Today marks the beginning of a new and brighter era of not only Nets basketball but Brooklyn Nets Basketball. During my visit to Brooklyn to visit the Barclays Center and see the unveiling of our new brand at Modell's, it definitely felt like a new era--a new and promising beginning with a fan base that seemed hungry to make this team theirs and loyally represent with "Brooklyn" and/or "Nets" across their chests. In all my years as a Nets fan, I have never felt a buzz like the one that I felt today surrounding this franchise. From the TV and radio spots to the buzz on the streets and the smiles of the people from Brooklyn who stood in line with me today, I really felt like the Nets were FINALLY HOME. No longer are we talking about the dream. The dream has come to fruition as the Nets franchise has officially turned the page and they are determined to write anew.

Continue reading this post »

I'm planning on going to an upcoming home game soon. I've been to plenty of Nets games. I usually sit top center. I've sat behind the basket and in the lower section center court, but I've never sat near the bench or courtside so I just have the following questions:

What seats should I get to sit behind the team bench?

What are good seats if you want to get on TV?

What Section is Loud and Proud?

Are courtside seats worth it (without taking into account the crappy-ness of our team)? If not, what seats up close are of better value?

What are "Floor Riser" seats (e.g. 2F, 13F)?

What seats do you buy to be near our team's tunnel?

Please feel free to add any other significant seats that might be of interest.

Thanks a ton.

Update: 05:08 PM ET From Hoopshype:

Steve Kyler: The Magic have decided to try and make it work and see where things are at the deadline and then again in July.

Steve Kyler: Dwight is worth more to Orlando for the next 4 months than anything they can get in trade.. right or wrong that's how they feel.

Steve Kyler: Here is where the thinking is... there is no deal the Magic can make today thats better than the deal they can make in July via sign & trade.

In addition, Howard stated, "I'm just going to go out and continue to do what I can to help the team I'm on now win a chaThat's my only goal."

Could the Nets and Howard possibly be orchestrating together this "Big Picture" plan that we keep hearing about day in and day out at Netsdaily? It seems as if Dwight could have instilled enough confidence in the Magic franchise to maybe keep him beyond the deadline. If that's the case and the Magic lose in the playoffs as expected, he can just join the Nets, their large capspace and a top 5 pick with Deron, MarShon, potentially Mayo and Morrow(if it is Farmar that goes out in a trade) with Lopez in free agency. Could this all be part of the masterplan for the Nets to have all the pieces that they need to make any move they could want to surround Dwight and Deron with what they want this summer? The Nets afterall have spent the past 2 to 3 years shedding salary, acquiring picks, and buidling the Barclays center for the "Big Picture".

Despite losing a fifth year, I'm sure Dwight sees the value of being able to make it to Brooklyn via free agency for not only his aspirations of becoming a potential cultural icon in Brooklyn but also for his aspirations to win with the team that he joins. What better way to ensure the winning pieces in place than to not gut the team that you want to go to of the assets they have. The "Big Picture" could happen if Orlando is really that dead set on going balls to wall with Howard through the playoffs and into free agency. I'd be so surprised if they didnt trade him but knowing that managment, it's a possible scenario. DeShawne and D-Will have talked of the "Big Picture" and they've bought into it for a reason.

This scenario is not an elusive pipe dream like it would have been in the past. The "Big Picture" is a reality within reach and you can't help but think that maybe the Nets would want to maintain their assets and add Dwight as much as we would like to see that happen as fans of the team. Could it be that Dwight is really helping orchestrate the realization of this "Big Picture" to the extent of making the Magic believe they have a chance at keeping him. Are the Magic dumb enough to really not see the writing on the wall of Dwight saying that the trade request stands?What is going on? Hmmmmm...

Whenever the NBA does start back up again, the drama surrounding the future home of Dwight Howard will kick into high gear.  Whether you are at home, at work, in class, or at your local diner, if you are a fanatic like myself you will be checking Netsdaily constantly to be in tune with the latest.  

On one hand, we're all hoping to see that explosive drama quelling headline akin to that beautiful and relieving 23rd day of February when we all read at the top of Netsdaily, "Nets Get Deron Williams!".  On the other hand, at the same time we are all wishing that we don't see the nearly dream crushing headline, "Breaking News: D12 and D-Rose Form Powerhouse in Chi-Town"  

via dimemag.com

Let's face it, us fans here at Netsdaily are fanatics and the mix of emotions that comes along with the plausible trade scenarios involving a franchise changer of this magnitude can be downright overwhelming at times.  On one hand our team can be shot into the realm of absolute relevance and championship contention while on the other, we can end up having to dispute for months about how the front office is going to assemble a squad that can compete with the monsters down in South Beach and the potential monster duo which could be formed in Chi-Town.  I'll still be kickin it with the Brooklyn Nets even if Dwight does happen to land somewhere other than with us but how sweet would it be if we could just be rest assured that we will have a foundation of Brooklyn, D12, and D-Will to build everything else on? As fanatics we all wish.  

We’re all hoping that Dwight lands in Brooklyn to kickoff a bright and more stress free future for us as Nets fans.  We’re hoping that one day we can see an unquestionably focused D-Will and D12 in crunch time at the Barclays Center with Jay-Z’s "Brooklyn We Go Hard" bangin’ in the background with the crowd unquestionably behind them rumbling in support for the W.  Just imagine the crowd in harmony, "B R O…Ohhh K…L Y N…COME AGAIN!"  For now it's all a dream.  Nets fans can only send influential tweets to D12 and hope (with or without landing Howard) that all goes according to the front office's plan for a competitive product on the floor on opening night in Brooklyn.  If it ain't Howard, hopefully it's Nene/Chandler and Prince.  But all that is besides the point and focus.  This fan base is not looking for competitive. This fan base and the front office has their sights set on seeing this team have a dominant presence.   

The hints have been dropped.  Howard is impressed with Brooklyn and the rapidly rising Barclays Center.  He mentioned wanting to play with D-will and Morrow.  He mentioned wanting to play in the big market.  He mentioned wanting to be an icon with a lasting legacy.  With that information in mind it seems as if Dwight wants to be apart of the bright future we see in our franchise but it’s not that easy if this all doesn’t come to free agency because this is one of the league's most coveted players and there are other teams with whom Dwight could achieve his goals.  So the question for us as fans who will be following all this drama is: Who among D12’s suitors should we be worried about and who shouldn’t make us a break a sweat as all this drama unfolds?

This reference was used for the following: http://www.hoopsworld.com/lets-trade-dwight-howard/

Who to Worry About

Chicago – The Bulls as an organization and Chicago as a city can help Dwight achieve many of his aspirations.  It is a team that can have a very good trade offer consisting of quality young talent and savings for Orlando.  In addition, they are team that Dwight may not hesitate to sign an extension with considering they were really only a legit star away from winning it all last year.  With the exception of the Boozer signing, the front office is solid.  In Chicago, Dwight would be playing for a very well respected defensive coach as well as with the league’s reigning MVP, Derrick Rose.  Although D-Rose isn’t a pass first point guard, and he also is not among the point guards that Dwight mentioned in the ‘5 players he’d like to play with list’, D-Rose has shown the killer instinct and desire to win it all.  For winning rings and becoming even more prominent inside and outside the league as an icon, playing with D-Rose in Chi-town may be Dwight’s answer for a future destination.    

Miami - Hoopsworld brought up a great point that Miami could flip LBJ or Wade for D12.  This is clearly the best deal that Orlando could get.  With the possibility of having a Wade/LBJ-Dwight combo, Miami would have to think long and hard about not dealing one of the two conflicting (overlapping) talents considering the fact that teaming up an interior defensive presence such as Dwight with Wade/Lebron and Bosh would be so much more of a conducive foundation for winning future championships than what they have in place now. 

Clippers – as Hoopsworld stated in their Lets Trade Dwight article, the Clippers could likely offer the best package to Orlando.  With the savings from expirings, a trade piece like Kaman, quality young talent like DeAndre and Aminu, and the Timberwolves (likely lottery bound) pick, Orlando would get almost everything they’re looking for in a trade for rebuilding.  One would have to think that the Clippers would strongly think about pulling the trigger on a trade like this even if Howard was non-commital on signing an extension.  After their rough start, the Clippers showed last year how much noise they could make.   One could only imagine the type of noise they could make with Howard anchoring the D. Although no one saw them as having a chance in the sweepsteaks for Lebron, they were there, playing the game like our front office, trying to convince James to join their beleaguered franchise.  

Since then, their franchise has really gotten the attention of those all around the league and fans everywhere because of Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon, and their nice young and upcoming talent.  Despite how incompetent their management can seem at times, we should fully be expecting them to use the various assets they have to go after either Dwight, CP3, or both.  Other than the aforementioned trade pieces from the Hoopworld article, this team has so many desirable young players that Orlando could covet.  The Clippers have various trade scenarios that they could put on the table for the Magic. 

There are some prominent problems with the possibility of Howard joining the Clippers franchise:  (1)  Could Howard share the limelight (which he seems to want for his own) with Griffin?  Is the frontcourt even big enough for those two beasts? (2) Does Dwight want to join another shaky front office with Sterling at the helm given his less than pleasurable experience in Orlando with the front office? 

Even if Howard is non-commital, the Clippers may gamble Billy King style and have D12 join the likes of Griffin, Gordon, Bledsoe, and company for the season and see how he likes the bright lights of Hollywood with some very nice up and coming talent.  This team could make some serious noise.  If the Clippers are in a gambling mood, Howard’s attempt to force the Magic’s hand may be useless as the Clippers could have all that Orlando is looking for in a trade for their departing star.  Like OKC, the Clippers could also go the route of pursuing CP3 instead by offering a player the caliber of Eric Gordon in exchange.  God knows CP3 would be a hell of a fit in LA with Griffin. 

Weak Outside Chance of Landing Howard

OKC – OKC is very much in the same situation that Chicago and Clippers are in with the very appealing potential package that they could offer Orlando in terms of quality young talent.  The difference being (and this could or could not be a big difference to Dwight) is clearly the market that Dwight would be in.  If Dwight can imagine building his icon and legacy through his winning in the league, maybe he could imagine coming into OKC and competing for a ring right away with Durantula.  OKC has a fairly good financial situation which would allow them to absorb contracts that Orlando may want to send their way and also make up for the holes made in a trade that would probably involve sending Ibaka, Harden, and Perkins to the Magic.  If Orlando likes the trade out of OKC and OKC wouldn’t mind taking a gamble on a non-committal Howard, they could make a run for a title with Howard as a rental.  A more plausible scenario in my mind for them would be making a trade for CP3 involving Westbrook and other pieces.  I think they would rather take that gamble considering the fact that Westbrook caused most of the static on that team during the playoffs.  GM Sam Presti seems like a guy who has a good knack for maintaining chemistry.  CP3 could fit right into OKC and really enhance the good chemistry the team already has.  A trade that swaps CP3 and Westbrook would work for both NO and OKC.    

Who to Not Really Worry About

Lakers -  the packages mentioned by Hoopsworld and above are much more conducive for rebuilding than what the Lakers could offer Orlando.  If the Magic front office wants to continue their streak of bad decisions, they’ll gamble on a liability like Bynum and invest big money on an aging player like Gasol or Odom which would just maintain their bad cap situation.  In addition, the draft picks obtained from the Lakers would not be very favorable for the Magic as well.  With this trading partner, I think the incompetence of the Magic front office is more of a threat to us losing in the Howard sweepstakes than the Lakers organization's assets. 

Knicks -  Duhhh Garden, asbestos, a front office in turmoil is enough said but I'll explain to comfort those who think the Knicks could land Howard.  I don’t believe in the trade scenario that Hoopsworld gave involving Billups, Fields, Turiaf, Bill Walker, Toney Douglas, a 2018 draft pick, and the 2020 rights to a middle school Phys. Ed basketball star.  A trade involving Amare is more plausible given that the Magic may want to have someone that could put butts in their arena which is still new.  In this scenario, I think it’s really up to Dwight to know that he shouldn’t accept a trade to NY and state that he’s not willing to extend with them.  If Dwight’s been displeased with front office decisions in Orlando, he’s in for a treat under Dolan because bad front office decisions is the asbestos they have been trying to clear out of MSG for over a decade.  

Jazz – They have quality to offer but not enough in talent in place to keep Howard there if he were to be a rental for them.  

WIth all that said, I'm particularly afraid of the Bulls and the Clippers landing Dwight.  Hopefully he's Brooklyn bound. Who do you guys think has the best shot of landing Dwight other than the Nets?

Hey Sixers fans,

Nets fan here.  I've been reading a lot about Thaddeus Young lately and how efficient he's been for Philly.  I wanted to know how you feel about the year he's had and the potential you see for a young player like him.  

Do you guys see the Sixers retaining him in the off-season given the logjam and money you guys have tied up at the 2/3??  Are SIxers likely to match high offers for him??

The Nets are looking for a competent 3 to work out on the wings next to D-will and I hear Thaddeus is overdue for a starting job.  

Is it more likely that they move Iggy and re-sign Thaddeus or let him walk.  Do you guys find it likely that they find a trading partner for Iggy??

Good luck in the playoffs and I hope Turner really blooms.  I've been pushing for him since the beginning.  I was sad he didn't make it to the Nets although i'm sure you guys were very disappointed with him at the beginning of the season.  I really hope he comes around!

We can't have FanPosts for every single trade or free agent idea that comes to mind. From now on, there will be one FanPost on the home page to house your random summer acquisition ideas. If you have one, add it in the comments below. New FanPosts regarding random ideas will be removed.

-- NetsDaily

Roundball Mining Company Article on JR Smith & Pondering Potential Chemistry with the addition of a 2 and 3 

Hey guys.  So I was talking to my brother the other day and he stumbled upon this Denver-Dallas post-game article about how the author believes JR Smith is maturing as a player.  It was definitely a really interesting article so I felt that I should share it with you all here.  

Its definitely a good topic for conversation for us at Netsdaily considering we need some quality players on the wing.

The article has plenty of input from Nuggets fans at the end which makes it that much more interesting for us as Nets fans (many of us who are imagining JR Smith coming back home to Jersey and running a potentially dangerous backcourt with D-will).

How would JR fare with starter's minutes and the confidence from a coach that he belongs as a starter?  Maybe George Karl is using him properly off the bench?  How would he perform with a backcourt mate like D-will?  These are all very interesting questions that we here at Netsdaily should talk about so enough of all the questions...here's the article:

http://www.roundballminingcompany.com/2011/04/06/2010-11-game-78-denver-nuggets-104-dallas-mavericks-96/#more-2312

In addition to this article, about a few weeks back, I posted this following fanpost at DenverStiffs to see who they really wanted to keep in the off-season since we are interested in a number of players from that team this summer.  I've been really busy with school so I didn't have a chance to really pick their brains over there but you may find their comments worth the read nonetheless so...here's that one:

http://www.denverstiffs.com/2011/3/26/2073478/from-a-nets-fan-who-will-the-nuggets-look-to-retain-in-the-off-season

One last thing...a poll:

First and foremost, I'd just like to congratulate you guys on the robbing the Knicks and also for not accepting the Nets package which resulted in us landing D-will.  I'm really happy that your team is kickin ass over there in the west and I hope the Nuggz keep it up.  

So on to my question: Based on the games you've seen so far, who do you guys see the Nuggets retaining in the offseason? Who do you want them to keep on board??

Chandler, JR, Afflalo, K-mart???  

Prokorov really must seize the moment that has risen as a result of these most recent events:

(1) The foundation they've already laid with Jerry Coangelo
(2) Kevin Pritchard absurdly getting fired
(3) Rod Thorn retiring.

It feels like an amazing series of events is unfolding for the Nets to build the team that they are envisioning both in the front office and on the court.  See this as the foundation for the future:

-Jerry Coangelo as the respected President who has great ties with the admired stars of our league.  This guy is highly respected.

-Pritchard as the edgy and crafty GM who worked beautifully after getting fired an hour before the draft.  The guy is so crafty with trades and cap space.  If he wants something, he pushes to make it happen.  He can constantly bring in the supporting talent that stars need.

-A new coach who is hungry to prove he can be successful and prove his prior shortcomings as he's done throughout his career as we all at Netsdaily have learned about through the likes of Pops and many others who are respected throughout the league.

-A group of young, hard working players like CLee, Twill, Brook, Harris, Lopez and the addition of Favors and Damion James.  This is a very nice starting point for the future.  You can already see that this Nets organization is pushing to make a team with chemistry.  They are truly building from the ground up.

So....all these things should attract Lebron right?  Maybe yes.  Maybe no.  Do I care?  Not the slightest bit.

A little off topic:

First off, I don't think Lebron is coming to Jersey.  The reason?  Chad Ford made a great point that Lebron really wouldn't mind playing in Jordan's shadow.  He stated that he actually really admires MJ's legacy and that he'd embrace the challenge of playing in it in Chicago like Kobe embraced playing in Magic's in LA.  I think he'll see Chicago as the place he can win now given what Chicago did against them in the playoffs.  With Derrick Rose being much more attractive to play with (as of now) than Devin Harris and Bosh likely to tag along, it's safe to say that James is likely (NOT definitely) to land in Chicago.  If the Nets make some ingenious trades that completely floor Lebron its a different story.

Anyways, this is all besides to point of this Fanpost.  Do I really care if Lebron comes to the NJ Brooklyn Nets? Not really.  What I do care about is Prokorov accomplishing (with a splash!) one of his main goals as owner of the Nets.  He said himself that he wants to create a well oiled machine in the front office with excellent chemistry.  Its unlikely we'll get either Presti or R.C. Buford as they both seem highly loyal to their respective organizations. 

The next best option to landing one of those two next to Jerry Coangelo would be to grab Pritchard as GM.   The whole league is furious about what happened to Pritchard.  He's gonna be hot on this market very soon if he already isn't.  Proky should be smart and give him the good bucks to be our new GM.  

Landing both him and Coangelo can be the start of the Nets being the place to be whether or not James comes. 

Now for some pipe-dreaming as a fan:

Despite getting a 65 million dollar extension a few days ago, I believe Melo is likely to wait until free agency next year and not sign any extension with the Nuggets. If he's smart he'll wait to see what's going on with the future of their organization.  I imagine he wants to see if George Karl can move forward and well with them.  Another early exit next year and you can be assured that the NJ Brooklyn Nets will be a prime target for his next destination if he is thinking about having one.

You've maybe heard it from me before, but I'd love for Melo to be the guy that puts the Nets over the top in the future especially since he's a Brooklyn native.  Other than Lebron and KD, can you have a better star to represent you as Nets fans on the verge of the move to Brooklyn?  I think not.  Plus Melo's not the prima donna that the King is :P.  He's really developed his character very nicely from his early years in the league.  He's max contract worthy on and off the court.  With this front office in place, I think he could be our guy if things go awry in Denver next year. 

If we don't land Lebron, I'd really like for our new guys to develop along with our current guys, pick up a guy like Haslem to start in front of Favors (so he can get some good mentorship and develop at a nice pace) and grab some other supporting pieces to help this team make some noise next year.  I'm not sure I want them throw big money at Gay if we don't land Lebron.  I'd say maybe throw big money at Amare since he doesn't cramp the possibility of landing Melo like Gay would being that Gay is a 3.

If the Nets land Pritchard, I think they'll have a guy who can make the right moves next year if the Nets do happen to make a premature move this summer.

So in summary, I just think the Nets have to take advantage of what has unfolded here int he past couple of days and solidify a QUALITY front office that players would want to work with down the line.  Just one more step in the Nets Quest for the NBA Championship.

-NJQuestCat

Ryan Thompson 2009-2010 mix: 

This video shows various things about Thompson's game.  He seems like he can create his own shot which is actually very nice.  In addition to creating his own shot, he seems to be a good catch and shoot SG as well. Although he only shot 33% from beyond the arc last year, he seems to have nice shot mechanics.  Driving to the hoop, he shows very nice body control and good touch.  He also shows some unselfish passing in this video as well

Right now i'm between him and Darington Hobson for the 27th unless either Bledsoe or James Anderson falls.  I don't really like Dominique Jones as the pick because if he's not Wall, i'd rather not go with an undersized 2 guard.

I think we really need a versatile two/three who can iso, drive to the basket with control, and can reliably spread the floor for us.  Out of the two, I gotta say that I'd rather pick up Ryan Thompson because he fits the mold of a SG more than Hobson who Givony states has issues with his shooting.

While Hobson does a good job creating scoring opportunities for himself and others, he isn’t quite as effective at finishing plays. His shooting percentages from inside the arc leave a lot to be desired at just 43%, a reflection of his struggles finishing around the rim (due to his lack of explosiveness) in traffic, coupled with his often-poor shot-selection. 

Hobson loves to pull up off the dribble in the mid-range area, but is not particularly effective when doing so.

Hobson seems to be a poor man's version of Turner.  What really makes him a poor man's Turner is that he is questionable as a scoring threat from midrange and driving, and we have too many players like that.  Its nice that the kid is extremely versatile showing nice rebounding skills and passing, but we already have a player like that in T-will who is still working on finding his niche as a scorer.

I think it would be better to pick up a guy like Thompson who seems like a multifaceted scorer.  He seems to be more of a versatile scorer than CLee who works best off the ball and a guy like CDR who, although a very good scorer, has very questionable ball handling skills (damn that dribble of his is high).  We need a 2 who not only has an outside shot (by creating his own or catching and shooting) but also has the handles, body control, and touch to reliably drive and finish.  Not only does Thompson drive well, he also shoots very well from the stripe where he shot at over 81% this past season on over 6 attempts a game.

In regards to Hobson, he shot only 62% from the stripe which Givony points out is indicative of his need to really work on his jumpshot.  Again we already have a point-forward type who needs to work on his jumpshot.  

To not make this argument a one-sided push for Thompson, here are some of Givony's critiques on his game from an invitational tournament: (link: http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Ryan-Thompson-5060/) 

Critique on athleticism:

At 6’6, Thompson has good size for the wing along with solid length and a strong frame, however, he is a less than impressive athlete and while he could maximize his physical potential by slimming down some, he will likely remain below average by NBA standandards.   

Critique on defense:

He did a solid job defensively in the setting, even though his lateral quickness is below average. While he likely cannot defend the most athletic wing players we find in the NBA, he is a smart defender and was able to use his strength, size, and quick hands to his advantage.

Critique on the offensive end:

Thompson was unable to score on athletic wing defenders such as Marquis Blakely, however, suggesting that he will have a hard time adjusting to NBA caliber defenders. 

- - - - - -

On the offensive end, Thompson played an incredibly intelligent brand of basketball and displayed a very diverse skill set. He was most effective as a shooter, hitting 57.5% from the field and 64.3% from beyond the arc. Though he could still get more elevation on his jump shot, he has corrected much of the flat-footed, arc-less shot he displayed as a senior in college, where he shot just 32.4% from beyond the arc.

He also showed some of his mid-range game, taking his man off the dribble, creating some space, and pulling up for a jump shot. Despite his average first step, Thompson was able to use his size and strength advantage to get his shot off.

Though he was not as successful or efficient around the rim because of his lack of ideal quickness and lift, he was able to score due to his solid body control and excellent touch. 

I think this kid has a lot of positives to his game and although Givony made many criticisms about his game, there was varous bright spots which highlighted that this kid is making the most of what he's got as a player (I italicized and bolded those above).  The main criticism seems to be that he may not be able to score against athletic guards in the NBA.  Given the footage and Givony's stated positives about his game, I'd say he's a 2-guard worth using the 27th pick on.

We need a 2-guard to help us keep the defenses honest. Givony said he moves very well without the ball, is a nice spot up shooter, and can really spread the floor.

I say if we pick up Favors, Thompson, and Avery decides (not me deciding) that Gay is a guy he can help be a good defender, we've began to seriously address three very big holes on this roster which are as follows:

(1) a true multifaceted scoring SG, (2) a scoring threat at the SF spot (Gay), and (3) a rebounding, defensive, hustle type 4 in Favors who can work next to Brook. 

What are you guys thinking for 27 and 31?

Given the fact most on Netsdaily (including myself...i've seen about 5) haven't seen very many GTech games...I decided to compile these quotes from two Atlanta Journal articles which seem to be heavily visited by Yellow Jacket fans.  These are comments from the two following articles:

(1) Derrick Favors Stock is Growing and Growing...

http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-blog/2010/05/25/espn-derrick-favors-draft-stock-is-growing-and-growing/

(2) Derrick Favors: He'll be Better in the NBA than at Tech

http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-blog/2010/03/10/derrick-favors-hell-be-better-in-the-nba-than-at-tech/

Some of the comments are positive and some are negative so here goes:

1.     Derrick Favors is such an obvious talent, I guess he has to go high in the draft. But as a Tech senior who went to a lot of games and was looking forward to having one of the most explosive, dominating freshmen in college basketball, I was totally disappointed. Maybe Favors was underused, but his body language was totally awful almost 100% of the time. He seems lazy, he doesn’t hustle, he doesn’t care about winning or losing… that’s what he telegraphed to me from the court. If I were an NBA GM watching tape on Favors, I would be impressed by his obvious physical gifts, but I would definitely question his work ethic and will to win.

Then again, Hewitt can recruit ‘em but he can’t seem to coach them to their potential. Who thought Anthony Morrow was going to be a solid NBA starter? He was a solid role player on our team, if that. No. 3 pick for Favors just seems too high to risk getting a lazy player who just wants to get paid.

 

2.     Good to see NBA insiders confirming what every single one of us who attended Tech (and send in the alumni money every year) already know: Paul Hewitt must go. He didn’t know what to do with Bosh… couldn’t get the ball inside to Favors. What’s the point with the “one-and-done” approach if we have a coach who can’t take advantage of the “one”…?? All the best to Derrick (he deserves it… a solid kid with alot of character), but Tech basketball needs a fresh perspective and change in direction…

 

3.     Get that Money Derrick!!! Good Job!! It should scare GT basketball fans. When you have a kid that is a top 3 pick in the draft and possibly another 1st rounder in Lawal and you still cant win games..thats scary and yes its Paul Hewitt’s fault 100% precent. Derrick would have been the 1st pick had GT produced wins this past b.ball season but congrats never-the-less

 

4.     Another Tech basketball player under-used and under coached at GT, so what’s new??? Hewitt is destroying this program … 6 years and still counting.

 

5.     Then again, Hewitt can recruit ‘em but he can’t seem to coach them to their potential. Who thought Anthony Morrow was going to be a solid NBA starter? He was a solid role player on our team, if that. No. 3 pick for Favors just seems too high to risk getting a lazy player who just wants to get paid.

 

6.     Favors is the real deal..seems to be a great kid..great attitude…amd smart, other than the moment of insanity when he choose to waste a year of his life at GT!

 

7.     How is anyone going to improve at Tech except by watching the opposing team’s coaching! Tech is a young superstar graveyard!

 

8.  For GT BB, just another case where the talent of the individual players is much greater that the talent of the team as a whole. Inquiring minds want to know why GT hasn’t had a take-charge point guard since 2005. Could it be they’re really hard to find or CPH just hasn’t been looking for one? What used to be point guard U is now point guard phew!!

 

9.  Mr. Favors is not ready for basketball to become a job and not just a game. It is cannot be debated that this is not a very mature kid and it is apparent in the way he carries himself on the court. His lack of enthusiasm and passion for the game is evident. Outside of Maryland, in every game he was going through the motions and could care less about winning or losing. That approach will result in Kwame Brown comparisons, not Tyrus Thomas. His potential is off the charts, but if you don’t love what you do, it will be a short ride.

 

10.  “Three Tech guards have played the point on a collegiate level, but not one is a real distributor. It’s human nature for big men to grow frustrated when they don’t see the ball, and Favors and Lawal are human.”

Absolutely correct. It’s Hewitt’s job to make sure this doesn’t happen. There’s a win-win thinking where both guys get the ball enough, and it drives competitors crazy.

Hewitt has neither the will nor the ability to get that win-win implemented.

 

11.  Look at Morrow, Aminu, Bosh, Jack, etc.: everyone improves markedly in the NBA after escaping Hewitt and his incompetent assistant coaches.

 

12.  Chris Bosh was stuck hanging out at the foul line too for Tech. I never thought he would do anything in the NBA. I was shocked how athletic he is – the peferect NBA prototype… So I would expect Favors to head down the same road.

Derrick Favors interview - NBA Draft Combine (via BucksBeatPaul)

I like his confidence in his rebounding and defense.  When asked about why he likes rebounding/grunt's work so much, he responded by saying that rebounding is often the best way he can get his points and that  'sometimes the guards don't always get you the ball...they'll miss you sometimes.'  Maybe he's referring to the inadequate guard play at Georgia Tech.

His defense and rebounding is a good starting point for a player of his athletic makeup and potential.  He's confident that he can play next to Brook.  That's a plus.  He also imagines himself being like an Amare or Garnett. He's a hard worker with good aspirations.  If Turner's off the board @ 3, I say we take the risk with this kid because not only does he fill a serious need to solidify our 4 and 5 spots, he is less likely to interfere with Brook's development in comparison to Cousins.  An envisioned ceiling of his to be like an Amare or Garnett is worth taking the gamble on especially since he may indeed have the work ethic and humble nature to get himself there with good coaching.  If he can bring himself close to the caliber of a KG or a Dwight on the defensive end we've struck gold.  If he actualizes his potential not only on the defensive end, but also the offensive end, the Nets will have struck a true diamond in the rough to play next to Brook and we will undoubtedly have the best front court in the east after KG is done with Boston.

How far he gets towards that talent level is to be seen and I believe it is worth the risk of taking him considering how talented of a center we already have in Brook.  

I believe offense is secondary to the rebounding, put backs and defense we would require from him early on.  

I hope he can really learn under Avery Johnson and realize his potential hopefully with a free agent power forward that we pick up.  With good coaching at the very least he'll be able to produce similar to Big Baby's garbage man type game (rebounding, hustle, putbacks, and midrange game) that has been huge for the Celtics.  The advantage Favors would have over Big Baby is that he's just so much more of a physically gifted specimen.  When i see Big Baby, I see his hustle and I just think to myself that if he actually had arms longer than a baby T-rex he would be so clutch.  

Big Baby is very much a product of being well-coached by both the coaches and KG.  Favors has the tools to do everything and more that BBD does at the very least which would still be very valuable to us even if it wasnt a homerun pick.

In addition to this video, I asked the guy who posted that good 5 and half minute Derrick Favors college mix on youtube to tell me what he thought of Favors and his potential because he's a huge Georgia Tech fan and it seems like he watched a large amount of their games this past year judging by the video he made.  This this is what he wrote (for what its worth):

GaTechfan4life3

Re: Hey Man... Hey sorry it took me so long to respond but I really think he will be a great NBA player. If he develops offensively he will be unstoppable....he really isn't as raw as people keep saying..he is really good around the rim, great rebounder and shot blocker. Solid mid range game, good character and a hard worker. He is 6'10 245 and will be the youngest player in the NBA next year, he had a 35.5 inch vertical at the NBA combine which is the exact same as players like Dwight Howard, Amare Stoudamire and Blake Griffin so he is an explosive athlete.  GT had some talented guards this year but they were really inexperenced...a lot of times Favors was open underneath but they didn't get him the ball. Also he got in early foul trouble a lot and that hurt his PPG and RPG...he also struggled early on with conditioning but at the end of the season it wasn't a problem and he stopped getting in early foul trouble. I think he averaged 18 points and 9 rebounds in the the last 11 games or so....  So I really would be suprised if Favors is not a great NBA player barring injury. Him and Lopez would be sick duo. (block user) (mark as spam) Reply Delete

I haven't seen any Fresno State games but Paul George has just stunned the hell outta me with his age, measurements, versatility, athleticism, silky smooth shot, and willingness to be coached into his potential.  I like the kid's confidence that he can play the #2.  He could be a huge mismatch and a great piece to move forward with. Unlike Wes Johnson, people are significantly impressed with Paul's handling and he's expected to be an insane threat in transition.  To tell you all the truth, if his team actually had some semblance of a record this year, he'd undoubtedly get picked before Wes Johnson.  Considering the LA Clippers were his favorite team growing up and the fact that they pretty much have a solid 4 and 5, I can see them picking him there unless Cousins happens to fall that far.

For him to grow he needs good coaching and if he has Avery, the sky's prolly the limit for him especially because of some of the defensive questions he's had and his willingness to correct those questions. If we could land Favors @ #3 and Paul George with a later lottery pick...all I can say is that would be an A+ draft considering the needs of this team.

We need a player @ the 2 who can be put in an iso, create his own shot, and reliably spread the D.  All things CLee just couldn't do on the regular.  CLee just cant cut it yet next to Harris with his handles unless we got some shooting at the SF (which we dont). George seems like he would be able to keep D's honest with his shooting and handles. They say he can shoot the NBA 3 effortlessly.  If you've seen the DraftExpress clips, you can see he's got a beautiful shot.   A lineup with George @ 2 and Twill as point forward could be real nice.

We really need another scoring threat in order for a guy like Favors to get the space he needs to operate as well because as I see it now, Favors may have trouble making up for his rawness on the offensive end if we go into the season with Harris and Clee at the 1 and 2.  

Part of me would be willing to part with Harris and buy the Hawks pick so that we could grab both George and Bledsoe but that seems like a pipe dream because I think Bledsoe will go much sooner than 25 like DraftExpress suggests.  The fact that i'd think about getting rid of our PG for an unproven talent is crazy too....

...So can you guys think of any trades that would land us in the 7 to 11 range?

Heart and loyalty really matter when it comes to being remembered in the future as a great NBA player and establishing a truly memorable legacy.  I think guys like Garnett prove that.  As much as I believe Lebron would like to be on the big stage in NY, I think that ultimately he'll chose to not be remembered (at least through this foreseeable summer) as the guy that walked out on his organization/hometown for brighter lights, bigger buildings, and more dollars.  

Creating a legacy that is worth being remembered is so much more than the location of where you are and the money you make.  Why try and bring a title to the New York area?  Why go to Chicago?  Why should he leave for these places when he hasn't accomplished what he has set out to do for the people of Cleveland; his people? 

In my mind, creating a legacy involves pushing to overcome the adversity of your personal situation.  In Lebron's case, that situation is failing time after time to bring the title to Cleveland.  How do you think he'll be remembered if he leaves them (a people who have been longing for a title for so long) in the dust.  How would MJ be perceived if he just decided to leave Chicago after repeated times of not being able to advance in the playoffs?  The answer is not as great; not as legendary.  

image via 1.bp.blogspot.com

Especially after seeing that stupid and corny video of Bloomberg making all these desperate and shallow points as to why Lebron should come to NY, I think he'll realize that staying in Cleveland is the most substantial and quality move that he could make for his career and his image.  

Garnett said to Lebron that "Loyalty can hurt", but when you really look at the big picture of Garnett's career you realize that his loyalty to the Timberwolves all those years and all the struggles, disappointments, and frustrations he went through made his 1st NBA Championship in Boston that much sweeter.  You can't deny that it was chilling when he screamed, "Anything is possible!" during his post-win interview because you knew at that moment in time he was feeling all that struggle he went through to get to that point and despite the youth that he sacrificed by sticking with the Wolves, he knew it was undoubtedly worth it.  That is a memory that will last for the ages and stick out in the annals of time.  He has shown time after time throughout his career the quality of heart, loyalty, and love for the people that unwaveringly appreciate his craft.  He left Minnesota on great terms and is giving Boston the same treatment which is why he is so great and legendary in his own right.  He gave Minnesota his all and he is giving Boston his all as well.  Lebron has much more within himself to give to Cleveland.   

image via microscopiq.com

I believe Lebron is smart enough to come to understand through those that came before him like Jordan and Garnett that legacy is simply not about championships but rather how far he will push to get better to overcome the adversity of his situation.  The guy has got all the talent in the world and he has a hometown and organization that wishes to tend to his every need despite their failed attempts.  For him to go elsewhere would say a lot about his character, his desires, and ultimately what he is made of as a player.  Jordan showed the greatness he was made of.  Lebron is great and leaving to find support elsewhere would, I believe, diminish the quality of his inner greatness.  Personally, I would rather that he stayed in Cleveland and push hard to accomplish what he has been trying to do for the past 6-7 years. 

image via d0inw0rk.files.wordpress.com

I honestly don't think Lebron is coming to any of these teams trying to grab him.  At least not this year.  He'll wait it out and prolly get another star (Bosh) alongside him this year in Cleveland and see what he can do.   

I think the Nets organization and us as fans should set their and our sights on having a 2-3 year vision of building this team without him.  Build from inside the organization.  They should start by pushing for a potential franchise player like Turner who will really give this team a team feel.  

They gotta start pushing to get this team to the OKC/ Blazer level this summer with more quality young talent and good vets that can really be of great influence to the young guys.  Creating an organization that has both great chemistry in the front office and on the court is of the utmost importance.  Its absolutely necessary to establish that feel for a star to really want to be here in the upcoming years.  They need to build that reputation of being a true young and up and coming team and I believe that they can get the necessary superstar from there to put them over the top.  Maybe a 2-3 years from now Lebron may be ready to leave Cleveland for Brooklyn.  Maybe next year Melo might wanna be representing Brooklyn.  For now, I think the Nets should push to land Turner because he seems to have that Paul Pierce "the Truth" quality to him.  The kid wants nothing more than to win.  To think, he even wanted to stay an extra year to win an NCAA title.  He's got a love for the game that is so needed for an organization.

I ask this because they seem to be very responsive.  I told them about my and many Nets fans affinity for Turner and our desire for a trade and they responded: 

I posted a couple comments that I made on Netsdaily. One about Monty Williams and one about Turner:

Here's what I wrote:

Listen...whoever's connected with the front office forward this article about Monty Williams to Thorn. This guy's the man. He gets a great endorsement from Popavich.

http://www.netsdaily.com/2010/6/3/1499024/detailed-monty-williams-writeup

also Tell Thorn to make a trade to grab Turner. Turner is a quality leader; a glue guy. He’s a game changing type of player. His activeness all over the court plus the great head he has on his shoulders and the love for the game he has is not very common to find all together. I know this is a huge statement but i believe it 2 be true. I feel getting Turner is like picking up Tim Duncan in a SG’s body. Leadership, fundamentals, versatility…just a sound player with sound skills to build upon. Get it done Thorn.

and what they responded:

Nets Basketball  Thanks Reginald, appreciate your feedback here and in the comment below. Thorn & the front office are going to make the decision they see best for this team and our fans. They're considering all possibilities and carefully determining how each potential piece could fit in with our team as a whole. We're confident they'll make a great decision & grab a player who will deliver for you! Again, really appreciate it. Your comments do not go unnoticed!


I know we're just fans on fb, but our opinions must carry some weight.  

If you're not already a friend on FB, become one and make you're point heard.  They obviously read the responses.  Maybe you can make a comment of potential infulence.

Push for Turner! Push for the Coach you want and tell em why!

With all the talk on here about Thibs and Avery, I decided to go to the Hornets SBnation blog to get their write-up on Monty Williams for this blog to discuss:

Its definitely worth checkin out because it mentions Greg Pop's viewpoint on him and we all know how great Pop is.

All credit to atthehive:

The Case for Monty Williams

 by atthehive on May 22, 2010 2:15 AM PDT in Analysis 

Unlike the candidates with prior head coaching experience and those with clearly defined assistant roles, Monty Williams can't be analyzed in such a clear-cut and straight forward manner. He's the youngest of the Hornets' prospective head coaches, having retired from the NBA in 2003 after a nine year career. 

Still, we can track his ascension into the NBA's coaching ranks, the mentors he's learned from, and the most probable influences to his eventual head coaching style. And while that won't paint as lucid a picture as cold, hard numbers, perhaps stories and anecdotes are just as important in the evaluation of a 38 year old without a track record. 

Williams (full name: Tavares Montgomery Williams, Jr.) was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1971. At the age of 8, his parents divorced, and Williams moved with his mother, Joyce, to Oxon Hill, Virgina. At Oxon Hill, Williams took up basketball, excelling almost immediately. He experienced success at every level, eventually moving on to Potomac High School in Virginia. There, Williams led his basketball team to a state championship and posted a 4.0 GPA. As a 1994 Sports Illustrated profile noted, "[Williams] was considered... the equal of future Duke All-America and No. 3 NBA draftee Grant Hill, then a player at South Lakes High in [Virginia]."

In 1989, Williams joined the University of Notre Dame. Though he didn't post the most impressive stats, his future certainly looked bright. Notre Dame had some good, young talent, and a respected coach in Digger Phelps. But at the beginning of his sophomore season, Williams learned that he wouldn't be able to continue his basketball career. A routine physical revealed that he had a heart disease known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or an enlarged left ventricle. Williams was devastated.

From that same SI profile:

Williams remained in South Bend, quietly attending classes, spending all of his free time with his girlfriend, Ingrid Lacy, a classmate from Paw Paw, Mich., and loosing his anger in those forbidden pickup games at Rockne Memorial Gym. The slightest foul would set him off. "A couple of times I just flat knocked guys out," he says. "I felt like some of the players were trying to hurt me because I wasn't a commodity anymore." He played imaginary games of one-on-one against Hill and Michigan star Jalen Rose.

He sat out two straight seasons, though still playing a good deal of basketball, at one point saying, "If there's a place I want to die, it's on the basketball court." 

In 1992, his commitment to the sport paid off; Lameh Fananapazir, a cardiologist at the National Institute of Health proposed methods for athletes to continue playing sports despite heart conditions. Fananapazir tested Williams in July 1992, inducing irregular beating in Williams' heart, a process that could have killed him. But following three days of tests, Fananapazir determined that Williams could be cleared to play basketball. Despite Reggie Lewis' death of the exact same heart condition a year later, Williams remained undeterred.  Blazers Edge had a terrific interview with him in 2008. The entire thing is absolutely worth a read, and this section offers particular insight into his character:

Blazersedge:  I understand you had a heart condition in college that sat you down for a couple of years.  Who made the call to sit you down?

Well I went in for a physical and they said I had HCM and they just told me I couldn't play anymore.  I was devastated.  My wife and I had grown up Christian, in a Christian home, and believed that God can heal any disease, any sickness.  My wife reminded me that God can heal my heart.  We prayed, went to Church and prayed, and the elders laid hands on me but it didn't manifest until two years later.  So that two year process was one of the hardest things I ever did in my life.  Basketball was over; all the pats on the back were finished.  And I really had to evaluate what I was going to do with my life because I had planned on playing basketball forever.  I happened to be at a great institution at Notre Dame where I could get a good education.  

When you've played basketball since you were 10 years old, and then all of a sudden you have to stop, you have to reassess how you look at life, how you look at your job, how you look at your relationships and you figure out what's more important: my life and being with my family, but, most importantly, my faith, which strengthens through that time.  I wasn't the Christian that I should have been at the time.  It was almost like a reality check for me.  God was like, pull your chain a little bit.  God didn't give me a disease but he allowed it and it was the best thing that happened to me and it helped me reevaluate what I was doing in my life.

Blazersedge:  Was there any fear stepping back on the basketball court?

Never.  Never had any fear.

Blazersedge:  Did you think about it at all?

Never.  Never had a symptom.  Never had any of that.  I just believe God healed my heart.  Even today, the doctors can't explain why it reversed.  I have doctors now say that you don't have any trace of any disease.

Blazersedge: Would you call it a miracle or...?

It's a miracle.  I mean that's the only way I can explain it.  I know people don't like to talk about religion in sports and all that.  But it doesn't matter. Experience will conquer a theory any day.  People can talk about what they want to talk about but I'm "Exhibit A."  I know what God did in my life.  If that makes me un-cool or if that makes me weird, it doesn't bother me.

He played another year at Notre Dame before being drafted 24th overall by the New York Knicks. And though Williams never really made the impact he would have liked at the NBA level, to say he was a player of tremendous heart would be an understatement. 

As Williams would later recall, he never saw himself going into coaching. As this 2005 NY Daily News profile tells it, Williams' goals were to "start a family, save enough money to live a comfortable life and open a dog kennel." But when he finished his playing career, Williams received a call from Gregg Popovich, who invited him to sit in on Spurs' practices to see if he wanted to pursue a coaching career. 

Williams worked his way up in the Spurs' organization, moving from that temporary note-taking period to a team internship to a full time staff job in 2004. As Gregg Popovich said of Williams during the Spurs' championship season of '05, "He watches film, he meets with players, he's involved in player development and he puts practice plans together... He's doing it the right way."

A telling quote from Williams during the 2004-2005 season:

"It's important for me to see things from the ground up. I came in as an intern and spent a lot of time with the video guys. I've had the chance to see everything. I'm not saying it's going to make me Naismith. But this is the avenue that I'm taking. And if I ever get the chance to coach I'll try to do what Pop always says. 'Don't mess it up.' That's what he always preaches."

The quote lends itself to two observations. Firstly, that's Gregg Popovich's motto? "Don't mess it up"? Really? Really? But on a more serious note, Williams' ground up mentality could be extremely useful to a team that has very limited organizational infrastructure. Few coaches gain knowledge and experience of scouting, video analysis, and other player development tools the way Williams did in San Antonio.

After Williams coached the Spurs' summer league team at the Rocky Mountain Revue in the summer, Portland hired him as a full-time assistant coach under Nate McMillan for the 2005-2006 season where Williams has served  since. He's been noted for his player development ability, and particularly for his work with Martell Webster, Nicolas Batum and Travis Outlaw. From on OregonLive.com profile in 2008:

His contributions have been small (overhauling Joel Przybilla's free throw shooting) and large (he's the catalyst behind Travis Outlaw's emergence). And through it all, Williams, who predominantly works with the Blazers' small forwards, has become a mentor to players on one of the youngest teams in the NBA.

"He gives great positive energy and we feed off that," Martell Webster said. "And that's something that I really admire, especially coming in my rookie year, having somebody I can relate to that's kind of like a brother, but like a dad at the same time. Because he's drilling you, he's drilling you, he's drilling you, and then he's complimenting you and rewarding you. That's how you build a player."

McMillan said Williams' greatest strength is communication and he has developed the ability to relate to players in a variety of ways. They immediately identify with him, in part, because he's 37 years old and played in the NBA just five years ago. But even more, they appreciate his even-keeled demeanor, candor and openness. Players know his hotel room is always open on the road and his West Linn home is theirs to visit should they want to eat, watch film or simply talk.

The idea of Williams being very easy to relate to jibes well with a lengthy, detailed email Benjamin Golliver from Blazers Edge sent me about Williams' candidacy as a H.C. A snippet from Ben: "Another role Monty plays is as a go-between for the players and for Nate.  This is a pretty low-maintenance group of guys right now but the occasional complaint over playing time and the like comes up.  I think Monty is able to act as a buffer between the players and Nate in those situations, sort of a "good cop, bad cop" role where guys might confide something to Monty that they might not to Nate, and then Monty can approach Nate with the issue. Nate is seen as a pretty demanding, no-nonsense guy and he has intimidated players in the past into internalizing their problems and venting elsewhere (Sergio Rodriguez, Rudy Fernandez, to a lesser extent,Jerryd Bayless). Monty surely has helped mitigate other similar situations."

It's clear that Williams is the type of coach that will command respect in the locker room, whilst simultaneously remaining approachable. How many current NBA coaches can claim that? The division between the "player's coach" and the "hard-ass coach" has long been a distinct one.Byron Scott seemed to find that line with Chris Paul though, and that duality could prove to be a key element the Hornets seek in CP's next coach. Williams undoubtedly has it. 

Just as with Thibodeau, tales of Williams sacrificing his time and energy for the sake of his players are aplenty. He reportedly worked early mornings and late nights with Greg Oden to help him with his shot. As Ben pointed out in his email to me, he's worked with a player that came straight out of Mississippi and into the "Jail Blazer" locker room (Outlaw) and a player from France who spoke limited English (Batum). Perhaps what impresses me most is the markedly different approach he took with each. Ben: "Monty has had that "older brother" ability to guide those guys along as they developed in their first few years.  With Travis, a guy who is maybe a little more sensitive and took a lot of criticism, Monty always was careful to defend him.  With Nicolas, a player with huge upside, he's been more confrontational and challenging Nic to improve on poor performances." 

The ability to not only understand a player's issues but also to empathize and efficiently offer constructive help is valuable on any roster. If Monty is an ace at one thing, it's working with and for his players. 

To talk only of his player development skills and make no mention of Williams' x's and o's pedigree would be a disservice to his experience. Williams has worked directly under McMillan for four years now, and while there are those that have their gripes with McMillan's offensive and defensive strategies, he's still among the league's most respected coaches.

Williams broke into the league as a player for Pat Riley, whose influence he cited earlier this year: "Pat Riley set the tone for me in terms of working. Riles was the kinda coach that if you were in the fire with him he had your back. To this day I respect that because he built something in me that nobody can take away." In addition to Riley, Williams has played or worked under Jeff Van Gundy, Don Nelson, Doc Rivers, andLarry Brown. That's the sort of list that gives considerable punch to quotes like this one from Portland assistant Bill Bayno: ""Monty is a future star head coach. "He's the total package. He understands the NBA, he understands players. He's a great offensive and defensive mind."

And of course, there's the Gregg Popovich connection. That Popovich hand selected Williams to come and attend his practices, promoted him step-by-step through the Spurs' organization, and encouraged Williams to go to Portland to experience other sides of the NBA is remarkable. I consider Popovich to be the greatest coach of his generation; the things he's done from a roster construction and management perspective (bereft of the services of Jordan/Pippen, Shaq/Kobe, Kobe/Gasol, it should be noted) are really unmatched- impeccable international scouting, appreciation of +/- and its application to bench strategy, recognizing the value of reducing defensive eFG%, and on and on. Popovich's endorsement of Williams carries tremendous weight, and "endorsement" isn't really even the correct word for me to be using here. Ben further pointed out in his email: "I've always kind of assumed that when San Antonio finally decides to blow things up in the Post-Duncan era, it will be Monty who is brought in to do the rebuilding." And while he did indicate that was more a hunch than anything else, it seems to make perfect sense to me. 

Ultimately, questions about Monty Williams as a teacher of offense and defense can never be answered in black and white. Evaluation of Williams as a strategist simply won't produce the lucid answers provided by the study of an established coach like Tom Thibodeau. But that's included in the package, that's part of the deal. What makes the hire of a fresh, new coach so special- Riley in the late 70's, Jackson in the late 80's, Popovich in the late 90's- is precisely that uncertainty. 

Monty Williams will take his player skills, his x's and o's, and his endorsements to an enormously expectant and apprehensive city, this summer or next. The case for New Orleans being that city is quite clear. 

.

First off, I'm not saying we should sign him.  This is just a case to sign him:

1. Physical attributes.
He is 6'8, has a 7'3 wingspan, 40.5 inch vert, and runs like a gazelle. 

2. Versatility 
He has the capability to play SG, SF, and PF (he played there quite a bit this year from the games I've seen). He could create a lot of mismatches. 

3. Scoring capability
He can score in bunches. He shoots a career 45% from the field, 34% from three, 76% ft. 25% of his offense comes from ISO.  He also gets to the line as he wishes.  

4. Rises to the occasion
Here are some of his averages this year against quality teams.  Averages 25.5 and 7.5 in two games against boston this year, 21.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 3 games against Lakers, 28 points and 6 rebounds in two games against Miami, 21 points 6 rebounds in 4 games against Phoenix, 22 points and 6 rebounds in three games against OKC

5. Defense
He has the tools to be a shut down defender. When he's motivated its not strange for him to have a few blocks in a game. 

6. Age

He's turning 24 in August. He's nowhere near his prime yet. He could grow with our young core. It wouldn't be surprising in a few years to see him average 26 or 27 points per game. Look at guys like Granger, Joe Johnson, Ray Allen...it took these guys til around the age of 24 to really start reaching their potential.

Rudy could develop into a deadly wing player. Right now he's right on the same tier as guys like Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Joe Johnson, and Danny Granger.

And the most notable point I believe...

7. Lack of Quality or Consistency in Coaching/Too Many Coaches

I think one of the biggest problems that Rudy Gay has been faced with is lack of good coaching to help his development. The guy has had 5 coaches in 4 years.  That itself shows you that he hasnt gotten the best guidance he could have as a player.  With the right coach, he may truly realize his oozing potential.  He is still young, just a year older than Wes Johnson with significantly more talent.

--------

I really would not mind an offseason of a quality head coach, trading up for Turner (with CLee, #3, and Warriors 1-7 pick), Rudy Gay, Scola/ Amare, Lawal with one of our late picks, and some more shooting specialist thru draft or free agency

...We could pull the trigger to sign Gay this year or wait to pursue Melo.

First and foremost, the organization just kinda seems out of touch with what's going on around the league.  They hired Doug Collins who kinda has a crappy coaching history and they hired him early as if there isn't quality guys like Monty Williams looking for a head coaching job.  They re-upped Ed when quality GMs like Kevin Pritchard have been said to be on the market.  I believe they're bound to do something that makes sense.  Picking the Naismith Player of the Year, Evan Turner makes a LOT of sense.  

They are an organization desperate for some money too and a player to put people in the seats which is why they signed Iverson this past year to the 1 yr deal.  No one goes to Sixers games anymore.  They want to bring back some love to Philly (from the player they choose and from the fans that will come to watch).  Without a shadow of a doubt, neither Cousins nor Favors has the love that Turner has for this game.  I think Philly fans will love like they loved simply seeing the return of A.I. because he loved the city and he loved that team.

I think the Sixers are gonna give the fans what they want (consensus is Turner in Philly -- check Liberty Ballers and i'm sure they're checkin it too) because not only do they want people in the seats, but they most likely want the player that can most likely be a franchise player for them.  

I imagine Philly thinks that Turner can be their Tyreke Evans or their Brandon Roy.  I actually think Turner is a better piece for team chemistry than those two guys because he's such a great team player, passer, leader, and so many other attributes that just scream "I'll help make a team".  This kid has so many great intangibles.  I see him as having a great fundamental foundation upon which to build upon.  It's not every day you get a player that talented and versatile with such a great head on his shoulders.  I think of him as Tim Duncan in a SG's body.  Turner is a glue guy and if Philly picks him i'm sure they'll luckily realize it.  

He's their easy out of their dire situation (the guy who will help make their organization make more sense; they guy who will make future decisions a bit clearer), the player most likely to help build team chemistry, and most of all get people excited about Philly basketball again.  As much as is sucks for me to say all this because I want Turner for the Nets, I believe its true.  

Philly is rebuilding.

- I think they'll take Turner and try to make him a centerpiece.  He fits.  He plays in transition well like the Sixers have done well in the past few years and he plays the passing lanes great like they love to.

- They'll test out the Jrue, Turner, Iggy lineup and see if Turner is capable of bringing Sammy and Brand back to life.  They'll see what he can do with Speights as well.  I mean he made Lauderdale real effective for Ohio State.  It's likely he could do something with these guys.

- If Sammie doesn't work out this year, in the next year they'll be able to trade him easily cuz he'll be expiring -- money off the books for some more rebuilding.  While it seems they're in the most awful of situations with Brand's contract, they're really not.  Its not as if the Sixers will be in the championship hunt within the next 1-3 years.  By the time Turner is ready to go for something like that, Brand will be coming off the books as well.

- I think he'll make Kapono a beast like he found Diebler the looks.  

- I think they believe Turner will have a similar impact to Andre Miller for them.  He showed @ Ohio State that he's a game changing type of player.  Its too much of a gamble for them to bank on Favors or Cousins being that game changer for them (becuz Favors is a project and Cousins has questions about his attitude)

The only way I see them takin one of these big men is if they can get a taker for Brand's contract.  

So as I see it....unless Thorn has an amazing trade plan, Philly will take Turner on draft day and we will more likely be choosing btwn Cousins, Monroe, Wes and Favors or trading our pick with teams in the 4-7 range.

Just my two cents.

credit to Chris Alvino of KnicksBlog.com:

As for the Nets, while this might sound crazy, I believe the Nets will be major winners in next month’s draft.  While John Wall would have been an amazing addition to that team, let us not forget that the Nets currently have an all-star caliber PG in Devin Harris currently on their roster.  A lot of people are down on him after this past season, but I remain high on his game.  Harris proved to play at his best when he was second fiddle to Vince Carter.  With the ability to sign an elite scorer this summer, the scoring pressure will fall off of Harris quite a bit.  With this third pick, I would expect Evan Tunrer to be the man if he slips beyond Philly at #2.  More realistically, I expect the pick to be one of either Greg Monroe or Derrick Favors.  Favors would seem like the logical pick here because of his sky high potential and his incredible length.  Favors is a very strong rebounder and appears to have the frame to add some bulk going forward.  Similarly, the 6′11 Greg Monroe playing alongside the 7′ Brook Lopez would create nightmares for opposing frontlines.  Monroe possesses strong rebounding ability and is one of the most agile big men I have seen in quite some time.  He runs the floor as well as any collegiate center and proved late in the season that he can be a dominant force at times.  To me, Monroe is still inconsistent, but his ability is off the charts.  At the next level, he will have to learn how to use his right hand (he has a bad case of Zach Randolph syndrome), but if he develops his weak hand, Monroe will be dangerous.  Watching the Laker frontline dominate over the last couple of years with their length makes the image of essentially two agile 7 footers playing alongside one another more appealing to me.

I have had some people tell me that the Nets should look at DeMarcus Cousins, and I can only ask why?  Even if Cousins is the most talented big man, I am not sure if creating a logjam at center is what the Nets want to do with such a valuable pick.  Both Monroe and Favors would create space for Brook Lopez, whereas Cousins would occupy that space.  The Nets have a good thing going with Lopez, and instead of disrupting it, the Nets should look to enhance it.

Nets fans should be ecstatic coming out of this off-season if they come away with either Monroe or Favors in the draft and a strong power forward through free agency such as Carlos Boozer or David Lee, all while finding a couple of shooters ot man the arc such as Mike Miller, Kyle Korver, or Travis Outlaw.  Having a star such as LeBron or Wade would be ideal, but if they cannot land either, then I recommend beefing up that front line.  The Nets have a good head start with Lopez already, and have the chance to make their second move by taking either Favros or Monroe next month.