Defensive Super Heros

The following things are true. Bruce Bowen is a great defensive stopper. Every great championship team has a guy like Bruce Bowen. To become a championship team, you need to pick up a guy like Bruce Bowen. What about Bruce makes him so great and instrumental to winning? Well, he’s a hard working, unselfish player who knows his role. His role is to torment and make it as difficult as possible for his man to score. He also needs to be able to put up a little offense himself. Not a lot, but he needs to convert a few of the open looks that come from playing with a superstar teammate. It’s a role that is best filled on the wings. A guy can start, but he doesn’t have to. If he comes off the bench he only comes off to guard superstar swingmen. This role is so effective because it enables a player with decent shooting and great defense to play and leaves a lot of open shots for a start, or several stars.

What makes Bruce so valuable is that that is exactly what he does. Look at the great championship teams of just the past ten years. They’ve all had a guy like that. Guys like Bruce, Tayshaun Prince and Ron Harper filled that role for their respective teams. Guys like Byron Russell Stacey Augmon and Shandon Anderson made careers of filling that role, even though they weren’t particularly qualified to do much else. So the question is, “Who’s Next?” Who are the Bowens of the future? Here’s a look at four guys who could be a lot of things for a lot of teams, but find themselves most proficient at the role of defensive stopper. So here they are, in no particular order…

→ Trenton Hassell, Minnesota Timberwolves

Hassell spent a few years playing in Chicago before he found himself as the defensive stopper for the Timberwolves. Bill Cartwright tried to use him in that role for the Bulls, but when a team is as weak offensively as the Bulls of two years ago were, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to keep a guy like this in the starting lineup. Trent and the Bulls parted ways two seasons ago and he’s found himself a starter for the Wolves. He’s the player most like Bowen. He can hit a three, and is good on steals. Unlike Bowen though, the Wolves have yet to really utilize his 3-point range. In his rookie season he shot 36% from beyond the arc on 165 attempts, but was limited to only 11 attempts this season. Hassell can hit that shot and maybe with the changing of the guard that’s occurring up in Minny, that skill can be better utilized. If the Wolves ever hope to win a championship they’re going to need Hassell to step up and be “the man” on D, like Bowen in San Antonio. Look for him to do it.

→Josh Howard, Dallas Mavericks

Arguably the most complete player of the bunch, Howard does it all well. Well, almost everything. He’s not the best long-range gunner ever, but on a team with shooters like Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry, he doesn’t need to be. What he brings the Mavs is exactly what they need. He’s a Kobe Stopper. He’ll guard a guy on the inside and on the outside. Howard is without a doubt the best defensive player on the squad and because of that sees a lot of time as a starter. He has good numbers on steals, rebounds and points. If anyone in this group could step up and become a star, its Howard. Even though the Mavs are stacked, new coach Avery Johnson loves Howard’s defense so except him to see an even bigger role in the future.

→Andres Nocioni, Chicago Bulls

The Eastern Conference is loaded with great swingmen and Noc (pronounced Noch), as the fans call him, can stop any of them. Manu Ginobali’s Olympic running mate comes off the bench for the Bulls, and don’t look for that to change. The Bulls start Loul Deng at the 3, and he could be a superstar. Bringing Noc off the bench allows them to spell Ben Gordon and Deng and have an increase in the level of defensive intensity at a swing position. While his numbers weren’t great, he’s still learning the NBA game. A lot of times last year Noc would find himself on the bench because he made too many questionable offensive plays. As he learns to play more consistently on offense his ability to stay on the floor is going to increase and he’ll be a lot more effective for the Bulls. He’s a great player for an up and coming team like the Bulls.

→Shane Battier

When the Grizzlies picked Battier sixth in the 2001 draft, this wasn’t exactly the role they expected him to fall into. But, they’ve managed to find themselves with a team that plays more by committee than it does individually so Battier’s willingness to be versatile and win allows him to remain in the rotation. Just like Hubie Brown and now Mike Fratello shut down guys who don’t buy into their systems by benching them, Battier shuts down his man on defense by frustrating him. He has good steals numbers and hardly ever turns the ball over. He keeps his fouls to a minimum and is decent on the glass. The only thing keeping him from being a star offensively is the system in which he plays. The Grizzlies don’t need him to be though and he seems to be content to play the role he is playing. As the team grows and matures into winners, look for Battier’s to get a lot more attention.

While these guys aren’t going to win you a championship, you’re not going to win a championship without them. They’re the blue-collar players of the league. If you like to cheer for the underdog, these guys are your men. So when Bruce Bowen retires he can know that his legacy is safe in their hands.

Goodbye Chad Ford

Chad Ford, your fans are going to miss you. ESPN has revealed that Chad Ford, NBA insider columnist, is going to be leaving to teach at BYU-Hawaii. We, the fans will truly miss the valuable insights that Ford constantly has provided. His countless hours of scouting in college and in Europe have provided great looks into the state of non-NBA basketball. It appears though that Ford has checked out a bit early. In a recent article he suggested that the Knicks trade one of their max contract players to the Cavs for Drew Gooden, Eric Snow and Aleksandar Pavlovic. We can’t reveal the name of the Knick because it is insider content but we can say this, his initials are TT. This trade rumor seems to signify the end of several wonderful years of a Ford-ESPN partnership. It’s a crazy trade and you can bet that where ever Chad Ford is, he put the bottle of whatever he was drinking to celebrate his new job down for at least 2 minutes to come up with it. We’ll miss you Chad. Keep on. And ESPN, if you need somone to replace Ford...

Cavs. Vs. Bucks

Last season the Central division was one of the strongest in the NBA, don’t look for that to change this year. The Pistons, Bulls and Pacers all made the playoffs with the Cavs barely missing. They, along with the Bucks, will make an extremely hard push for the playoffs next year as well. Even with the relatively successful off-seasons that both teams have had they won’t be moving ahead of any of the first three teams, but they will be extremely competitive. A lot of people would assume that the Cavs are a lock for that spot in the fourth place spot in the division, but the Bucks may legitimately be better than them. Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the two teams that will likely occupy the bottom two spots in the central and maybe in the playoffs.


→Point Guard
Eric Snow (Cavs) vs. TJ Ford (Bucks)

Ford was once thought to be a potential top tier point guard. He could still be after recovering from his spinal injury and surgery, but probably not this season. That being said, he’ll still run circles around Eric Snow. Snow’s a very good defensive presence and is capable of running a team, but at this point in his career is more likely a solid backup than a starter. The Cavs realize this and are trying to find someone to replace him as a starter. One option is to trade Drew Gooden but there are still plenty of good point guards available that, paired with Snow, could make for a decent representation of the position. Marko Jaric and Chris Duhon are both options at this spot but if the Cavs want one of those guys they’ll have to act quickly. That being said, nobody available will be as good as TJ Ford even with the struggles he’ll face coming back. Well, nobody except maybe Jay Williams. That would make for an interesting scenario, but one that at this point, seems unlikely, as he would be more of a long-term player and not provide the Cavs with the help they need at that spot right away.
Edge: Bucks

→Shooting Guard
Larry Hughes (Cavs) vs. Michael Redd (Bucks)

This is an interesting match up because these to guys are opposites in a lot of ways. Hughes is a killer defender. Last season, he led the league in steals per game. Redd defends about as well as Hughes shoots the ball: streaky at best. But Redd shoots the ball the way Hughes defends. Confused yet? You should be. They confuse the guys who guard them. Both these guys can create their own shots. Hughes can take it inside and has a great handle. He can pass a bit too. His 4.7 apg last year weren’t too shabby numbers for a 2. Redd can get off a jump shot from anywhere in any arena faster than you can say booyeah. Seriously. He just sunk 7 of them. Redd’s numbers on the glass and with the pass weren’t nearly as good as Hughes, but he shot much better. His passing numbers will likely improve this year as he has a few more options when he’s passing the ball. He won’t be the passer Hughes is, but he won’t be too bad. The bottom line is both teams are pretty evenly matched here. The Cavs seem to have a slight edge though because, as they say, defense wins championships.
Edge: Cavs

→Small Forward
Lebron James (Cavs) vs. Bobby Simmons (Bucks)

Remember all those things I just said about Hughes? That goes doubly for Lebron. Well, except the defensive stuff. He plays defense a lot like Redd does. But he can pass the ball as well as anyone on either team, is great on the glass and can get to the rack without any problems. He’s not quite unstoppable yet, but he’s getting there. The biggest problem with James is that he’s young. He’s still learning the game, still learning to shoot the ball and to defend. He could be the next Jordan, but he’s not there yet. James put up massive numbers on a team that, without him, would have lost probably 15-20 more games last season. Sans James the Cavs of last year weren’t Hawks bad, but they were Raptors or Blazers bad. This year he gets some help so don’t expect much of a rise in his numbers, except for in the wins column.
While this match-up clearly favors the Cavs, Bobby Simmons is no slouch. He was the second best player on a team that, if it were in the eastern conference, would have finished with a playoff spot. He had decent offensive numbers and was a great defensive presence for the Clippers. His numbers are only going to improve this season because he doesn’t have to play as the Bucks third scoring option this year. He was the main option after Brand and Magette for the Clippers. Simmons is perfectly capable of scoring from anywhere on the floor and can create his own shot. He’s going to be a great partner for Redd. He’s not as good as the future face of the NBA, but he’s definitely good enough to hold his own against James. That being said, I’d take Simmons over Hughes.
Edge: Cavs


→Power Forward
Donyell Marshall (Cavs) vs. Joe Smith (Bucks)

When it comes to these two guys everything is about hype. Everyone loves Marshall everyone hates Smith. The fact is that last season these two put up relatively similar numbers. Actually their numbers were almost identical. Marshall wasn’t a starter for the Raptors, but was a key player for their team. Smith was a starter, but was forced to play anchor to one of the weakest frontcourts in the game. The help he’ll see this year will make him a much more effective player. Look for these guys to put up very similar numbers again. I think they’ll both see their averages increase a little bit, but just a little; Marshall because of fewer minutes and Smith because of a more specialized role. This is as even a match-up as there is between these two teams.
Edge: Even

→Center
Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Cavs) vs. Andrew Bogut (Bucks)

This is an interesting match-up. While Z is an all-star in the midst of the best years of his career, there’s a lot not to like about him. His numbers on the glass, 8.6 rpg, are not great for a guy his size especially when you consider that Cleveland was a relatively average rebounding team. They’ll need more up front to be serious contenders. That’s why trading Gooden for a point guard is such a win-loose trade. You loose a lot of your frontcourt power, but they need a serious point guard. Andrew Bogut has been drawing comparisons to Brad Miller and a young Vlade Divac. Time will tell how accurate those are, but if they are, watch out. Someone who can draw and then pass out of a double team, and he will, on the Bucks is dangerous. Even if his offensive numbers aren’t in the same class as Z’s nearly 18 a game, he’s going to make life a lot easier for Simmons and Redd. In the end, Bogut is younger and faster than Z. Z is also one foul step away from handing his starting job to whomever the Cavs get to back him up.
Edge: Bucks.

→Bench
→Cavs Key Players--Drew Gooden--Anderson Varejao--Ira Newble
→Bucks Key Players--Desmond Mason -- Jiri Welsch--Dan Gadzuric--Zaza Pachulia (FA)

The Bucks are still waiting to resign Pachulia, but that seems to be fairly likely at this point. Even if they don’t retain him, the Bucks still have a solid frontcourt. The same cannot be said for the Cavs. Drew Gooden and Donyell Marshall are similar players except that Gooden doesn’t shoot as well. And he may become a point-guard at some point in the next few weeks. That leaves Varejao as the only legit backup at the 4-5 spot and he’s really more of a 4. He has a knack for rebounding the ball and should see some good minutes next season. The Cavs need a fourth big man to play the role that Tractor Traylor played last season. If they can find one by trading Gooden and still get a point-guard then they’ve found an ideal situation. The Bucks have the best player of either bench in Desmond Mason. He’s a freakish athlete who can dunk with the best of them. He’s not a bad shooter, but not a great one either. At the end of the day though, he’s a great sixth man because he brings a huge spark off the bench on both ends. Jiri Welsch is the X factor on the Bucks. Over his career various general managers have proclaimed him to be a future great player, but none of them seem to have felt strongly enough about him to keep him around. We’ll see if the Bucks can find a place for him. He’s a different enough player from Mason that you can play them both at the same time in either the 1-2 or 2-3 positions. At the end of the day the Bucks just have a much more explosive bench and sizable bench.
Edge: Bucks

Final Analysis of the Bucks:
The Bucks will be an extremely solid team. Look for them to be a lot more like the team of two years ago that surprised everyone with their hard work and team play and a lot less like the team of last year. They’ve made all of the roster moves that they could to improve their team for the better. And while Bogut and Smith aren’t going to be as imposing in the paint as a pair of Wallace’s or Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler, they’re certainly going to be able to bang with a lot of front courts in the east. That said, a lot, if not all of the Bucks season hinges on their draft pick, Andrew Bogut. The Bucks don’t need him to come in and take over, but they need him to be consistent. If Bogut proves to as good as most #1’s, the Bucks should be in great shape.

Final Analysis of the Cavs:
Cleveland is in good shape, but being in good shape is a far cry from being in great shape. Although they boast an all-star center, he’s the toughest player they have in the frontcourt. He doesn’t seem to have a mean streak. Neither does anyone else up front. They’re all good players, but they’re not the kind of guys that are going to get into the paint and bang with any of the other players in the Central. Marshall is a very good player and needs to be a starter, even if they keep Gooden, as he might be as good as any shooter in the starting lineup. With that in mind you can expect him to see a lot more action away from the basket. You could even see some lineups where he and Gooden play the 3-4. Both players have spent some time at the 3 and could play spot minutes at the position. That being said historically, teams need a tough frontcourt to succeed. They also need better players at the point. If the Cavs can figure a way to address these needs either through trade or what’s left of free agency, they could be in better shape. They’ve got a lot of potential for the future as long as they have Lebron, but they’re still a long way away from being in title contention. They should be happy to grab one of the bottom playoff spots as that’s something that they have yet to do in the Lebron James era.

These two teams are both evenly matched but the Bucks appear to have a slight edge. Although neither team is a lock to be better than the other as much of the Bucks season depends on Bogut and much of the Cavs on the next few weeks of free agency. Either way, this should create an extremely exciting match-up in the east and hopefully establish a rivalry between the two teams for years to come.

Tskitishvili: It Just Sounds Like A Disease

During this year’s NBA Draft it took only twelve picks for the LA Clippers to select a player of whom I’ve never heard. The Clips selected Yaroslav Korolev, a 6’9’’ Russian guard/forward, with that pick. Not that I have a problem with the Clippers throwing away their pick on a player I haven’t heard of, although they usually waste it on one I have heard of, this pick does allude to a striking trend that’s occurred in later years. That is, the selecting of a relatively unknown European player with high NBA draft picks. And while picking up foreign players in the draft is not something rare, see Toni Kukoc and Vlade Divac, picking them so high is an historic rarity. Although Korolev is the last player drafted in the lottery I’ve never heard a whisper about, he certainly isn’t the first. That would be Nikoloz Tskitishvili.

Lets just call him Skeeter. He hasn’t been the worst player in NBA history, but he certainly hasn’t been the best. He, along with Dwayne Wade, Devin Harris, Jason Richardson, Mike Miller, Jonathan Bender, Vince Carter and Tony Battie have all been fifth picks in the NBA draft. And with the exception of Bender and Battie, he’s managed to play very sub par basketball for the fifth pick. His career averages of 3ppg and 1.8rpg aren’t the kind of numbers that make you think fifth pick, but he is only 22 years old. And he is seven feet tall. And he is a fairly sweet shooter and has played in 35 playoff games, albeit only an average of 7mpg. So, in the immortal words of Jerry Seinfeld, “What’s the deal with Skeeter?”

This time two months ago he was debating whether or not he’ll ever play another game in NBA, now he’s busy lighting it up for Minnesota’s summer league team. He’s just recently agreed to terms of a contract with the Timberwolves as well. And he’s saying all the right things too, claiming that he’ll do whatever it takes to get minutes and play wherever the Wolves need him to win. But, Skeeter’s done this before. He might do it again too, if he doesn’t find a niche with the Wolves. Only time, will what kind of player he’s going to be, but as long as he’s young and 7’ tall, there will be a place for him in the NBA. If he doesn’t make serious improvements on his play, it will be a place on the bench.

So what kind of hope does that leave for Korolev? In 03-04 on his Russian team he averaged 4.8ppg and 0 rebounds. None! No rebounds. None! That’s not in a few games either. Korolev played in a total of 22 games that season. That’s like an abridged college season. Have any of you readers ever played in a pickup game without a rebound? Have you ever been the 2nd or 3rd tallest guy on the floor and not grabbed a rebound? Even Darko has grabbed a few boards. But beyond that, Korolev is a good shooter with height and potential. He’s a lot like a poor-man’s Skeeter. That’s not the best place to be, but it’s also not the worst. In the worst-case scenario both these guys will be millionaires who find themselves playing out several short contracts in the NBA and then heading abroad. Best-case scenario both of these guys suddenly, as happens with age, realize their potential and become NBA stars in the model of Dirk and Peja.

Only time will tell where these two unknown European bench warmers turned NBA players will end up, but one thing is certain, they are the last of a dying breed. As pertinent as an age limit was for the development of young American players, it was even more crucial for young international players. With the 19-year-old age minimum, Korolev is likely to be the last unknown Euro player selected with a lottery pick. Now scouts will have a few years extra to get to know, and help fans know, the future NBA imports. Korolev certainly has some big shoes to fill, in Skeeters, but even if he falls flat on his face he’ll fill them just fine.

NBA Players Are Not Babies

Being an NBA player is expensive. Its really, really expensive. Playing is hard work too both physically and mentally. And to make matters worse an NBA player only has a limited amount of time when they can be effectively playing. For most players the best-case scenario is ten years. The physically gifted can play a few years longer and more than a fair share of others play a lot less. So it’s just not fair to call the players of the NBA overpaid babies.

Sure there’s a cross section of the league that isn’t living up the expectations implied in the contracts they’ve signed, guys like Alan Houston, Penny Hardaway and Tim Thomas, and that’s just on the Knicks! But its not like those guys don’t want to play. I bet there’s not a one of them in that group that would trade a lot of their max salaries for perfect physical health. Just look at how miserable Grant Hill looked sitting on the sidelines unable to make a difference when his team desperately needed him. Guys in the NBA want to play. If they didn’t want to play, they wouldn’t be there.

There are also a few guys who aren’t helping the cause of swaying the “babies” stigma. When Latrell Sprewell rejects a $21 million contract offer over 3 years, its not helping the cause. When he says he’s got a family to feed, its not helping the cause. But he does have a point. NBA players can loose up to half their salary through taxes and other representational causes. Suddenly we’re only talking about Spree getting $3.5 million a year. NBA players have mortgages and bills to pay too. Just because Spree’s pulling down $3.5 mil a year doesn’t mean he’s going to drop a years salary to move into that big house down the street. He doesn’t want to live by you. He wants to live where he won’t be bothered. He wants a big house and a fast car because he’s worked hard, sacrificing his body physically. Have you seen the NBA legends walking around during the playoffs ad campaign? It’s not a pretty sight. It’s a lot like watching big man Ervin Johnson walk around during games. So when Spree says he’s got a family to feed, he’s got a point. He has a certain quality of life to maintain and a limited time left where his earning power in the sport is effective.


There’s pressure too. Pressure to be the best, to have the best and to win the most. Pressure to live up to the millions of dollars somebody is paying you to entertain millions of fans. There’s pressure from your friends and family to support them financially. You also have to face the “hangers on.” The guys you knew back in the day that were really hoping you could make it big so they could grab a piece. There’s some pressure there too. And then the shoe companies and your other endorsements, they’ve got a real close eye on their investments. It’s just like being a Hollywood star. Lebron James is Tom Cruise. Shaq is Bobby Deniro. Mark Madsen is Jerry Stiller. Everybody out there wants something from you and you’ve got to live up to that pressure. And then you face the injuries and the pressure you’ve got to face when that happens

Have you ever had a knee surgery? Have you had three? A lot of guys in the NBA have and they’re still working hard each night to play and make the game enjoyable for you to watch. That’s really what its all about. Are you having fun watching it? Is the thrill of getting to see a guy like Kobe Bryant or Dwayne Wade throw down a dunk so hard you can feel it in your easy chair at home fun for you? Is watching Ray Allen or Michael Redd nail a jumper from the third row of the stands fun for you? Are you having a good time watching the game? Well, if you are, then they’re not over paid babies.

You work hard and have every right to demand a better salary and so do they. If you don’t like how your place of employment is going you can quit. They’ve got contracts to fulfill so they’ve one-upped you there. And sure a guy like Vince Carter can dog it in Toronto only to light it up in Jersey, but you know he didn’t want to. You know if it were up to him, he’d have had a team that could have played too and he could have led them to victories. Nobody likes to loose. Do you?

So the next time you say, “I could do that, these guys are babies,” just remember, you can’t do it and they’re not babies. They are people working hard for their money and they don’t want to be shortchanged. They’re just like you, but working in a totally different world. The world of professional basketball is not a pretty one, its one that can be cold and heartless. They’re just trying to keep the game pure and exciting. They're just trying to do their best at their job. Just like you.

Draft Busts and Steals

So this time of year seems to call to attention a lot of question as to which teams got steals in the draft and which teams got busts. A lot of people are focusing on the real obvious ones, “the safe picks,” but here are five steals and five busts that maybe you haven’t heard about. Yet…

→ Chicago Bulls sign Eddie Basden
Basden, the CUSA player of the year and defensive player of the year, went undrafted. Bulls GM, John Paxon jumped at the opportunity to sign a player of this caliber. Basden is already lighting up the summer leagues and should be just the big guard the Bulls need to compliment Gordon, Hinrich and Duhon. He’s drawn comparisons to Eddie Jones and Doug Christie. It looks like John Paxon has come through yet again. Maybe Elgin Baylor and Rob Babcock should look at the kind of player that Paxon drafts and then aim to select players like that.

→ LA Clippers pick Daniel Ewing
The Clippers needed a solid point guard and in Ewing, they got just that. He’s got all the skills needed to be a solid point. Look for him to be another Chris Duhon. He plays good defense and can knock down shots. He should be a good compliment to Shawn Livingston. Despite their best efforts the Clips might find themselves in the playoffs next season.

→ Minnesota Timberwolves pick Rashad McCants
A lot of people dislike Mccants because of his attitude. You know what though? A lot of guys in this league have attitude problems. Hell, a lot of people alive have attitude problems. There aren’t a lot of people alive or in the NBA that are going to put up the numbers McCants will. Think Sam Cassell. Mccants should be a great replacement for Cassell.

→ Golden State Warriors pick Chris Taft
This pick is a pretty obvious steal but I can’t leave it out. At one point Taft was projected top 10. The Warriors got him at 42. Enough said.

→ Toronto Raptors pick Roko Ukic
Let me preface this by saying Rob Babcock, the Raptors GM, is an idiot. He’s not the worst gm of all time, but if you made a list of the 15 worst he’d be on it. His only good move before this was selecting Chris Bosh and that was a pick so obvious that even Elgin Baylor would have made it. That being said, this pick was brilliant. Ukic is a euro point guard. He’s just what the raptors needed. He does everything well and should learn a lot from Jalen Rose and Alvin Williams. Like those two, he is a big guard (6’5”) and should be ready to play some serious minutes before too long. Ukic should learn a lot from Rose like the english for "Where is my paycheck?" and "I have 25 points, how can I be shooting too much?" He might not be a starter yet, but he’ll definitely be a great sixth man.

And now for the busts….

→ Charlie Villanueva to the Toronto Raptors
I have a riddle that maybe Rob Babcock can answer for me. Why would you use the seventh pick of the draft to select a player who will likely only be able to play the same position as the best player on your team? I understand that he needs to clean up his mess from last years draft but this was not the way to do it. He’s not going to be as good as Chris Bosh at four and he’s not going to be able to bang with the big guys at five. The Raptors may be able to work a three-man lineup in the front but any legit big man will drop 40 every time they face this lineup. Look for Villanueva to head out of town with Jalen Rose as the upside part of a trade.

→ Antoine Wright and Sean May to the Nets and Bobcats respectively.
These players will actually both be good players so they’re not busts in that respect but the wrong teams drafted them. The Cats and the Nets should get on the phone right now and work out a trade for these two guys. It only makes sense. The draft is over and the Cats still need swingmen and the Nets still need big men. Both picks were for good players, just the wrong players.

→ Luther Head to the Houston Rockets
Head may be a solid NBA reserve some day but again, wasn’t what the Rockets needed. He was the product of playing on a good team where the zone enabled him to get open looks because of his speed. He’s not the slasher that Dee Brown is and he’s not the passer that Deron Williams is. On the Rockets he won’t be any better than John Barry or David Wesley. The Rockets could have helped their frontcourt or picked up a better shooter with several of the players still available. Head was not a terrible pick, just not the right one.

→Johan Petro to the Seattle Supersonics
How often does a guy this big with this many physical attributes come along? Well it seems that lately several come along like this in a draft. Just because a guy is big and strong doesn’t mean he’ll be a good player. Petro is an under-prepared center with an NBA body. He’ll be lucky to be as good as Jerome James was and will likely find himself fighting with Robert Swift for garbage minutes. The Sonics are only a few pieces away from being a great team. Petro will likely turn out to be a poor mans Darko. Teams this good shouldn’t blow picks on twelfth men. Just ask Larry Brown.

The Life and Times of Al Harrington

It’s the time between NBA seasons and the league is aflutter with trade rumors. Most of them seem to center around a few key players and the man of the hour this year is Atlanta's Al Harrington. Lets take a minute to get to know Big Al, as I have decided to call him.
Al’s a 6’9’’ power forward who’s played for Indiana and Atlanta. He came to the NBA directly from high school and is currently leading the league in trade rumors. And, contrary to popular belief, he wouldn’t be a bad recoup for a team that works a sign and trade. Last year he averaged career highs in nearly every statistical category including both fouls and money made. He’s an above average scorer who’s got a knack for playing team defense and can play 2 positions. Al is only 25 years old so any team that he plays for could have him as a great second or third option for the prime of his career. All that being said, lets examine some of the possible trade scenarios surrounding Big Al.

→ Eddy Curry in a sign and trade for Al Harrington.
Why it works: Atlanta gets the player they want and Chicago gets something in return. In reality their numbers were very even last year with a slight edge going to Al.
Why it doesn’t: Would you trade down 3 years, 3 inches and 40lbs if you didn’t have to? Chicago won’t either.

→Al and draft picks for Peja
Why it works: Hawks get a superstar Kings get a role player. The Maloof’s seem to be interested in making trades like this lately so maybe they can make it happen.
Why it doesn’t: Hawks get a superstar Kings get a role player.

→ Al for Stephon Marbury
Why it works: Both teams get a player that plays the position they need. NY gets some more cap room and Atlanta gets a guy who can really take over a game. Just imagine a Knicks squad that starts NateRob, Jamal Crawford, Qrich, Big Al and Jerome James. Its like the real real real poormans Suns.
Why it doesn’t work: Actually this does seem to work. I see no problems with this trade. Although, Zeke will probably do something stupid and screw it up.

→ Al and Childress for Jamal Maglore
Why it works: New Orleans gets a few players that they could really use. Atlanta gets a big man they could really use.
Why it doesn’t: Again, this one seems to really work. I would support this trade. Neither team really gets better from this though. Its like they’re just taking a look into each others garbage cans and trading whatever pieces of crap are sitting on top.

Zeke Freaks

Zeke, Zeke, Zeke… At this point in the season you’re probably sitting in your office with your head resting in the palms of your hands about as exasperated as a human can possibly be. You’ve managed to do what the Blazers GM joked about last season, assemble a team of 4’s and 1’s. Well, at least you had done it for the latter half of last season. Now you’ve got Q, Frye and Jerome James. Sometimes, my friend, I think you’re a genius, and other times I think you’re a mad man.
You really had me convinced that you knew what you were doing when traded for Steph, Penny and Tim Thomas. I’m serious. Two of those max’s are going to expire at the end of this year leaving the team with just two max-contract players in Steph and Alan Houston.

Even those moves for Malik Rose and Mo Taylor seemed like they might make sense. Sure, it’s always a good idea to bring in tough guys who can play 4 and 5, and with those two, that’s what you did. You figured you’d get your man in the draft and you have. So I understand where you’re coming from with that. It’s a solid, albeit undersized frontcourt.
The NBA has even given you a clause to get a player off your books. You can make Jimmy D buy out Houston’s contract so that you can, after this season, only have 1 max contract player on your team. It’s like the basketball gods are blessing you. Imagine that, cap flexibility. They really couldn’t have made this any easier for you. All you had to do was not do anything stupid. Just wait, buy out Houston and trade some of those expiring contracts in February. It was such a simple plan.

But… Then you go and sign Jerome James. I understand you’re desperate. You don’t have a coach and you don’t have a big man, but come on! Jerome James?!? Was that really a good plan? Would Joe Dumars have done that? Would any GM in the league have done that for 30 million over 5 years? That’s like paying 30 million dollars for a poor mans Greg Ostertag. The fat O had some big playoff games too, but that doesn’t really merit a thirty million dollar contract, does it? What kind of message is this sending to kids? Its like you’re telling them, “all you have to do is be a fat guy who’s 7’2’’ and you can make millions of dollars playing 12 minutes a game in the NBA.” Are six fouls really worth that much? That’s like paying $12,000 a foul!! I’ll do it for half that.

Well Zeke, even that move can’t cripple you. You’ve still got those two expiring contracts, assuming you don’t buy one of those out instead of Houston. Just wait, be patient. It’s going to be worth it. Even if you don’t get Larry Brown you might get Stan Van Gundy. If you can’t get Antoine Walker now wait until he breaks the shimmy out and Danny Ainge gets sick of him again. Just wait Zeke. This roster isn’t far from being competitive if you make the right moves. Just wait. Zeke, seriously, just wait and don’t do anything stupid and make me think you know what you’re doing for a little while longer.

The End of an Era

Many of you may be aware of the policy in the NBAs new CBA regarding a minimum age limit for the league. It may also have come to your attention that the policy could be perceived as a racist move, as it seems to have the greatest effect on young African American males, as they are the majority of the people entering the NBA directly out of high school. The new policy requires the prospective draftee to be one year removed from high school. Although this policy is clearly a controversial one, I would estimate that it should have a fairly positive effect on the future of the NBA.

When was the last time that a prep-to-pro player led an NBA franchise to a championship? You’d have to go back to 1983 when Moses Malone brought the Sixers the title. Since then the only player to come out of high school to play a major role in a championship team was Kobe Bryant. Right? Besides Kobe none of the great players we’ve seen come right from HS have led their teams to championships. Most of them haven’t even had great playoff success. Garnett made the conference finals once, spent a while loosing in the first round and this year, didn’t make the playoffs. Him and Kobe both missed this year. So did Lebron, the games savior. In fact, he hasn’t made the playoffs yet. The Bulls twin towers didn’t start winning until they found themselves surrounded by an “all final four” supporting cast. Jermaine O’Neil has managed some success, but like EC and TC, he found himself with a pretty great supporting cast. And we all know how well TMAC did while he was in Orlando, well enough to usher in a first round draft pick and then say goodbye to play with a giant in Houston.

Let me take a minute before we go any further, to talk about KB8. Kobe probably will be the best player in the game in a few years. He knows how to win and knows how to come up really big. But, the Lakers wouldn't have won any of those championships without Shaq. If big man hadn't moved to LA, Kobe would just be hitting his stride now. We'd be saying the same things about him we say about KG. He's great, but give him time, he'll figure out how to win. I think everyone expects KG to win a title, but people are willing to give him a little more time. We'd say that about Kobe if he didn't have Shaq. I say that now. I expect him to win another title, but give him a little more time. That being said....

So why haven’t any of these players seen serious playoff success? You could blame it on tough competition or bad supporting casts. However, a lot of teams with pretty bad casts have done pretty well in the playoffs recently... Just look at New Jersy. So would it be out of line to suggest that these guys just never learned how to win against more competitive players? I don’t think so. The competition you face in HS just can’t compare to competition at the college level. That’s obvious. Even in all-star games don’t see the kind of play that your average college game has. And there aren’t really any HS games as intense as the NCAA tournament. Requiring these players to spend a year playing against serious competition teaches them how to beat that serious competition.

Just look at Melo. He managed to take a team that was; well good enough to earn the third lottery pick, and carry them to the playoffs. Sure he had some off-season problems and even some in-season problems, but in May, Denver was back in the playoffs. Where was Kobe? Where was Lebron? Where was KG? The fact of the matter is that while a young player can spend several seasons sitting on the bench learning the game from the best players, coaches and teachers available, he can’t learn how to close out a game from the bench. You can’t teach a kid who sits on the bench what it means to be in the game and lead your team to a victory. Take the Hawks; they have a young team that has several key high school players. They seem to be having a really rough time of it, partly because the rest of their roster is about as reliable as a Tim Duncan free throw, but partly because they haven’t learned how to win against players that can challenge them.
Now certainly while you’ve been reading this you’ve though, “What about Amare?” He’s a high school player that’s been arguably the MVP of the team that has the MVP. To that I say, "He plays with the MVP! "He’s not going to get a better teammate. It’s not too different from when Kobe played with Shaq.

I understand that there are a lot of monetary ramifications from the age limit, but I think that players are really going to have a better chance to succeed at a young age. How much better can a player be with a little time in college? We'll see...