lowdown
08-03-2010, 01:15 AM
DA's "offseason" rankings.
http://http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/david_aldridge/08/02/morning.tip.mailbag/index.html (http://http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/david_aldridge/08/02/morning.tip.mailbag/index.html)
Top O' the World, Ma!
(Final rankings, including offseason moves)
1) L.A. Lakers: Kobe keeps his friends close and his perceived enemies closer. (Please note, again: these are the actual rankings of the teams, not offseason grades. Rankings. Not grades.)
2) Boston: Von Wafer is going to help the Celtics next season.
3) Orlando: Gave Otis Smith, Stan Van Gundy and head exec Alex Martins new titles -- and, presumably, raises -- keeping the Magic's braintrust together.
With new deals for Stan Van Gundy (left) and Otis Smith in place, Orlando's future is as stable as ever.
Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images
4) Miami: Eddie House? Sure, why not?
5) Dallas: Mark Cuban reportedly bidding on the Rangers after dallying with the Cubs the last couple of years; he's always said that baseball is his true love.
6) San Antonio: Gave swingman Gary Neal, who starred on the Spurs' summer league team, a three-year deal.
7) Oklahoma City: A July poll in The Oklahoman gave Kevin Durant the nod as the most popular athlete in the state, ahead of Sam Bradford, the University of Oklahoma quarterback who was the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams.
8) Atlanta: Good to see the Hawks add Kenny Gattison to their staff as an assistant. Gattison was on Byron Scott's staff in New Orleans before being unceremoniously dumped before the start of last season.
9) Utah: One never wants to make assumptions for good or ill about anyone without knowing them well, but Greg Miller seems like the kind of owner that every small-market team dreams of having.
10) Phoenix: Suns release Taylor Griffin, Blake's older brother, after one season.
11) Portland: Blazers stlll likely to deal Rudy Fernandez to either Celtics or Bulls.
12) Chicago: McGrady comes, and goes, without a contract following his workout last week. Don't expect Bulls to revisit him unless they have an injury.
13) Milwaukee: All that remains for the Bucks is the endgame for Michael Redd, who is no longer in the team's plans and will come off of the cap after next season. Here's hoping a buyout is in order and that Redd can come back from his latest injury to help someone else down the stretch next season.
14) Denver: Chauncey Billups in for the long haul for U.S. world championship team.
15) Houston: Just a guess that Yao's "retirement" quotes from China may have been misinterpreted. Rockets continue to insist that he's right on schedule to return next season.
http://http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/david_aldridge/08/02/morning.tip.mailbag/index.html (http://http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/david_aldridge/08/02/morning.tip.mailbag/index.html)
Top O' the World, Ma!
(Final rankings, including offseason moves)
1) L.A. Lakers: Kobe keeps his friends close and his perceived enemies closer. (Please note, again: these are the actual rankings of the teams, not offseason grades. Rankings. Not grades.)
2) Boston: Von Wafer is going to help the Celtics next season.
3) Orlando: Gave Otis Smith, Stan Van Gundy and head exec Alex Martins new titles -- and, presumably, raises -- keeping the Magic's braintrust together.
With new deals for Stan Van Gundy (left) and Otis Smith in place, Orlando's future is as stable as ever.
Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images
4) Miami: Eddie House? Sure, why not?
5) Dallas: Mark Cuban reportedly bidding on the Rangers after dallying with the Cubs the last couple of years; he's always said that baseball is his true love.
6) San Antonio: Gave swingman Gary Neal, who starred on the Spurs' summer league team, a three-year deal.
7) Oklahoma City: A July poll in The Oklahoman gave Kevin Durant the nod as the most popular athlete in the state, ahead of Sam Bradford, the University of Oklahoma quarterback who was the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams.
8) Atlanta: Good to see the Hawks add Kenny Gattison to their staff as an assistant. Gattison was on Byron Scott's staff in New Orleans before being unceremoniously dumped before the start of last season.
9) Utah: One never wants to make assumptions for good or ill about anyone without knowing them well, but Greg Miller seems like the kind of owner that every small-market team dreams of having.
10) Phoenix: Suns release Taylor Griffin, Blake's older brother, after one season.
11) Portland: Blazers stlll likely to deal Rudy Fernandez to either Celtics or Bulls.
12) Chicago: McGrady comes, and goes, without a contract following his workout last week. Don't expect Bulls to revisit him unless they have an injury.
13) Milwaukee: All that remains for the Bucks is the endgame for Michael Redd, who is no longer in the team's plans and will come off of the cap after next season. Here's hoping a buyout is in order and that Redd can come back from his latest injury to help someone else down the stretch next season.
14) Denver: Chauncey Billups in for the long haul for U.S. world championship team.
15) Houston: Just a guess that Yao's "retirement" quotes from China may have been misinterpreted. Rockets continue to insist that he's right on schedule to return next season.