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09-18-2006, 04:10 PM
From ESPN Insider...
Top 10 small moves that matter most By Antonio Williams
Scouts Inc.
Most of the offseason headlines are made when players like Ben Wallace and Peja Stojakovic switch uniforms, of course.
But when it comes to wins and losses, small, smart moves can make a big difference, too.
Here are the 10 moves that should have the largest impact at the lowest cost.
1. Mavericks sign Devean George
Dallas, fresh off its first appearance in the NBA Finals, bolstered its roster by adding the former Laker. The Mavericks had to spend only $4.2 million over two seasons to sign George.
George, who won three NBA championships with Los Angeles, will provide the Mavericks with another playoff-tested perimeter defender to complement Dallas' potent offensive weapons: Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry. George has the ability to slide into the starting lineup, if needed, and defend at the shooting guard and small forward positions.
George can make 3-pointers and stretch the opposing defense, though the Mavericks do not need a lot of scoring from him. George's energy and enthusiasm should also come in handy for the Mavericks.
2. Nuggets acquire J.R. Smith
SmithDenver picked up Smith from Chicago and had to part only with a player it did not intend to keep in Howard Eisley and two second-round picks. Smith proved early last season that when given playing time he can score in the NBA. He played 26.5 minutes per game for the New Orleans Hornets in November and December last season, scoring 11.5 points. Smith has the athleticism and scoring ability the Nuggets have lacked from the shooting guard position for the last two seasons. Smith also wants to prove that the Hornets made a mistake by not playing him. After the strong start last season, he played in just 30 games the rest of the season and averaged just 11 minutes per game. He was traded to Chicago in July, then promptly shipped to Denver.
Smith has the potential to develop into one of the better young scorers in the NBA. If coach George Karl can find a way to channel Smith's energies on defense, the Nuggets might have found, at a cheap price, the shooting-guard that will help take some of the burden off Carmelo Anthony. Smith still plays on his rookie contract.
3. Pacers acquire Marquis Daniels
In their efforts to gain more youth and athleticism, the Pacers traded for the multitalented Daniels, while giving up only a player who did not fit into their plans: Austin Croshere.
Injuries and decreased playing time have hindered Daniels the last two seasons. The Pacers will give Daniels the chance to return to his form of the 2003-04 season, when he displayed his versatility on both sides of the ball.
Daniels has the ability to penetrate and score, and he can give the Pacers significant minutes at both guard positions as well as small forward.
4. Pistons sign Ronald Murray
After losing to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals and losing Wallace to Chicago in free agency, the Pistons had to make some changes to both their roster and team philosophy.
Flip Murray will fit right into the more up-tempo offensive game that head coach Flip Saunders will employ this year. Acquiring Murray at the relatively cheap price of a two-year, $3.6 million contract will provide Detroit with the scoring combo guard it needs off the bench. Murray has the ability to score in bunches and will provide much-needed relief for both Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton.
5. Mavericks acquire Anthony Johnson
JohnsonIn trading Darrell Armstrong, Rawle Marshall and Josh Powell to the Indiana Pacers for Johnson, Dallas picked up a very solid point guard and had to part only with Armstrong's leadership and two young players who were buried on the bench.
Johnson plays as a true point guard, which will complement the scoring skills of Jason Terry and Devin Harris on the Mavericks' roster. Johnson's extensive playoff experience with New Jersey and Indiana can only help a Dallas team with championship aspirations. As the starter in place of the injured Jamaal Tinsley in last spring's playoffs, Johnson averaged 20 points and 5.2 assists per game for Indiana. Johnson also will help Dallas defensively.
6. Wizards sign DeShawn Stevenson
For the second consecutive season, the Wizards had to replace a player who got a significant offer from another team. Last offseason, the Wizards did not enter into a bidding war with Cleveland for Larry Hughes and rebounded nicely by adding Caron Butler. This offseason, instead of matching the five-year, $30 million offer Jared Jeffries received from the Knicks, Washington signed Stevenson at a fraction of the cost.
Stevenson has great athleticism and penetrating ability -- he should fit right into the Washington's up-tempo motion attack. He will provide the Wizards with a defender off the bench at the shooting guard position, allowing Antonio Daniels to play more minutes as the backup point guard.
7. Raptors sign Fred Jones
JonesAfter John Salmons backed out of an agreement with the team, the Raptors recovered nicely by adding Jones. At three years and $11 million, Jones comes cheaper than the deal Salmons nearly signed.
The former slam-dunk champion has the explosiveness and athleticism that could enable him to flourish in the up-tempo system GM Bryan Colangelo wants to incorporate in Toronto. Like a great number of players, Jones has shown he can produce in the NBA when given significant minutes. Jones had a good stretch for the Pacers during the 2004-05 season, when he played extensively due to the suspensions related to the infamous brawl in Detroit. In Jones, the Raptors could have an electrifying scorer to pair with new point guard T.J. Ford in the backcourt.
8. Spurs sign Jackie Butler and Francisco Elson
After trading the unwanted contract of Rasho Nesterovic and not re-signing Nazr Mohammed, the Spurs needed to replenish the center position behind Tim Duncan. They did so by signing restricted free agents Butler from the Knicks and Elson from the Nuggets. At a combined $13 million, San Antonio will not pay nearly as much for Butler and Elson as they would have for Nesterovic and Mohammed.
Both players are younger and more athletic than Nesterovic and Mohammed, and both will work the boards with aggression and do a decent job as shot blockers while Duncan handles the heavy lifting in the post. When given the minutes, Butler and Elson have shown they can play as serviceable centers in the NBA.
9. Lakers acquire Maurice Evans
The Lakers, in need of more perimeter scoring after their playoff implosion, acquired shooting guard Evans from the Detroit Pistons for the draft rights to 2006 second-round pick Cheick Samb. Though Samb has the potential to develop, he probably will not help the Pistons in the near future, while Evans should pay immediate dividends for the Lakers.
Evans did not play much in Detroit this past season, after having a very solid 2004-05 campaign with the Sacramento Kings. Los Angeles will give Evans every chance to provide the Lakers with a viable scoring option off the bench, which the Lakers sorely lacked last season. The physical Evans also plays decent defense, as the Lakers will look to lessen the load on Kobe Bryant next season.
10. Magic re-sign Trevor Ariza
ArizaAriza, acquired from the New York Knicks in the Steve Francis trade-deadline deal last February, plays with great energy, particularly on the defensive end. He has the potential to develop into a defensive stopper in the league.
Ariza also has the athleticism that teams love to see in small forwards. He still needs to develop his jump shot and ballhandling as he continues to mature, but Ariza has the chance to develop as part of the young core in Orlando that includes Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson and Darko Milicic.
Antonio Williams is an NBA scout with Marty Blake and Associates and a regular contributor to ESPN's Scouts Inc.
Top 10 small moves that matter most By Antonio Williams
Scouts Inc.
Most of the offseason headlines are made when players like Ben Wallace and Peja Stojakovic switch uniforms, of course.
But when it comes to wins and losses, small, smart moves can make a big difference, too.
Here are the 10 moves that should have the largest impact at the lowest cost.
1. Mavericks sign Devean George
Dallas, fresh off its first appearance in the NBA Finals, bolstered its roster by adding the former Laker. The Mavericks had to spend only $4.2 million over two seasons to sign George.
George, who won three NBA championships with Los Angeles, will provide the Mavericks with another playoff-tested perimeter defender to complement Dallas' potent offensive weapons: Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry. George has the ability to slide into the starting lineup, if needed, and defend at the shooting guard and small forward positions.
George can make 3-pointers and stretch the opposing defense, though the Mavericks do not need a lot of scoring from him. George's energy and enthusiasm should also come in handy for the Mavericks.
2. Nuggets acquire J.R. Smith
SmithDenver picked up Smith from Chicago and had to part only with a player it did not intend to keep in Howard Eisley and two second-round picks. Smith proved early last season that when given playing time he can score in the NBA. He played 26.5 minutes per game for the New Orleans Hornets in November and December last season, scoring 11.5 points. Smith has the athleticism and scoring ability the Nuggets have lacked from the shooting guard position for the last two seasons. Smith also wants to prove that the Hornets made a mistake by not playing him. After the strong start last season, he played in just 30 games the rest of the season and averaged just 11 minutes per game. He was traded to Chicago in July, then promptly shipped to Denver.
Smith has the potential to develop into one of the better young scorers in the NBA. If coach George Karl can find a way to channel Smith's energies on defense, the Nuggets might have found, at a cheap price, the shooting-guard that will help take some of the burden off Carmelo Anthony. Smith still plays on his rookie contract.
3. Pacers acquire Marquis Daniels
In their efforts to gain more youth and athleticism, the Pacers traded for the multitalented Daniels, while giving up only a player who did not fit into their plans: Austin Croshere.
Injuries and decreased playing time have hindered Daniels the last two seasons. The Pacers will give Daniels the chance to return to his form of the 2003-04 season, when he displayed his versatility on both sides of the ball.
Daniels has the ability to penetrate and score, and he can give the Pacers significant minutes at both guard positions as well as small forward.
4. Pistons sign Ronald Murray
After losing to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals and losing Wallace to Chicago in free agency, the Pistons had to make some changes to both their roster and team philosophy.
Flip Murray will fit right into the more up-tempo offensive game that head coach Flip Saunders will employ this year. Acquiring Murray at the relatively cheap price of a two-year, $3.6 million contract will provide Detroit with the scoring combo guard it needs off the bench. Murray has the ability to score in bunches and will provide much-needed relief for both Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton.
5. Mavericks acquire Anthony Johnson
JohnsonIn trading Darrell Armstrong, Rawle Marshall and Josh Powell to the Indiana Pacers for Johnson, Dallas picked up a very solid point guard and had to part only with Armstrong's leadership and two young players who were buried on the bench.
Johnson plays as a true point guard, which will complement the scoring skills of Jason Terry and Devin Harris on the Mavericks' roster. Johnson's extensive playoff experience with New Jersey and Indiana can only help a Dallas team with championship aspirations. As the starter in place of the injured Jamaal Tinsley in last spring's playoffs, Johnson averaged 20 points and 5.2 assists per game for Indiana. Johnson also will help Dallas defensively.
6. Wizards sign DeShawn Stevenson
For the second consecutive season, the Wizards had to replace a player who got a significant offer from another team. Last offseason, the Wizards did not enter into a bidding war with Cleveland for Larry Hughes and rebounded nicely by adding Caron Butler. This offseason, instead of matching the five-year, $30 million offer Jared Jeffries received from the Knicks, Washington signed Stevenson at a fraction of the cost.
Stevenson has great athleticism and penetrating ability -- he should fit right into the Washington's up-tempo motion attack. He will provide the Wizards with a defender off the bench at the shooting guard position, allowing Antonio Daniels to play more minutes as the backup point guard.
7. Raptors sign Fred Jones
JonesAfter John Salmons backed out of an agreement with the team, the Raptors recovered nicely by adding Jones. At three years and $11 million, Jones comes cheaper than the deal Salmons nearly signed.
The former slam-dunk champion has the explosiveness and athleticism that could enable him to flourish in the up-tempo system GM Bryan Colangelo wants to incorporate in Toronto. Like a great number of players, Jones has shown he can produce in the NBA when given significant minutes. Jones had a good stretch for the Pacers during the 2004-05 season, when he played extensively due to the suspensions related to the infamous brawl in Detroit. In Jones, the Raptors could have an electrifying scorer to pair with new point guard T.J. Ford in the backcourt.
8. Spurs sign Jackie Butler and Francisco Elson
After trading the unwanted contract of Rasho Nesterovic and not re-signing Nazr Mohammed, the Spurs needed to replenish the center position behind Tim Duncan. They did so by signing restricted free agents Butler from the Knicks and Elson from the Nuggets. At a combined $13 million, San Antonio will not pay nearly as much for Butler and Elson as they would have for Nesterovic and Mohammed.
Both players are younger and more athletic than Nesterovic and Mohammed, and both will work the boards with aggression and do a decent job as shot blockers while Duncan handles the heavy lifting in the post. When given the minutes, Butler and Elson have shown they can play as serviceable centers in the NBA.
9. Lakers acquire Maurice Evans
The Lakers, in need of more perimeter scoring after their playoff implosion, acquired shooting guard Evans from the Detroit Pistons for the draft rights to 2006 second-round pick Cheick Samb. Though Samb has the potential to develop, he probably will not help the Pistons in the near future, while Evans should pay immediate dividends for the Lakers.
Evans did not play much in Detroit this past season, after having a very solid 2004-05 campaign with the Sacramento Kings. Los Angeles will give Evans every chance to provide the Lakers with a viable scoring option off the bench, which the Lakers sorely lacked last season. The physical Evans also plays decent defense, as the Lakers will look to lessen the load on Kobe Bryant next season.
10. Magic re-sign Trevor Ariza
ArizaAriza, acquired from the New York Knicks in the Steve Francis trade-deadline deal last February, plays with great energy, particularly on the defensive end. He has the potential to develop into a defensive stopper in the league.
Ariza also has the athleticism that teams love to see in small forwards. He still needs to develop his jump shot and ballhandling as he continues to mature, but Ariza has the chance to develop as part of the young core in Orlando that includes Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson and Darko Milicic.
Antonio Williams is an NBA scout with Marty Blake and Associates and a regular contributor to ESPN's Scouts Inc.