The NBA 2010 offseason/draft thread

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I know that it's SBNation, but I thought this was well done and fairly accurate.

Ranking All 30 NBA GMs, Where Kahn's Incompetence Is Surpassed - SBNation.com

Good read!

Im still rating Kahn last though. He may have a plan but building around a future midlin point guard isnt much of a plan IMO.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I was going by WS/48 minutes.

Career wins is a crappier statistic because it takes games played/minutes into account. If you want to use that, Reggie Miller is better than Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Horace Grant is better than Kevin McHale. And of course, Karl Malone is better than Michael Jordan.

A per minute stat is going to heavily favor a player like Manu who's averaged 27 minutes per game in his career. It's much easier to be an efficient player in limited minutes. That's a big part of what people don't understand about PER. PER does not say that Nazr Muhammed is as good as Danny Granger. Granger plays 20 minutes more per night than Muhammed. What PER says is that Muhammed is a very productive player for 17 minutes per night and he should be compared to players with similar minutes played.

You can't pick apart a stat because X stat puts Y player over Z player and therefore it's a bullshit stat. Instead you have to understand why that stat favors a certain player.

I was simply pointing out that there are stats that show that Mo Williams had a career year in '09 and although he had a considerable drop in play in '10 he was still more valuable as a player than he had been before playing with Lebron. I know this is the Lebron hate thread and all so we can just all agree that Lebron is a terrible teammate, is never going to be a winner, and just isn't mean enough (even though everyone here bashing him would take him on their team without hesitation).

[Big Fo]

Hopefully the league's 17th best GM can come up with a package that New Orleans would accept for Chris Paul but I don't see it happening.

[larrymcg421]

Pre-emptively calling anyone a moron who changes their tune and starts spouting bullshit like "LeBron learned how to be a winner this year" if the Heat win the championship.

[fpres]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I know that it's SBNation, but I thought this was well done and fairly accurate.

Ranking All 30 NBA GMs, Where Kahn's Incompetence Is Surpassed - SBNation.com

Enjoyable read. I agree with the Spurs' R.C. Buford at #7 but giving Luis Scola to Houston for basically nothing in '07 was a tremendous mistake. I'll reserve judgement on the latest Jefferson deal for now.

Presti (OKC) is the real deal too. He learned a lot under Buford in S.A. and it was seen as a blow to the Spurs at the time he set out on his own.

[Danny]

Kupchak should be much higher. Most of the tidbits about him are right, but the things he has done is worthy of top 5.

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by Danny

Kupchak should be much higher. Most of the tidbits about him are right, but the things he has done is worthy of top 5.

Definitely agree with this, yes he's had advantages but he's still made the perfect move whenever needed and also has also managed to keep a very good relationship with Phil Jackson and ownership. I don't know how you can keep him out of the top 3 to be honest and I hate the fricking Lakers.

Strongly disagree with Riley being #1 just because of this summer. In my mind, he was just in the right place at the right time, already having Wade wanting to come back and the other 2 were willing to follow him wherever he goes. I mean I guess he gets credit for creating enough salary cap freedom to do it, but a lot of other teams did that as well. Once Wade was coming back I doubt Riley had to lift a finger other than to sign the contracts.

My top 3 would be Presti, Kupchak and Morey in that order. Morey does an unbelievable job of putting a competitive team on the floor seeing that his star player hasn't been able to play a full season in years, and his low draft picks are usually productive players and sometimes more. Hell, when I think about it I wouldn't have a problem with putting him #1. Ainge also deserves more credit in this list for pulling a championship out of his ass. It's almost like the writer didn't want to make the "obvious" picks.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Good read!

Im still rating Kahn last though. He may have a plan but building around a future midlin point guard isnt much of a plan IMO.

Agreed, having no plan is still better than having a shitty one.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I know that it's SBNation, but I thought this was well done and fairly accurate.

Ranking All 30 NBA GMs, Where Kahn's Incompetence Is Surpassed - SBNation.com

Tremendous article. Man, I knew some of the GM's were horrible but having their moves listed out makes it look even worse.

[Groundhog]

Cavs sign 2009 first rounder Christian Eyenga. I think he'll spend most of the season in the D-League.

We're also talking to Joey Graham too. I'd much prefer Graham than Barnes at the money we offered him. I think he's a solid rotation guy.

[RainMaker]

T-Mac to the Bulls is looking likely. Not sure what to think of that.

[bhlloy]

Sounds like a pretty good way to ruin a promising team...

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Sounds like a pretty good way to ruin a promising team...

+1.

[whomario]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Cavs sign 2009 first rounder Christian Eyenga. I think he'll spend most of the season in the D-League.

Good decicion, wasn´t going to get that much more PT at Joventut but really improved from when he was drafted. Really a prototypical 2 guard, very athletic but also good shooting technique (still developing though). Should be a good fit for the more open style in the NBA rather than Europe.

The US national team aparently going with Tyson Chandler as their starting Center. Yeah, that´ll end well (not nescessarily because of his calibre but more the way he plays)

[Groundhog]

Chandler (presuming he's healthy) might be OK. With so many scorers, a role-playing rebounder might fit in OK, though I wonder if he's physical enough to handle the international game.

[Groundhog]

Cavs trade Delonte and Telfair to the TWolves for Hollins and Sessions. I was hoping for Koufos, but I'm pretty OK with this deal. Delonte is better than Sessions - though not by a wide margin - but is also, unfortunately, insane. Hollins is incredibly inconsistent, and is only in the league thanks to those games he has 3 or 4 times a season where he looks like he's finally "got it".

[Ironhead]

I was really hoping we could have a mirror image of Michael Beasley / Delonte West on the floor. Unforunately it looks like the Wolves are simply going to cut Delonte.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Ironhead

I was really hoping we could have a mirror image of Michael Beasley / Delonte West on the floor.

Gloria's panties just got moist.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Cavs trade Delonte and Telfair to the TWolves for Hollins and Sessions. I was hoping for Koufos, but I'm pretty OK with this deal. Delonte is better than Sessions - though not by a wide margin - but is also, unfortunately, insane. Hollins is incredibly inconsistent, and is only in the league thanks to those games he has 3 or 4 times a season where he looks like he's finally "got it".

Happy for Sessions here. Local guy so gets covered in the paper a lot. Put up some good stats for Milwaukee, then ended up in Minnesota where he was never really given a chance to play despite signing a big contract. Just a bad signing by the T-Wolves. He should get to play a lot more for what will likely be a bad Cavs team, but at least he will be playing.

[RainMaker]

I don't get what Minnesota is trying to do at all.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I don't get what Minnesota is trying to do at all.

I really think he's trying to do what Danny Ainge did here in Boston - acquire a lot of young, cheap talent in the hopes that several of them pan out so that you have a core and then some trading chips.

Now whether he'll be successful is a different matter, and it's going to make for a weird system of play in the interim, but I guess that's the intent?

[RainMaker]

I guess. But why give up one of your best pieces for a couple draft picks? I don't think Jefferson will be a perennial All-Star, but he's a solid post scorer which is hard to find in the league. Considering the contracts handed out this Summer, his deal isn't that bad either.

It just seems odd that he's now signed or drafted 5 point guards in the last 2 years. And if he's adding pieces for a trade, he's adding the wrong ones. He overpaid for Ridnour and Milicic. Then gave up Sessions for salary cap space. Brought in Beasley who the Heat couldn't find a taker on at all. He's acquired pieces, just pieces no one else wants.

That team is going to be scary bad.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I don't get what Minnesota is trying to do at all.

Save Glen Taylor money.

[RainMaker]

One of ESPN LA's writers got inside access to Lebron's birthday party in Vegas. A pretty good read and makes me wish I was a professional basketball player. I don't know how Big Baby gets into that group.

ESPN pulled the story I guess because it didn't put Lebron in the light they wanted him to be in. But it's up at Deadspin.

Read ESPN's Spiked Story About LeBron Among The Naked Ladies In Vegas

I need to go to Tao next time I'm in Vegas.

[bhlloy]

Think the Wizards could be a surprising team next year, if they can do something about Arenas. I would suggest planting a gun on him as he walks through security for the first game of the season.

[bhlloy]

Yeah I'm thinking there's 0 chance of that happening though. His whole shtick is the underappreciated/pissed off superstar and he has a huge ego. I don't think he'll take a back seat to either of those guys and he's just going to wreck what could be a really good young team.

[Groundhog]

FWIW, apparently he's been communicating with Wall daily, trying to ease him in. I don't know, I don't think he's as bad as he's painted to be, he's just dumb and immature.

[stevew]

i guess post 2128 wasn't recent enough?

[MrBug708]

There has been some chatter here in LA that Gasol might be seeing some minutes at the three. Seems like of ludicrous, but I think Gasol has the skillset to do it. Any thoughts from anyone?

[stevew]

Thoughts-
It's a long long time till the season starts and people say stupid shit.

[MrBug708]

Not agile enough? Not enough ball handing skills?

[stevew]

I think for starters that you'd be putting an inferior player on the floor in the 4 or 5 to accomodate Gasol shifting to the 3. Tracy Morgan isn't going to be healthy enough to eat up minutes at the 5. And Lamar Kardashian plays better at the 3 than Gasol probably does. It just doesn't make enough sense to even mess around with, cause you'd be taking Artest off the floor in order to play Kardashian or Morgan.

[Groundhog]

If the Lakers include an unprotected 1st round pick in 2013 or (even better) later, I'd be happy for the Cavs to grab Vujacic, despite being one of my least favourite players in the universe.

[stevew]

cosigned.

If Stern gets the age limits raised again, the 2012 draft is going to be a barren wasteland. The Cavs need to collect as many picks as possible after 2013, hopefully they can get at least 3 more with the 15m exception from LeBron.

[whomario]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

He overpaid for Ridnour and Milicic.

by what, 1 million a piece ? Seriously, you´d think they would make 10 a year instead of 4 and 5 respectively...

[stevew]

He shouldn't have spent 1$ on either player, as they weren't worth signing at this stage of the T-Pups development.

[whomario]

On that we´ll just disagree, so it´s not really time well spend if i´d respond to that (just want to say that i´m not ignoring you ! )


longtime NBA center Lorenzen Wright has been found shot dead in Memphis after having been reported missing a few days ago

Aparently new Blazers GM is talking with teams about trading Rudy Fernandez who has been unhappy with the situation in Portland. I guess it would take a first rounder more than it would take a player in return, especially with the Matthews signing and drafting Babitt (who imo will play as the backup 3 exclusively, to start the year at least).

Highly interested are Chicago, New York (well, except they don´t have any draft picks) and a bit surprisingly the Celtics.

Patty Mills is also on the way out. Still think he has NBA talent, but with the untimely inury it´d be propably a good move to go to Europe for a season or 2 and then try again.

Rockets trade Andersen to Toronto for a 2nd rounder and cash, had no use for him as it was.

Preliminary 15 man roster (has to be trimmed to 12 by August 26th) for Team USA :

C: Chandler, Lopez.

F: Odom, Love, Andre Iguodala, Durant, Gay, Green, Granger

G: Billups, Rose, Westbrook, Rondo, Curry, Gordon

What immediately stands out that there´s not a single real 2 guard on the team (i suppose Igoudala can guard them though) .

I´d take Gordon and Curry and cut either Rose or Westbrook and cut Green and Gay as well.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by stevew

i guess post 2128 wasn't recent enough?

I'm pretty sure that every story involving Lebron needs to be posted twice as much as stories about anyone else.

[MrBug708]

They'll keep Westbrook because he can play the 2 guard without much problem and is a great defender. A lot of value in that

[RainMaker]

Eddie House to Miami.

House returns to Heat as latest addition - NBA - Yahoo! Sports

Hoping Bulls can pull off a deal for Rudy Fernandez.

[Neuqua]

Outside Durant, Rose was as impressive as anybody in Vegas last week. I'd be surprised if he got cut.

[whomario]

Originally Posted by Neuqua

Outside Durant, Rose was as impressive as anybody in Vegas last week. I'd be surprised if he got cut.

will happily admit that i have no clue whatsoever on how everyone did in this training camp, just judging from how i personally think they´ll fair with a) a reduced and different role, b) less time handling the ball and c) different structure of the game (less 1:1 oportunities, less space, more collapsing inside).
I just think that a guy like Gordon can do better in the role available than either of Rose or Westbrook and Rondo as well (but he really seems to be a lock from the little i read).

But from what i´ve heard they are going to have a few friendlies while still carrying 15, that should give a first impression.

In the end, they still are heavy favourites with other favoured teams missing arguably their important player(s) (and i realize the US misses it´s whole first 12 more or less, not the point i´m making No one can ever question the fact that the US has far and away the deepest talent pool)

Too bad Nowitzki (and subsequently Kaman) isn´t playing, actually thought the Germans would have a shot to do very well, maybe get to the semi final even ...
But makes sense for him and the team overall since next years Euro is where the olympic tickets are given out (best 5 qualify from europe) whereas only the Champion from this world cup qualifies allready.

Still, will be interesting to see the young guys improving from the good showing last year, see if guys like Harris and Pleiß and Benzing can step up. I don´t think Germany ever had 3 legitimate NBA prospects at the same time

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Eddie House to Miami.

House returns to Heat as latest addition - NBA - Yahoo! Sports

Yeah, I think everyone saw that coming.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by whomario

Patty Mills is also on the way out. Still think he has NBA talent, but with the untimely inury it´d be propably a good move to go to Europe for a season or 2 and then try again.

Yah, I think he's got NBA game, but he's going to earn far more in Europe anyway. He'd be crazy not to go.

[Groundhog]

Surely this must've been done as a dare.

[whomario]

Celtics sign Von Wafer to a fully guaranteed 1 year contract ... Him and Robinson together could be, um, interesting ... Absolute shocking move for a team putting a high value on teamplay and defense

Rudy Fernandez deal on hold till sunday, meeting of GM and Coach to determine course of action.

Sacramento signs DeMarcus Cousins High School Coach. So i guess someone is making sure they have people around that can set him straight if he blows up ...

anybody remember HS dropout Jeremy Tyler ? After failing to get PT in Israel last year he now has signed with a team in, wait for it, Japan. You know, the hotbed of basketball talent where the scouts are flocking the buildings ...
Whoever is advising the kid needs to be teared and feathered asap.

[DaddyTorgo]

Who's Von Wafer??