So, I live in the Bay Area, and about 75% of the people around me are GSW fans, so needless to say, I've heard a lot about Mickael Pietrus, I've heard a lot about Matt Barnes, and I've heard a lot about C.J. Watson.  I would say that prior to now, Watson was something of an unknown to the rest of the league, he and Kelenna Azubuike are considered by many Warriors fans to be the D-League gems that have made it successfully in the NBA.  While he's new, I'd still like to make a case that C.J. Watson, not Anthony Johnson should shoulder the bulk of the backup PG minutes.

Continue reading this post »

As many people are prone to point out, two things happened with the essential swap of Vince Carter for Hedo Turkoglu: the Magic got a better closer and they also got a heck of a lot thinner.  Essentially, in picking up an All-Star caliber (albeit an older one) shooting guard and a young power forward, the Magic gave up a point guard, a shooting guard, a power forward, and lost a small forward to free agency.  Word on the street has Marcin Gortat agreeing to terms with the Dallas Mavericks, and I don't know if Orlando would be so inclined to match.  I'm not sure why they wouldn't, but then again, you could probably get a backup center for pretty cheap.  Anyways, as some are inclined to point out, the Orlando roster as of today, currently looks like this:

PG - Jameer Nelson, Anthony Johnson

SG - Vince Carter, J.J. Redick

SF - Mickael Pietrus

PF - Rashard Lewis, Ryan Anderson

C - Dwight Howard

So the immediate needs that jump out are the need for a backup center that can support Dwight Howard, but also some depth at the small forward slot.  If I'm not mistaken (correct me if I am) Magic still have their MLE, the BAE, and veteran's minimum to work with.

Continue reading this post »

I think the Spurs still have a number of assets left, beyond looking to the free agency for a big.  Okay, so they don't really have a whole lot to offer to teams except maybe some expiring contracts and the stuff, but nonetheless, it's better than nothing.  I believe that for whatever the Spurs do end up giving up, it's easier to find a wing in free agency than it is to find a big, especially given the list of bigs that I've seen in free agency.  More elaboration after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

This might be looking a little far ahead, but it couldn't help but catch my attention:

"After today there's no way he can play," said Rivers, who left open the possibility his star could return at some point in the postseason but was not optimistic.

An NBA source confirmed to the Globe this morning that Garnett was only about 70 percent healed from the knee injury, which occured during a Feb. 19 game in Utah, and that the Celtics All-Star would likely miss the entire postseason.

Whole article here.

Chance!

Though I do hope KG gets better.

Our wings currently consist of Roger Mason Jr, Michael Finley, Ime Udoka, and Bruce Bowen.  Even if Manu did come back healthy next season, it's undeniable that we need a serious upgrade.  I'm not expecting to get a superstar like LeBron or Kobe or Paul Pierce or Caron Butler or such, no franchise cornerstone type players, or rather, untouchables.  I also don't want bloated contracts like Richard Jefferson or Andrei Kirilenko.  This person needs to be someone that can play with the Big 3, and doesn't need the ball.  Plays solid defense.  Also able to hit the 3 fairly consistently, and young(-ish).  At least younger than Finley (36) and Bowen (37), which isn't hard to find, preferably younger than Mason (28), but we can make exceptions.  Also able to create his own shot.  Again, reasonably priced probably nothing significantly greater than an MLE.

Continue reading this post »

It's great in all to say how our wings are pretty crappy, which they are.  I mean, yeah, I like the Roger Mason signing, I like the George Hill draft, but tack onto that Michael Finley (please don't take your player option), Bruce Bowen, Ime Udoka, and Jacque Vaughn, it's pretty hurting.  Hill is still a project, Mason, well, Mason is a shooter.  Yes, it'd be nice if we could get a finisher/creator, he doesn't need to create for others, he just needs to do his job, get to the rim and score.  It'd be nice if in this offseason we could get one of Marvin Williams, Josh Childress, Marquis Daniels, or Walter Herrmann (or Ron Artest?), somewhat realistically speaking.  Unrealistically speaking, it'd be nice if we could get Kobe or Hedo to opt out and sign with us, if we could nab Trevor Ariza from the Lakers.  I trust Pop and the front office will deal with that somehow, I really do.  Yes, the Spurs could also use an upgrade at the PF/C to play next to Tim Duncan.  Yes, I would love to sign Rasheed Wallace and make another run, yes, it would be a dream if Mehmet Okur decided to opt out and sign with us, yes, to a lesser extent that Zydrunas Ilgauskas opts out and signs with us.  I think you get the point.  However, here's what I think the Spurs really need:

The Spurs need Tim Duncan to become the David Robinson to the next Tim Duncan.

Continue reading this post »

I'm 100% serious here, I like the Magic coming out of the East, in fact, I'm picking them to go at least to the Finals, with a shot at winning it all.  Really.  Without Jameer Nelson, that's right.  While depth continues to be an issue, I don't know that it'll be as big of a problem as some might consider.

Continue reading this post »

So I was going through the free agent list and I realized that, there are a lot of players from the Hawks that are going to be available via free agency.  Granted neither Joe Johnson or Josh Smith fall into that category, but such a large number of players on an already think bench seems somewhat alarming.  Who should the Hawks keep?

Continue reading this post »

I'm sure everyone's tuned into the last half of the season, seeing the Blazers succeed and win a playoff spot would be great, but of course we have to look forward too.  I'm sure more than some of the fans out there are somewhat disappointed by Kevin Pritchard's failure to move the RLEC (Raef Lafrentz Expiring Contract).  Granted from what I saw, there really wasn't anything that was super appealing.  Richard Jefferson is not $9.2 million better than Travis Outlaw, and the presence of homeboy Luke Ridnour will do nothing except stunt the growth of Jerryd Bayless.  Honestly, Steve Blake and Steve Blake 2.0 isn't a stronger backcourt than Steve Blake and Jerryd Bayless.  There was another murmuring of landing Andre Miller, but at the cost of Jerryd Bayless, and I'm pretty sure the Blazers weren't going to mortgage their future (possibly) PG for the sake of half a season of Andre Miller plus maybe a second round exit.  As good as Andre Miller is, he wouldn't have taken the Blazers over the top.  So since the trade deadline is over, the Blazers really can't do much with their roster, except wait until the summer...

Continue reading this post »