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September 11th 2008 23:42
Ever since that Shaq for Marion and Marcus Banks trade, I thought Phoenix had gotten the raw end of the deal. Shaq was clearly finishing off the last few seasons of his career while Marion is in his prime.
While Shaq seems to be destined to playing nba ball for a while longer with the Suns intent on keeping their old yet still capable of being dominant big man. This could well be a tactic to let Stoudemire reign supreme at the Power Forward spot rather than have him tied down on the opposition's center in defense. However, as we saw in last seasons' playoffs Shaq was not the magic cure to Phoenix's playoff troubles.
Now, Miami even with Shawn Marion who seemed to playing like he was angry (not at being traded, more like he thought he was worth Shaq and Wade rather than just Shaq) did not have a great season in the 07-08 campaign. But Wade was out with knee troubles. And he is back now to his old best if his Team USA form in Beijing is any guide.
That dramatic fall from grace after becoming NBA Champions for the first time in franchise history in 05-06, in which time Wade notably suffered serious shoulder and knee injuries may just have been the Heat's saving grace. In an addition that seems to have faded in light of Chicago snaring Derrick Rose, the Heat managed to net prolific scorer Michael Beasley who at selection no.2 could very easily have gone no.1. Beasley has a lot of firepower and with a healthy Wade and an angry Marion, this team is going to score alot of points.
The question is whether or not they can provide suitable competition at the 5 and the 1, the potential is there with former all-stars Jamaal Magloire and Alonzo Mourning providing depth at the center position, while Marcus Banks and Chris Quinn look to run the offense from the point. It could work out, but these players are more back-up players that a championship contender would like to have as fall-back bench options, not as starters.
Miami's fate may just depend on how much its three very athletic and talented stars can take the pressure off the rest of the team. And whether or not Wade gets injured again.
And so the Oklahoma City Thunder are here, replacing the paupers of the NBA, the Seattle Supersonics. While moving to Oklahoma City will be great for this ball club, their roster is very very young and will need some years before it can challenge the bodies and experience of the nba with any dominance. That being said, this team could well be the next Portland, come out and shock veteran teams with a style of play that is exciting and unexpected.
I must confess that before I wrote this piece I thought that Russell Westbrook (the Sonic's - now Thunder's - 4th pick in this years draft) was a big big mistake for this team. He only began his rise late in college and how he could ever be picked before 7th pick Eric Gordon who appears the whole package in a guard, some like myself, found astounding.
However, I was wrong. The season hasn't started yet, and all Westbrook has done is played Summer league against teams without nba players, but he is going to join Durant as the face of this team. As all point guards should, he leads the team, in summer league action he dominated, his team only faltering when the coach called him to the bench for a rest. Durant is a scorer we all know from seeing his rookie season in which he nailed 20 ppg, being the shining light for a struggling franchise. Westbrook is a point guard, through and through, in the mould of Chris Paul, who some doubted initially ( he was only drafted 3rd overall, yet was the runner up MVP last season). Westbrook is quick, he can score, he can pass, and he is the perfect fit for a team that needs a Chris Paul.
All Oklahoma City needs is another very good player and they could be the next big three in three or four seasons, perhaps a monstrous big man would fit well in a team whose tallest player is 6'10 and heaviest is 255 pounds (about the weight of LeBron).
While this season may be more of a sunshower, I believe as long as no one gets injured there will definitely be some electricity in this team.
Back in the 2006 draft there were three players whose progress I followed with much interest, they were players who could do amazing things. Marcus Williams and Shannon Brown fell in the first round and I watched in horror as the draft edged to a close with the player I most wanted to see on an nba court still having not had his name called yet. Hassan Adams didn't get picked until pick 54, sending him to the New Jersey Nets.
What inspired me most about these players was that they were unconventional. Hassan Adams was 100kg (220 pounds) yet only 6'4, who was a big time shot blocking and dunking power forward stuck in the body of a point guard or a shooting guard. Shannon Brown was one of the most ridiculous athletes I had seen on youtube, jumping over his college ball opponent to dunk with fury. While Marcus Williams had been called so many names that my interest had been aroused to see what all the fuss was about. Despite all the negative press he had received about being unathletic and having a bad attitude, he has probably had the most success of the three with his unnatural passing ability and nba standard ability to knock down threes.
In spite of fairly humble beginnings that went under the radar (Hassan Adams didn't even play in the nba last season, instead hitting Italy where he averaged 20 ppg, While Shannon Brown's only game time seems to have been the few seconds he gets each week to break through the opposition's defence to to make the highlight reel on a sick throwdown. Marcus Williams on the other hand has been a back up point guard who is just itching to play 40 minutes a night, he is a legitimate point guard (see his 13 assist game) who can also make his mark on the scoresheet in limited game time. He was set to become the back up to the back up (the Nets added Keyon Dooling recently) which would have been a travesty. Now, however, he has gone to Golden State where he might just see some real minutes as long as Monta Ellis remains at the 2 where he can humble other teams with his quickness.
Williams is filling the void Golden State will have next season missing Baron Davis, another big-bodied point guard who can drop some serious dimes.
Shannon Brown has also been given another chance not to drift off into pro sports obscurity after being offered a one year deal in Charlotte which was perhaps a consequence of the monster dunk he put down against the shocked Bobcats last season. And last but certainly not least, the shooting guard who might just help out O'Neal and Bosh with some shot-blocking, Hassan Adams, has been added to the Toronto Raptors who are looking a treat this season with their new additions. Don't forget Nathan Jawai, the australian big man rookie who might cause Bosh and O'Neal some trauma at training camp if only due to his size, let alone his athleticism.
And if these second chances weren't enough, it seems as if D-Miles might also get another chance. Darius was recently given a one year non-guaranteed deal by Boston after only 2 trainings. He must have shown them something special in those trainings because D-Miles has missed the last two years due to knee injuries, Portland cutting him loose, calling his injuries career-ending. Good on Darius for proving them wrong. Lets see if he can play ten games with the Celts and in so doing receive the $27 million compensation Portland owes him if he plays ten games over the next 2 years.
The Houston Rocket's 22 game winning streak last season, the longest in years, was achieved without their most dominant player, Yao Ming. So, the question on everyone's mind seems to be, what are they going to do now that he's back from his foot injury.
Well, that was the question. Now it is, what are the Rockets going to do with Yao back and perennial star and troublemaker Ron Artest signed. Tracy McGrady doesn't need an introduction and if anyone saw Luis Scola in the Olympics throwing his weight around against the US dreamteam in the final of the men's basketball competition, it would be plain to see the Rockets have a very strong frontcourt. Rafer Alston has shown he is capable at the point and he has plenty of help with newcomers Aaron Brooks and D.J Strawberry both showing they are capable in their rookie seasons in the 2007/08 campaign
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Last season, Memphis lost Pau Gasol to the Lakers in an exchange for some youth in what everyone thought was the stupidest thing they had done in years.
Now it's looking as though Memphis might just have one of the best (if untried) young lineups in the league.
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If anyone has been watching the Olympic Men's basketball they will have noticed a strange irony. Two teams played last night in the Quarter Finals, Australia and Team USA. Australia's highest point scorer and arguably their biggest influence, Patrick Mills is a 20 year-old player from Canberra, Australia who earns no money at all playing for St. Mary's college in the US. He has talked of how he has modelled his game on that of Chris Paul, the runner-up MVP in the NBA's most recent season, watching game tape after game tape.
They are the same height and it would appear Mills has honed his body to the exact same weight as Paul's unless that it is, it is coincidence they share the same weight of 79 kg or in Imperial, 175 pounds
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In recent times it seems as if the top players are always changing their bodies. Take three of the best nba players to grace the hardwood, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Wade and James have both added significant muscle since they entered the league but a look at Wade in olympic action in Beijing suggests he is planning on making the transition from player who cops bruises as he drives through traffic to player who gives out bruises as he ploughs through.
LeBron has never been afraid of gaining weight.
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It's now becoming clear that there is money in europe. Josh Childress spurned Atlanta to play in Greece in spite of the fact he is a big contributor in an NBA team that just went to the playoffs, taking the eventual champion, Boston, to seven games. Reportedly, Childress will receive $20 million after tax over three years playing for Olympiakos.
Not long after, Orlando point guard Carlos Arroyo signed with Israel powerhouse, Maccabi. Other players such as Nenad Kristic have also opted to go to Europe, though in his case it is a return to where he came from.
The answer LeBron James gave, confirming that he would think about playing in Europe for $50 million a season, is not brash or unappreciative for the opportunity he has to play in the best league in the world, it is common sense. $50 million is alot of money
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If anyone had told you the Clippers had lost their two best players, Elton Brand and Corey Maggette, following their disappointing 07-08 campaign which notched only 23 wins, you could be forgiven for cringing at the thought of their upcoming season.
That is one thing coach Mike Dunleavy won't be doing though. Ever so quietly he has been assembling a team of veterans through free agency and trades that hasn't looked so good since Boston did the same thing and went on to win a championship last season.
First it was Baron, the fearsome guard who dishes like a one and scores like a 2, who also has proven leadership abilities which were seen in his bringing together an out of sorts Golden State roster to bring down first seeded Dallas in the playoffs in 06-07
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Yes, you heard it. The year of two number one draft picks.
Derrick Rose and last year's first pick, Greg Oden, who only days ago returned to full training in Portland.
In his year off recovering from knee surgery Oden hasn't just been sitting around. He has gone from 250 pounds, slender for a 7 foot center, to a monstrous 290 pounds
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