buttsR4rebounding
08-05-2009, 02:17 AM
Rating the NBA's offseason, from best to worst
http://www.probballnews.com/images/headshot_mejia.gif By Tony Mejia
Pro Basketball News
The following are not -- repeat NOT -- preseason power rankings.
Oh, they're rankings alright, and like those available throughout cyberspace, they're of the powerful variety.
But you'll have to wait to see what the pecking order is entering the season and get your fill with these rankings, which look solely at what teams have been able to accomplish since their seasons ended. Everything from the hiring, firing and retaining of coaches to the draft, trades and free agency through July 31, has been taken into account.
PBN is going to take an extensive look at this insanely busy offseason this coming week, beginning with a division-by-division taste that started Sunday with Chris Bernucca taking the microscope to the Atlantic (http://www.probasketballnews.com/story/?storyid=677).
Shaquille O'Neal, Ron Artest, Vince Carter, Shawn Marion, Richard Jefferson and Hedo Turkoglu are all calling new cities home, proof of how wild the last few weeks have been. There's still work to do, but most teams have gotten the heavy lifting out of the way. Washington and New Jersey even appear done.
So, although Allen Iverson still needs a home, we know enough to rank. Here's how everyone has done to date:
1. Spurs: R.C. Buford, Gregg Popovich, Dennis Lindsey and the rest of the crew may as well have put on black hats and masks. They stole Richard Jefferson for the expiring contracts of Kurt Thomas, Fabricio Oberto and Bruce Bowen, replacing the bigs they lost with the signings of Antonio McDyess and Theo Ratliff. Grabbing DeJuan Blair in the second round was highway robbery. Never really got that term, but I'm using it anyway. How former lottery pick Marcus Haislip does remains to be seen, but the Spurs have had the NBA's strongest offseason because they've gone from written off as extinct to title contender once again.
2. Lakers: Adding Ron Artest in favor of Trevor Ariza is likely to work out in the short-term, especially since Lamar Odom, after much drama and haggling, returned to ease a lot of the "Ron-Ron is from outer space concerns." It doesn't hurt that Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant are back as well. That was expected, but still relieving to see.
3. Raptors: Getting Hedo Turkoglu to sign on the dotted line when it looked he was Portland-bound turns Toronto's offseason from good to great. Picking up Antoine Wright in the surrendering of Shawn Marion was a shrewd move, as was getting the newly-extended Andrea Bargnani's good pal Marco Belinelli for cash and Devean George. DeMar DeRozan should be a homerun, too. Nice work, Bryan Colangelo.
4. Hawks: Signs that the times are changing in the A-T-L were evident this summer, as the team spent money to keep Marvin Williams, Mike Bibby and Zaza Pachulia, while grabbing Jamal Crawford for disappointments Speedy Claxton and Acie Law. Jeff Teague impressed in ways Law never did, offering hope for the future.
5. Thunder: Sam Presti did the bulk of his work in-season, plucking Nenad Krstic and Shawn Livingston as wise reclamation projects. Dealing Chucky Atkins and Damien Wilkins for the expiring contract of local boy Etan Thomas will benefit the Thunder in the short-term, while draftees James Harden, Byron Mullens and Serge Ibaka will have the team's back long into the future. Ditto for Scott Brooks, who was wisely kept at the helm.
6. Mavs: Losing out on Marcin Gortat was a major bummer, as Dallas might have been No. 1 if they got him. Plan B of Drew Gooden/Tim Thomas was a nice recovery, while plucking an instant contributor out of Europe, Rodrigue Beaubois, was a monstrous pickup. Shawn Marion's acquisition was the big haul, but including Quinton Ross, Dallas picked up nice system players all along the way.
7. Magic: Orlando essentially underwent a complete facelift. The reason they're not higher on this list is that it remains to be seen what losing Hedo Turkoglu in favor of Vince Carter does to the team dynamic, but reinforcements Brandon Bass, Matt Barnes and Ryan Anderson, in addition to shelling out the cash to keep Gortat, greatly enhance Stan Van Gundy's options.
8. Nuggets: Keeping Chris Andersen was a must, and the Nugs have yet to be burned in not wrapping up Linas Kleiza and Anthony Carter, potentially getting them back cheap. Arron Afflalo and rookie Ty Lawson will be instant contributors, giving reigning Executive of the Year Mark Warkentein some ammo to defend his title with.
9. Pacers: Drafting Tyler Hansbrough might have been considered a reach, but Indiana badly wanted his services and were made to look good as their prized acquisition shined in Summer League. Nevermind the recent shin injury; he'll be back. The additions of Solomon Jones, Earl Watson and Dahntay Jones tell you what direction the Pacers are heading, placing defense as a priority. Completing Jamaal Tinsley's buyout purges Indy of its final goblin.
10. Cavs: Trading Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace for Shaq can never be labeled as a setback, regardless of whether he fits in perfectly or not. Keeping Anderson Varejao was a plus, but the inflated price they had to pay could hurt them down the road. Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker should offer the perimeter defense boost that was badly needed.
11. Hornets: No matter how you slice it, getting Emeka Okafor for the injury risk Tyson Chandler has become is a major boost. Darren Collison was a phenomenal pick late in the first, while second-round LSU product Marcus Thornton should contribute. Ike Diogu was a nice gamble. Chris Paul's cry for help was heeded.
12. Wizards: Trading the No. 5 pick for Randy Foye and Mike Miller isn't a can't-miss proposition, but it's also not too shabby. It's going to depend on Foye's health and progress. The Wiz had no clue Ricky Rubio would be there, but he'll haunt them the rest of his career, regardless of how well Flip Saunders and the now healthy Gilbert Arenas get along.
13. Pistons: Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon are not only making bank, but being banked on to produce like never before entering the prime of their careers. It worked with Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace. Chris Wilcox is also out to rejuvenate his career, while new coach John Kuester and rookies Austin Daye, DeJuan Summers and Jonas Jerebko are looking for good starts to theirs.
14. Knicks: That they're still negotiating with David Lee and Nate Robinson is a positive, because the thrifty approach has paid off and they're in a position of power. Getting Jamaal Tinsley or Ramon Sessions would elevate this ranking a few spots, but drafting Jordan Hill and Toney Douglas and adding Darko Milicic for Quentin Richardson have to be lauded as strong moves.
15. Clippers: Moving Zach Randolph to clear room for Blake Griffin to shine was necessary, but it remains to be seen whether Sebastian Telfair, Craig Smith and Mark Madsen will supply anything more than cap relief. They would climb the list by nabbing Ramon Sessions, but it remains to be seen whether that goal can be accomplished. As it stands now, they've simply not screwed up the No. 1 pick.
16. Kings: Drafting Tyreke Evans appears to be a big hit, since he'll be unstoppable if he ever acquires a jumper. Tabbing Paul Westphal to coach and pledging to be entertaining as they rebuild is a positive for disgruntled Kings fans, which now includes all of Israel thanks to the arrival of Omri Casspi. "Spanish Chocolate," Sergio Rodriguez, should add to the excitement.
17. Bucks: Selling Jefferson for the expiring deals of Thomas/Oberto/Bowen, the latter two already moved, wasn't as bad as it sounds. It might be waving the white flag for this season, but John Hammond is doing what he has to in order to get out from under Larry Harris' mistakes and create a clean slate. Losing Sessions and Villanueva are sacrifices, but he's hoping to entertain with low risk/high reward acquisitions Amir Johnson, Hakim Warrick, Sonny Weems, Walter Sharpe and second-rounder Jodie Meeks. Lottery pick Brandon Jennings has a big mouth, but is my choice for Rookie of the Year.
18. Wolves: David Kahn won the sweepstakes for control of an NBA franchise, dispatching Kevin McHale and likely winding up with rising coaching star Mark Jackson as his tag-team partner. With Ricky Rubio unlikely to come over this season, taking a pair of point guards with picks Nos. 5-6 doesn't look so bad. At least Rubio is an asset. Kahn is blowing everything up, but seems competent enough to produce a much better product once he puts it back together.
19. Jazz: Carlos Boozer exercising his player option wasn't what Utah really wanted. Matching for Paul Millsap was, but not at the price they had to pay. It hasn't exactly been a smooth ride. It seems like they're committed to moving Boozer, got ticked at Kyrylo Fesenko for skipping Summer League and watched Eric Maynor struggle with his shot. Aside from keeping Mehmet Okur, it's been rocky.
20. Warriors: Stephen Curry falling to them at No. 7 made the team's offseason. Dealing Belinelli for Devean George seemed silly, even if the Raptors sent along the cash to pay him off. Still, Don Nelson feels he's got a playoff team given how Anthony Randolph and Anthony Morrow blew up in Las Vegas, each exploding for over 40 points in separate games. Law and Claxton for Crawford wasn't a fair deal, but the Warriors needed the cap relief.
21. Sixers: Losing Miller for nothing offered up a reminder that the team got satisfied being mediocre and failed to capitalize on getting something for an attractive asset. Ratliff bolted after trashing the organization, but Philadlephia did accomplish some good things in an otherwise dormant period, drafting lottery talent Jrue Holiday and getting a badly needed perimeter shooter, Jason Kapono, in exchange for Reggie Evans. Eddie Jordan is a winner, too, so Ed Stefanski couldn't have done better in choosing his next coach.
22. Suns: Amar'e Stoudemire's eyes remain a concern, so it's unknown whether he'll be shopping for a new team come season's end, or part of the Suns as damaged goods. He's got a huge option he can take. Keeping Steve Nash was surprising given the terms of his extension ($10 million per for two seasons), but you can't call this a good offseason given that they traded Shaq for Wallace and Pavlovic, a serious low-balling even if it did offer some financial relief. Drafting Earl Clark, getting a good deal on Channing Frye and retaining Grant Hill all qualify as victories, but Phoenix still looks like a borderline playoff team.
23. Rockets: Locking up Trevor Ariza was sheer brilliance. Everything else for the very competent Daryl Morey and his staff hasn't gone as well. Ron Artest took Ariza's spot in L.A., Yao Ming was forced to have season-ending surgery and Tracy McGrady is out til early 2010 and may never put on a Houston uniform again. Supposedly, there are high hopes for Aussie David Andersen. We shall see.
24. Nets: Terrence Williams might become a key contributor, but he did struggle in Summer League and looked like his pre-maturity self. The Nets continued their rebuilding/retooling project in shipping out Vince Carter and promising Ryan Anderson for excellent guard Courtney Lee and the expiring deals of Tony Battie and Rafer Alston. Lawrence Frank got a vote of confidence from Rod Thorn, as the Nets look to be in full-scale evaluation mode.
25. Blazers: Andre Miller was a good signing, but it doesn't alter the fact that he was option No. 3, arriving after unsuccessful stabs at Turkoglu and Millsap. Parting with Rodriguez was expected, but still dubious. Draft picks Victor Claver, Dante Cunningham and Jeff Pendergraph have upside, but aren't locks to click or even stick.
25. Celtics: Despite adding Rasheed Wallace, who may or may not be a major asset, Boston's already shallow depth took a major hit. Glen Davis doesn't look to be coming back. Leon Powe is shopping for a contender to aid in order to make Boston pay. Danny Ainge really irked Rajon Rondo, too. It wasn't the ideal summer for the Cs.
27. Grizzlies: Trading Darko for Q and turning it into Zach Randolph was a neat trick, but like the band, also a cheap trick. Being thrifty was the mandate for Memphis, but that draft (Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll and Sam Young) is shaky and superstar-less. At least they created more cap room.
28. Bulls: Buying out Tim Thomas and adding Jannero Pargo are decent moves, but not the major splash you might expect from a team that had such a prosperous playoff run. If draftees James Johnson and Taj Gibson are busts, this will go down as a wasted offseason.
29. Heat: The Heat still has its $5.9 million mid-level salary-cap exception and its $2 million lower-level exception. How can you grade a team that's barely done anything? All that's been accomplished is making sure they have the most marginal centers in the league, having re-signed Jamaal Magloire and Joel Anthony.
30. Bobcats: Dealing Okafor for Chandler is a massive risk, even though it is saving money in the long run. Reaching a stalemate on negotiations with Raymond Felton is also a major issue, while the drafting of Gerald Henderson and Derrick Brown supplies no immediate remedies.
Tony Mejia is senior writer for Pro Basketball News. He can be reached at [email protected].
http://www.probasketballnews.com/story/?storyid=678
http://www.probballnews.com/images/headshot_mejia.gif By Tony Mejia
Pro Basketball News
The following are not -- repeat NOT -- preseason power rankings.
Oh, they're rankings alright, and like those available throughout cyberspace, they're of the powerful variety.
But you'll have to wait to see what the pecking order is entering the season and get your fill with these rankings, which look solely at what teams have been able to accomplish since their seasons ended. Everything from the hiring, firing and retaining of coaches to the draft, trades and free agency through July 31, has been taken into account.
PBN is going to take an extensive look at this insanely busy offseason this coming week, beginning with a division-by-division taste that started Sunday with Chris Bernucca taking the microscope to the Atlantic (http://www.probasketballnews.com/story/?storyid=677).
Shaquille O'Neal, Ron Artest, Vince Carter, Shawn Marion, Richard Jefferson and Hedo Turkoglu are all calling new cities home, proof of how wild the last few weeks have been. There's still work to do, but most teams have gotten the heavy lifting out of the way. Washington and New Jersey even appear done.
So, although Allen Iverson still needs a home, we know enough to rank. Here's how everyone has done to date:
1. Spurs: R.C. Buford, Gregg Popovich, Dennis Lindsey and the rest of the crew may as well have put on black hats and masks. They stole Richard Jefferson for the expiring contracts of Kurt Thomas, Fabricio Oberto and Bruce Bowen, replacing the bigs they lost with the signings of Antonio McDyess and Theo Ratliff. Grabbing DeJuan Blair in the second round was highway robbery. Never really got that term, but I'm using it anyway. How former lottery pick Marcus Haislip does remains to be seen, but the Spurs have had the NBA's strongest offseason because they've gone from written off as extinct to title contender once again.
2. Lakers: Adding Ron Artest in favor of Trevor Ariza is likely to work out in the short-term, especially since Lamar Odom, after much drama and haggling, returned to ease a lot of the "Ron-Ron is from outer space concerns." It doesn't hurt that Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant are back as well. That was expected, but still relieving to see.
3. Raptors: Getting Hedo Turkoglu to sign on the dotted line when it looked he was Portland-bound turns Toronto's offseason from good to great. Picking up Antoine Wright in the surrendering of Shawn Marion was a shrewd move, as was getting the newly-extended Andrea Bargnani's good pal Marco Belinelli for cash and Devean George. DeMar DeRozan should be a homerun, too. Nice work, Bryan Colangelo.
4. Hawks: Signs that the times are changing in the A-T-L were evident this summer, as the team spent money to keep Marvin Williams, Mike Bibby and Zaza Pachulia, while grabbing Jamal Crawford for disappointments Speedy Claxton and Acie Law. Jeff Teague impressed in ways Law never did, offering hope for the future.
5. Thunder: Sam Presti did the bulk of his work in-season, plucking Nenad Krstic and Shawn Livingston as wise reclamation projects. Dealing Chucky Atkins and Damien Wilkins for the expiring contract of local boy Etan Thomas will benefit the Thunder in the short-term, while draftees James Harden, Byron Mullens and Serge Ibaka will have the team's back long into the future. Ditto for Scott Brooks, who was wisely kept at the helm.
6. Mavs: Losing out on Marcin Gortat was a major bummer, as Dallas might have been No. 1 if they got him. Plan B of Drew Gooden/Tim Thomas was a nice recovery, while plucking an instant contributor out of Europe, Rodrigue Beaubois, was a monstrous pickup. Shawn Marion's acquisition was the big haul, but including Quinton Ross, Dallas picked up nice system players all along the way.
7. Magic: Orlando essentially underwent a complete facelift. The reason they're not higher on this list is that it remains to be seen what losing Hedo Turkoglu in favor of Vince Carter does to the team dynamic, but reinforcements Brandon Bass, Matt Barnes and Ryan Anderson, in addition to shelling out the cash to keep Gortat, greatly enhance Stan Van Gundy's options.
8. Nuggets: Keeping Chris Andersen was a must, and the Nugs have yet to be burned in not wrapping up Linas Kleiza and Anthony Carter, potentially getting them back cheap. Arron Afflalo and rookie Ty Lawson will be instant contributors, giving reigning Executive of the Year Mark Warkentein some ammo to defend his title with.
9. Pacers: Drafting Tyler Hansbrough might have been considered a reach, but Indiana badly wanted his services and were made to look good as their prized acquisition shined in Summer League. Nevermind the recent shin injury; he'll be back. The additions of Solomon Jones, Earl Watson and Dahntay Jones tell you what direction the Pacers are heading, placing defense as a priority. Completing Jamaal Tinsley's buyout purges Indy of its final goblin.
10. Cavs: Trading Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace for Shaq can never be labeled as a setback, regardless of whether he fits in perfectly or not. Keeping Anderson Varejao was a plus, but the inflated price they had to pay could hurt them down the road. Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker should offer the perimeter defense boost that was badly needed.
11. Hornets: No matter how you slice it, getting Emeka Okafor for the injury risk Tyson Chandler has become is a major boost. Darren Collison was a phenomenal pick late in the first, while second-round LSU product Marcus Thornton should contribute. Ike Diogu was a nice gamble. Chris Paul's cry for help was heeded.
12. Wizards: Trading the No. 5 pick for Randy Foye and Mike Miller isn't a can't-miss proposition, but it's also not too shabby. It's going to depend on Foye's health and progress. The Wiz had no clue Ricky Rubio would be there, but he'll haunt them the rest of his career, regardless of how well Flip Saunders and the now healthy Gilbert Arenas get along.
13. Pistons: Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon are not only making bank, but being banked on to produce like never before entering the prime of their careers. It worked with Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace. Chris Wilcox is also out to rejuvenate his career, while new coach John Kuester and rookies Austin Daye, DeJuan Summers and Jonas Jerebko are looking for good starts to theirs.
14. Knicks: That they're still negotiating with David Lee and Nate Robinson is a positive, because the thrifty approach has paid off and they're in a position of power. Getting Jamaal Tinsley or Ramon Sessions would elevate this ranking a few spots, but drafting Jordan Hill and Toney Douglas and adding Darko Milicic for Quentin Richardson have to be lauded as strong moves.
15. Clippers: Moving Zach Randolph to clear room for Blake Griffin to shine was necessary, but it remains to be seen whether Sebastian Telfair, Craig Smith and Mark Madsen will supply anything more than cap relief. They would climb the list by nabbing Ramon Sessions, but it remains to be seen whether that goal can be accomplished. As it stands now, they've simply not screwed up the No. 1 pick.
16. Kings: Drafting Tyreke Evans appears to be a big hit, since he'll be unstoppable if he ever acquires a jumper. Tabbing Paul Westphal to coach and pledging to be entertaining as they rebuild is a positive for disgruntled Kings fans, which now includes all of Israel thanks to the arrival of Omri Casspi. "Spanish Chocolate," Sergio Rodriguez, should add to the excitement.
17. Bucks: Selling Jefferson for the expiring deals of Thomas/Oberto/Bowen, the latter two already moved, wasn't as bad as it sounds. It might be waving the white flag for this season, but John Hammond is doing what he has to in order to get out from under Larry Harris' mistakes and create a clean slate. Losing Sessions and Villanueva are sacrifices, but he's hoping to entertain with low risk/high reward acquisitions Amir Johnson, Hakim Warrick, Sonny Weems, Walter Sharpe and second-rounder Jodie Meeks. Lottery pick Brandon Jennings has a big mouth, but is my choice for Rookie of the Year.
18. Wolves: David Kahn won the sweepstakes for control of an NBA franchise, dispatching Kevin McHale and likely winding up with rising coaching star Mark Jackson as his tag-team partner. With Ricky Rubio unlikely to come over this season, taking a pair of point guards with picks Nos. 5-6 doesn't look so bad. At least Rubio is an asset. Kahn is blowing everything up, but seems competent enough to produce a much better product once he puts it back together.
19. Jazz: Carlos Boozer exercising his player option wasn't what Utah really wanted. Matching for Paul Millsap was, but not at the price they had to pay. It hasn't exactly been a smooth ride. It seems like they're committed to moving Boozer, got ticked at Kyrylo Fesenko for skipping Summer League and watched Eric Maynor struggle with his shot. Aside from keeping Mehmet Okur, it's been rocky.
20. Warriors: Stephen Curry falling to them at No. 7 made the team's offseason. Dealing Belinelli for Devean George seemed silly, even if the Raptors sent along the cash to pay him off. Still, Don Nelson feels he's got a playoff team given how Anthony Randolph and Anthony Morrow blew up in Las Vegas, each exploding for over 40 points in separate games. Law and Claxton for Crawford wasn't a fair deal, but the Warriors needed the cap relief.
21. Sixers: Losing Miller for nothing offered up a reminder that the team got satisfied being mediocre and failed to capitalize on getting something for an attractive asset. Ratliff bolted after trashing the organization, but Philadlephia did accomplish some good things in an otherwise dormant period, drafting lottery talent Jrue Holiday and getting a badly needed perimeter shooter, Jason Kapono, in exchange for Reggie Evans. Eddie Jordan is a winner, too, so Ed Stefanski couldn't have done better in choosing his next coach.
22. Suns: Amar'e Stoudemire's eyes remain a concern, so it's unknown whether he'll be shopping for a new team come season's end, or part of the Suns as damaged goods. He's got a huge option he can take. Keeping Steve Nash was surprising given the terms of his extension ($10 million per for two seasons), but you can't call this a good offseason given that they traded Shaq for Wallace and Pavlovic, a serious low-balling even if it did offer some financial relief. Drafting Earl Clark, getting a good deal on Channing Frye and retaining Grant Hill all qualify as victories, but Phoenix still looks like a borderline playoff team.
23. Rockets: Locking up Trevor Ariza was sheer brilliance. Everything else for the very competent Daryl Morey and his staff hasn't gone as well. Ron Artest took Ariza's spot in L.A., Yao Ming was forced to have season-ending surgery and Tracy McGrady is out til early 2010 and may never put on a Houston uniform again. Supposedly, there are high hopes for Aussie David Andersen. We shall see.
24. Nets: Terrence Williams might become a key contributor, but he did struggle in Summer League and looked like his pre-maturity self. The Nets continued their rebuilding/retooling project in shipping out Vince Carter and promising Ryan Anderson for excellent guard Courtney Lee and the expiring deals of Tony Battie and Rafer Alston. Lawrence Frank got a vote of confidence from Rod Thorn, as the Nets look to be in full-scale evaluation mode.
25. Blazers: Andre Miller was a good signing, but it doesn't alter the fact that he was option No. 3, arriving after unsuccessful stabs at Turkoglu and Millsap. Parting with Rodriguez was expected, but still dubious. Draft picks Victor Claver, Dante Cunningham and Jeff Pendergraph have upside, but aren't locks to click or even stick.
25. Celtics: Despite adding Rasheed Wallace, who may or may not be a major asset, Boston's already shallow depth took a major hit. Glen Davis doesn't look to be coming back. Leon Powe is shopping for a contender to aid in order to make Boston pay. Danny Ainge really irked Rajon Rondo, too. It wasn't the ideal summer for the Cs.
27. Grizzlies: Trading Darko for Q and turning it into Zach Randolph was a neat trick, but like the band, also a cheap trick. Being thrifty was the mandate for Memphis, but that draft (Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll and Sam Young) is shaky and superstar-less. At least they created more cap room.
28. Bulls: Buying out Tim Thomas and adding Jannero Pargo are decent moves, but not the major splash you might expect from a team that had such a prosperous playoff run. If draftees James Johnson and Taj Gibson are busts, this will go down as a wasted offseason.
29. Heat: The Heat still has its $5.9 million mid-level salary-cap exception and its $2 million lower-level exception. How can you grade a team that's barely done anything? All that's been accomplished is making sure they have the most marginal centers in the league, having re-signed Jamaal Magloire and Joel Anthony.
30. Bobcats: Dealing Okafor for Chandler is a massive risk, even though it is saving money in the long run. Reaching a stalemate on negotiations with Raymond Felton is also a major issue, while the drafting of Gerald Henderson and Derrick Brown supplies no immediate remedies.
Tony Mejia is senior writer for Pro Basketball News. He can be reached at [email protected].
http://www.probasketballnews.com/story/?storyid=678