SB Nation - Antonio Daniels

Orlando Magic News for November 19th: Stan Van Gundy Will No Longer Accentuate the Negative, and More

Ben Q Rock — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:21:35 -0000

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Orlando Magic: Stan Van Gundy vows to limit negativity after private meeting with C Dwight Howard
Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel has the surprising news that Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy has, after meeting with franchise center and team co-captain Dwight Howard, vowed to be less negative. He believes adjusting his attitude will have a positive effect on the team's energy and mood.

"I think, as a team, there was a lot of negativity and it's not like Stan's a negative guy," Howard said before the Magic left for Boston to face the Celtics on Friday night. "But it's like there's always some clashes and focusing so much on our mistakes. Instead of bringing each other down, we have to pull each other up.

"That's the only thing I wanted from coach."

This news is not inconsequential. Van Gundy's earned the nickname "Stan Van Grumpy" for his wild gesticulations and expressiveness on the sidelines. This development is one to keep an eye on going forward.

Click through to read the whole piece, which includes great quotes from Van Gundy himself. He may cut back on the negativity, but I hope he doesn't cut back on the humor.
Antonio Daniels could be in the mix if Orlando Magic decide to sign another point guard
As an example, here's some of Van Gundy's wit:

Coach Stan Van Gundy, tongue planted firmly in cheek, on all teams reporting their players undergo "successful" surgery: "Grant Hill had five successful surgeries. Somehow he could never play after them, but they were called a success. They're all called successes and that means the guy lived through it, which is a success, I guess."
Changing of the Guard
Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus attributes some of the Magic's defensive struggles to Howard and Jameer Nelson. However, he believes Howard will foul less frequently as the season progresses, which will have a positive effect on the team's defense as a while.

The league's best defensive team a year ago has struggled at times this season. Orlando has been playing some makeshift lineups with Rashard Lewis suspended until Monday and a variety of players hobbled. Still, the poor start has been a cause for alarm for the Magic, with Stan Van Gundy criticizing the defensive efforts of Jameer Nelson and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard. Before Nelson was sidelined by a torn meniscus, Orlando was 4.6 points worse per 100 possessions on defense with him on the floor. Oddly, while the sample size is small, no other full-time starter has been a net minus defensively. As for Howard, his blocked-shot rate is down from last year's 5.9 percent to 4.4 percent, more in line with his career numbers. Equally troubling is that Howard's foul rate is up from 4.2 percent of possessions last year to 6.0 percent this season. Howard is too good not to improve on that, which will help the Magic's defense as a whole.
Mentoring the young guys
On his official blog, Howard writes about how he tries to help young players in the same way Tony Battie, Grant Hill, and Rasheed Wallace did when he was new to the league.
Where might Monta Ellis end up? Let’s scour the field: Philly, Miami, Memphis
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News considers potential trade partners for the Golden State Warriors, as shooting guard Monta Ellis has requested to be dealt. He says the Magic might be interested, but ultimately leaves them off the final list of six suitors.
Milwaukee Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings is taking the league by storm
Although this link isn't directly related to today's Magic, I thought it was pertinent. Bucks coach Scott Skiles, a former Magic point guard, explains what makes the electrifying rookie Brandon Jennings so lethal. His quote reminded me a bit of Jameer Nelson.

"He's one of those guys who has vision and can score without dominating the ball. It's easy to say I want a point guard to run my club and all that, but in the NBA a point guard has got to score some points for you, and he can do both," coach Scott Skiles said before Milwaukee's 99-85 victory over New Jersey on Wednesday night, in which Jennings scored 19 points.
UPDATE: NBA.com: League's best one-on-one defenders get plenty of help
John Schuhmann of NBA.com found that the New Jersey Nets have done the best job of defending L.A. Lakers star Kobe Bryant in recent years, in no small part due to current Magic guard Vince Carter's efforts. (HT: ben_gleicher)

The Lakers won five of the six games the two teams played in the last three years, but in none of the six did Bryant shoot better than 33 percent from the field.

Vince Carter was the primary defender on Bryant in those games (something to keep in mind when the Magic and Lakers meet again), but fellow ex-Nets Richard Jefferson, Jason Kidd and Antoine Wright also took their turns. As a team, the Nets did a great job of keeping Bryant out of the paint and forcing him to shoot jumpers. And when he did, they borrowed a page from [Shane] Battier's book and got a hand in his face almost every time.

Rumor: Orlando Magic to Meet with Free-Agent Point Guard Antonio Daniels

Ben Q Rock — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:53:19 -0000

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There are conflicting reports of the Orlando Magic's desire to add a third point guard in the wake of starter Jameer Nelson's knee injury, which will sideline him for 4-to-6 weeks. GM Otis Smith told the Orlando Sentinel yesterday that he's not in a hurry to sign another point guard, as he'd like to see how Jason Williams and Anthony Johnson fare first. However, Alex Kennedy of RealGM reports that Tony Dutt, who represents free-agent point guard Antonio Daniels, is in Orlando and expects to meet with the team tonight.

UPDATE: Dutt confirmed to the Orlando Sentinel that he did indeed contact the Magic on Daniels' behalf:

"I talked to Otis about Antonio after Jameer got hurt. But I think they are going to wait a few days if they do anything," Dutt said by phone.

Dutt said that the Magic could sign Daniels, 34, to a non-guaranteed contract.

Our original story is after the jump.

I'm not sure what to think of this rumor, as I tend to believe Smith when he says he'd rather not make a knee-jerk move. However, Daniels appears to be the sort of player Smith would value, given his experience (12 years) and usually mistake-free play (career pure point rating of 5.2). It's a bit worrisome that his turnover rate has increased in each of the last 5 seasons, from a stellar 9.3% in 2004/2005 to a garish 18.1% last season.

Also adding kick to this rumor is that Dutt and Smith aren't strangers, as Smith has signed Dutt clients Rashard Lewis and Brandon Bass as free-agents during his tenure as Orlando's GM.

Daniels split last season between the Washington Wizards and the New Orleans Hornets. The Hornets sent him to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal for Bobby Brown and Darius Songaila in September; Minnesota released him at his request. He had a workout with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who would like to add another guard due to the uncertainty surrounding the troubled Delonte West, earlier this month, but a deal with them never materialized.

In 867 career games, Daniels has averaged 7.6 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 turnovers. We'll hold off on any further analysis until the Magic either confirm or deny the rumor.

Byron Scott Fired....Who's Next?

tenaciousT — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:00:22 -0000

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NBA Head Coaches are like cats on a hot tin roof. You wonder why they're up there and how long they can stay on.

It’s a tough job. You have to be a leader, be a bit mad, and have significant people and organizational skills to be successful. And you have to have "it’ – what ever "it’ is.

The news of the firing of Hornets Head Coach Byron Scott rippled through the nets of NBA newswires.

First, new comer Emeka Okafor is slow to recover from a toe injury, then Rondo challenges Chris Paul, and now Byron is gone. Things ain’t so easy in the Big Easy, and got worse with Paul's ankle inury. With a 3-6 record to start the year, after winning 49 games last year, I guess someone had to be blamed. It will always be the coach.

Honestly, I was surprised the Hornets held it together as long as they did after the first attempt to trade Tyson Chandler to the Thunder. That was as direct a sign of financial needs taking precedence over winning as you can get . Yes, that can affect team morale.

Such a move would not be surprising for a non-contending club, but for a team with playoff aspirations, it was an eyebrow raiser. Then, reminiscent of a Denver flip flop, they tried to compete, even adding Antonio Daniels later in the year. The Hornets had added our own James Posey the summer before, hoping that he was that final piece. My how things change. This roster was never deep.

Scott was Coach of the Year just two years ago. The head coach position is, at best, precarious. Yahoo! Sports Marc Spears reports that it was intimated that there were chemistry issues and philosophical differences between Scott and some players.

Adrian Wojnarowski has more on Byron. Ironically, Scott was ousted from New Jersey largely because of Jason Kidd. This time he makes sure he has a good relationship with his star point guard, Chris Paul – but loses much of the rest of the team. Go figure.

Wojo reports David West says they ‘didn’t really run many plays’, and said they needed a change. It was suggested that CP3 doesn’t really like Jeff Bower. Now the Hornets 'franchise' goes down with an injury. He left the arena last night on crutches.

The devastation in the Crescent City is approaching Katrina levels. There is no truth to the rumor that the Hornets owners, the Shinns, who are as much responsible for the current situation as anyone, are calling FEMA for help. But blame is also shared by Bower, who was lauded a few short years ago.

Some Hornets’ management were unhappy that Scott was playing rounds of golf amid such a start, even requiring the team’s to ‘push back a departure date’ to accommodate on one occasion. Coach Scott was 'linking it' with Chris Paul.

Doctors had cleared Emeka Okafor to play at least a week before he actually did. Players were starting to wonder. Did Scott appear to be too lax with players?

If so, that would only be another tiny stick on the fire. The 58 point loss to the Nuggets in last year’s playoffs was a telltale sign that things weren’t right in the Big Easy.

I’m wondering how happy James Posey is at the moment.

So GM Jeff Bower takes over. Never a head coach but with adequate sideline experience, and with Tim Floyd at his side, they will try to resurrect this season. Chris Paul holds that team together. Depending on the extent of his recent injury, an already disastrous start could become a wasted season.

Economic Uncertainties

For other teams, the only fringe benefit from such a team's decline, if the team's direction isn't righted, might be a fire sale on its roster.Though the Shinn's are spending above the cap currently, the previous idea to pair down salary might re-surface. And if you are spending over the cap for a team that hasn't even played .500 ball this season, who would blame them?

Hard economic times haven't shaken out of the U.S. economy yet. Even in a cash rich off season coming up, teams might not have as much money to dispense as before with a lower cap. A new CBA is being negotiated and the possibility of a lock out isn't out of the question. That could all lead teams like the cash starved Hornets to make Draconian moves.

The next question is...who...other than David West and CP3, would you want from that roster?

No one's taking Peja's $29 million off their hands. Okafor, Posey, Mo Pete? Solid players all, but financially, not a bargain among them.

But that's getting ahead of the game. Can Bower, a healthy CP3, and a healthy Emeka Okafor save this season?

In the meantime rumors are surfacing that Don Nelson' s Golden State job might in jeopardy, as well as Mike Dunleavy's in Clipperland.

The Gong Show

Let's take the Chuck BerrisTour around the league of potentially bad acts about to be gonged.

Call it a jump up on the hot tin roof. We are looking for some hot feet. Some other 'cats' might be feeling the heat soon. Remember the domino effect or serial firings last season?

What other head coaches else could be in jeopardy?

a) No doubt, the Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Woodson is on the hot seat this season. You might wonder why.

He has finally gotten Josh Smith to stop taking threes and J-Smoove appears to be playing more within the offense and around the hoop more – where he should be.

At 7-2, and a trophy win over the Celtics in Boston, they are off to another fast start. Can they sustain it? They have a rolling offense (107.8 =4th best) but their defense is giving up 6 points more than last season? Does it matter when you are 7-2?

The big question here is…. What will be required of this team for Woodson to get a new contract?

Another what if…..

b) The Cavs started 3-6? Would Coach Mike Brown be packing his belongings? Remember all the post playoff murmurings about alleged Cavs management unhappiness with Brown?

Cleveland seems to have righted the ship. They just beat a surging and defensive minded Miami Heat. After starting 0-2, they are now 6-1 over their last seven.

But there is a strange trend developing here. Sam Mitchell was Coach of the Year in 2007. He was fired in 2008. Byron Scott was Coach of the Year in 2008. He was fired in 2009. Guess who got Coach of the Year in 2009?

Yep. Mr. Mike Brown step up on to trap door, please. Does that mean he is safe until 2010? Hide that gonger.

Interesting statistic: Shaq has not had an offensive rebound for 4 straight games.

c) The Timberwolves are off to a horrible start at 1-9. Kevin Love out is only part of their troubles. Will Kurt Rambis get the whole year to work with this team, if things continue as they are?

d) Lawrence Frank – the Nets are decimated with injuries. They weren’t going to be all that good if all were healthy. Will he become the fall guy for the 0-9 Nets? It appears so, but it might not happen until the year is over. Can Frank fight the odds, do well enough with what he has to rise a a phoenix? Odds are against it.

e) Mike D’Antoni – the Knicks are 1-9. Why do I feel that he won’t be blamed? Oh yeah, Donnie Walsh hired him.

f) Flip Saunders’ Wizards are missing Antawn Jamison…but they are still playing terrible ball. This one surprises me… and probably everyone else. What is the problem with the Wizards? They are 2-6. Worse they are have lost their last 5 and haven’t scored over 90 points in any of those games. Wait a minute. Whew. They just signed Earl Boykins. Everything is going to be fine now.

g) Lionel Hollins – he didn’t want Iverson in the first place. Can he get the team back on track? They are 1-9 and on a 8 game losing streak.

h) Paul Westphal has the lowly Kings off to a solid 5-4 start, including an impressive win at Utah. His job is more than safe…if they play anywhere near this level for the rest of year.

I) Mike Dunleavy – he won’t fire himself as the GM of the Clippers. But now Donald Sterling may do the job himself. What would it take for his removal? The team is without the number one pick Blake Griffin and shooting guard Eric Gordon. They are 3-7. The league's most frugal owner has spent like a drunken sailor of later ($59 mil) compared to his previous history.

J) And last but not least – Don Nelson. His Warriors are 2-5. Will trading ingrate Stephen Jackson allow this team to play better ball? Don’s not going anywhere with his contract..or is he? Will we get to watch another year of "The Don" in action? I still have fond memories of his resurrection of the Warriors a few years ago, culminating in a Dallas take down. will his friend Larry Riley gong him?

Coaches are an unbelievably positive, tenacious group. Sometimes get out of hand. Someone has to pay for under performing teams. Often coaches are part of the problem. Sometimes, it's just easier to fire one man than trade many players.

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof....
Brick: You'll make out fine. Your kind always does.
Maggie: Oh, I'm more determined than you think. I'll win all right.
Brick: Win what? What is, uh, the victory of a cat on a hot tin roof?
Maggie: Just stayin' on it, I guess. As long as she can.

So, what is the victory of a cat on a hot tin roof in the NBA?

Maggie knew. Just staying on it, I guess. As long as he can.

Who's next?

Five possible ways to get Caron Butler's game going

Mike Prada — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:23:06 -0000

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It's no secret that there's something wrong with Caron Butler's game. In three games thus far this season, Butler is averaging just 14 points a contest and is posting a dreadful 47.3% true shooting percentage. His PER is down to 11.5, which is barely replacement-level.

Lots of this just has to do with a small sample size, and even if Butler continues to struggle, there's no way he's going to be this bad. Nevertheless, something needs to be done in order to coax better production out of Butler. He can't continue to play and be deployed like he has to start the season.

So, below the jump, let's discuss some ways to enhance Butler's game. I posed five possibilities below, some psychological and some schematic. None of them are mutually exclusive -- you could try all five of them at once. Feel free to comment or add to the list in the comments.

1. Encourage him to be more decisive when he catches the ball

This is the method Gilbert Arenas seems to advocate the most. When asked about Butler after the loss to Miami on Wednesday, Arenas said he needs to be more aggressive.

"Shoot the open shot. Caron's a rhythm player and so, in our old system, he had enough time to get into his mojo and get those shots. In this system, he's gotta get a lot of catch and shoots, and the first initial shot he has he doesn't usually take it. And everything closes up from there. He's just got to get used to catching and shooting."

For his part, Butler also said he got too caught up in "watching the show" and deferred too much. But I'm not sure this is a problem of Butler not making enough plays. Butler's usage rate, for example, is third-highest on the team, predictably behind Arenas and Nick Young. It's a little down from last season, but it's still pretty high. The real problem is that, when Butler does shoot, it's only after he stares the defense down, gives a little juke move and finally shoots. In this offense, he should be shooting right off the catch. He has the stroke, he just needs to have the confidence to do so.

2. Give him a chance to sometimes play like a point forward

As of right now, the Wizards are mostly having Butler catch the ball in two places -- on the baseline and at the free throw line. Butler's ball-handling abilities aren't particularly amazing, as indicated by all the turnovers. However, Butler has shown in his career that he can be a decent facilitator. In 2007/08, when Antonio Daniels struggled with injuries, Butler's assist rate was all the way up to 22%. Why not give Butler a chance to set others up now, just to provide a different look?

Obviously, this would be a departure from the general philosophy of letting Gilbert Arenas make all the decisions. But already, we've seen Flip Saunders put the ball in Randy Foye's hands and allow Gilbert Arenas to come off screens. Why not do the same with Butler?

3. Give him more post-up opportunities

In 2006/07, when Arenas was playing and doing his thing, Eddie Jordan used to run Butler down into the post on occasion to punish smaller players with his strength. Butler's lost a bit of that strength over the years because he's slimmed down so much, but since he's not a great dribbler, why not post him up more in this scheme as well? He could then use the strength he still possesses to get in the lane for higher percentage shots, and I imagine he'd be pretty good at passing out of a double team.

4. Put him in more pick and rolls

As noted above, Butler isn't the smoothest pick and roll player because of his poor handle, but he's also a good passer and he has experience running these plays from the 07/08 season. I have to note now, though, that I'm not talking about your standard high pick and roll play. I don't think Butler does well there because he's not much of a threat to shoot from deep.

Instead, I'm talking about a few different kinds of pick and roll. I wish I could diagram them, but I don't have any visuals.

The side pick and roll: From about 17-feet away from the hoop on the wing or even pushing the corner. Clear out one side of the floor, have a big man set a screen to get Butler moving towards the middle, then have the big guy roll to the hoop or pop to the baseline for the open jumper. Antawn Jamison and Andray Blatche would be good partners for this.
The "post" pick and roll, for lack of a better word: Sam Cassell used to run this one all the time. Basically, Butler would back his way down into the post, someone would come over to set a screen, and Butler would back out while the other guy would come down into the post. The objective would be to get a switch so a smaller guy is guarding the post player. You want to do this with Butler because he's more of a threat to score down there if you can't bring your big guy over.
The pinch post pick and roll: This would involve Butler catching the ball where he often does 17 feet in at the top of the key, only this time, someone like Brendan Haywood should set a screen and try to roll to the hoop. This is a much better spot than your typical high pick and roll because Butler's such a great mid-range shooter. He becomes a threat the closer to the hoop you run pick and roll, so why not do it here?

5. Challenge Butler on the defensive end

I hate using these types of arguments because they're so subjective, but it just seemed like Butler wasn't so dialed in mentally the other day. Not only did he commit some bad turnovers, but he also left Quentin Richardson far too often on defense. However, challenging Butler to guard the top perimeter threats might force him to be more focused all over the court. Flip Saunders has already said Butler is his lockdown perimeter guy, so giving him a chance to prove it might boost his confidence.

Thursday Practice Report: Andray Blatche’s late-night workout, Randy Foye says playing with Gilbert Arenas off the ball is "easy," and Javaris Crittenton’s injury isn't getting better

Mike Prada — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:34:58 -0000

Andray Blatche works with Assistant Coach for Player Development Gene Banks, as Paul Davis looks on. Via my IPhone.

Coming off a big win over Dallas on Tuesday, the Wizards were in pretty good spirits after practice today. Flip Saunders said the club went through a very good practice and emphasized the importance of maintaining those winning habits throughout the "process."

Once again, Gilbert Arenas did not talk to the media, telling NBC's Lindsay Czarniak that he only talks when they make him. So, once again, nothing new on that front. However, there's a lot of interesting nuggets to chew on from today. Make the jump to read about Andray Blatche's late-night workout, an update on Javaris Crittenton's injury, some thoughts about the Randy Foye/Gilbert Arenas backcourt and more.

Andray Blatche isn't resting on his laurels

Andray Blatche had an outstanding first game of the 2009/10 season last Tuesday, notching 20 points, 7 rebounds and only 3 fouls in 35 minutes. But as we all know, Blatche has had plenty of good games in his career. Sustaining that success has proven to be an elusive quest for the 23-year old.

After practice today, Blatche made it clear that he knows his big opening game means nothing if he can't sustain it.

"Tuesday's in the past," Blatche said. "Right after the game, Flip came up to me and said, ‘Last game don't mean s***,' excuse my French."

So how did Blatche try to build on last Tuesday's performance? He called Sam Cassell late last night and asked him to come in to do a workout with him. Blatche said they came to the Verizon Center at around 11:15 and went until about 12:30 in the morning.

"[We worked on] all the situations that would be in the game," Blatche said. "Post-ups, pick and pops, stuff like that. All game-type situations."

It's yet another example of the new "Seven-Day Dray." When asked whether he would have ever come in for a workout that late in the past, Blatche said no. He also joked that the empty arena spooked him a bit.

"Man, it was a little scary, I ain't gonna lie," Blatche said. "I called my best friend. I had to go to the locker room by myself, I was a little scared. It's so quiet, and dark a little bit. I'm telling you all, it's different at nighttime, but I was alright."

Eventually, though, the conversation veered back into Tuesday night. Blatche said Fabricio Oberto did a great job guarding Dirk Nowitzki, and also praised the team's pick-and-roll coverage. He also once again sung the praises of Flip Saunders' offense.

"It just seems like you're always moving, you're always setting picks, you're always rolling, always popping," Blatche said. "You're always doing something. Last year, you set one screen and you stand still and you waiting for something. This year, we're always moving and sharing the ball a lot more."

Even Antawn Jamison admits he thinks Blatche's new approach is paying dividends.

"I think he's getting it," Jamison said. "I think he understands that it's not about what [he] does on gameday, or the day before, or the night before. Little things like that will help you stay consistent and be able to do that night in and night out."

Video below, courtesy Truth About It:

Javaris Crittenton's injury gets worse

Those of you looking forward to seeing Javaris Crittenton return to the court will need to wait a lot longer. Crittenton was limping around on crutches today, with yet another boot on his injured ankle.

Team spokesman Scott Hall told me that Crittenton went to get "an exploratory scope" last Friday that revealed nothing new. Hall didn't mention anything about how long Crittenton was expected to be out, nor did he say that the injury got any worse.

However, Mike Jones talked to Crittenton, and Crittenton told a slightly different story. Crittenton told Jones that he had surgery last Friday to clear up some torn cartilage that had been found in previous X-Rays. But Crittenton also admitted that he was hoping to get this procedure done sooner.

"I wish the procedure would have been happened, so I could have recovered by now," Crittenton told Jones. "They actually saw it on the X-ray a long time ago, but they had to continue looking at different cat scans and X-rays to get it done."

Would having the surgery earlier have changed things? Did they really see these problems a long time ago and unnecessarily looked several more times before having the surgery? I don't know. I think there's a lot of information missing here. But it certainly seems odd, doesn't it?

Crittenton said he has two more weeks of recovery, followed by four weeks of rehab, which means he'll be out at least another six more weeks.

Randy Foye and the "small" backcourt

As I mentioned yesterday, when Gilbert Arenas and Randy Foye played together last Tuesday, the Wizards outscored the Mavericks by 14 points. When I asked Saunders about why he turned to that pairing despite not using it much in the preseason, Saunders joked that "there are a lot of things I do during the regular season that I don't do in preseason." I then asked when we might see it in the future.

"You'll see it a lot," Saunders said. "A lot of it depends on the defensive end. If we're playing Kobe Bryant at the 2, you might not be able to put Randy on Kobe because of Kobe's size. A lot of that is going to depend on defensive matchups. There was a situation in Dallas where they played a couple smaller guards."

Foye said he was wondering when he was going to get a chance to play more with Arenas, but added that "[Saunders] probably didn't want people to see it."

"When you put us in together, Dallas didn't have an answer to that," Foye said. "With two scorers in there together, because if you pay too much attention to [Arenas], you gotta help, then we kick it out to me for an open shot. It's the same [vice versa]."

I was particularly struck with what Foye said later, when he talked about how his mentality and comfort level change when he plays with Arenas.

"When you play with someone of that caliber, it's easy," Foye said. "Everything else comes easy. Like, when they were pressing at the end, they couldn't get the ball, because we could both break the press. When they press and denied him, I got the ball, and when they doubled me with his man, I passed him the ball. It just makes it so much easier playing with another ball-handler."

Foye also praised Saunders' strategic instincts, saying, "it's like he's playing chess up in his head." Regardless, with so many teams nowadays playing small backcourts, the Foye/Arenas backcourt should be a regular staple.

Other stuff:

Flip Saunders was asked again about Nick Young not playing at all on Tuesday. "We haven't really talked," Saunders said. "I think he knows what he's got to do." When asked what he has to do, Saunders said, "Be more consistent, as far as what you're doing. You can't rely on making shots as a criteria for whether you are going to play." Saunders added that Young did some extra work yesterday and that "he'll get an opportunity." Young himself slipped out the door before anyone could talk to him.
Antawn Jamison was there shagging rebounds for JaVale McGee, and showed no major limitations on his shoulder. It's obviously not in game shape, but it wasn't in a sling or anything. That's pretty encouraging.
DeShawn Stevenson was asked about his thoughts on Antonio Daniels potentially signing with Cleveland. In typical DeShawn fashion, he responded in a way where you wonder whether he was joking or being serious. "Traitor," Stevenson said. "I don't talk to nobody that plays to Cleveland." Chris Miller then said to Stevenson, "I'm sure you have a reaction to them starting 0-2." Stevenson's response. "Yeah, yeah I do," and then he walked away.
Saunders said that while his top eight players will remain pretty consistent, his rotation is not 100% set in stone right now, saying that JaVale McGee in particular had a great practice and may play more tomorrow against the Atlanta Hawks. "Now, we're playing a team with a lot more athletic ability, where a guy like JaVale could have an impact."

More pictures:

BWood working on his free throw stroke.

Caron Butler works on his shot while Randy Wittman looks on

Dominic McGuire works on his shot while Nick Young looks on

Waive Goodbye, Part 2

Jon L — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:00:42 -0000

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Go ahead and smile, Derrick Byars. You made the team. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

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Today we continue our look at the players waived or, occasionally, kept by NBA teams as the regular season begins. Next up we move into the middle of the country, or as I like to call it, "America's already-bloated snackhole." (I can say that because I live there.) That's right, it's the Central and Southwest Divisions. (Except that I was looking at the wrong division list when I wrote this and it's actually the Northwest Division. Deal with it, America.) And if you're just tuning in, don't forget to check out part 1.

Chicago Bulls

Who got cut: Curtis Stinson, Chris Richard, Steven Hill

Who got kept: Derrick Byars

Forget Stinson and Hill, this really came down to Byars vs. Richard for the last roster spot. And with all due respect to Richard, they made the right call. Richard played okay, although he averaged less than seven points per 36 minutes, and given that the team that already sports Joakim Noah in the frontcourt they really probably can't handle yet another guy who can't produce on offense. Not that Richard unequivocally can't, he just didn't demonstrate that sort of ability in the preseason, which is when he needed to demonstrate it. Byars helps the team in case Deng gets hurt again, or if John Salmons starts creaking (he turns 30 later this year). I won't discuss Byars in great detail here, because you can read this. It probably makes up for the Bulls cutting DeMarcus Nelson, maybe. Stinson and Hill are both probably headed to Europe, though I could see Stinson sticking around the D-League.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Who got cut: Luke Nevill, Andre Barrett, Russell Robinson, Rob Kurz, Darryl Watkins

Who got kept: Coby Karl

See Marge? These guys get it. Karl actually didn't play particularly well in the preseason, but he had a pretty good Summer League with Denver, and he's definitely talented. He's a nice multi-faceted player who can shoot (and make) threes, help distribute the ball, pick up some steals and rebound a little bit. So in other words he's exactly the right kind of guard for Cleveland. He's also worked damn hard, and he deserves another shot at the NBA. It never feels good to get cut (I'm assuming), but it's probably especially hard for Rob Kurz, who was starting for the Warriors just last season. He'd definitely be a prime call-up candidate should he go to the D-League, as he's a 6'9" guy who can make threes, although he could stand to pick up his rebounding and defense. He also profiles well as a Euroleague guy, so he could end up there. Russell Robinson also could pick either option. He played pretty poorly both in Summer League and the preseason, with turnovers being the major problem. Another stint in the D-League could help that, as he averaged just two and a half per 36 minutes for Reno last season. I'll mention again that I haven't been including Jawad Williams in this discussion because he was signed at the end of last season and has a partially-guaranteed deal, so while he theoretically could be waived later on, the team has been somewhat more committed to him than these other guys. I'm somewhat optimistic about Williams's playing time, since at this point he's more capable than J.J. Hickson or Darnell Jackson, but Leon Powe and maybe Jamario Moon are around to take most of the backup forward minutes.

Denver Nuggets

Who got cut: James White, Kurt Looby, Keith Brumbaugh, Dontaye Draper

Who got kept: Joey Graham

Massive disappointment here, although there's nothing personal against Graham. There was just so much hope that this would be White's year in Houston, then the team decided it wouldn't be, then Denver decided it wouldn't be his year for them, either. Looby getting cut isn't a huge surprise, as he's still carpaccio-raw. But, White getting the boot on top of Sonny Weems being sent away is enough to make one question Denver's commitment to ~~Sparkle Motion~~ the D-League. That would be rash, of course, and unfair to Denver who is clearly trying to win soon. Graham's per-36 numbers are almost identical to White's NBA figures, but I guess there's still too much uncertainty over what White can do when there really shouldn't be. He's headed over to Europe now, I assume, since he's said he's done with the D-League, and who can blame him. If an NBA team says they're committed to your development, then semi-promptly gets rid of you, that would be disheartening for anyone.

Detroit Pistons

Who got cut: Maceo Baston

Who got kept: No one.

Sorry, Maceo. Have fun at your House Party. (Admit it, that's not the clip you were expecting.) (Also, note to self: when you get older, shave your head but leave the sideburns and add a mustache.) But hey, here's a crazy idea; the Pistons also waived their second round pick Deron Washington, who's a 6'7" small forward. James White is a 6'7" small forward. WHAT IF THEY'RE ABOUT TO SIGN JAMES WHITE? They're probably not, but they should be. While Austin Daye looked really, really good in Summer League, and Jonas Jerebko could be pretty good, it seems a bit crazy to rely on three rookies (remember DaJuan Summers) as key bench contributors, rebuilding or no rebuilding. And while James White doesn't have that much more NBA experience, he's been around for a few years and he can contribute. Come on, Joe Dumars. LET'S DO THIS.

Indiana Pacers

Who got cut: Rod Benson, Demetris Nichols, Lawrence Roberts

Who got kept: No one.

Rod Benson is probably going back to Europe this year, even though he didn't have the best experience there last season (although being injured didn't help). I'd guess Nichols goes the same route, and both of them are good enough to play in the NBA right now. (Roberts is already over there.) As for the biggest question, whether we'll seee a return of Boom Tho-ness, I have no idea. Personally I wouldn't expect too much except maybe a continuation of his posts over at Ball Don't Lie. If this website were FreeDarko I'd probably launch into a discussion about whether this year's return to (or first crack at) seriousness for Benson and Gilbert Arenas reflects some kind of "down to business" vibe given off by the Obama Administration, but I have neither the time nor the ability to get into that right now. Or who knows, maybe Benson could write a book that would probably be better than Paul Shirley's (which I haven't read, but Benson's a better writer than Shirley so it's pretty much a lock.)

Milwaukee Bucks

Who got cut: Marcus Hubbard, Mark Tyndale, Charles Gaines, Dominic James

Who got kept: No one.

This was bound to happen eventually, but I don't really have much to say about these guys. Hubbard could do with another season or two in the D-League and work on either a.) becoming a proper interior player, or b.) shooting better than .256 on his three-pointers. Because this in-between thing isn't working. Gaines played well for Austin last season, averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds per 36 minutes, and shot a good percentage with Maccabi Tel Aviv. I'd like to see him in the D-League again this season, but I'm not sure he's close enough to a call-up to make it worth his time. Let's see, what else can I talk about with these guys...uh hey, I think Ersan Ilyasova can be pretty good, but that's not really under the purview of this series. Three or four players likely going over to Europe. Whee.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Who got cut: Jack McClinton, Alonzo Gee, Jared Reiner, Devin Green, Mustafa Shakur

Who got kept: Jason Hart

I don't have much to say about Jason Hart since he's 31 years old now and last played in the D-League eight years ago. This is probably a stale comment by now, and the team waived Antonio Daniels so they haven't gone completely crazy, but what's the deal with Minnesota and point guards? Who are these people? Who are the ad wizards that came up with this one? I've already written about this, but whatever NBA team ends up with McClinton (and there will be one, eventually) is going to love having him, and kick themselves for not having him earlier. Reiner got a raw deal by getting cut right before the game in his hometown, sure. But Nate Jawai is in Minnesota now, and that's something, right? It's at least as much a something as Oleksiy Pecherov being there, certainly.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Who got cut: Michael Ruffin, Tre Kelley, Mike Harris

Who got kept: Ryan Bowen

I saw Kelley play a little bit, and he looked pretty good. He's very quick, and he can get to the basket. Of course, he was being guarded by Curtis Jerrells at that point so take it with a grain of bacon salt. He's almost certainly headed to Europe. Michael Ruffin, eh. I have a sort of personal animus against him through no fault of his, since Eddie Jordan overused him when they were both with the Washington Wizards, but he's already landed on his feet overseas. The question of what Bowen can give the team at this point in his career is a good one, as he's 34 years old and has been pretty inconsistent the last few seasons. I just have to keep telling myself that the Thunder still have D.J. White and Serge Ibaka, and be content with that.

Portland Trail Blazers

Who got cut: Ime Udoka, Jarron Collins, Donell Taylor, Quinton Hosley

Who got kept: No one.

I wonder what will happen to Udoka, as he's probably still good enough to contribute at the back of someone's rotation, but he's also 32 years old and most of the teams that would be interested in him are already full up. He's a solid candidate for a mid-season replacement in case some small forward somewhere gets hurt. He can shoot the three a bit, his rebounding has improved the past few years and he doesn't turn the ball over much.

What, you want me to talk about Jarron Collins?

Utah Jazz

Who got cut: Ronald Dupree, Alexander Johnson, Paul Harris, Spencer Nelson

Who got kept: No one.

Wes Matthews and draft pick Goran Suton aren't really included in this, but in the interest of full disclosure Matthews is in and Suton is out. Suton would be a solid big man in the D-League should he decide to go that route. You're probably expecting me to express disappointment at Dupree being waived, but the fact is that he didn't play well in the preseason. At all. Well, I suppose that's not completely true as he averaged about ten points per 36 minutes, but he's capable of much more than that, and he didn't really contribute much in the way of rebounds, assists or steals. He's really only had one good game, though, against the Clippers when he shot 4-7 from the field and 3-4 from the free throw line, and in the rest he shot 5-13 overall. I'd like to see him in the D-League again this year, and maybe if he plays his normal solid, slashing game he'll restore some of his call-up-ability.

Daily Links 10/27

FLCeltsFan — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:18:05 -0000

Herald Celtics season preview coverage
Blake Griffin sidelined with broken kneecap
Best defensive teams in NBA history
NBA capsules for the Atlantic Division
John Kuester is just one of those guys you’ll like to root for
Celtics go to great depths
Defense won’t rest
1st stop: Cleveland
Danny Ainge’s age-old challenge
Kevin Garnett back in the flow
Sources: Glen Davis’ thumb hurt in off-court scrap
Globe Previews and predictions
They’ll try not to get tripped up
Cavaliers open about rivalry
Celtics ready to fire up hybrid
Once-green Ainge thriving in role as Celtics general manager
Celtics forward Davis breaks thumb, is out indefinitely
Chat with NBA reporter Gary Washburn on Tuesday at noon
Agent: Rondo won't sign new deal
Davis likely to be suspended by Celtics

CelticsBlog    Busy Opening Tip Eve
Can You Feel It?
Quick BBD Update: Out Indefinitely + Suspension?
Loy's Place    Random Thoughts on Game Day
Celtics Start Quest for Banner 18 at the Q
CT News     Marc Spears: Glen Davis Injury Not Season Ending
Miami Heat Previews 2009-10
Orlando Magic Preview 2009-10
Celtics: ‘Breaking’ News; Glen Davis Injures Hand
Chronicle    Cavs, Celtics can’t wait to get rivalry going again
Honolulu Advertiser   NBA: Atlantic Division capsules; Celtics favored
Hoopsworld    NBA AM: Ready To Make A Deal?
Awards Predictions: ROY, MIP, 6th Man
Waiting for Next Year    Leave Delonte West Alone!
Mercury News    NBA: Several notable achievements are within reach this season
Metro    Celtics reloaded in offseason
Dimemag   Top 5 Second Units In The NBA
Boston Celtics ‘09-10 NBA season preview
ProJo    Davis injures thumb; Rondo rejects Celts' contract offer
The Celtics could not reach a deal with Rondo yesterday
Celtics Davis injured in off-the-court altercation
Breaking down the Celtics’ roster, 1 through 10
Celtics believe they’re the best. Now’s the time to prove it.
Celtics Life    Thankful to be a Celtics Fan
Glen Davis Needs Thumb Surgery (Out 6-8 weeks)
More Bad News
Let Me Hear It! (Ampin' up for 2009-2010)
Celtics.com    Celtics-Cavaliers Preview
Cleveland.com   Opening night is always special for the Boston Celtics: Cleveland Cavaliers morning news roundup
Patriot Ledger    CELTICS NOTEBOOK: Davis suffers injured thumb reportedly in altercation
Mike Fine’s Starting Five
Celtics will rule again
NBA.com    Game Preview: Celtics at Cavaliers
Celtics 17    I Can Remember It Like It Was Yesterday: Celtics Must Stay Strong in Aftermath of Injuries
Both Teams Played Hard   The NBA Logo Ranking Project:#1 – The Boston Celtics
Red's Army    Rondo's agent: We're not doing a deal
Season Preview... Highlights style
Perkisabeast     Memo to Big Baby: Don’t Quit Your Day Job
Wicked Local    New Celtic Marquis Daniels prepared for LeBron duty
Celtics Hub    Rondo/C’s Talking; Does Rajon Want Max Deal? (UPDATE)
No Baby For Two Months: What Does It Mean?
No Rondo Deal
Examiner     Interview with Dave Lubach of the US Sports Academy, vote for the greatest basketball player of all
Big Baby injures hand: does he deserve immediate fan vilification?
North Station Sports     Pierce, Garnett,Allen: Serious About Success in Season Opener
New Kicks to Sport on Opening Night
NBA Season Preview
A Few Random Thoughts on Opening Night
Celtics Town     Boston Celtics preview/predictions... and a few NBA tidbits, too
Fernsten's Follies     Will the Boston Celtics’ Bench Outperform the Starters?
Lex Nihil Novi    McHale Survived Fitch and Lived to Tell About It (83-84)
1983-84 Season Preview
Boston: Basketball or Hockey Town? (83-84)
Gino's Jungle     Who Will Take Big Baby's Minutes?
0 Days Left- Time to Unleash the Monster
ESPN NBA Basketball Power Rankings
Report: Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics can't come to extension deal
Boston Celtics forward Glen Davis reportedly injures thumb in altercation
Tufts Daily     After offseason shuffles, contenders line up for a shot at the NBA title
AJC     5 reasons the Hawks will reach the Eastern Conference finals
Sporting News     Eastern Conference Preview: With Shaq On Board, Cavs Size Up Trip To Finals
Standard    Storylines for the upcoming NBA season
Lakers Nation    9 Headlines for ‘09 | The Lakers Nation
Tony Allen for President    Yo Man NBA Preview-Time
Orlando Sentinel     The Atlanta Hawks could challenge the Eastern Conference's big three this season
More powerful than a locomotive (and Kevin Garnett), Dwight Howard is all business about an Orlando NBA title
Gloucester Times The quest for 18
NESN    Report: Rajon Rondo Heading Toward Restricted Free Agency
Celtics Facing Cavaliers in Star-Studded Season Opener
These Celtics May Be Better Than the Celtics of Years Past
Familiar Face of Leon Powe Becomes Foe for Celtics
Boston's Stable Bench Enticed Rasheed Wallace to Join Celtics
Boston Legend Jo Jo White Believes Celtics Are the Early Favorite in 2009-10
Paul Pierce Creates 'Twitterhunt' for Celtics Tickets
Glen Davis Questionable for Celtics' Season Opener With Hand Injury
SouthCoast Today    Celts hoping Daniels will prove a 'Marquis' attraction
Opportunity knocks for bolstered Green
MetroWest Daily     Celtics: Davis out for opener
Megliola: Captain savors start of a new season
Wicked Local   Celtics: Davis out for opener
Star Tribune    Flip's flop and other hoopla
NBA.com   A lot's different -- and some's not -- in the 2009-10 season
Big Aristotle    Undefeated Preseason not Meaningless
Indy Star    Rest of NBA chasing Kobe and the Lakers
Blog Critics     Your 2009-10 NBA Champion Boston Celtics! Maybe? Sorta?
Fan House    Report: Glen Davis Could Miss Season
Le Basketbawl    Looks Like Big Baby Is A Big Dummy!
Herald Tribune     In NBA, the rich get richer
Cape Cod Online     Duca on Celtics: Reloaded and ready
Bleacher Report     Boston Celtics 2009-2010 Season Preview, Picks & Odds
NBA: Who's The Best Of The East and West
Press Herald    Celtics opener: Great way to start the season
Courant.com    NBA Season Starts Tonight
Bet Us    NBA Preseason Power Rankings
Hardwood Paroxysm   15 Footer: Once More, From The Top, Shall We?
Yahoo Rondo to join 2010 free-agent class
Dimemag   The Wait Is Over (For Some)
NBA Rumor: Antonio Daniels Could Sign With The Cavs
Jackson Sun   UTM's Hudson makes Celtics roster
Sports of Boston   Kendrick Perkins: Not a Household Name
Celtics Sign Stealth Point Guard?
Green Street     Source: Rondo, Celts $10-15 million apart
What a Rondo deal would mean
Report: Davis Suffers Broken Hand
Celtics, Rondo Set to Talk Monday Night
NY Post    Walsh creating cap space, not a winning team
USA Today    James, Cavaliers renew drive toward title with O'Neal in tow
CBS Sports    Top-heavy NBA will crown already well-decorated franchise champion
WEEI   The Chase Begins Anew: Celtics Resume Title Hunt
25 Questions for the 2009-10 NBA Season
NBA.com   Celtics, Rondo talk contract extension
Indy Cornrows    Former Pacers Already Making New Teams Happy
Peachtree Hoops   How much is separating the Atlanta Hawks from the big 3?
AP    Even players not sure free agency risk worth it
New-look Cavs and Celtics open season with one of NBA's best rivalries
Cleveland.com Cavaliers Insider: Delonte West's status still uncertain
Cleveland Cavaliers wouldn't mind a few extra days to get ready for opening night
Wave Newspapers    Laker preview: Team is built to repeat
Ohio.com   Cavs deny animosity toward Celtics
National Post   It's title or bust for the fab five
Hoopsworld     Celtics Cavaliers Preview
NBA Power Rankings
News Tribune NBA Eastern Conference team capsules
Bleacher Report   Final NBA Power Rankings Heading Into Season Tip-off
USA Today     Cavaliers and Celtics prepare to renew rivalry
Palm Beach Post   The Palm Beach Post's 2009-10 NBA power rankings
Ballerblogger   Position Rankings: Point Guards
Maine Campus    High expectations: Wallace to complement "Big Three"
SI.com   Shaquille O'Neal, Gilbert Arenas face pressure in season ahead
Sporting News   Wallace: Celtics Can Be
Nuggetpalooza These are your Boston Celtics
Interbasket    Boston Celtics: Least internationally diverse NBA team
Hooped Up Online   Top 5: Best Power Forwards In ‘09-10
Nuggetpalooza These are your Boston Celtics
Interbasket    Boston Celtics: Least internationally diverse NBA team
Hooped Up Online   Top 5: Best Power Forwards In ‘09-10
LA Times Which two teams will play in the NBA Finals, and which team will win?
Nuggetpalooza These are your Boston Celtics
Interbasket    Boston Celtics: Least internationally diverse NBA team
Hooped Up Online   Top 5: Best Power Forwards In ‘09-10
LA Times Which two teams will play in the NBA Finals, and which team will win?

Is Antonio Daniels on Cavaliers' Radar??

John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:47:24 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

7 months ago: New Orleans Hornets guard Antonio Daniels holds his head as time runs out in the fourth quarter of the Denver Nuggets' 113-84 victory over the Hornets in Game 1 of a Western Conference first-round playoff basketball game in Denver on Sunday, April 19, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Browse more photos »

To say that there are questions swirling around Delonte West is an understatement. The Cavaliers haven't ruled him out of tomorrow night's opener - they haven't said much of anything about West or his playing status. Without West, the Cavs are thin at best in the back court. Could that be the reason that Brian Windhorst is reporting that there are rumors around the Cavs with the name Antonio Daniels?

Some reports have it simply a rumor. Others have Daniels already agreeing to the veteran minimum after he clears waivers from being bought out by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Daniels would make a lot of sense. He would provide the Cavaliers a proven ball handler and - perhaps more importantly, a career 80% free throw shooter. With a team that could have Shaq and Anderson Varejao on the floor at the same time - free throw shooting becomes critical, especially late in games.

Either way, adding the depth of a proven player like Daniels can't be a bad thing - even if Delonte West is able to come all the way back.

In the end, with or without West, there is a bit of a void in the backcourt on the roster. Daniels would help fill that void.

NBA Previews- The Hornets

atthehive — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:23:30 -0000

More photos » by Gregory Smith - AP

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As part of CelticsBlog's annual round of previews, it's the Hornets' turn.

Team Name: New Orleans Hornets

Last Year's Record: 49-33

Key Losses: Tyson Chandler, Rasual Butler, Antonio Daniels, Ryan Bowen, Melvin Ely

Key Additions: Emeka Okafor, Darren Collison, Marcus Thornton, Ike Diogu, Morris Peterson, Darius Songaila

1. What Significant Moves were made during the off-season?

New Orleans did its fair share of wheeling and dealing. Tyson Chandler for Emeka Okafor was the headliner, with the Hornets swapping out a defensive ace with injury questions. Okafor enters the season nursing his own injury, but the hope is he can offer more consistent minutes than Chandler did in '09. The Hornets also saved money by offloading Rasual Butler and Antonio Daniels. Via the draft, Chris Paul's new backup- Darren Collison- joined the team, as did Marcus Thornton, a potential scoring threat off the bench. Toss Darius Songaila into the forward mix, and the Hornets enter 2009-2010 with a significantly different look and feel- three new players will step into the starting roles (Peterson, Julian Wright, Okafor), and a plethora of backcourt and frontcourt minutes should go to Collison and Diogu.

2. What are the team’s biggest strengths?

The point guard position. Obviously, that's been the strength since 2005; however, the Hornets seem to have the backup PG position locked down for the first time in a while. The organization has shown continual confidence in UCLA's Darren Collison. On draft night, they took him over a variety of front court options. They unloaded incumbent 2nd string PG Daniels relatively early in the offseason. And instead of bringing in a veteran 3rd string standby, they decided to roll the dice on Minnesota's Bobby Brown. If things go according to plan, not only will Chris Paul be awesome, his backup will allow him a couple more minutes of rest a game.

3. What are the team’s biggest weaknesses?

One of New Orleans' biggest issues last year was an utter lack of offensive rebounding ability. Only 5 teams went one and done more often last year (now, granted 2 of those were Orlando and San Antonio... but they made up for it in many other areas). Granted, a lot of the problems had to do with severe injury issues. However, neither Okafor nor Ike Diogu is an o-rebounder in the ilk of a healthy Chandler, so that weakness could persist.

On that same note, front court depth was another huge issue. While the addition of Diogu should help, Sean Marks and Hilton Armstrong still figure to get decent minutes off the bench. That shouldn't need much elaboration. The bench sucked in general last year, but more on that under Question 5.

Finally, the team still lacks a creative scorer outside of West and Paul. Obviously, having three marquee scorers on one team might be a little too much to ask for, but having a creative wing would help snap the stagnant stretches the offense is prone to fall into. Some have hyped Thornton into the role. I'm not saying a 6'0" shooting guard can't get that job done; there are a few examples across the league. But I'll believe it when I see it.

4. What are the goals for this team?

Hard to say. From a media perspective, the Hornets certainly won't have too much expected of them after last year's disastrous ending. From a player perspective, I'm sure a few guys are feeling some pressure. David West will be 29 next year. Chris Paul's only 24, but his chances at a title have taken a step back from 2007. From a fan perspective, I feel like a first round series win would satiate the majority of New Orleans appetites. Realistic goals will only become clear at least a couple weeks into November. Between Okafor, Wright's starting job, Collison, and Diogu, there are simply too many new pieces to say for sure.

5. Will the bench suck as badly this year?

The second unit was arguably the Hornets' biggest shortcoming last year. Antonio Daniels is the only guy I can possibly defend. Julian Wright, serious step back. James Posey, mediocre. Morris Peterson, invisible. Sean Marks, eh. Melvin Ely, bleh. And that's without even getting to the unmentionables, Hilton and Devin. Speaking of which, we should combine them into one player this year. Delton Browstrong. Okay, that sounds way cooler than this combo player possibly deserves to. Helvin Brownarms. There we go. Helvin Brownarms.

The overall point is that the bench can't possibly be this bad again. I mean... it could. But it can't.

Darren Collison is a respectable player by all accounts. Ike Diogu can be rock solid if healthy. Peja Stojakovic could have a rebound year and keep his back healthy, coming off the pine. Of course, Marks, Armstrong, and the rest are going to pick up some minutes. But a second unit of Collison/Thornton/Peja/Posey/Diogu with light servings of Bobby Brown and some Kiwi sprinkles should easily outperform last year's. It simply has to.

So to answer the question, no the bench will not suck as badly.

Projected Finish: 53 wins
Projected Finish Rationale: None whatsoever

Ghosts of Wizards Past are Starting to Pop Up Again

JakeTheSnake — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 09:00:34 -0000

More photos » by Jack Dempsey - AP

Antonio Daniels could be coming to a town near you...unless it's Minneapolis...or Washington.

Browse more photos »

Training camp is in full swing around the NBA. Training camp serves as the alarm to basketball fans that the season is about to start. It's also a gives us a great chance to reminisce about old faces who are landing in new places, trying to extend their NBA career by latching on to training camp rosters, or in some cases trying to demand a trade.

After the jump, you can check out the latest news on the man pictured above, among others.

- You may recall that Antonio Daniels was shipped to Minnesota during the summer in exchange for Darius Songaila. Understandably, the 34 year old isn't too excited about the prospect of playing in bitter cold Minnesota for a rebuilding team. So it's not too much of a surprise to see that Antonio Daniels has asked for a trade. Wolves GM David Kahn has honored his request and will allow him to pursue trade options.

Daniels, 34, was acquired from New Orleans earlier this month mainly because Kahn opened more cap space for next summer by trading Darius Songaila and the two years remaining on his contract away. Daniels wants to play significant minutes so he score another sizable contract next summer, a prospect that, barring injury, isn’t likely with the Wolves committed to Jonny Flynn and Ramon Sessions at point guard.

He said he would trade Daniels to a team where he can play more — as he did by dealing Richardson to Miami for Blount — if he can get a similar expiring $6.6 million contract in return. Kahn said he believes helping players in that situation if possible is a bit of goodwill that eventually will benefit the franchise with other players down the road.

I've heard some fans bounce the idea of trying to re-acquire Daniels with Mike James' expiring contract. It's certainly an intriguing idea, but it has too much working against it. Mike James didn't leave Minnesota on the best of terms, so its had to see Minnesota rolling out the welcome mat for him. Likewise, there was some talk that AD had become very "negative and critical" near the end of his time in D.C., so there's no guarantee that either side would be excited about a reunion.

On top of that and more importantly, trading for Mike James wouldn't do anything to change the situation that they have on their hands other than to change the name involved in the conflict. If James was sent to Minnesota, he would immediately ask for a trade because he doesn't want to spend the closing years of his career on a rebuilding team any more than Antonio Daniels does.

- If you were wondering if Juan Dixon's invitation to the Back to Camp party meant that he would be back with the team again, you don't have to worry anymore. He'll be fighting for a roster spot in Atlanta along with Mike Wilks. You may remember Wilks played a few games for the Wizards two years ago when the team was decimated by injuries.

- You've probably heard by now that Juwan Howard signed with the Blazers, but he won't be the only ex-Wiz in Portland in training camp. Donnell Taylor will also be in Oregon trying to make the team. (Editor's Note: Taylor just got cut after this post was finished). Also, while we're still on the subject of Juwan Howard, it's probably worth noting that his son Juwan Howard Jr. has signed on to play at Western Michigan next year.

- Etan Thomas won't be the only former Wizard in Oklahoma City, Michael Ruffin received an invite to participate in the Thunder's training camp.