's landed on a team desperate for SG help. The Jazz trotted out Raja Bell last season on many nights at SG so Burks has a chance to contribute right away. Not sure how many minutes he'll get but he's probably a good risk/reward type player to draft late at auction and stash away on the bench.
#15 - Kawhi Leonard. A projected top 5 pick for the week leading up to the draft he somehow slipped to #15 and landed with the Spurs. San Antonio is great at identifying talent so I fully trust that they know what they're doing here. And just think, the only player standing in Leonard's way to significant minutes is an aging Richard Jefferson. So yes, I think Kawhi is going to play a lot next season.
#18 - Chris Singleton. He is supposedly the best defender in this draft and he's landed in Washington where they need some help. He will battle Vesely for minutes but should be on the floor a lot because of his ability to play D. He doesn't have much of an offensive game but he should get many open looks because of Wall's passing abilities. A possible late night JBL pick.
#22 - Kenneth Faried. Think Reggie Evans or Dennis Rodman type rebounder. Plus, he could actually start for Denver if they don't re-sign Kenyon Martin. He could be a nice value pick if you are in need of rebounds.
Well, there you have it...those are some of the guys that I like from this NBA draft. If we do see a lockout I think this year's JBL draft could be the most interesting one ever. Why? Because for the first time ever we won't have the luxury of pre-season games. We won't know what teams' rotations will look like. We won't know how FA's will be fitting in with their new teams. The uncertainty excites me. Although I do not want to see a shortened NBA season because that would mean our JBL season would be shorter as well.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Iguodala Rumors continue...
So, another day, another blog post, and another Andre Iguodala trade rumor.Today's features a Chris Kaman for Iguodala swap. If you're a Clippers fan (is there such a thing?) then this has to be an exciting rumor. Can you imagine a starting lineup of Mo Williams, Eric Gordon, Iguodala, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan? Very appealing.
Is moving Chris Kaman the right thing to do? I say yes. Is he a quality big man? Yes. Absolutely. He has 18 and 10 potential with some blocks in fantasy land. But the LA landscape is changing. He will no longer be needed to put up those kind of points with Blake, EG, and Mo around. He's really a 4th option. And as good as an athlete he is for being a big man (and a white guy) - he's not athletic enough to keep up with the track meet pace that LA could set. The other knock on Kaman is his durability. How many games has he played each season over the last 5 years? Try 32-76-31-56-75. He misses games. So, I say the Clippers are doing the right thing by considering moving him.
Iguodala would be a great fit in Clipperland in my view. I think his overall fantasy game would mesh very nicely with that group. I think he could still average 12-15ppg and he would stuff the stat sheet on a nightly basis. Mo Williams isn't the most 'pure' PG in the league so I could easily see AI averaging over 5 assists a night as a point-forward. And all those rebounds, steals, and blocks. Yummy.
And if Kaman could get and stay healthy - he could be a very good center in the Eastern Conference. The 76ers need to get bigger in the middle as they just can't survive with Spencer Hawes in the middle and Kaman could put up some good numbers. Kaman is always a fantasy risk because of his health but I have to think his numbers would be better (fantasy-wise) in Philly than in LA. Blake and EG are the focus in LA. Where in Philly, it's Elton Brand and a bunch of other guys. Kaman really could shine in Philly. Again, only if he stays healthy. And it's that health risk that has Philly wanting more than just Kaman for Iguodala. Can't say I blame them. And it never hurts to ask.
I guess the other implication for Philly in this potential deal would be the promotion of Evan Turner to starting SG and Thaddeus Young would get more minutes as well. Young could have a breakout season with more minutes as he averaged 13 and 5 in just 26 minutes per game last season. He also had 90 steals! Add another 10 minutes of run to his night and he could be a 17 and 7 guy. Oh so nice. Sleeper! And what about Turner? He was the #2 pick last season behind John Wall but had a very disappointing season. He would be one of those high risk - high reward guys to keep an eye on for sure. Now, if there is a lockout, the risk is even bigger if the JBL Auction rolls around and we don't know if Turner can handle the starting gig. That just adds to the intrigue of the JBL draft in my view. How much would Turner go for at Auction? Would he even be drafted at all???
Well, that's all for tonight....back to back blogs baby!! Offseason Johnny is on a roll!
Is moving Chris Kaman the right thing to do? I say yes. Is he a quality big man? Yes. Absolutely. He has 18 and 10 potential with some blocks in fantasy land. But the LA landscape is changing. He will no longer be needed to put up those kind of points with Blake, EG, and Mo around. He's really a 4th option. And as good as an athlete he is for being a big man (and a white guy) - he's not athletic enough to keep up with the track meet pace that LA could set. The other knock on Kaman is his durability. How many games has he played each season over the last 5 years? Try 32-76-31-56-75. He misses games. So, I say the Clippers are doing the right thing by considering moving him.
Iguodala would be a great fit in Clipperland in my view. I think his overall fantasy game would mesh very nicely with that group. I think he could still average 12-15ppg and he would stuff the stat sheet on a nightly basis. Mo Williams isn't the most 'pure' PG in the league so I could easily see AI averaging over 5 assists a night as a point-forward. And all those rebounds, steals, and blocks. Yummy.
And if Kaman could get and stay healthy - he could be a very good center in the Eastern Conference. The 76ers need to get bigger in the middle as they just can't survive with Spencer Hawes in the middle and Kaman could put up some good numbers. Kaman is always a fantasy risk because of his health but I have to think his numbers would be better (fantasy-wise) in Philly than in LA. Blake and EG are the focus in LA. Where in Philly, it's Elton Brand and a bunch of other guys. Kaman really could shine in Philly. Again, only if he stays healthy. And it's that health risk that has Philly wanting more than just Kaman for Iguodala. Can't say I blame them. And it never hurts to ask.
I guess the other implication for Philly in this potential deal would be the promotion of Evan Turner to starting SG and Thaddeus Young would get more minutes as well. Young could have a breakout season with more minutes as he averaged 13 and 5 in just 26 minutes per game last season. He also had 90 steals! Add another 10 minutes of run to his night and he could be a 17 and 7 guy. Oh so nice. Sleeper! And what about Turner? He was the #2 pick last season behind John Wall but had a very disappointing season. He would be one of those high risk - high reward guys to keep an eye on for sure. Now, if there is a lockout, the risk is even bigger if the JBL Auction rolls around and we don't know if Turner can handle the starting gig. That just adds to the intrigue of the JBL draft in my view. How much would Turner go for at Auction? Would he even be drafted at all???
Well, that's all for tonight....back to back blogs baby!! Offseason Johnny is on a roll!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
NBA Rumours...
Hello again Chronicles lovers...all 6 of you. I'm back again. Geez Johnny, how are you getting this done? Well, a battle with strep throat and a nasty cough has me in the spare bedroom in the basement. So, rather than waste my best moves on the Mrs. trying to get her naked - I have more time for JBL and NBA discussion. Lucky for you. No 'getting lucky' for me. Oh well.
I recently saw a trade rumour that had Monta Ellis leaving Golden State for Philly in a swap for Andre Iguodala. Interesting. This rumour surfaces just days after GS announces the hiring of 1st time head coach Mark Jackson. I kinda like the hiring. I'm not a huge fan of re-treading guys that have been unsuccessful in the past. Could GS fans get excited over the hiring of Sam Mitchell? So why not Jackson? He could be good...we just don't know.
So, who wins a Ellis for Iguodala swap. Despite the offensive talent difference - I think this deal is a good one for GS. They get a defender - something they've desperately lacked. They get bigger in the backcourt. And they remove a ball hog from their system. Yes, Andre is a couple years older than Monta and his salary isn't exactly friendly over the next couple of years but GS needs to change their culture. They are currently built around offense with the idea that we can outscore you. Guess what GS? This hasn't worked for you. Try something else.
Did you know that Ellis was actually a net minus player for Golden State when he was on/off the floor (according to http://www.82games.com/)? Which means - that Golden State actually got out-scored by their opponents when Ellis was on the floor (-233). So, he's a high volume shooter (led the league in shot attempts per game); he turns the ball over a lot; and he doesn't play good defense (don't let all those steals sway you).
Iguodala, by contrast, was a positive player for the 76ers. He is a good scorer (14ppg), a good passer, taller than Monta, can steal, block, rebound, and would provide GS with a defender at the SG position to match up with some of the better scorers in the Western Conference (Kobe, Gordon, K-Mart, Tyreke, Manu, etc). I like this deal from GS's point of view.
Why would Philly do this deal? You have to think one of the reasons would be that Elton Brand led the team in scoring at just 15ppg last season. Did any NBA team have a leading scorer that averaged less than that? I don't think so. Philly ranked 18th in PPG as a team last season and adding Monta would give them a go-to player. Now, could Monta and Jrue Holiday play together in the backcourt? How tall is Jrue? Wouldn't Philly be too small in the backcourt? And is Monta really a Doug Collins guy? If Collins could get Monta to buy into the Philly system - it might work - but can Collins convince him?
It will be interesting to see if anything comes of this rumour. Usually, nothing ever does. But with GS hiring a new coach and looking to change its culture - something should happen there.
Another trade rumour floating around is the Minnesota and Toronto deal...
Minny would get the #5 pick and DeMar DeRozan
TO would get the #2 pick and Jonny Flynn
Quick - which way do you think I'm going to lean on this one???
If you guessed I LOVE this deal for Minny - you are correct sir.
First of all, I just commented on Jonny Flynn last week. Not a fan.
I guess TO is trying to get a potential star in Derrick Williams with the #2 pick. They struggled at SF last season trying Sonny Weems and James Johnson and others during the season. But is Derrick Williams a sure thing?? And is Jonny Flynn really the answer at PG? They have Calderon. They have Jerryd Bayless (who averaged 18 and 6 in some late season starts). So is Flynn an upgrade? And if TO moves DeRozan - who plays SG? Weems? The knock on DD is his outside game and lack of 3PT shooting (5 for 52 on the season). If they move him, who plays SG? Barbosa? In just his second season, DD averaged over 17ppg and shot a very respectable 47% from the field. He had over 80 steals and over 30 blocks. Not bad for a sophomore in the NBA on a very shitty team. I think it's too soon to move DD for a 2nd tier PG and a #2 pick.
From the Minny side - I think this would be a solid move. If they keep the #2 pick they have to take Derrick Williams because he is the 'best available'. That doesn't work for them because they have Beasley at SF and Love at PF. No room for Williams. They want to move down. So, why not move down to #5 and fill one of their 2 biggest needs - SG and Center - by acquiring a young and emerging SG like DeRozan. He fits where the Wolves are going (age) and would probably be a good #3 scorer behind Love and Beasley.
And then, with the #5 pick, they could go big and hope that Enes Kanter, the 6'11, 260 pound centre from Turkey is still around and hope to mold him into their C of the future. One website that does a NBA mock draft lists 5 writers mocks. They have Kanter going 5-3-7-6-8 in their various mock drafts. So, he could be there and he could be a good value pick.
Another option is this Janus Valanciunas from Lithunia. Another big young foreign centre (those always pan out right??). But he's rated very highly as well in the mock drafts. He could be another option with the 5th pick.
Now, this deal will probably never happen because of KAHN in Minny. He doesn't do anything right so this trade is bound to fail. But, for once, it's a rumour that has Minny coming out on top in my books.
This NBA draft appears to be shaping up to be an interesting one - for a couple of reasons.
1) it's being called a weak draft and there aren't many projected 'stars' in it - but that always changes and guys surprise us all the time. So who will those guys be in this draft?
2) With the potential lockout looming there could be drastic changes to the salary cap and team managment systems - which could see NBA teams cutting high paid veterans to make room for cheap rookies - which could mean that 1st round picks (and even 2nd rounders) are suddenly valuable to a NBA team and potentially fantasy friendly.
So, as my 2011 JBL draft preparation continues - I shift my focus to the young talent about to be picked in the 2011 NBA draft. So exciting...
Kudos to French Lick today for trimming his roster down. He can protect 4 players for next season and has narrowed his list down to 5 players:
I recently saw a trade rumour that had Monta Ellis leaving Golden State for Philly in a swap for Andre Iguodala. Interesting. This rumour surfaces just days after GS announces the hiring of 1st time head coach Mark Jackson. I kinda like the hiring. I'm not a huge fan of re-treading guys that have been unsuccessful in the past. Could GS fans get excited over the hiring of Sam Mitchell? So why not Jackson? He could be good...we just don't know.
So, who wins a Ellis for Iguodala swap. Despite the offensive talent difference - I think this deal is a good one for GS. They get a defender - something they've desperately lacked. They get bigger in the backcourt. And they remove a ball hog from their system. Yes, Andre is a couple years older than Monta and his salary isn't exactly friendly over the next couple of years but GS needs to change their culture. They are currently built around offense with the idea that we can outscore you. Guess what GS? This hasn't worked for you. Try something else.
Did you know that Ellis was actually a net minus player for Golden State when he was on/off the floor (according to http://www.82games.com/)? Which means - that Golden State actually got out-scored by their opponents when Ellis was on the floor (-233). So, he's a high volume shooter (led the league in shot attempts per game); he turns the ball over a lot; and he doesn't play good defense (don't let all those steals sway you).
Iguodala, by contrast, was a positive player for the 76ers. He is a good scorer (14ppg), a good passer, taller than Monta, can steal, block, rebound, and would provide GS with a defender at the SG position to match up with some of the better scorers in the Western Conference (Kobe, Gordon, K-Mart, Tyreke, Manu, etc). I like this deal from GS's point of view.
Why would Philly do this deal? You have to think one of the reasons would be that Elton Brand led the team in scoring at just 15ppg last season. Did any NBA team have a leading scorer that averaged less than that? I don't think so. Philly ranked 18th in PPG as a team last season and adding Monta would give them a go-to player. Now, could Monta and Jrue Holiday play together in the backcourt? How tall is Jrue? Wouldn't Philly be too small in the backcourt? And is Monta really a Doug Collins guy? If Collins could get Monta to buy into the Philly system - it might work - but can Collins convince him?
It will be interesting to see if anything comes of this rumour. Usually, nothing ever does. But with GS hiring a new coach and looking to change its culture - something should happen there.
Another trade rumour floating around is the Minnesota and Toronto deal...
Minny would get the #5 pick and DeMar DeRozan
TO would get the #2 pick and Jonny Flynn
Quick - which way do you think I'm going to lean on this one???
If you guessed I LOVE this deal for Minny - you are correct sir.
First of all, I just commented on Jonny Flynn last week. Not a fan.
I guess TO is trying to get a potential star in Derrick Williams with the #2 pick. They struggled at SF last season trying Sonny Weems and James Johnson and others during the season. But is Derrick Williams a sure thing?? And is Jonny Flynn really the answer at PG? They have Calderon. They have Jerryd Bayless (who averaged 18 and 6 in some late season starts). So is Flynn an upgrade? And if TO moves DeRozan - who plays SG? Weems? The knock on DD is his outside game and lack of 3PT shooting (5 for 52 on the season). If they move him, who plays SG? Barbosa? In just his second season, DD averaged over 17ppg and shot a very respectable 47% from the field. He had over 80 steals and over 30 blocks. Not bad for a sophomore in the NBA on a very shitty team. I think it's too soon to move DD for a 2nd tier PG and a #2 pick.
From the Minny side - I think this would be a solid move. If they keep the #2 pick they have to take Derrick Williams because he is the 'best available'. That doesn't work for them because they have Beasley at SF and Love at PF. No room for Williams. They want to move down. So, why not move down to #5 and fill one of their 2 biggest needs - SG and Center - by acquiring a young and emerging SG like DeRozan. He fits where the Wolves are going (age) and would probably be a good #3 scorer behind Love and Beasley.
And then, with the #5 pick, they could go big and hope that Enes Kanter, the 6'11, 260 pound centre from Turkey is still around and hope to mold him into their C of the future. One website that does a NBA mock draft lists 5 writers mocks. They have Kanter going 5-3-7-6-8 in their various mock drafts. So, he could be there and he could be a good value pick.
Another option is this Janus Valanciunas from Lithunia. Another big young foreign centre (those always pan out right??). But he's rated very highly as well in the mock drafts. He could be another option with the 5th pick.
Now, this deal will probably never happen because of KAHN in Minny. He doesn't do anything right so this trade is bound to fail. But, for once, it's a rumour that has Minny coming out on top in my books.
This NBA draft appears to be shaping up to be an interesting one - for a couple of reasons.
1) it's being called a weak draft and there aren't many projected 'stars' in it - but that always changes and guys surprise us all the time. So who will those guys be in this draft?
2) With the potential lockout looming there could be drastic changes to the salary cap and team managment systems - which could see NBA teams cutting high paid veterans to make room for cheap rookies - which could mean that 1st round picks (and even 2nd rounders) are suddenly valuable to a NBA team and potentially fantasy friendly.
So, as my 2011 JBL draft preparation continues - I shift my focus to the young talent about to be picked in the 2011 NBA draft. So exciting...
Kudos to French Lick today for trimming his roster down. He can protect 4 players for next season and has narrowed his list down to 5 players:
- Stephen Curry for $20
- Wilson Chandler for $17
- DeAndre Jordan for $6
- Chris Kaman for $19
- Amir Johnson for $8
If I had to guess which of those players will get dropped - I would guess it would be Amir Johnson. I think the other 4 players offer more value for the money - especially if the Clippers are able to package up Kaman for a SF and give the starting Centre job to Jordan. Maybe Kaman for Prince finally gets done.
Still waiting on about 4-5 JBL teams to reduce their current rosters to 10 players (maximum) by July 1st. I will send out reminders the last week of June.
Looks like the NBA and Players Union met for 5 hours today and plan to meet again tomorrow. Come on Stern - get'er done.
That's all for now JBL lovers...signing off.
JE
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Shaq and the NBA...
Superman. The Big Aristotle. The Diesel. Shaq Fu. The Big Shaqtus. Big Daddy. Shaqovic. Whatever you called him...he has called it quits. For me, it's a very sad day. Not because Shaq was one of my favorite players or anything like that. It's just that he was a big part of my 'youth'. As more of these guys retire - the older I get. It's sad. Farewell Shaq. I will miss you and your quotes. You were one of the good guys in the NBA.
Love him or hate him Shaq is probably one of the top 5 centers of all time in the NBA. Wilt. Bill Russell. Kareem. Hakeem. And Shaq. For his career, he averaged 23ppg and 11reb with 2.3 blks per game. He has 4 titles. He was rookie of the year in 1992/93. He was MVP in 99/00. He won 3 NBA Finals MVP's. 15 All-Star game selections. 2 scoring titles. 14 All-NBA selections. 3 All-Defensive NBA selections. He is 7'1 and weighs over 325 pounds. The man was a monster and one helluva basketball player.
But Johnny - Shaq was just so good because he was so big!! Are we supposed to hold that against him?? Are we supposed to say the only reason that Carl Lewis was so good is because he ran fast. And the only reason Michael Phelps wins all those gold medals is because he's a good swimmer?And the only reason Jennifer Aniston is drooled over is because she's hot?? We can't hold his physique against him!! Shaq was amazing.
And I hear Ricky Rubio is coming to the NBA! Well, it's about time. Has there ever been a more over-rated prospect that we've waited for?? Greg Oden maybe? The kid did shoot 39% and 22% in the Spanish league this season. Wow. Nice. But hey, he's only 20 or something like that so I'm sure he can lead a stocked Timberwolf team to the promised land. Count me in the non-believer camp. I'm not buying this kid.
And hey, the NBA finals are underway. They are definitely in the backseat for me as the Canucks are in the frickin' Stanley Cup finals and are ahead 1-0! Go Canucks. And Go Mavs! As I've mentioned here before, I don't want the superfriends to succeed. I want Dirk to get a ring.
And Jay Triano lost his job as coach of the Raptors. Surprising? Not really I guess. But what did he really have to work with as far as talent goes? I wonder who they'll bring in next? And will they trade Calderon? His name comes up in just about every trade rumour these days.
Another name that keeps popping up in trade rumours is Jonny Flynn. Really? Jonny Flynn? The guy who couldn't even earn playing time on the T-Wolves last season? What's the market for him? Come on man...
And the Pistons sale finally went through. Thank God. Now the coach can finally be fired and the rebuild can begin. Will Joe D survive the cuts though? I think he should be gone too. He should have moved Tayshaun and Rip last season and started the rebuild. I think his lack of vision for the squad costs him his GM job. Maybe Kevin Pritchard will land in Motown. He certainly deserves another GM job.
And Jerry West is joining the Warriors. I'd love to see them make some moves. They have such great fans. They remind me a lot of Vancouver fans in the mixture of cultures you see in the stands. And that's a loud building I'm told. The Warriors are a fun team to watch because of the fast pace they play. I wonder if they split up the small back court of Monta and Steph? I would think they could get a lot for a scorer like Monta. They need some size, some defense, and a coach that preaches defense. We'll see who they land on.
With the NBA collective agreement expiring in 28 days there is plenty of speculation that the new NBA will feature a hard cap and a lower salary cap. Wouldn't that be something to see half the NBA have to cut players or make major moves to abide by the new system? I love player movement. It makes the JBL more interesting. I just hope they get a deal done. Come on David Stern - work some magic.
Go Canucks!
Love him or hate him Shaq is probably one of the top 5 centers of all time in the NBA. Wilt. Bill Russell. Kareem. Hakeem. And Shaq. For his career, he averaged 23ppg and 11reb with 2.3 blks per game. He has 4 titles. He was rookie of the year in 1992/93. He was MVP in 99/00. He won 3 NBA Finals MVP's. 15 All-Star game selections. 2 scoring titles. 14 All-NBA selections. 3 All-Defensive NBA selections. He is 7'1 and weighs over 325 pounds. The man was a monster and one helluva basketball player.
But Johnny - Shaq was just so good because he was so big!! Are we supposed to hold that against him?? Are we supposed to say the only reason that Carl Lewis was so good is because he ran fast. And the only reason Michael Phelps wins all those gold medals is because he's a good swimmer?And the only reason Jennifer Aniston is drooled over is because she's hot?? We can't hold his physique against him!! Shaq was amazing.
And I hear Ricky Rubio is coming to the NBA! Well, it's about time. Has there ever been a more over-rated prospect that we've waited for?? Greg Oden maybe? The kid did shoot 39% and 22% in the Spanish league this season. Wow. Nice. But hey, he's only 20 or something like that so I'm sure he can lead a stocked Timberwolf team to the promised land. Count me in the non-believer camp. I'm not buying this kid.
And hey, the NBA finals are underway. They are definitely in the backseat for me as the Canucks are in the frickin' Stanley Cup finals and are ahead 1-0! Go Canucks. And Go Mavs! As I've mentioned here before, I don't want the superfriends to succeed. I want Dirk to get a ring.
And Jay Triano lost his job as coach of the Raptors. Surprising? Not really I guess. But what did he really have to work with as far as talent goes? I wonder who they'll bring in next? And will they trade Calderon? His name comes up in just about every trade rumour these days.
Another name that keeps popping up in trade rumours is Jonny Flynn. Really? Jonny Flynn? The guy who couldn't even earn playing time on the T-Wolves last season? What's the market for him? Come on man...
And the Pistons sale finally went through. Thank God. Now the coach can finally be fired and the rebuild can begin. Will Joe D survive the cuts though? I think he should be gone too. He should have moved Tayshaun and Rip last season and started the rebuild. I think his lack of vision for the squad costs him his GM job. Maybe Kevin Pritchard will land in Motown. He certainly deserves another GM job.
And Jerry West is joining the Warriors. I'd love to see them make some moves. They have such great fans. They remind me a lot of Vancouver fans in the mixture of cultures you see in the stands. And that's a loud building I'm told. The Warriors are a fun team to watch because of the fast pace they play. I wonder if they split up the small back court of Monta and Steph? I would think they could get a lot for a scorer like Monta. They need some size, some defense, and a coach that preaches defense. We'll see who they land on.
With the NBA collective agreement expiring in 28 days there is plenty of speculation that the new NBA will feature a hard cap and a lower salary cap. Wouldn't that be something to see half the NBA have to cut players or make major moves to abide by the new system? I love player movement. It makes the JBL more interesting. I just hope they get a deal done. Come on David Stern - work some magic.
Go Canucks!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)