Thursday, May 31, 2007
Game Five In Progress...
This game is going to give me a heart attack....3:11 left in double OT, tie game.
Final NBA Top 50 Post: The Top Ten
Here we go, as I can tell by all the posts in response to the other 40, here comes the top 10 (note the sarcasm).
10. Chris Bosh TOR (FC) 23 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$14
Bosh really made the leap this year from a guy with lots of promise to a legit post force in the NBA. In his four seasons he has improved his scoring and rebounding in each season. The only reason he slides this "low" is that he's stuck playing in Toronto. However, the Raptors played much better this past season and with another winning season you will be seeing a lot more of Bosh on television. Bosh is one of those guys who has "it". He's a guy you can build a team around and he's feisty. Toronto was wise to lock him up for the next several years, he can really be a cornerstone. Dare I say, the next Kevin Garnett?
9. Chris Paul NO (PG) 22 years old Contract: 2 yrs/$4
You didn't hear nearly as much about Paul this year as you did last season. Last season Paul pulled the Hornets out of the gutter almost on his own exceeding expectations. Unfortunately, exceeding expectations leads to elevated expectations. The Hornets started out very slow due mostly to Paul being injured and the team never really mattered this year. However, Paul's scoring and assists were up and he appears to be the next great PG in the league once Nash retires.
8. Kevin Garnett MIN (F) 31 years old Contract: 2yrs/$23
Sure he's only 31 so you may think that he should be higher. It could be argued that he has at least 5 very good seasons left. However, given that Garnett has had to carry a team, by himself, his entire career and the fact that he's been in the NBA for 12 seasons makes me a bit skeptical that he has that much gas left in his tank. That being said he still but up 22ppg and 12rpg last season on an awful TWolves team and still hasn't asked to be traded. I still think he's getting dealt at some point and here's what some team will be getting: One of the most fierce competitors in the NBA, 20/10 every night, a season without injuries, and a team leader. Not a bad package, here's hoping that by February 2008 he's on a new team.
7. Dirk Nowitzki DAL (F) 28 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$18
Sure he took a hit after his dreadful series against the Warriors, but let's not forget he did win the MVP this year and lead Dallas to a great regular season. Nowitzki is that rare 7 footer that can play just about anywhere on the court. He can handle the ball, he can score from anywhere on the court and he draws constant double teams. The downside is he doesn't score much in the post (a major downer for a seven footer) and he plays next to no defense. Let's not go too hard on him though, I'm betting he comes up huge next year.
6. Yao Ming HOU (C) 26 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$15
Yao is a money making machine. He's going to get elected to the All Star game every season for his career. He's going to make the city he plays in a lot of money considering there are a billion Chinese paying to see him play. He's also going to put up 20ppg and 10rpg for his career. However, the NBA appears to be changing. Most teams are switching to that up tempo style of play and that leaves 7'6 guys who aren't the fastest guys on the court in a strange spot. Personally, I'll take Yao all the time. Look at the final four teams left in the NBA playoffs. Do they play an up tempo style? Nope, they are methodical and take their time. That's Yao's game.
5. Carmelo Anthony DEN (SF) 23 years old Contract: 5 yrs?$16
Taking into account his collection of "questionable" friends, I still rank him this high. He's still very marketable and will always fill the building he's playing in. He sells tickets. He's a big dude (6'8, 230lbs) who moves like a guard. However, so far his teams haven't been that good. He hasn't really led his team much of anywhere. This past season his scoring was way up putting in almost 30ppg but missed a lot of time for getting into a fight earlier this season. He's a lot like his teammate Allen Iverson. People are scared of Iverson, they don't like that he says what he wants but he's too good of a talent to ignore.
4. Dwight Howard ORL (FC) 21 years old Contract: 1yr/$6
Howard is heading into the last year of his rookie contract. I'd say Orlando has about a 99% chance of resigning him. He's the man in Orlando. I got to see him play on TV a few times this year against the Pistons and he is an absolute force. It's not fair to compare him to Shaq, he'll never score like that, but it was similar. Just two guys who are just so much stronger and bigger than everyone else. He's really only limited on offense. He did average almost 18ppg this past season but most of that was on dunks and short hooks. If he ever develops a mid range jumper he will be only slowed by his own bad nights. He's a beast.
3. Dwyane Wade MIA (G) 25 years old Contract: 3 yrs/$14
Wade was smart last summer and signed only a three year extension to stay with Miami. I think he was giving himself an out in case he wanted to leave Miami, right idea, but he should have made it a one year deal. Miami is bad. That team is Wade and a bunch of stiffs. The way Wade plays make him one of the most injury prone guys in the league. In four years he has missed 64 games already. Not good. Think of the best players of your lifetime. Who were they? Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan. These guys didn't miss huge amounts of time during their prime. This could really hurt Wade, and his team, if he can't play more under control. The catch 22 there is that, driving the ball and diving all over the court is what makes him a good player.
2. Kobe Bryant LAL (G) 28 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$23
Wow, he sure gets paid a lot. I would like to say right now, I think that without a doubt, Kobe Bryant is the best player in the NBA. He's the best since Jordan. I will argue that all you want. However, he's getting older, he's like the NBA ARod, he's high maintenance, he was tried in a rape case, etc. Oh yeah, he asks to be traded on a radio show and then retracts that hours later, but man can he score. Not only does he score, he plays D. He plays D, can score 40 on any given night and averages about 6 assists per game. There's a whole lot to like there. Too bad his so quirky.
1. LeBron James CLE (GF) 22 yeard old Contract: 3 yrs/$14
Signed the same deal Wade did, better move for LeBron. Sure Cleveland isn't great, but they're a solid team. There are still major questions about his leadership abilities, his ability to come through in the clutch has been questioned, and he can disappear from time to time. That has all been said about LBJ, here are the facts:
10. Chris Bosh TOR (FC) 23 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$14
Bosh really made the leap this year from a guy with lots of promise to a legit post force in the NBA. In his four seasons he has improved his scoring and rebounding in each season. The only reason he slides this "low" is that he's stuck playing in Toronto. However, the Raptors played much better this past season and with another winning season you will be seeing a lot more of Bosh on television. Bosh is one of those guys who has "it". He's a guy you can build a team around and he's feisty. Toronto was wise to lock him up for the next several years, he can really be a cornerstone. Dare I say, the next Kevin Garnett?
9. Chris Paul NO (PG) 22 years old Contract: 2 yrs/$4
You didn't hear nearly as much about Paul this year as you did last season. Last season Paul pulled the Hornets out of the gutter almost on his own exceeding expectations. Unfortunately, exceeding expectations leads to elevated expectations. The Hornets started out very slow due mostly to Paul being injured and the team never really mattered this year. However, Paul's scoring and assists were up and he appears to be the next great PG in the league once Nash retires.
8. Kevin Garnett MIN (F) 31 years old Contract: 2yrs/$23
Sure he's only 31 so you may think that he should be higher. It could be argued that he has at least 5 very good seasons left. However, given that Garnett has had to carry a team, by himself, his entire career and the fact that he's been in the NBA for 12 seasons makes me a bit skeptical that he has that much gas left in his tank. That being said he still but up 22ppg and 12rpg last season on an awful TWolves team and still hasn't asked to be traded. I still think he's getting dealt at some point and here's what some team will be getting: One of the most fierce competitors in the NBA, 20/10 every night, a season without injuries, and a team leader. Not a bad package, here's hoping that by February 2008 he's on a new team.
7. Dirk Nowitzki DAL (F) 28 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$18
Sure he took a hit after his dreadful series against the Warriors, but let's not forget he did win the MVP this year and lead Dallas to a great regular season. Nowitzki is that rare 7 footer that can play just about anywhere on the court. He can handle the ball, he can score from anywhere on the court and he draws constant double teams. The downside is he doesn't score much in the post (a major downer for a seven footer) and he plays next to no defense. Let's not go too hard on him though, I'm betting he comes up huge next year.
6. Yao Ming HOU (C) 26 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$15
Yao is a money making machine. He's going to get elected to the All Star game every season for his career. He's going to make the city he plays in a lot of money considering there are a billion Chinese paying to see him play. He's also going to put up 20ppg and 10rpg for his career. However, the NBA appears to be changing. Most teams are switching to that up tempo style of play and that leaves 7'6 guys who aren't the fastest guys on the court in a strange spot. Personally, I'll take Yao all the time. Look at the final four teams left in the NBA playoffs. Do they play an up tempo style? Nope, they are methodical and take their time. That's Yao's game.
5. Carmelo Anthony DEN (SF) 23 years old Contract: 5 yrs?$16
Taking into account his collection of "questionable" friends, I still rank him this high. He's still very marketable and will always fill the building he's playing in. He sells tickets. He's a big dude (6'8, 230lbs) who moves like a guard. However, so far his teams haven't been that good. He hasn't really led his team much of anywhere. This past season his scoring was way up putting in almost 30ppg but missed a lot of time for getting into a fight earlier this season. He's a lot like his teammate Allen Iverson. People are scared of Iverson, they don't like that he says what he wants but he's too good of a talent to ignore.
4. Dwight Howard ORL (FC) 21 years old Contract: 1yr/$6
Howard is heading into the last year of his rookie contract. I'd say Orlando has about a 99% chance of resigning him. He's the man in Orlando. I got to see him play on TV a few times this year against the Pistons and he is an absolute force. It's not fair to compare him to Shaq, he'll never score like that, but it was similar. Just two guys who are just so much stronger and bigger than everyone else. He's really only limited on offense. He did average almost 18ppg this past season but most of that was on dunks and short hooks. If he ever develops a mid range jumper he will be only slowed by his own bad nights. He's a beast.
3. Dwyane Wade MIA (G) 25 years old Contract: 3 yrs/$14
Wade was smart last summer and signed only a three year extension to stay with Miami. I think he was giving himself an out in case he wanted to leave Miami, right idea, but he should have made it a one year deal. Miami is bad. That team is Wade and a bunch of stiffs. The way Wade plays make him one of the most injury prone guys in the league. In four years he has missed 64 games already. Not good. Think of the best players of your lifetime. Who were they? Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan. These guys didn't miss huge amounts of time during their prime. This could really hurt Wade, and his team, if he can't play more under control. The catch 22 there is that, driving the ball and diving all over the court is what makes him a good player.
2. Kobe Bryant LAL (G) 28 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$23
Wow, he sure gets paid a lot. I would like to say right now, I think that without a doubt, Kobe Bryant is the best player in the NBA. He's the best since Jordan. I will argue that all you want. However, he's getting older, he's like the NBA ARod, he's high maintenance, he was tried in a rape case, etc. Oh yeah, he asks to be traded on a radio show and then retracts that hours later, but man can he score. Not only does he score, he plays D. He plays D, can score 40 on any given night and averages about 6 assists per game. There's a whole lot to like there. Too bad his so quirky.
1. LeBron James CLE (GF) 22 yeard old Contract: 3 yrs/$14
Signed the same deal Wade did, better move for LeBron. Sure Cleveland isn't great, but they're a solid team. There are still major questions about his leadership abilities, his ability to come through in the clutch has been questioned, and he can disappear from time to time. That has all been said about LBJ, here are the facts:
- He's still only 22 years old.
- He's the most marketable guy in the NBA.
- He's missed 12 games in 4 years.
- He's the leader of his team at age 22 and has been for some time.
- He can put up 26/7/7 on any given night against any team.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
What is Kobe worth?
Recently, Blake wrangled me into a Fantasy League. Here is what I know about Fantasy Leagues: nothing. Ok, I do know that everybody talks about their own team when everyone else really doesn't care and is just waiting their turn to toot their own horn about some sweet trade they pulled of with the idiot of the league.
As a fantasy owner, one needs to know how much players are valued at. The hottest story in sports right now is in regards to a player that is almost priceless. The operative word being "ALMOST".
If you have not noticed, Kobe is officially demanding to be traded. He is sick of having to play with a bunch of girl scouts and watch the owner and GM sit back and rake in the case (Bill Simmons noted that tickets for a LAL game run about $350 a game).
So the question is, what does a team have to give up to get Kobe? First of all, any team that is going to trade for him will have to practically sell their soul. The team will have to trade any talent the currently have along with draft picks. This puts Mr. Bryant in the exact same situation as he was in LA. For now, let's look at a few teams that might have the ability to trade for him:
Mavericks: Dirk took a lot of heat this year. He may not hold the value he once did. Maybe Dirk, Dampier, 1st rounder? That is not enough. Let's look else where...
Suns: The fact is they aren't going to win a title with what they have. Sorry. Nash is good, but not that good. From the sounds of things, there is trouble in paradise. Amare was a no show for a final team meet. Could we part ways? Stoudimare, Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, and a draft pick? I am not sure what the Nash/Bryant era would feel like.
The reason I bring these teams up is bec they both of tried for the finals with their currently formula and failed and will keep failing. Things need to change. Ok, on to the middle range teams that could fit:
Bulls: This was suggest on Simmons chat the other day and I liked it. Gordon and Deng (plus maybe a draft pick) for Bryant. You trot out Bryant, Heinrich, Wallace, Tyrus Thomas, and Andres Nocioni. That is not a bad starting 5 with PJ Brown and Chris Duhon coming off the bench. As a Pistons fan, i would not want to go up against that in the Conference finals or ever.
These last two are for fun, but hey, its early, I can say whatever I want.
Portland: this is a stretch but it would be something to think about. Randolph seems to be on the trading block already. Throw in LeMarcus Aldridge and a 2008 draft pick and give it a try. It's not enough, but think about Brandon Roy, Kobe Bryant, and Greg Oden on the same team. That would good chemistry in my opinion. No way do the Lakers take that deal. There would have to be some kind of other incentive.
Detroit: Sign and trade with the Lakers with Chauncey. Billups, Webber (s&t), and a draft pick. Again, this isn't even logical.
Alright, it is time for you, the fans to put something together. Who can put together the best package for LAL?
As a fantasy owner, one needs to know how much players are valued at. The hottest story in sports right now is in regards to a player that is almost priceless. The operative word being "ALMOST".
If you have not noticed, Kobe is officially demanding to be traded. He is sick of having to play with a bunch of girl scouts and watch the owner and GM sit back and rake in the case (Bill Simmons noted that tickets for a LAL game run about $350 a game).
So the question is, what does a team have to give up to get Kobe? First of all, any team that is going to trade for him will have to practically sell their soul. The team will have to trade any talent the currently have along with draft picks. This puts Mr. Bryant in the exact same situation as he was in LA. For now, let's look at a few teams that might have the ability to trade for him:
Mavericks: Dirk took a lot of heat this year. He may not hold the value he once did. Maybe Dirk, Dampier, 1st rounder? That is not enough. Let's look else where...
Suns: The fact is they aren't going to win a title with what they have. Sorry. Nash is good, but not that good. From the sounds of things, there is trouble in paradise. Amare was a no show for a final team meet. Could we part ways? Stoudimare, Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, and a draft pick? I am not sure what the Nash/Bryant era would feel like.
The reason I bring these teams up is bec they both of tried for the finals with their currently formula and failed and will keep failing. Things need to change. Ok, on to the middle range teams that could fit:
Bulls: This was suggest on Simmons chat the other day and I liked it. Gordon and Deng (plus maybe a draft pick) for Bryant. You trot out Bryant, Heinrich, Wallace, Tyrus Thomas, and Andres Nocioni. That is not a bad starting 5 with PJ Brown and Chris Duhon coming off the bench. As a Pistons fan, i would not want to go up against that in the Conference finals or ever.
These last two are for fun, but hey, its early, I can say whatever I want.
Portland: this is a stretch but it would be something to think about. Randolph seems to be on the trading block already. Throw in LeMarcus Aldridge and a 2008 draft pick and give it a try. It's not enough, but think about Brandon Roy, Kobe Bryant, and Greg Oden on the same team. That would good chemistry in my opinion. No way do the Lakers take that deal. There would have to be some kind of other incentive.
Detroit: Sign and trade with the Lakers with Chauncey. Billups, Webber (s&t), and a draft pick. Again, this isn't even logical.
Alright, it is time for you, the fans to put something together. Who can put together the best package for LAL?
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Why the Pistons Lost Tonight
1. They get outhustled 90% of the time by Varejao, Gibson, Snow, Gooden et al.
2. Chauncey Billups. In the second half he made multiple passes, took ill advised jumpers and committed stupid fouls and then just smiled about it in a cocky way like he knew he could do better later (which is fine if you back it up). The dagger was that pull-up three he took with the Pistons down three with 40 seconds left. What an idiotic shot. Let me check his stats real quick...
37% shooting
bad decisions
2 assists in 45 minutes
5 turnovers (3 in the 4th quarter)
he had 23 pts but most of those (I would guess 16-18 were in the first half)
Chauncey was awful which is rare, but he's been bad the entire series. He and the Pistons need to turn it around and win game five or the series is over. You can take that to the bank.
2. Chauncey Billups. In the second half he made multiple passes, took ill advised jumpers and committed stupid fouls and then just smiled about it in a cocky way like he knew he could do better later (which is fine if you back it up). The dagger was that pull-up three he took with the Pistons down three with 40 seconds left. What an idiotic shot. Let me check his stats real quick...
37% shooting
bad decisions
2 assists in 45 minutes
5 turnovers (3 in the 4th quarter)
he had 23 pts but most of those (I would guess 16-18 were in the first half)
Chauncey was awful which is rare, but he's been bad the entire series. He and the Pistons need to turn it around and win game five or the series is over. You can take that to the bank.
Jordan Rules
For all you old school Pistons fans out there. This is a great article with Chuck Daly talking aboutthe Jordan Rules and the way the Pistons use a form of it on LeBron. Check it out. Post.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/jack_mccallum/05/28/daly.lebron/1.html
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/jack_mccallum/05/28/daly.lebron/1.html
Monday, May 28, 2007
Friday, May 25, 2007
20-11 NBA Rankings
20. Shawn Marion PHX (F) 29 years old Contract: 2yrs/$16.5
I remember when Marion got drafted. I think it my first time watching the draft and having no clue who a guy was when they were picked. Marion and he's weird looking jumper came out of UNLV and he has been really good ever since. He's a good defensive player and rebounds like crazy for a guy who is only 6'7. His number were down a bit this year but last year he averaged 22/12 those are Barkley like numbers for a guy who is fast (not fat) plays D and can hit threes.
19. Chauncey Billups DET (PG) 30 years old Contract: Free Agent
Billups is the heart of the Pistons. He is arguably the strongest point guard in the league which enables him barrel down the lane and control is body to score after contact. Really the only downside to his game right now is his age. Billups is just like Ben Wallace last year, he's in a position to get one more big contract before he's done. He's been playing the past few years for six million a year, so he has been a bargain. He will get some really strong offers this summer from other teams but I have a feeling the Pistons will pay what it takes to keep him.
18. Michael Redd MIL (SG) 27 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$16
Redd is one of those guys who would be huge if he played in a bigger market. He just doesn't seem like he wants that. Redd signed a huge deal to stay in Milwaukee and help lead the Bucks back to the playoffs. On any given night Redd can beat the opposition on his own, he's that kind of shooter and when he gets hot he is unstoppable. Redd was hurt this year and by the time he was healthy the Bucks were out of playoff contention so they just kept him out. Redd has been in the NBA for seven years and has increased his scoring average each season, not an easy thing to do, and he ended up averaging 26.7 a game last year.
17. Paul Pierce BOS (SF) 29 years old Contract: 4 years/$19
I'm starting to feel bad for Paul Pierce. He's one of a handful of guys who can pretty much do anything. He can rebound, pass, and score in bunches. Now that the Celtics failed to land a top two pick in the draft the Celtics and Pierce are at a crossroads. They either need to trade some of their youth for veterans to help them win now or they need to trade Pierce. I think they'll attempt to make some deals this summer to help the team win now but if that doesn't pan out look for him to get shopped around. Pierce is one of a few guys that just scares me. He's not afraid during crunch time.
16. Tracy McGrady HOU (SG) 28 years old Contract: 3 yrs/$21
Five years ago you would have thought this guy would be unstoppable. That hasn't exactly happened. McGrady has yet to advance his team past the first round, raising obvious questions about his leadership and ability to take over in the final minutes of close games. That being said, most every team in the league would take the guy. When he's healthy he is impossible to defend.
15. Gilbert Arenas WAS (SG) 25 years old Contract: 2yrs/$12.5
Basically the young McGrady in my book. Sure he's really fun to watch, anyone who can score like him is amazing. I just don't buy the total package. For one thing, he's a weirdo and is very cocky, I don't need that from a guy who can't win. In the middle of the season when Washington was struggling he was predicting how many points he could score against a given team. Not exactly the focus you're looking for as a team.
14. Amare Stoudemire PHX (FC) 24 yrs old Contract: 4yrs/$15
Stoudemire would be higher on this list if he hadn't had microfracture surgery on his knees. That being said, he's a total beast. He'll always score over 20 a game should he score healthy and he's always active on defense and on the boards. The only concern I can see is that he is 6'10 on a team that jacks up a lot of shots (missing a lot too) and he's never averaged 10 boards a game. And it's not like they have a Rodman or Ben Wallace taking all of the rebounds.
13. Allen Iverson DEN (G) 31 years old Contract: 2yrs/$21
Iverson is a lot like Shaq in that his rating is inflated due to marketing that can be done due to his celebrity. People show up to see Iverson play no matter how bad the team is, he's that good. He's listed at six feet tall but most everyone will tell you there's no way he's that good. For someone that small to due what he has done in the NBA is very impressive. However, not all cities would be as accepting to a "personality" like Iverson. Now that he's older I'm guessing he'll but about everything on hold to win that elusive title, I just don't see Denver being the place he gets that. In two years he'll be a free agent and 33 years old. I'm guessing at that point he has his choice of where he goes.
12. Steve Nash PHX (PG) 33 years old Contract: 3 yrs/$12
Most would think the two time MVP would be higher, here's why he is not. He's getting old. He doesn't play any defense. Lucky for him he's in the perfect situation for his game. Right now he is the best point guard in the NBA, I can say that, it's just his age and defense really bring him down on this list.
11. Tim Duncan SA (FC) 31 years old Contract: 3yrs/$21
Sure, he's not the most charismatic guy but he's a winner. Duncan and the Spurs have won three NBA titles since he joined the team and I'm sure none of it would have happened without him. His numbers have never been amazing but he's good for at least 20/10 every season and plays terrific defense. Also, due to the lack of quality big men in the league, every time the playoffs come around he gets a steady dose of post feeds and the Spurs let him go to work. If were 27 he'd be in the top 4 on this list.
I remember when Marion got drafted. I think it my first time watching the draft and having no clue who a guy was when they were picked. Marion and he's weird looking jumper came out of UNLV and he has been really good ever since. He's a good defensive player and rebounds like crazy for a guy who is only 6'7. His number were down a bit this year but last year he averaged 22/12 those are Barkley like numbers for a guy who is fast (not fat) plays D and can hit threes.
19. Chauncey Billups DET (PG) 30 years old Contract: Free Agent
Billups is the heart of the Pistons. He is arguably the strongest point guard in the league which enables him barrel down the lane and control is body to score after contact. Really the only downside to his game right now is his age. Billups is just like Ben Wallace last year, he's in a position to get one more big contract before he's done. He's been playing the past few years for six million a year, so he has been a bargain. He will get some really strong offers this summer from other teams but I have a feeling the Pistons will pay what it takes to keep him.
18. Michael Redd MIL (SG) 27 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$16
Redd is one of those guys who would be huge if he played in a bigger market. He just doesn't seem like he wants that. Redd signed a huge deal to stay in Milwaukee and help lead the Bucks back to the playoffs. On any given night Redd can beat the opposition on his own, he's that kind of shooter and when he gets hot he is unstoppable. Redd was hurt this year and by the time he was healthy the Bucks were out of playoff contention so they just kept him out. Redd has been in the NBA for seven years and has increased his scoring average each season, not an easy thing to do, and he ended up averaging 26.7 a game last year.
17. Paul Pierce BOS (SF) 29 years old Contract: 4 years/$19
I'm starting to feel bad for Paul Pierce. He's one of a handful of guys who can pretty much do anything. He can rebound, pass, and score in bunches. Now that the Celtics failed to land a top two pick in the draft the Celtics and Pierce are at a crossroads. They either need to trade some of their youth for veterans to help them win now or they need to trade Pierce. I think they'll attempt to make some deals this summer to help the team win now but if that doesn't pan out look for him to get shopped around. Pierce is one of a few guys that just scares me. He's not afraid during crunch time.
16. Tracy McGrady HOU (SG) 28 years old Contract: 3 yrs/$21
Five years ago you would have thought this guy would be unstoppable. That hasn't exactly happened. McGrady has yet to advance his team past the first round, raising obvious questions about his leadership and ability to take over in the final minutes of close games. That being said, most every team in the league would take the guy. When he's healthy he is impossible to defend.
15. Gilbert Arenas WAS (SG) 25 years old Contract: 2yrs/$12.5
Basically the young McGrady in my book. Sure he's really fun to watch, anyone who can score like him is amazing. I just don't buy the total package. For one thing, he's a weirdo and is very cocky, I don't need that from a guy who can't win. In the middle of the season when Washington was struggling he was predicting how many points he could score against a given team. Not exactly the focus you're looking for as a team.
14. Amare Stoudemire PHX (FC) 24 yrs old Contract: 4yrs/$15
Stoudemire would be higher on this list if he hadn't had microfracture surgery on his knees. That being said, he's a total beast. He'll always score over 20 a game should he score healthy and he's always active on defense and on the boards. The only concern I can see is that he is 6'10 on a team that jacks up a lot of shots (missing a lot too) and he's never averaged 10 boards a game. And it's not like they have a Rodman or Ben Wallace taking all of the rebounds.
13. Allen Iverson DEN (G) 31 years old Contract: 2yrs/$21
Iverson is a lot like Shaq in that his rating is inflated due to marketing that can be done due to his celebrity. People show up to see Iverson play no matter how bad the team is, he's that good. He's listed at six feet tall but most everyone will tell you there's no way he's that good. For someone that small to due what he has done in the NBA is very impressive. However, not all cities would be as accepting to a "personality" like Iverson. Now that he's older I'm guessing he'll but about everything on hold to win that elusive title, I just don't see Denver being the place he gets that. In two years he'll be a free agent and 33 years old. I'm guessing at that point he has his choice of where he goes.
12. Steve Nash PHX (PG) 33 years old Contract: 3 yrs/$12
Most would think the two time MVP would be higher, here's why he is not. He's getting old. He doesn't play any defense. Lucky for him he's in the perfect situation for his game. Right now he is the best point guard in the NBA, I can say that, it's just his age and defense really bring him down on this list.
11. Tim Duncan SA (FC) 31 years old Contract: 3yrs/$21
Sure, he's not the most charismatic guy but he's a winner. Duncan and the Spurs have won three NBA titles since he joined the team and I'm sure none of it would have happened without him. His numbers have never been amazing but he's good for at least 20/10 every season and plays terrific defense. Also, due to the lack of quality big men in the league, every time the playoffs come around he gets a steady dose of post feeds and the Spurs let him go to work. If were 27 he'd be in the top 4 on this list.
FYI for all the NYY fans out there...
Todd Helton could be in pinstripes soon. THey are going to need someone after Giambi gets booted for the season. Also, Helton could be a great role guy/chemistry guy.
Pistons-Cavs Game 2
Last night's game two was a lot like game one. However, in game one, it seemed like a sloppy game. Last night's game was just a tough, physical game. In the first quarter that was a foul on Rip. But with 7 seconds left in the game, they will never call a foul on that play. Those are my thoughts. Also, Rasheed was so clutch, so clutch.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Lottery
***Streeeeetch***
It was been a while and I have been deliberating on what to post on. I don't think we can really get into baseball yet because over the summer we are going to have nothing to talk about except bad TV and lots of baseball. I do love a good post on my Yanks, but will hold off for now (and no, it is not because they are playing like a bunch of ninnies).
Let's talk NBA and give Blake a break from putting together those rankings. I have my thought on who the top few are but am looking forward to seeing it.
Alright, starting off with the lottery. Looks like Portland and Seattle are in line for Oden/Durant. I do believe that all bets are off for trading the picks so where will each go and what will it do for that team? From day 1, Oden has been the number overall player on 99% of draft boards with Durant a close second...but always second. For some reason, Oden seems to be an instant impacter. I don't disagree with that fact but would look at Durant as someone who could also be that.
On a side note, both these guys are going to west coast teams which is sad for those of us that would like to watch them develop.
Moving on....
It really is only appropriate to consider the Trailblazers as the team that has the choice because whoever they take, Seattle will get the other. Brandon Roy, Rookie of the Year is a great shooting guard and will grow. He will also help mentor the star they pick up in the draft. The have Jarret Jack, a functional pointguard. Not the best, but not bad enough to want to take Mike Conley Jr. either. Zach Randolph at PF is a great player as well. This leaves the SF and C position...hmmm. Interesting. This predicament is a good one to have. The Blazers were 32-50 last year in a Western Conference that was TOUGH.
Why take Oden?
Because he is big. Strong. Played all season at about 85% and still looked like a dominant force in the paint. He is quick, uses both hands effectively (we saw this when he hurt this wrist), he can block shots. He would be a TREMENDOUS upgrade from Joel Pryzbilla (much like upgrading from a Fiat to a Aston Martin). There are some draw backs to Oden. He is going to clog up the lane for Randolph and Roy. Randolph is at about 23 ppg and just pushes Pyrzbill out of the way when he needs to score. Roy is a slasher and it is tough to slash when you have two mammoth bodies camped out underneath the basket. The nice thing is, Oden is nimble and is build like a Ben Wallace as opposed to a Shaq.
Why take Durant?
Because he is the best player in the draft. You hear it everytime the draft rolls around (NFL or NBA) and I have said it on this blog, you either draft for need or the best available. To me, Durant is such a great commodity that it is hard to go wrong. He can do everything. He would be such a complement to those other players that it is hard to pass him up. When you have some drawing so many comparisons to KG (and a lot of them being true), you have a special player on your hands.
The verdict:
Oden.
Am I giving into what everyone is saying? No. If Seattle was picking first, I would advise them to take Durant. The reason I say Oden is because he doesn't need time to develop. His game translates right into the NBA main stream. Durant's does not. Durant relied heavily on his athletic ability and get around and over people. Put Tayshawn Prince on him and see if he can get past those long arms. Since he is drawing comparison, put KG on him and see what happens. On top of all that, Durant's still is built like a young kid. He is very thin and the bumps, bruises and bangs of an 82 game season will take its toll on him.
Oden is ready for a Ben Wallace, Tim Duncan, whoever person to guard him. I am not saying he is better but I am saying that he will be able to stand his ground (literally and figuratively) with those guys.
Either way, it will be fun to watch. Now your turn, are there any Durant fans out there? I essentially called him a skinny school girl so you need to take offense to that and post.
It was been a while and I have been deliberating on what to post on. I don't think we can really get into baseball yet because over the summer we are going to have nothing to talk about except bad TV and lots of baseball. I do love a good post on my Yanks, but will hold off for now (and no, it is not because they are playing like a bunch of ninnies).
Let's talk NBA and give Blake a break from putting together those rankings. I have my thought on who the top few are but am looking forward to seeing it.
Alright, starting off with the lottery. Looks like Portland and Seattle are in line for Oden/Durant. I do believe that all bets are off for trading the picks so where will each go and what will it do for that team? From day 1, Oden has been the number overall player on 99% of draft boards with Durant a close second...but always second. For some reason, Oden seems to be an instant impacter. I don't disagree with that fact but would look at Durant as someone who could also be that.
On a side note, both these guys are going to west coast teams which is sad for those of us that would like to watch them develop.
Moving on....
It really is only appropriate to consider the Trailblazers as the team that has the choice because whoever they take, Seattle will get the other. Brandon Roy, Rookie of the Year is a great shooting guard and will grow. He will also help mentor the star they pick up in the draft. The have Jarret Jack, a functional pointguard. Not the best, but not bad enough to want to take Mike Conley Jr. either. Zach Randolph at PF is a great player as well. This leaves the SF and C position...hmmm. Interesting. This predicament is a good one to have. The Blazers were 32-50 last year in a Western Conference that was TOUGH.
Why take Oden?
Because he is big. Strong. Played all season at about 85% and still looked like a dominant force in the paint. He is quick, uses both hands effectively (we saw this when he hurt this wrist), he can block shots. He would be a TREMENDOUS upgrade from Joel Pryzbilla (much like upgrading from a Fiat to a Aston Martin). There are some draw backs to Oden. He is going to clog up the lane for Randolph and Roy. Randolph is at about 23 ppg and just pushes Pyrzbill out of the way when he needs to score. Roy is a slasher and it is tough to slash when you have two mammoth bodies camped out underneath the basket. The nice thing is, Oden is nimble and is build like a Ben Wallace as opposed to a Shaq.
Why take Durant?
Because he is the best player in the draft. You hear it everytime the draft rolls around (NFL or NBA) and I have said it on this blog, you either draft for need or the best available. To me, Durant is such a great commodity that it is hard to go wrong. He can do everything. He would be such a complement to those other players that it is hard to pass him up. When you have some drawing so many comparisons to KG (and a lot of them being true), you have a special player on your hands.
The verdict:
Oden.
Am I giving into what everyone is saying? No. If Seattle was picking first, I would advise them to take Durant. The reason I say Oden is because he doesn't need time to develop. His game translates right into the NBA main stream. Durant's does not. Durant relied heavily on his athletic ability and get around and over people. Put Tayshawn Prince on him and see if he can get past those long arms. Since he is drawing comparison, put KG on him and see what happens. On top of all that, Durant's still is built like a young kid. He is very thin and the bumps, bruises and bangs of an 82 game season will take its toll on him.
Oden is ready for a Ben Wallace, Tim Duncan, whoever person to guard him. I am not saying he is better but I am saying that he will be able to stand his ground (literally and figuratively) with those guys.
Either way, it will be fun to watch. Now your turn, are there any Durant fans out there? I essentially called him a skinny school girl so you need to take offense to that and post.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
30-21
30. Baron Davis GST (PG) 28 yrs old Contract: 2yrs/$16
Davis put himself back into the NBA elite his performance this spring in the playoffs. That was Davis at his best. Davis at his worst is an injury prone ball-hog who shoots way too many jumpers. Davis has that rare combination of scoring ability and is also what people consider a "true" point guard. Since playing every game the first three years of his career here are the amount of games played for Davis: 50,67,46,54, and 63. It's hard to say that a guy who is hurt so much is worth 16 million a season, but after the playoff run for the Warriors I'm guessing they'll say he's worth it.
29. Shaquille O'Neal MIA (C) 35 years old Contract: 3 yrs/$20
Shaq's value is almost entirely tied to his star power. It's no secret that he is not the player he once was, however, paired with a star he can still be very very tough to defend. He can still put in 20 a game and can collect rebounds and really clog up the lane. However, he's old, slow, and paid 20 million a year for the next three years. If he were to be traded, the team that got him would be tied up financially for the rest of his contract.
28. Jason Kidd NJN (PG) 34 years old Contract: 2 yrs/$20
Kind of in the same boat as Shaq but has a bit more gas in the tank. Kidd is known as one of the great competitors in the league and really makes his teammates better. Kidd is still capable of putting up a triple-double in every game. However, he's about as equally as likely to score 5 points in a game. Kidd is a big of an offensive liability as he's never really had a very good jumper. With his age he's lost a step thus making it harder for him to score off the drive. That being said, I'd take him on my team, contract and all for the next two years.
27. Ray Allen SEA (SG) 31 years old Contract: 3yrs/$17
Allen can still light it up and it's a real shame that he's been stuck in Seattle and Milwaukee for his career. If he had played in a Chicago or New York he'd be a huge star. The good news is it's not too late. Seattle is rebuilding and is very young, they have almost no reason to keep Allen. Allen is arguably the top shooter in the league and has been in that class his entire career. Last season on a lousy team he averaged a career high 26ppg and could easily score 20 a game for a contender.
26. Pau Gasol MEM (FC) 26 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$16
Gasol is overpaid in my book. He's skinny, isn't know for his defense and pulls in 16 million a year. That being said, players like him are very rare. Gasol is a back-to-the-basket scorer. Gasol can score on just about anyone no matter how big they are. The troubling part is that he's young (the prime of his career) and seven feet tall and has never pulled in 10 rpg. That means he's soft. I think that's why the Bulls didn't pull the trigger to pick up Gasol at the trade deadline. Gasol could easily be traded this summer.
25. Elton Brand LAC (FC) 28 years old Contract: 2 yrs/$16
The knock on Brand has always been that he is too small, that's why the Bulls traded him a few years back. At 6'8 Brand is undersized for Power Forward and Center but he makes it work. His game is a lot like Zach Randolph's without the attitude and other personal problems. Also, in spite of his height, Brand gets more than his fair share of blocked shots, averaging over two a game for his career.
24. Luol Deng CHI (SF) 22 years old Contract: 1 year/$3.3
Deng is sure to get a hefty raise from Chicago this summer. Deng is one of those guys that just does it all. Deng can play D, score, and is an all around good guy. The other plus is that since he left college early, he's only 22 years old. Over his three years in the league Deng has improved his scoring, rebounding, and shooting % every season. He's on his way up and I think the Bulls were very wise to not give him up for Gasol this past winter.
23. Deron Williams UTAH (PG) 22 years old Contract: 2 yrs/$4.5
After his rookie season it looked as though he would go down as the guy mistakenly taken before Chris Paul. You don't hear many people saying that anymore. Williams was huge this year for the Jazz, leading them to the playoffs. He's a lot like Chauncey Billups, he's a big bulky point guard who is very strong and quick. His outside shot was the only thing that hurt him this season as he hit on 32% of his threes. He however did average 16 ppg and 9apg. If he can hold that up over his career and hit a few more threes the Jazz would have no complaints. Too bad he's stuck playing in Salt Lake City.
22. Tony Parker SA (PG) 25 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$12
Parker is well known for being able to score around the basket. I always felt like that skill was a big overrated. But go ahead and watch a Spurs game where Parker takes the ball to the hole a lot. It is quite something. It's his overwhelming speed and body control that enable him to score around the basket that is unheard of for a guard. The only thing to worry about with that is that as he gets older that speed will diminish and then how will he score?
21. Andrew Bynum LAL (C) 19 years old Contract: 2 yrs/$2.5
All you really need to know about Bynum is that he is only 19 years old and is seven feet tall and weights 280 pounds. He's a big dude who is very young. There were some huge flashes of the future this past year for Bynum and the Lakers. Bynum racked up 11 double-doubles this year despite averaging only 21 minutes per game for the season. He needs to learn how to stay out of foul trouble but he's a very special player. As the old saying goes, "you can't teach height." Bynum is huge and is very talented around the rim.
Davis put himself back into the NBA elite his performance this spring in the playoffs. That was Davis at his best. Davis at his worst is an injury prone ball-hog who shoots way too many jumpers. Davis has that rare combination of scoring ability and is also what people consider a "true" point guard. Since playing every game the first three years of his career here are the amount of games played for Davis: 50,67,46,54, and 63. It's hard to say that a guy who is hurt so much is worth 16 million a season, but after the playoff run for the Warriors I'm guessing they'll say he's worth it.
29. Shaquille O'Neal MIA (C) 35 years old Contract: 3 yrs/$20
Shaq's value is almost entirely tied to his star power. It's no secret that he is not the player he once was, however, paired with a star he can still be very very tough to defend. He can still put in 20 a game and can collect rebounds and really clog up the lane. However, he's old, slow, and paid 20 million a year for the next three years. If he were to be traded, the team that got him would be tied up financially for the rest of his contract.
28. Jason Kidd NJN (PG) 34 years old Contract: 2 yrs/$20
Kind of in the same boat as Shaq but has a bit more gas in the tank. Kidd is known as one of the great competitors in the league and really makes his teammates better. Kidd is still capable of putting up a triple-double in every game. However, he's about as equally as likely to score 5 points in a game. Kidd is a big of an offensive liability as he's never really had a very good jumper. With his age he's lost a step thus making it harder for him to score off the drive. That being said, I'd take him on my team, contract and all for the next two years.
27. Ray Allen SEA (SG) 31 years old Contract: 3yrs/$17
Allen can still light it up and it's a real shame that he's been stuck in Seattle and Milwaukee for his career. If he had played in a Chicago or New York he'd be a huge star. The good news is it's not too late. Seattle is rebuilding and is very young, they have almost no reason to keep Allen. Allen is arguably the top shooter in the league and has been in that class his entire career. Last season on a lousy team he averaged a career high 26ppg and could easily score 20 a game for a contender.
26. Pau Gasol MEM (FC) 26 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$16
Gasol is overpaid in my book. He's skinny, isn't know for his defense and pulls in 16 million a year. That being said, players like him are very rare. Gasol is a back-to-the-basket scorer. Gasol can score on just about anyone no matter how big they are. The troubling part is that he's young (the prime of his career) and seven feet tall and has never pulled in 10 rpg. That means he's soft. I think that's why the Bulls didn't pull the trigger to pick up Gasol at the trade deadline. Gasol could easily be traded this summer.
25. Elton Brand LAC (FC) 28 years old Contract: 2 yrs/$16
The knock on Brand has always been that he is too small, that's why the Bulls traded him a few years back. At 6'8 Brand is undersized for Power Forward and Center but he makes it work. His game is a lot like Zach Randolph's without the attitude and other personal problems. Also, in spite of his height, Brand gets more than his fair share of blocked shots, averaging over two a game for his career.
24. Luol Deng CHI (SF) 22 years old Contract: 1 year/$3.3
Deng is sure to get a hefty raise from Chicago this summer. Deng is one of those guys that just does it all. Deng can play D, score, and is an all around good guy. The other plus is that since he left college early, he's only 22 years old. Over his three years in the league Deng has improved his scoring, rebounding, and shooting % every season. He's on his way up and I think the Bulls were very wise to not give him up for Gasol this past winter.
23. Deron Williams UTAH (PG) 22 years old Contract: 2 yrs/$4.5
After his rookie season it looked as though he would go down as the guy mistakenly taken before Chris Paul. You don't hear many people saying that anymore. Williams was huge this year for the Jazz, leading them to the playoffs. He's a lot like Chauncey Billups, he's a big bulky point guard who is very strong and quick. His outside shot was the only thing that hurt him this season as he hit on 32% of his threes. He however did average 16 ppg and 9apg. If he can hold that up over his career and hit a few more threes the Jazz would have no complaints. Too bad he's stuck playing in Salt Lake City.
22. Tony Parker SA (PG) 25 years old Contract: 4 yrs/$12
Parker is well known for being able to score around the basket. I always felt like that skill was a big overrated. But go ahead and watch a Spurs game where Parker takes the ball to the hole a lot. It is quite something. It's his overwhelming speed and body control that enable him to score around the basket that is unheard of for a guard. The only thing to worry about with that is that as he gets older that speed will diminish and then how will he score?
21. Andrew Bynum LAL (C) 19 years old Contract: 2 yrs/$2.5
All you really need to know about Bynum is that he is only 19 years old and is seven feet tall and weights 280 pounds. He's a big dude who is very young. There were some huge flashes of the future this past year for Bynum and the Lakers. Bynum racked up 11 double-doubles this year despite averaging only 21 minutes per game for the season. He needs to learn how to stay out of foul trouble but he's a very special player. As the old saying goes, "you can't teach height." Bynum is huge and is very talented around the rim.
Monday, May 21, 2007
40-31
40. Tayshaun Prince DET (SF) 27 yrs old Contract: 4yrs/$10
Prince is a very unique player. His length makes him a tough guard for other small forwards and provides him with extra length on defense. Prince made the All NBA Defensive second team this year which shows how much other people in the league respect his D. Prince is especially valuable now because of all of the great "slashers" in the NBA. He can guard Kobe, Wade, LeBron etc. The only downside is his contract which could be viewed as a bit steep.
39. Josh Howard DAL (SF) 27 yrs old Contract: 4 yrs/$10
Plays alot like Prince and has an identical salary. The main plus for Howard over Prince is his scoring ability. Howard is seen as a scoring threat and appears to be getting better as he matures in the league. He's not a top option but is a great second fiddle paired with Dirk Nowitzki.
38. Al Jefferson BOS (FC) 22 yrs old Contract: 1 yr/$2.4
Jefferson is a total bargain right now after finally living up to some of that potential people had been talking about the past three years. Jefferson averaged 16ppg and 11rpg on a weak Boston team. Should the Celtics win the lottery and land Greg Oden or Kevin Durant this could be a really good Boston team. I have no reason to expect this however, it isn't uncommon for young guys like Jefferson to step up for a year and get that big pay increase and then tone it back down. In March Jefferson went for 32 and 18, showing a big glimpse of that promise.
37. Andrea Bargnani TOR (F) 21 yrs old Contract: 3 yrs/$5
Right when Bargnani was starting to turn it on this year he got hurt. Bargani, the number one pick last year, was better than expected. Some thought the Darko curse would strike Bargnani but it clearly did not. He really is a lot like Dirk Nowitzki. It's not fair to compare the two yet but Bargnani did have a better rookie year than Dirk. He can hit threes like nobodies business and score over smaller players when given the chance.
36. Lamar Odom LAL (F) 27 yrs old Contract: 2 yrs/$14
I sometimes forget how young Odom is. He played college ball for just one year before heading to the NBA, so even though he's been around for some time he's quiet young. When Odom is healthy he can be unstoppable. He's a bit like Josh Howard in that he cannot be the number one guy, but he's a great number two. Playing with Kobe the Lakers were much better than expected last year. However, this year with a hurt Odom, the Lakers really struggled. Odom can hit open jumpers and is a tough guy to guard because he can really drive the ball quickly and is 6'10. The next few seasons will define his career.
35. Emeka Okafor CHA (FC) 24 yrs old Contract: 2 yrs/$6.5
After a disappointing second season, Okafor brought it strong this past season. He'll never be a big scorer but he put in 14 a game this year and if you can get that output from your center you'll be happy. Okafor is paid to score though, he arguably the top defensive big man in the NBA right now. He averaged 2.6 bpg this past season along with 11.3 rpg. If he follows up this past season with another one next year he could shoot up this list.
34. Andre Iguodala PHI (GF) 23 yrs old Contract: 1 yr/$2.8
Iguodala was the Al Jefferson of guards last year. After a good rookie season Iguodala was expected to do big things in 05-06. He did not. However, as soon as Allen Iverson was traded to the Nuggets, Iguodala picked up his scoring and finished the season averaging over 18ppg. Not only was his scoring up, he averaged nearly 6 assists per game and 5 rebounds per game. Should he improve even more next year he could be an all star. He even put up a couple of triple-doubles last season, really showing his versatility.
33. Rashard Lewis FA (SF) 27 years old Contract: Free Agent
Lewis is a lot like Lamar Odom but with more scoring ability. However, he is a free agent. I'm guessing he follows the money and ends up averaging 23 a game for an awful team. Lewis is 6'10 but only pulled in six rebounds a game last year for the Sonics. Should he really want to take his game to the next level he'll need to take less threes and post up the smaller guys in the league who attempt to guard him. His youth and size keep him on this list but he could disappear with a sub par 07-08.
32. Vince Carter FA (SG) 30 yrs old Contract: Free Agent
Carter isn't necessarily a free agent yet. If he chooses, he can return to New Jersey and make 16 million next season. However, being 30 years old, he will probably opt to cash in on one more long term deal this offseason. When he was with Toronto early in his career there were comparisons to Michael Jordan and he may have topped lists like this one. However, he is widely known for caring only when he has money at stake or when he feels like it. Here's the proof: 00-01 Carter averaged over 27ppg and shot 46 percent, he also took about seven free throws per game. In 04-05 Carter was averaging 15.8 ppg on 41% shooting and was attempting only 3.6 free throws per game before being traded. He'll get a big deal this offseason. If my team signed him, I'd be mad. However, there is still that small chance he could put up 27 a game again.
31. Jermaine O'Neal IND (FC) 28 yrs old Contract: 3 yrs/$21
O'Neal is a lot like Carter. A guy who used to be in high demand and highly respected. No longer. O'Neal is now synonymous with injuries and fighting. The past three seasons he's averaging only 54 games per season because of injuries and suspensions. So there are some real injury concerns. That coupled with his insane contract make him a hard sell. However, when he's healthy and playing well he's almost unstoppable. Very few players can score in the post like O'Neal. He's good for at least 20/10 and two blocks a game. He's also a good shooter for big man. This next season will be key for him. If he can stay healthy and lead the Pacers back to the playoffs he'll be a real threat again.
Prince is a very unique player. His length makes him a tough guard for other small forwards and provides him with extra length on defense. Prince made the All NBA Defensive second team this year which shows how much other people in the league respect his D. Prince is especially valuable now because of all of the great "slashers" in the NBA. He can guard Kobe, Wade, LeBron etc. The only downside is his contract which could be viewed as a bit steep.
39. Josh Howard DAL (SF) 27 yrs old Contract: 4 yrs/$10
Plays alot like Prince and has an identical salary. The main plus for Howard over Prince is his scoring ability. Howard is seen as a scoring threat and appears to be getting better as he matures in the league. He's not a top option but is a great second fiddle paired with Dirk Nowitzki.
38. Al Jefferson BOS (FC) 22 yrs old Contract: 1 yr/$2.4
Jefferson is a total bargain right now after finally living up to some of that potential people had been talking about the past three years. Jefferson averaged 16ppg and 11rpg on a weak Boston team. Should the Celtics win the lottery and land Greg Oden or Kevin Durant this could be a really good Boston team. I have no reason to expect this however, it isn't uncommon for young guys like Jefferson to step up for a year and get that big pay increase and then tone it back down. In March Jefferson went for 32 and 18, showing a big glimpse of that promise.
37. Andrea Bargnani TOR (F) 21 yrs old Contract: 3 yrs/$5
Right when Bargnani was starting to turn it on this year he got hurt. Bargani, the number one pick last year, was better than expected. Some thought the Darko curse would strike Bargnani but it clearly did not. He really is a lot like Dirk Nowitzki. It's not fair to compare the two yet but Bargnani did have a better rookie year than Dirk. He can hit threes like nobodies business and score over smaller players when given the chance.
36. Lamar Odom LAL (F) 27 yrs old Contract: 2 yrs/$14
I sometimes forget how young Odom is. He played college ball for just one year before heading to the NBA, so even though he's been around for some time he's quiet young. When Odom is healthy he can be unstoppable. He's a bit like Josh Howard in that he cannot be the number one guy, but he's a great number two. Playing with Kobe the Lakers were much better than expected last year. However, this year with a hurt Odom, the Lakers really struggled. Odom can hit open jumpers and is a tough guy to guard because he can really drive the ball quickly and is 6'10. The next few seasons will define his career.
35. Emeka Okafor CHA (FC) 24 yrs old Contract: 2 yrs/$6.5
After a disappointing second season, Okafor brought it strong this past season. He'll never be a big scorer but he put in 14 a game this year and if you can get that output from your center you'll be happy. Okafor is paid to score though, he arguably the top defensive big man in the NBA right now. He averaged 2.6 bpg this past season along with 11.3 rpg. If he follows up this past season with another one next year he could shoot up this list.
34. Andre Iguodala PHI (GF) 23 yrs old Contract: 1 yr/$2.8
Iguodala was the Al Jefferson of guards last year. After a good rookie season Iguodala was expected to do big things in 05-06. He did not. However, as soon as Allen Iverson was traded to the Nuggets, Iguodala picked up his scoring and finished the season averaging over 18ppg. Not only was his scoring up, he averaged nearly 6 assists per game and 5 rebounds per game. Should he improve even more next year he could be an all star. He even put up a couple of triple-doubles last season, really showing his versatility.
33. Rashard Lewis FA (SF) 27 years old Contract: Free Agent
Lewis is a lot like Lamar Odom but with more scoring ability. However, he is a free agent. I'm guessing he follows the money and ends up averaging 23 a game for an awful team. Lewis is 6'10 but only pulled in six rebounds a game last year for the Sonics. Should he really want to take his game to the next level he'll need to take less threes and post up the smaller guys in the league who attempt to guard him. His youth and size keep him on this list but he could disappear with a sub par 07-08.
32. Vince Carter FA (SG) 30 yrs old Contract: Free Agent
Carter isn't necessarily a free agent yet. If he chooses, he can return to New Jersey and make 16 million next season. However, being 30 years old, he will probably opt to cash in on one more long term deal this offseason. When he was with Toronto early in his career there were comparisons to Michael Jordan and he may have topped lists like this one. However, he is widely known for caring only when he has money at stake or when he feels like it. Here's the proof: 00-01 Carter averaged over 27ppg and shot 46 percent, he also took about seven free throws per game. In 04-05 Carter was averaging 15.8 ppg on 41% shooting and was attempting only 3.6 free throws per game before being traded. He'll get a big deal this offseason. If my team signed him, I'd be mad. However, there is still that small chance he could put up 27 a game again.
31. Jermaine O'Neal IND (FC) 28 yrs old Contract: 3 yrs/$21
O'Neal is a lot like Carter. A guy who used to be in high demand and highly respected. No longer. O'Neal is now synonymous with injuries and fighting. The past three seasons he's averaging only 54 games per season because of injuries and suspensions. So there are some real injury concerns. That coupled with his insane contract make him a hard sell. However, when he's healthy and playing well he's almost unstoppable. Very few players can score in the post like O'Neal. He's good for at least 20/10 and two blocks a game. He's also a good shooter for big man. This next season will be key for him. If he can stay healthy and lead the Pacers back to the playoffs he'll be a real threat again.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Ranking the NBAs Best
So Bill Simmons has done this thing the past few years where he ranks the best players in the NBA. These aren't just your ordinary run of the mill rankings however. There are a lot of variables considered. I spent the better part of my Sunday afternoon going through the NBA and taking notes. Players are not just judged by their statistics. Other factors included are: injury history, contract, attitude, age, etc. I went over the rosters for every NBA team and wrote down every name that caught my eye. I ended up with about 80-90 names.
There were some very tough cuts. Some guys were excluded because of attitude (Artest) some because of a bad contract (Ben Wallace, Carlos Boozer), and some because they just don't have enough experience to really tell (Monta Ellis, Paul Millsap). So while we can all agree that right now Ben Wallace, Carlos Boozer, and Ron Artest are better than Andris Biedrins and Andrew Bynum, this ranking system will not reflect that.
Before we get to the rankings, here is how they should be interpreted. If a player is rated 19th on the list all players 1-18 should be accepted in a trade for that 19th rated player. So according to my current rankings, Paul Pierce is 18th and Chauncey Billups is 19th. This means that should the Pistons be offered Pierce for Billups they should make the trade. Here we go. Hopefully this will be an annual installment on the blog.
50. Leandro Barbosa PHX (G): 24 yrs old Contract: 5 yrs/$6.5 per season.
Barbosa has really made a name for himself this season. He is still very young and can play both guard positions effectively. Barbosa averaged 18 ppg and 4apg this season in winning the sixth man of the year award. Barbosa would be rated higher but I'm a bit skeptical that he is just a product of the way Phoenix plays.
49. Tyrus Thomas CHI (F): 20 yrs old Contract: 3yrs/$4
Thomas really progressed as the season went along. He plays with tons of energy and is 6'9. It is the Bulls hope that Thomas will turn into a poor mans Kevin Garnett. Thomas will never have the post up ability of a Garnett but could be good for 20ppg and 10rpg based on his energy and size. He's also not afraid to mix it up with the opposition.
48. Andris Biedrins GS (FC): 21 yrs old Contract: 1 yr/$2.6
Biedrins is another player who broke out this season. So many guys are picked early in the NBA Draft with teams hoping they'll blossom like Biedrins did this season. Biedrins shot 60% from the field and averaged 9ppg and 9rpg picking up a lot of double-doubles over the course of the season. He is 6'11 and can keep up with the up tempo game the Warriors play, this will bode well for him in his career as more and more teams are playing that style of ball. He has almost no range but is good in the post and will get the majority of his points off of offensive rebounds.
47. Tyson Chandler NO (FC) 24 yrs old Contract: 4 yrs/$11
Chandler got a big fat pay raise a couple of years back and the Bulls didn't think he was worth it. They dumped him off on the Hornets and used that money to sign Ben Wallace. As a Pistons fan who has seen Ben Wallace Play a lot, the Bulls messed up on that one. Chandler basically does the same stuff Wallace does, but with more offense and he's much younger than Big Ben. Chandler averaged nearly 10ppg and grabbed over 12 rpg and 1.77 blocks per game. Like Wallace, he is a dreadful shooter and is rated this low because he makes way too much money for how little he scores.
46. Richard Jefferson NJ (SF) 26 yrs old Contract: 4 yrs/$14
First, I had no idea he was paid this much, yikes. Way too much money for him. Jefferson is a good player who can hit threes but can also drive to the lane and draw fouls, that's what makes him a valuable player. The problem (aside from how much he makes) is that he has a history of injuries. Should he stay healthy he can average 20ppg and 7rpg. The health is a huge issue though. He is one of those guys though that just doesn't scare me at all. If your team has a guy like Bowen, Prince, or Josh Howard, you can pretty much forget about Jefferson for the night.
45. Ben Gordon CHI (G) 24 yrs old Contract: 1yr/$4.8
First of all, if Gordon had a five year deal for $4.8 per season, he'd be much higher on this list. However, he's heading into the last year of his deal and is likely to get a pretty good raise. My main problem with Gordon is how streaky he is. He had 10 games this year where he failed to score in double digits, not what you're looking for from your starting shooting guard. However, when he's on, he's on. This past season he went for 37, 37, 40,41,34,33,48,33, and 37. So the guy can score in bunches, you just aren't ever sure which one will show up. He's also a bit short for a two guard.
44. Zach Randolph POR (PF) 25 yrs old Contract: 4 yrs/$16
There are two HUGE red flags here. He's way overpaid and he's a total nut. Randolph has had numerous run ins with the law and was part of that Jail Blazer culture of the early 2000's. That being said, he is one of the true great, back to the basket, scorers in the NBA. Every time I see the Blazers on TV I am amazed at how good he is inside. This past season he put up 23ppg and 10rpg. Not all guys can do that. Not only does he score inside, he can hit the 18 footer as well. He is a tough matchup for every team he goes against, he's just a little too crazy to put on most teams.
43. LaMarcus Aldridge POR (PF) 21 yrs old Contract: 3 yrs/$4.5
Aldridge is what makes Randolph expendable for the Blazers. The Blazers put together a great draft last summer and Aldridge is a huge piece of that. He is 6'10 and can get it done inside. Big men like him almost always get even better inside and they mature in the league. While he finished the season with modest numbers he was huge in March averaging 15ppg, 8rpg, and almost 2bpg. Blazer fans have reasons to be excited for the future thanks to players like him.
42. Mehmet Okur UTAH (FC) 27 yrs old Contract: 3 yrs/$8.5
When Okur left the Pistons a few years back I didn't mind, I thought he got too much money. However, that deal doesn't look too bad right now. $8.5 per season for a guy who averaged 18/7 this past season isn't too bad. Especially when he can run the floor, score in the post and hit threes. However, he is awful on defense. Being awful on defense is even harder to cover when you're a playing center or power forward. Guys like Tim Duncan and Amare Stoudemire can really light up Okur. That being said, he seems to have a found a good situation in Utah.
41. Brandon Roy POR (GF) 22 yrs old Contract: 3yrs/$3.5
Roy won rookie of the year this past season in a landslide despite appearing in only 57 games due to injury. It's too early to say if he has an injury problem but it's something to keep an eye on. Before last year's draft he was considered the one "can't miss" guy. For some reason those can't miss guys always drop in favor of bigger risks. Roy will never be a LeBron James or anyone like that, but he could be good for 18/6/6 for the next 12 years. The biggest indicator for success with Roy is that he can shoot. He shot a very respectable 46% in his rookie year, most guards struggle with shooting early in their careers.
Okay, that's it for today. I will give the next 10 entries on the list over the course of the week. I hope you enjoy the list, please feel free to comment if you take offense to any of this.
There were some very tough cuts. Some guys were excluded because of attitude (Artest) some because of a bad contract (Ben Wallace, Carlos Boozer), and some because they just don't have enough experience to really tell (Monta Ellis, Paul Millsap). So while we can all agree that right now Ben Wallace, Carlos Boozer, and Ron Artest are better than Andris Biedrins and Andrew Bynum, this ranking system will not reflect that.
Before we get to the rankings, here is how they should be interpreted. If a player is rated 19th on the list all players 1-18 should be accepted in a trade for that 19th rated player. So according to my current rankings, Paul Pierce is 18th and Chauncey Billups is 19th. This means that should the Pistons be offered Pierce for Billups they should make the trade. Here we go. Hopefully this will be an annual installment on the blog.
50. Leandro Barbosa PHX (G): 24 yrs old Contract: 5 yrs/$6.5 per season.
Barbosa has really made a name for himself this season. He is still very young and can play both guard positions effectively. Barbosa averaged 18 ppg and 4apg this season in winning the sixth man of the year award. Barbosa would be rated higher but I'm a bit skeptical that he is just a product of the way Phoenix plays.
49. Tyrus Thomas CHI (F): 20 yrs old Contract: 3yrs/$4
Thomas really progressed as the season went along. He plays with tons of energy and is 6'9. It is the Bulls hope that Thomas will turn into a poor mans Kevin Garnett. Thomas will never have the post up ability of a Garnett but could be good for 20ppg and 10rpg based on his energy and size. He's also not afraid to mix it up with the opposition.
48. Andris Biedrins GS (FC): 21 yrs old Contract: 1 yr/$2.6
Biedrins is another player who broke out this season. So many guys are picked early in the NBA Draft with teams hoping they'll blossom like Biedrins did this season. Biedrins shot 60% from the field and averaged 9ppg and 9rpg picking up a lot of double-doubles over the course of the season. He is 6'11 and can keep up with the up tempo game the Warriors play, this will bode well for him in his career as more and more teams are playing that style of ball. He has almost no range but is good in the post and will get the majority of his points off of offensive rebounds.
47. Tyson Chandler NO (FC) 24 yrs old Contract: 4 yrs/$11
Chandler got a big fat pay raise a couple of years back and the Bulls didn't think he was worth it. They dumped him off on the Hornets and used that money to sign Ben Wallace. As a Pistons fan who has seen Ben Wallace Play a lot, the Bulls messed up on that one. Chandler basically does the same stuff Wallace does, but with more offense and he's much younger than Big Ben. Chandler averaged nearly 10ppg and grabbed over 12 rpg and 1.77 blocks per game. Like Wallace, he is a dreadful shooter and is rated this low because he makes way too much money for how little he scores.
46. Richard Jefferson NJ (SF) 26 yrs old Contract: 4 yrs/$14
First, I had no idea he was paid this much, yikes. Way too much money for him. Jefferson is a good player who can hit threes but can also drive to the lane and draw fouls, that's what makes him a valuable player. The problem (aside from how much he makes) is that he has a history of injuries. Should he stay healthy he can average 20ppg and 7rpg. The health is a huge issue though. He is one of those guys though that just doesn't scare me at all. If your team has a guy like Bowen, Prince, or Josh Howard, you can pretty much forget about Jefferson for the night.
45. Ben Gordon CHI (G) 24 yrs old Contract: 1yr/$4.8
First of all, if Gordon had a five year deal for $4.8 per season, he'd be much higher on this list. However, he's heading into the last year of his deal and is likely to get a pretty good raise. My main problem with Gordon is how streaky he is. He had 10 games this year where he failed to score in double digits, not what you're looking for from your starting shooting guard. However, when he's on, he's on. This past season he went for 37, 37, 40,41,34,33,48,33, and 37. So the guy can score in bunches, you just aren't ever sure which one will show up. He's also a bit short for a two guard.
44. Zach Randolph POR (PF) 25 yrs old Contract: 4 yrs/$16
There are two HUGE red flags here. He's way overpaid and he's a total nut. Randolph has had numerous run ins with the law and was part of that Jail Blazer culture of the early 2000's. That being said, he is one of the true great, back to the basket, scorers in the NBA. Every time I see the Blazers on TV I am amazed at how good he is inside. This past season he put up 23ppg and 10rpg. Not all guys can do that. Not only does he score inside, he can hit the 18 footer as well. He is a tough matchup for every team he goes against, he's just a little too crazy to put on most teams.
43. LaMarcus Aldridge POR (PF) 21 yrs old Contract: 3 yrs/$4.5
Aldridge is what makes Randolph expendable for the Blazers. The Blazers put together a great draft last summer and Aldridge is a huge piece of that. He is 6'10 and can get it done inside. Big men like him almost always get even better inside and they mature in the league. While he finished the season with modest numbers he was huge in March averaging 15ppg, 8rpg, and almost 2bpg. Blazer fans have reasons to be excited for the future thanks to players like him.
42. Mehmet Okur UTAH (FC) 27 yrs old Contract: 3 yrs/$8.5
When Okur left the Pistons a few years back I didn't mind, I thought he got too much money. However, that deal doesn't look too bad right now. $8.5 per season for a guy who averaged 18/7 this past season isn't too bad. Especially when he can run the floor, score in the post and hit threes. However, he is awful on defense. Being awful on defense is even harder to cover when you're a playing center or power forward. Guys like Tim Duncan and Amare Stoudemire can really light up Okur. That being said, he seems to have a found a good situation in Utah.
41. Brandon Roy POR (GF) 22 yrs old Contract: 3yrs/$3.5
Roy won rookie of the year this past season in a landslide despite appearing in only 57 games due to injury. It's too early to say if he has an injury problem but it's something to keep an eye on. Before last year's draft he was considered the one "can't miss" guy. For some reason those can't miss guys always drop in favor of bigger risks. Roy will never be a LeBron James or anyone like that, but he could be good for 18/6/6 for the next 12 years. The biggest indicator for success with Roy is that he can shoot. He shot a very respectable 46% in his rookie year, most guards struggle with shooting early in their careers.
Okay, that's it for today. I will give the next 10 entries on the list over the course of the week. I hope you enjoy the list, please feel free to comment if you take offense to any of this.
Friday, May 18, 2007
A Few Quick Things
1. It's hard to get motivated and find the time to do this without Rob pushing me. Sorry about that.
2. The Pistons rebounded big time in game six. Should have seen it coming, this team does it's best when there's some pressure. I hate to say this because it almost burned me last year but...the Cavs do not scare me at all. There are 8 or 9 teams in the NBA that are more scary. Should be a five or six game series.
3. Tigers-Red Sox series was fun, even though the outcome wasn't ideal. Games 1/2 were not close and injuries caught up with the Tigers for the doubleheader. Oh well, it's May. 100 or so games left to the season. However, as I write this, the New York Yankees are 10 games out of first place. That could be some tough sledding for them. I know it's early, I know there are a lot of games left, but they are not catching the Red Sox. That will not happen. That means they need to win the Wild Card to make the playoffs. That could be rough as well. Good times.
4. In case you were wondering my fantasy baseball team is doing very well.
5. I'll have a real post in a day or two.
2. The Pistons rebounded big time in game six. Should have seen it coming, this team does it's best when there's some pressure. I hate to say this because it almost burned me last year but...the Cavs do not scare me at all. There are 8 or 9 teams in the NBA that are more scary. Should be a five or six game series.
3. Tigers-Red Sox series was fun, even though the outcome wasn't ideal. Games 1/2 were not close and injuries caught up with the Tigers for the doubleheader. Oh well, it's May. 100 or so games left to the season. However, as I write this, the New York Yankees are 10 games out of first place. That could be some tough sledding for them. I know it's early, I know there are a lot of games left, but they are not catching the Red Sox. That will not happen. That means they need to win the Wild Card to make the playoffs. That could be rough as well. Good times.
4. In case you were wondering my fantasy baseball team is doing very well.
5. I'll have a real post in a day or two.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Posting From Work
I am not a violent man and would never support violence. But it's good to see that the NBA Playoffs are starting to get a little tense. It makes for a much better product when there is something personal going on. However, it's one thing to get edgy in a close series, like the Suns-Spurs, but it's another things to do it when you're down 3-1 and getting out played badly like the Warriors are against the Jazz. A quick update for those who don't know what I'm talking about...
1) Pretty much all season teams have been calling the Spurs "dirty". A label often given to teams that are both physical and very good. In game one Steve Nash got his nose busted open and Tony Parker got a huge bump on his head. The next two games featured the Suns complaining about how dirty some of the Spurs were especially Bruce Bowen and Manu Ginobli. Last night in game four, the Suns rallied to beat the Spurs to tie the series at 2. With seconds remaining and Steve Nash handling the ball Robert Horry ran over to foul him to stop the clock, but instead of fouling him he body checked him into the scorers table. Horry was ejected and faces a suspension.
2) The Warriors were about to lose game 4 to the Jazz at home and fall down 3-1 when Baron Davis lowered his shoulder into the face of Derek Fisher. No foul was called but video shows that Davis did this on purpose, a real low class move. A couple of plays later Mehmeh Okur of the Jazz went in for a dunk and was tackled in mid-air by the Warriors' Jason Richardson. Richardson was called for a double flagrant and was kicked out of the game. Both players could have been suspended but the league has not acted and they play again tonight.
It's getting personal out there and that's good for the game.
1) Pretty much all season teams have been calling the Spurs "dirty". A label often given to teams that are both physical and very good. In game one Steve Nash got his nose busted open and Tony Parker got a huge bump on his head. The next two games featured the Suns complaining about how dirty some of the Spurs were especially Bruce Bowen and Manu Ginobli. Last night in game four, the Suns rallied to beat the Spurs to tie the series at 2. With seconds remaining and Steve Nash handling the ball Robert Horry ran over to foul him to stop the clock, but instead of fouling him he body checked him into the scorers table. Horry was ejected and faces a suspension.
2) The Warriors were about to lose game 4 to the Jazz at home and fall down 3-1 when Baron Davis lowered his shoulder into the face of Derek Fisher. No foul was called but video shows that Davis did this on purpose, a real low class move. A couple of plays later Mehmeh Okur of the Jazz went in for a dunk and was tackled in mid-air by the Warriors' Jason Richardson. Richardson was called for a double flagrant and was kicked out of the game. Both players could have been suspended but the league has not acted and they play again tonight.
It's getting personal out there and that's good for the game.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Series is Still Over
Yeah, so it's not the most bold statement in the world to say the Pistons will win their series against the Bulls. No NBA team has ever blown a 3-0 lead, the Pistons will not be the first. A few points:
1. That come from behind win in game three was amazing. That's what makes the Pistons tough, their ability to adjust. After scoring only 28 pts in the first half on the road, it would have been pretty easy to call it a day and get ready for game four. The Pistons obviously did not do this. They turned up the defensive pressure a young team and forced them into bad shots and contested every look. This turned into all kinds of scoring opportunities.
2. The Bulls fans left game three early, they could sense the SERIES was over. Bulls fans started leaving that game so early. They left with the Bulls down only four or five. They did this because they knew it didn't matter. After that third quarter the game was over. There was no life in that building the rest of the night. A demoralizing loss like that is just that, it's the killer.
3. The Bulls didn't win game four, the Pistons lost it. They got complacent on Sunday. There is no way the Bulls win game five, take that to the bank. The fact that the series is stretched out another few days could be good so the Pistons aren't stale when they face either the Nets or the Cavs.
1. That come from behind win in game three was amazing. That's what makes the Pistons tough, their ability to adjust. After scoring only 28 pts in the first half on the road, it would have been pretty easy to call it a day and get ready for game four. The Pistons obviously did not do this. They turned up the defensive pressure a young team and forced them into bad shots and contested every look. This turned into all kinds of scoring opportunities.
2. The Bulls fans left game three early, they could sense the SERIES was over. Bulls fans started leaving that game so early. They left with the Bulls down only four or five. They did this because they knew it didn't matter. After that third quarter the game was over. There was no life in that building the rest of the night. A demoralizing loss like that is just that, it's the killer.
3. The Bulls didn't win game four, the Pistons lost it. They got complacent on Sunday. There is no way the Bulls win game five, take that to the bank. The fact that the series is stretched out another few days could be good so the Pistons aren't stale when they face either the Nets or the Cavs.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Does Payroll Even Matter?
For years I have been at the forefront of the "hey, this team spends way more, of course they're good" front. It's not really fair. It's not fair at all that some teams spend 200 million dollars a year and others spend only 30 million. And that's just in salaries. It's probably safe to assume that teams with a high payroll also spend more in scouting, coaching staffs, and in international scouting. It isn't fair. But does it even matter? I say, no. If sports prove anything it's that money doesn't buy happiness (winning). Look at the Yankees, Mets, and Cubs. Traditionally at the top of the heap as far as money spent goes. The Yankees last won the World Series in 2000, the Mets in 1986, and the Cubs in 1908. Not a great track record. There have been too few games played in 2007, so let's take a quick look back at 2006. We'll see how teams did compared to their payroll. (Payrolls as of Opening Day and listed in millions)
90 Win Teams:
90 Wins is usually a pretty good benchmark for success. 90 wins will often get a team into the playoffs, even if it doesn't it's hard to scoff at 90 wins. There were six 90 win teams last year and five of them went to the playoffs.
97: NY Yankees* ($189) 1st
97: NY Mets* ($115) 3rd
96: Minnesota Twins* ($71) 18th
95: Detroit Tigers* ($95) 9th
93: Oakland A's* ($79) 17th
90: Chicago White Sox ($108) 5th
First of all, it's astounding to see the gap between the top payroll in baseball and the third highest, I thought that would have been a lot closer. And sure, 4 of these 6 teams were in the top ten in payroll, but two of them were in the bottom half and they both made the playoffs. The Twins and A's are also perennial contenders.
80-89 Wins
A win total in the 80's can be a huge success (San Diego) or a huge let down (Red Sox). There were 10 teams last year with win totals in the 80's with a few of them making the playoffs and doing some damage.
89: LA Angels ($109) 4th
88: LA Dodgers* ($108) 6th
88: San Diego Padres* ($58) 24th
87: Toronto Blue Jays ($81) 16th
86 Boston Red Sox ($143) 2nd
85: Philadelphia Phillies ($89) 13th
83: St. Louis Cardinals* ($90) 11th
82: Houston Astros ($87) 14th
80: Texas Rangers ($68) 21st
80: Cincinnati Reds ($68) 20th
The salaries really run the gambit here, as suspected I suppose. There are big spenders, some middle or the road teams and the Padres (who made the playoffs) checking in at 24th.
70-79 Wins
Again, a win total in the 70's can be either good or bad. For example, when the Tigers lost 119 games a few years ago and then won 72 the next year, that was terrific, fans couldn't have asked for much more.
79: Atlanta Braves ($87) 15th
78: Florida Marlins ($30) 29th
78: Seattle Mariners ($106) 7th
78: Cleveland Indians ($61) 23rd
76: San Francisco Giants ($90) 12th
76: Colorado Rockies ($54) 25th
76: Arizona D'Backs ($52) 26th
75: Milwaukee Brewers ($70) 19th
71: Washington Nationals ($37) 28th
70: Baltimore Orioles ($93) 10th
Below 70 Wins
There's almost no way to sugar coat a season in which your team fails to win even 70 games. The following teams did just that and odds are they are still not very good.
67: Pittsburgh Pirates ($38) 27th
66: Chicago Cubs ($99) 8th
62: Kansas City Royals ($67) 22nd
61: Tampa Bay Rays ($24) 20th
Pretty clear shot here, if you are so bad to post 60-some wins then you either have a low payroll or you are so mismanaged you just fail.
Average Payroll for:
Playoff Teams: $100,000,000
Non Playoff Teams: $75,500,000
90 Wins or Better: $109,500,000
80-89 Wins: $90,100,000
70-79 Wins: $68,000,000
Less Than 70 Wins: $57,000,000
Cost Per Yankee Win: $1,948,000
Cost Per Cubs Win: $1,500,000
Cost Per Tiger Win: $1,000,000
Cost Per Twins Win: $739,000
Cost Per Marlins Win: $384,000
So I guess I was wrong. For the most part, you pay for success. There are always going to be some exceptions to the rule. Last years World Series featured the 9th and 11th highest payrolls which isn't insane. The team with the second highest payroll did not make the playoffs. However, the sad truth seems to be that, most of the time, you do pay for wins.
**Rob is currently in Europe. He said he would try to find time to post, but it'll be mostly me for the next two weeks. I'll try to turn out as much as I can.**
90 Win Teams:
90 Wins is usually a pretty good benchmark for success. 90 wins will often get a team into the playoffs, even if it doesn't it's hard to scoff at 90 wins. There were six 90 win teams last year and five of them went to the playoffs.
97: NY Yankees* ($189) 1st
97: NY Mets* ($115) 3rd
96: Minnesota Twins* ($71) 18th
95: Detroit Tigers* ($95) 9th
93: Oakland A's* ($79) 17th
90: Chicago White Sox ($108) 5th
First of all, it's astounding to see the gap between the top payroll in baseball and the third highest, I thought that would have been a lot closer. And sure, 4 of these 6 teams were in the top ten in payroll, but two of them were in the bottom half and they both made the playoffs. The Twins and A's are also perennial contenders.
80-89 Wins
A win total in the 80's can be a huge success (San Diego) or a huge let down (Red Sox). There were 10 teams last year with win totals in the 80's with a few of them making the playoffs and doing some damage.
89: LA Angels ($109) 4th
88: LA Dodgers* ($108) 6th
88: San Diego Padres* ($58) 24th
87: Toronto Blue Jays ($81) 16th
86 Boston Red Sox ($143) 2nd
85: Philadelphia Phillies ($89) 13th
83: St. Louis Cardinals* ($90) 11th
82: Houston Astros ($87) 14th
80: Texas Rangers ($68) 21st
80: Cincinnati Reds ($68) 20th
The salaries really run the gambit here, as suspected I suppose. There are big spenders, some middle or the road teams and the Padres (who made the playoffs) checking in at 24th.
70-79 Wins
Again, a win total in the 70's can be either good or bad. For example, when the Tigers lost 119 games a few years ago and then won 72 the next year, that was terrific, fans couldn't have asked for much more.
79: Atlanta Braves ($87) 15th
78: Florida Marlins ($30) 29th
78: Seattle Mariners ($106) 7th
78: Cleveland Indians ($61) 23rd
76: San Francisco Giants ($90) 12th
76: Colorado Rockies ($54) 25th
76: Arizona D'Backs ($52) 26th
75: Milwaukee Brewers ($70) 19th
71: Washington Nationals ($37) 28th
70: Baltimore Orioles ($93) 10th
Below 70 Wins
There's almost no way to sugar coat a season in which your team fails to win even 70 games. The following teams did just that and odds are they are still not very good.
67: Pittsburgh Pirates ($38) 27th
66: Chicago Cubs ($99) 8th
62: Kansas City Royals ($67) 22nd
61: Tampa Bay Rays ($24) 20th
Pretty clear shot here, if you are so bad to post 60-some wins then you either have a low payroll or you are so mismanaged you just fail.
Average Payroll for:
Playoff Teams: $100,000,000
Non Playoff Teams: $75,500,000
90 Wins or Better: $109,500,000
80-89 Wins: $90,100,000
70-79 Wins: $68,000,000
Less Than 70 Wins: $57,000,000
Cost Per Yankee Win: $1,948,000
Cost Per Cubs Win: $1,500,000
Cost Per Tiger Win: $1,000,000
Cost Per Twins Win: $739,000
Cost Per Marlins Win: $384,000
So I guess I was wrong. For the most part, you pay for success. There are always going to be some exceptions to the rule. Last years World Series featured the 9th and 11th highest payrolls which isn't insane. The team with the second highest payroll did not make the playoffs. However, the sad truth seems to be that, most of the time, you do pay for wins.
**Rob is currently in Europe. He said he would try to find time to post, but it'll be mostly me for the next two weeks. I'll try to turn out as much as I can.**
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Hodge Podge Post
I have a few things that i have brief thoughts on. Please post back in response to 1, 2, or all 5 thoughts.
1. The Pistons are rolling right now. I don't want to get ahead of ourselves here, but the Bulls look like a team that cannot score and lost the spring that it had against the Heat. I am not sure what there deal s but they are reverting back to what everyone thought they would be: a team that can't score but has good defense. Currently, they are only doing one of those things against the Pistons. But like I always say, a series doesn't really start until someone loses at home. We will see. I like the Pistons in 4 at this point.
2. Zumaya out for 12 weeks? What did he do to rupture the muscles in this finger? Put it through a meat grinder? I am sorry, but I can't believe it would take 12 weeks to comeback from a finger injury. For all of you that want to be upset with me because Wang from NYY missed a start from a split finger nail, can it.
3. Wings are looking good. I like watching hockey now, except for the fact that Todd Bertuzzi is a criminal.
4. Clemens. The Rocket. It was inevitable. It should solidify the rotation and give the pitching staff some confidence. I think all of the bull pen is suffering from that. Rivera has been having momentary lapses in judgement. His pitching has been good, but it like he takes a pitch off here and there. Not really sure about this...
5. Check out this story: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2863623
Apparently, Big Papi is standing up for Barry Bonds. Can someone welcome him to the "Accusation Club"? I would think that would be the responsibility of the board which consist of McGwire, Palmero, Sosa, and the President Jose Canseco.
That is all for now. Post on bloggers, post on.
1. The Pistons are rolling right now. I don't want to get ahead of ourselves here, but the Bulls look like a team that cannot score and lost the spring that it had against the Heat. I am not sure what there deal s but they are reverting back to what everyone thought they would be: a team that can't score but has good defense. Currently, they are only doing one of those things against the Pistons. But like I always say, a series doesn't really start until someone loses at home. We will see. I like the Pistons in 4 at this point.
2. Zumaya out for 12 weeks? What did he do to rupture the muscles in this finger? Put it through a meat grinder? I am sorry, but I can't believe it would take 12 weeks to comeback from a finger injury. For all of you that want to be upset with me because Wang from NYY missed a start from a split finger nail, can it.
3. Wings are looking good. I like watching hockey now, except for the fact that Todd Bertuzzi is a criminal.
4. Clemens. The Rocket. It was inevitable. It should solidify the rotation and give the pitching staff some confidence. I think all of the bull pen is suffering from that. Rivera has been having momentary lapses in judgement. His pitching has been good, but it like he takes a pitch off here and there. Not really sure about this...
5. Check out this story: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2863623
Apparently, Big Papi is standing up for Barry Bonds. Can someone welcome him to the "Accusation Club"? I would think that would be the responsibility of the board which consist of McGwire, Palmero, Sosa, and the President Jose Canseco.
That is all for now. Post on bloggers, post on.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Big Time Series
As many of you know, the Pistons start their series with the Chicago Bulls tomorrow. While the Pistons are the top seed in the East and the Bulls are the 4th, this is a very tight match up. The Pistons won only four more games than the Bulls with the Bulls taking three out of four from the Pistons. I really don't think too much should be made of the Bulls record against the Pistons however. Regular season records don't show who was hurt in a game or if the game was a second in a back-to-back situation. Not to take anything away from the Bulls, I just think these two teams are really tight.
The series should be very close and things could get a bit chippy. I say there's a pretty good chance we'll more than our fair share of technicals and plenty of physical play. One cool subplot here is that, at least for this season, it will determine if Ben Wallace was worth the money. I still like that the Pistons let Wallace go. I remember speaking with my Uncle Tim and Rob's wedding about a year ago about how the Pistons should just let him go. Yeah, he was good. He was great on D, but his attitude was getting tired and so was his body. 90% of his game is based on being in shape and being quick. I don't need to tell anyone that as a person gets older they lose some of that "shape" and "quickness."
Let's break this down as simply as possible:
Guards: Bulls (Duhon, Gordon, Hinrich, Sefolosha) vs Pistons (Hamilton, Billups, Murray, Hunter). Hinrich is a pesky defender, and a solid point guard. Duhon and Sefolosha are the back ups, Duhon is the solid point guard who isn't much a scorer and Sefolosha plays great defense with some offense. The key here is Ben Gordon. Gordon can fill it up with the best of them, he can also go on cold streaks like nobodies business. Billups and Hamilton are an open book, we all know what they do. Don't expect Billups to score at will on Hinrich like he did against Orlando. I give the Pistons a slight edge here because of the experience and the scoring power.
EDGE: Pistons
Forwards: Bulls (PJ Brown, Luol Deng, Ty Thomas, Nocioni) vs Pistons (Wallace, Prince, McDyess, Delfino, Maxiell) Again, give the Pistons the edge on experience. Prince and Wallace have done this hundreds of times. However, this Bulls group is athletic, the Pistons cannot match them there. Deng is a force but should be neutralized a bit by Prince. The real question mark here is Rasheed. Rasheed isn't quite as spry as he once was, I worry about what guys like Ty Thomas could do to him. Nocioni's offense is a lot like Tayshaun's a bit of a driver who can hit the three's. Maxiell and Delfino probably won't see much action.
EDGE: Even
Centers: Ben Wallace vs Chris Webber. A match up of aging big men. Big edge here to Wallace. Wallace can still change the game with his defense. Webber barely plays any defense. Webber obviously has the edge offensively but that could be shut down by Big Ben.
EDGE: Bulls
Coaching: Scott Skiles has always been known as a tough guy and this Bulls team is buying into his style. Remember early in the year when he got into that big thing with Ben Wallace about his headbands? That went in his favor, the team respects him. Flip Saunders gets a bad rap in Michigan which isn't fair. He's been the coach for two years. They finished with the best record in the East both times. Made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last year and could get there again this year. Saunders also has more playoff experience and coaching experience than Skiles. Not a must to be a good coach, but a plus. Plus it looks like the Pistons are finally starting to know how to play some good zone defense.
EDGE: Pistons
The main edge for the Pistons here is home court. Most people seem to think this series will go seven games. Game seven will be in Detroit. I have a hard time believing anyone can take a game seven in Detroit.
Pistons in 7.
The series should be very close and things could get a bit chippy. I say there's a pretty good chance we'll more than our fair share of technicals and plenty of physical play. One cool subplot here is that, at least for this season, it will determine if Ben Wallace was worth the money. I still like that the Pistons let Wallace go. I remember speaking with my Uncle Tim and Rob's wedding about a year ago about how the Pistons should just let him go. Yeah, he was good. He was great on D, but his attitude was getting tired and so was his body. 90% of his game is based on being in shape and being quick. I don't need to tell anyone that as a person gets older they lose some of that "shape" and "quickness."
Let's break this down as simply as possible:
Guards: Bulls (Duhon, Gordon, Hinrich, Sefolosha) vs Pistons (Hamilton, Billups, Murray, Hunter). Hinrich is a pesky defender, and a solid point guard. Duhon and Sefolosha are the back ups, Duhon is the solid point guard who isn't much a scorer and Sefolosha plays great defense with some offense. The key here is Ben Gordon. Gordon can fill it up with the best of them, he can also go on cold streaks like nobodies business. Billups and Hamilton are an open book, we all know what they do. Don't expect Billups to score at will on Hinrich like he did against Orlando. I give the Pistons a slight edge here because of the experience and the scoring power.
EDGE: Pistons
Forwards: Bulls (PJ Brown, Luol Deng, Ty Thomas, Nocioni) vs Pistons (Wallace, Prince, McDyess, Delfino, Maxiell) Again, give the Pistons the edge on experience. Prince and Wallace have done this hundreds of times. However, this Bulls group is athletic, the Pistons cannot match them there. Deng is a force but should be neutralized a bit by Prince. The real question mark here is Rasheed. Rasheed isn't quite as spry as he once was, I worry about what guys like Ty Thomas could do to him. Nocioni's offense is a lot like Tayshaun's a bit of a driver who can hit the three's. Maxiell and Delfino probably won't see much action.
EDGE: Even
Centers: Ben Wallace vs Chris Webber. A match up of aging big men. Big edge here to Wallace. Wallace can still change the game with his defense. Webber barely plays any defense. Webber obviously has the edge offensively but that could be shut down by Big Ben.
EDGE: Bulls
Coaching: Scott Skiles has always been known as a tough guy and this Bulls team is buying into his style. Remember early in the year when he got into that big thing with Ben Wallace about his headbands? That went in his favor, the team respects him. Flip Saunders gets a bad rap in Michigan which isn't fair. He's been the coach for two years. They finished with the best record in the East both times. Made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last year and could get there again this year. Saunders also has more playoff experience and coaching experience than Skiles. Not a must to be a good coach, but a plus. Plus it looks like the Pistons are finally starting to know how to play some good zone defense.
EDGE: Pistons
The main edge for the Pistons here is home court. Most people seem to think this series will go seven games. Game seven will be in Detroit. I have a hard time believing anyone can take a game seven in Detroit.
Pistons in 7.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
The Greats
Tiger and MJ. Two of the greatest competitors the world as ever seen. In fact, they are the greatest. Ever.
I wanted to recount their 18 holes but I didn't get to see it and they have this article on ESPN.com:
http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=2858222
Take a read. Enjoy the fact that in our life times, we will have seen the best player that ever played in almost every major sport:
BBall-MJ
Hockey-The Great One
Tennis-Federer or Sampras, but we saw both
Swimming-Michael Phelps
Golf-Tiger
So I left a few sports out. Who did I miss? Also, who is the best athlete of all time over all the different sports? If you read this blog, you are required to weigh in.
I wanted to recount their 18 holes but I didn't get to see it and they have this article on ESPN.com:
http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=2858222
Take a read. Enjoy the fact that in our life times, we will have seen the best player that ever played in almost every major sport:
BBall-MJ
Hockey-The Great One
Tennis-Federer or Sampras, but we saw both
Swimming-Michael Phelps
Golf-Tiger
So I left a few sports out. Who did I miss? Also, who is the best athlete of all time over all the different sports? If you read this blog, you are required to weigh in.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Warriors-Mavs Series is Over
I stayed up late last night watching the Mavs-Warriors game on TNT. Just so we're all clear, I was pulling for the Warriors, I love the upset! The Mavs started the game out hot and ran out to an early 20 point lead, so I thought "skip this, I'm going to play video games." And I did. When I was done and ready to go to bed I thought I'd check in on the game. The Warriors had battled back to make it a game. That pretty much meant I was staying up until one last night. The third and fourth quarters of that game were about as good as basketball can get. The NBA has been in major need of a good series, that's a whole other story.
The third quarter was full of the Warriors getting close but not being able to take the lead from the Mavs who were on the brink of elimination. In the fourth the Warriors started hitting everything and the Mavs started to really tighten up. The crowd was silent. With about three minutes left in the fourth, Baron Davis his a crazy three to put the Warriors up 112-103, game over I thought. Game over. The Warriors then choked and couldn't score the rest of the game and the Mavs played three minutes of good ball to force game six in Oakland.
Before last nights game I said to my friend Evan that whoever won last nights game was going to win the series. This is especially true now. The Warriors had that series won. They had it and let it slip away. There is no question that the Mavs are a better team and the Warriors let them off the hook. I really want the Warriors to pull this thing off. They are so much fun to watch and anytime a 67 win team loses to a 41 win team, it's terrific.
The scene in Oakland for game six will still be nuts. Their crowd is insane. They'll get into it, I just feel that in the back of everyone's mind will be the memory of the Warriors having it and losing it. Every time the Mavs make a run they'll be thinking, 'here we go again.' I don't see how they recover mentally to pull of that game. And let's face it, they need game 6 because the decisive game 7 is in Dallas. Go Warriors, good luck. You will need it.
The third quarter was full of the Warriors getting close but not being able to take the lead from the Mavs who were on the brink of elimination. In the fourth the Warriors started hitting everything and the Mavs started to really tighten up. The crowd was silent. With about three minutes left in the fourth, Baron Davis his a crazy three to put the Warriors up 112-103, game over I thought. Game over. The Warriors then choked and couldn't score the rest of the game and the Mavs played three minutes of good ball to force game six in Oakland.
Before last nights game I said to my friend Evan that whoever won last nights game was going to win the series. This is especially true now. The Warriors had that series won. They had it and let it slip away. There is no question that the Mavs are a better team and the Warriors let them off the hook. I really want the Warriors to pull this thing off. They are so much fun to watch and anytime a 67 win team loses to a 41 win team, it's terrific.
The scene in Oakland for game six will still be nuts. Their crowd is insane. They'll get into it, I just feel that in the back of everyone's mind will be the memory of the Warriors having it and losing it. Every time the Mavs make a run they'll be thinking, 'here we go again.' I don't see how they recover mentally to pull of that game. And let's face it, they need game 6 because the decisive game 7 is in Dallas. Go Warriors, good luck. You will need it.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
April Wrap Up, MLB
April is in the books for the MLB and it was quite a ride. A no hitter, Arod's HR barrage, and a tragedy hitting the heart of the Cardinals and the MLB altogether.
Here is what I say about April, please add your comments on possible award candidates and story lines we need to watch:
Josh Beckett and Roy Halladay are the leading CY Young candidates in the AL right now. They are on fire. Halladay's stuff is terrifying and Beckett is the only 5-0 picture out there. I don't know if they will hang on but all of this spells trouble for the Yanks. In the NL, it has to be Tim Hudson, the guy is coming into his own in Hot-lanta.
Alex Rodriguez is the MVP. Would someone care to disagree? I read an article the other day about how the Yankees are "squandering" one of the best April's in MLB history. To that person, I ask, "Where would the Yankees be without him hitting like he has?" 3-19? Worse? True, he cooled off toward the end but he is there is no one you would rather have on your team right now.
All of us can only hope that Barry blows out his shoulder during batting practice or that he breaks his leg waddling for a fly ball. It looks like he is going to get that record. This is unfortunate. That is, unless the bat boy from the Mets squeals and Barry is hauled off the field in shackles screaming like Ron Burgandy in the phone booth after Baxter got punted by Jack Black.
Mark Prior and Kerry Wood are on the DL again. I know we, along with Cub Nation, are all shocked.
Pleasant surprise of April: How about Gil Meche having an outstanding year for the lowly Royals? He has been pretty good for a team that bad. Keep it up Gil.
Story lines that we should all be sick of by now:
Curt Schilling's bloody/painted sock. Can we talk about getting blown out of proportion?
The Nationals are bad. We got it.
I am not sick of it, but I am sure everyone else is sick of hearing about the Yankee pitching problems.
In closing, I am going to post a letter to George Steinbrenner. As we have discussed on this forum, many pros frequent this site and we hope that George takes this note seriously.
Dear Mr. Steinbrenner,
I hope all is well in NYC. It looks like a great place to live with lots of exciting this to do, like cheer for the greatest baseball team ever.
Myself, along with the rest of the Pinstripe Platoon, have concerns that you might not be able to identify the real problem with the Yankees. Firing Joe Torre will not improve your starting rotation. No matter how bad you want this to be true, Mr. Torre is not going 4.1 innings every 4th night, giving up 12 hits and 7 ER.
You have given Brian Cashmen the keys to the kingdom, as well as the checkbook. I can't believe that you started the season with the payroll that you did without having a decent starting rotation. On top of this, Cashmen went back on what he said about our golden boy, Phil Hughes. Don't get me wrong, he had a good outing but let's get some consistency here, shall we?
Here is what you need to do:
1. Sign Roger Clemens.
2. Trade/Cut Carl Pavano
3. Tell Mariano to shake off the rust.
Why don't we start there?
Sincerely,
Cousin Rob
Here is what I say about April, please add your comments on possible award candidates and story lines we need to watch:
Josh Beckett and Roy Halladay are the leading CY Young candidates in the AL right now. They are on fire. Halladay's stuff is terrifying and Beckett is the only 5-0 picture out there. I don't know if they will hang on but all of this spells trouble for the Yanks. In the NL, it has to be Tim Hudson, the guy is coming into his own in Hot-lanta.
Alex Rodriguez is the MVP. Would someone care to disagree? I read an article the other day about how the Yankees are "squandering" one of the best April's in MLB history. To that person, I ask, "Where would the Yankees be without him hitting like he has?" 3-19? Worse? True, he cooled off toward the end but he is there is no one you would rather have on your team right now.
All of us can only hope that Barry blows out his shoulder during batting practice or that he breaks his leg waddling for a fly ball. It looks like he is going to get that record. This is unfortunate. That is, unless the bat boy from the Mets squeals and Barry is hauled off the field in shackles screaming like Ron Burgandy in the phone booth after Baxter got punted by Jack Black.
Mark Prior and Kerry Wood are on the DL again. I know we, along with Cub Nation, are all shocked.
Pleasant surprise of April: How about Gil Meche having an outstanding year for the lowly Royals? He has been pretty good for a team that bad. Keep it up Gil.
Story lines that we should all be sick of by now:
Curt Schilling's bloody/painted sock. Can we talk about getting blown out of proportion?
The Nationals are bad. We got it.
I am not sick of it, but I am sure everyone else is sick of hearing about the Yankee pitching problems.
In closing, I am going to post a letter to George Steinbrenner. As we have discussed on this forum, many pros frequent this site and we hope that George takes this note seriously.
Dear Mr. Steinbrenner,
I hope all is well in NYC. It looks like a great place to live with lots of exciting this to do, like cheer for the greatest baseball team ever.
Myself, along with the rest of the Pinstripe Platoon, have concerns that you might not be able to identify the real problem with the Yankees. Firing Joe Torre will not improve your starting rotation. No matter how bad you want this to be true, Mr. Torre is not going 4.1 innings every 4th night, giving up 12 hits and 7 ER.
You have given Brian Cashmen the keys to the kingdom, as well as the checkbook. I can't believe that you started the season with the payroll that you did without having a decent starting rotation. On top of this, Cashmen went back on what he said about our golden boy, Phil Hughes. Don't get me wrong, he had a good outing but let's get some consistency here, shall we?
Here is what you need to do:
1. Sign Roger Clemens.
2. Trade/Cut Carl Pavano
3. Tell Mariano to shake off the rust.
Why don't we start there?
Sincerely,
Cousin Rob
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