2010 NBA Preseason: Which NBA Teams Should Be Panicking Early?
The NBAโs preseason is basically a time to see how well players compete when the lights are at their brightest. Itโs also used as a measuring stick for teams to see just how deep the talent pool is for their own roster.
Players generally use the preseason as a way of showcasing the work they put in during their offseason.
Just like the regular season, some players show drastic rises in their game and others display things that can cause a general manager or head coach to have concerns about expected production.
Another factor of preseason play is the injury bug. Every team is aware of it and does their best to try and avoid being crippled by it, but the truth is there is no controlling it. Players are going to get injured. Itโs a natural part of the game.
These three factors often give a good view of what fans as well as the actual teams can expect to begin a season. Of course, these things can change for better or worse during the course of a season. Itโs all subjective to what happens within an organization on and off the court.
So with that said, here are a few teams that have reason to be concerned early on.
6. Phoenix Suns
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The Phoenix Suns have been running the same boring show for the past five or six seasons now. Sure, itโs fun to watch, but it hasnโt been much of a threat to achieve anything other than the initial three years it was first utilized.
Now the league is fully aware of the seven-second concept and several other teams employ a similar style of play, thus making what goes on in Phoenix even less spectacular or difficult to prepare against.
However, this isnโt the reason the organization and fans of the Suns should be concerned.
The problem in Phoenix lies with a lack of size and an over-stocked small forward position. This is largely due to theย departureย of All-Star power forward, Amar'e Stoudemire.
This team made the mistake of assuming they would make the playoffs in 2008-2009 after a different roster was introduced than the previous season. Well, the same rule will apply this season.
The Suns are attempting to play a small forward who isnโt defensive minded, has mediocre conditioning and is coming off a piss poor season. The guy I speak of is Hedo Turkoglu. Or should I say โMr. 11-5โ in reference to his points and rebounding averages of last season.
Turkoglu is the obvious concern for the Suns. He poses no threat to an opposing team's power forward in regards to him being able to contain or stop him. On offense, he wonโt have the ball nearly enough to counter all the numbers he will give up on the defensive end. The Suns would be better off starting Hakim Warrick or second-year man Earl Clark.
The other concern is the rotation at the small forward position. The team has four quality players who could start on a few NBA teams. Will there be enough minutes to keep them all happy? But the better question might be, if there are enough minutes to go around, will playing all four players be in the best interest of the team? Or should a deal be made to ship one of them out?
It might be in the Suns' best interest to trade fan favorite Jared Dudley to a team like Indiana that has a lot of young shooting guards.
Never the less, the Sun may have already set on Phoenixโs chances of being a team of relevance this season.
5. Charlotte Bobcats
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Fans of the Charlotte Bobcats might not want to bother showing up this season.
Once again, Michael Jordan has failed to present a respectable team that fans can rally and get excited about.
Instead of building off of last seasonโs success and the accomplishment of the franchise finally earning a playoff berth. Jordan elected to get rid of the teamโs best option at center and allow its floor general to sign with a conference rivalโฆ but he did resign Tyrus Thomas.
The Bobcats had the nucleus to be a pretty solid team had they been kept in tact and simply upgraded in regards to its benchโs talent. Yet for whatever the reason, that didnโt happen. The team actually downgraded and no one is answering questions as to why.
The team will ask third-year man D.J. Augustin to be the focal point on a team that is built around the concept that defense supersedes everything. Letโs just say that the 5โ11โ point guard isnโt the ideal candidate for the job.
Then there was the blown deal to move Boris Diaw to Toronto in order to get Tyrus Thomas into the starting lineup. Well that hasnโt happened yet and until it does, the Bobcats want be able to play how they want.
Two players that should be high on their radar are Rashad McCants and Jannero Pargo. Both are free agents that would help a team in need of proven scorers from a reserve standpoint. They also arenโt strangers to defense and would fit in nicely with what Larry Brown likes.
They also might want to explore a trade that would send Diaw to Atlanta for Jamal Crawford. The deal would better balance both clubs.
One thing is for sure, these cats wonโt be scaring anyone this season. Theyโre one Gerald Wallace injury away from being a lottery team in the 2011 NBA Draft.
4. New Orleans Hornets
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Last season, the New Orleans Hornets only had six players play more than 70 games. Yet somehow, the team managed to win 37 games even though the teamโs best player, Chris Paul, only played 45.
So as the season came to an ending, optimism was high in the big easy.
The team had found two rookie gems in Marcus Thornton and Darren Collison. Veteran players like Chris Paul and Mo Peterson would return healthy and most likely be healthy for more than 46 games.
Then the Miami Heat went and turned the NBA landscape inside out.
Now Mo Peterson, James Posey and Darren Collison are gone, as are several other players. Chris Paul has expressed concerns that this newly assembled roster isnโt good enough to help him do what he enjoys most, providing the fans of New Orleans with winning basketball.
Also factor in a rookie head coach whoโs the youngest in the NBA and one can see why there is room for concern. Regardless of how much Chris Paul smiles, he canโt mask that things arenโt looking good for his Hornets.
On paper, the Hornets look like a pretty solid team. They have six players who have averaged 15 or more points per game for an NBA season. They also have several players who have grown a reputation for their defensive abilities.
However, none of that has lead to much positive play this preseason.
Marcus Thornton was expected to win the starting shooting guard position but has been seriously out played by new comer Marco Belinelli. The team had to address its need for height and length but did so by acquiring D.J. Mbenga and Jason Smith.
At least the team brought back Jannero Pargo and signed the underrated Pops Mensah-Bonsu. Also Trevor Ariza was added in the deal for Collison.
The biggest concern for the Hornets is a lack of height and athleticism. The team only has four players taller than 6โ9โ and only three that would be considered elite athletes for their positions.
One thing is for sure. These Hornets will get stung more than they sting.ย
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3. Sacramento Kings
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The Sacramento Kings have what most NBA teams dream of. They have an All-Star talent in the backcourt and an equally talented player in their front court. ย
Yet the expectations that surround the team as last season ended and the team had DeMarcus Cousins fall into their lap in this past NBA draft, have all but faded away.
Not because the team is lacking in talent, but more because the team is dealing with an injury bug that looks as if it has nominated the Kings to be this year's Portland Trailblazers.
The Kings also have had to deal with Omri Casspi and Donte Greene not taking that next step in their development as NBA players. They are two players that the Kings hoped would use this past offseason to improve in order to take on bigger roles than they had this past season.
Injuries to Samuel Dalembert and rookie Hassan Whiteside have also hindered the rotations. And the point guard position is a growing concern as well, especially with Evans and coach Westphal wanting him to stay at the shooting guard position.
If they donโt get a little luck, the only thing Sacramento will be this season is the kings of disappointment.ย
2. Indiana Pacers
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After four years of looking for a suitable floor general, the Indiana Pacers had their prayers answered when the Hornets elected to trade Darren Collison.
Unfortunately, the deal required that the Pacers move the double-double machine known simply as Troy Murphy. Most might only see the acquisition of Collison. Others will realize the gaping hole that Murphyโs exit has caused at the power forward position.
The Pacers had two serviceable point men before acquiring the former Hornets guard. They, however, did not have any players worthy of starting at the power forward position should Murphy have been injured or traded.
So now, a battle is taking place between the super potential of Josh Roberts and the uncertain abilities of Tyler Hansbrough. The team might just want to let old man Jeff Foster start just for the sake of getting fans to show up.
Another roster issue is the over-stocking of mediocre wing players. The Pacers currently have six players who can play either the shooting guard or small forward positions. Someone wonโt be playing and that will cause friction in a locker room that is surrounded with young players.
The sad thing about this is there is a very serviceable power forward by the name of Josh Boone who is without a team and apparently on his way to sign a deal in China. Antoine Walker is also in need of workโฆ I kid.
This is another case of a GM not doing all he can to provide his team with its best chance at winning.
1. Philadelphia 76ers
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Things are not looking good in the city of brotherly love. Fans are probably on their knees wondering why the team didnโt either draft DeMarcus Cousin or trade out of the second slot of the 2010 draft.
Now the team is stuck with a rookie who needs the ball in his hands in order to impact the game.
Normally that wouldnโt be a problem for a team that won only 27 games in its previous season. You draft a lottery player, put the ball in his hands and get out the way.
But, thereโs only one problem. The lottery pick known as Evan Turner isnโt his teamโs best player nor its most talentedโฆ guess thatโs two. It also doesnโt help the 76ers that they have seven players occupying roster positions that he could be effective at.
Then thereโs the Elton Brand issue that wonโt be solving itself any time soon. It would be nice if he showed the form that led the 76ers to sign him to that $14-plus million a year deal, but Iโm sure the team isnโt holding its breath.
The club also is dealing with team leader Andre Iguodalaโs declining offensive production. After peaking two years ago, the player known as Iggy took a step back. Also, the team is dealing with new head coach Doug Collins's unwillingness to insert Marreese Speights into the starting center position. Speights has clearly earned the position.
Things arenโt looking good in Philadelphia. The teamโs lacking direction and isnโt appearing as if itโll be any better than it was last season.
At this point, it wouldnโt surprise me if they lost 76 gamesโฆ just kidding. But donโt be surprised if they once again struggle to reach the 30-win mark.
At least Jrue Holiday will provide a positive spin for the team this season. Heโs going to embarrass a lot of starting point guards.
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