Bleacher Report - Articles by NBA Dimensions

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: The NBA's Greatest Big Man

NBA Dimensions — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:28:38 -0400

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the best big man to ever play in the NBA and here is why:

When you decipher between players in All Time rankings, there really isn't one thing that is the deciding factor (at least not for me). If you just value statistics, then you would go with Wilt Chamberlain.

If you just value winning/accomplishments then you have to go with Bill Russell. If it is all about individual talent, then it would be Hakeem Olajuwon. If it was dominating the paint like no other, then it would be Shaquille O'Neal.

I think that in order to be considered the best, you have to factor in a combination of these things, and really, is there anybody in the history of the sport that has the combination of dominance, talent and accomplishments that Kareem has?

His resume is a thing of legend if you ask me. Just look at what he has accomplished in his basketball career:

Three straight HS titles going 96–6 including a 72 game winning streak.

Three straight NCAA titles and a couple of player of the year awards.

Six time NBA Champ.

Two time Finals MVP.

Six time NBA MVP (finished top five in voting 15 times).

NBA Rookie of the Year.

19 time All Star.

10 time First Team All-NBA.

Five time Second Team All-NBA.

Five time All-Defensive First Team.

Six time All-Defensive Second Team.

NBA's All Time leader in points (38,387).

Third All Time in rebounds (17,440).

Third All Time in blocks (3,189).

35/15/5 player in his prime.

Career Averages of 24.6 ppg 11.2 rbg 3.6 apg 55FG% and 72FT%.

People considered the weakest part of Kareem's game to be his rebounding and defense, yet the man made 11 All Defensive Teams in his career (which is the most out of any player to ever play the game), is the third leading rebounder of All-Time ,and the third leading shot blocker of All-Time despite the fact that blocks weren't kept as an official statistic for the first four seasons of his career.

In fact, if blocks were kept as a stat during the first four seasons of his career, he would actually be the All Time leader in blocked shots with roughly 4,042 blocks.

When you are an All Time great at the area that was considered to be the weakest part of your game, that means you are a legend. He is the most durable player to ever play the game.

Not only did he play for two decades (and was an All Star in every season except for one), but to put into perspective just how much longevity he had, Kareem made All-NBA First Team over Wilt Chamberlain, Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Patrick Ewing.

Kareem played against players from the '50s as well as players that played into the 2000s. That is just unreal.

The only player to ever win more than Kareem was Bill Russel. The only players that had better statistical numbers than him were Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor.

However, no player that won more than him was as skilled or an overall dominant player like he was and no player that was better statistically won even close to what he won. That is the ultimate combination if you ask me.

The way that I look at it, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is basically the Michael Jordan of big men. You can't really look at any area of his game and say "well he didn't do this well". He had no flaws in his game.

He holds defensive records, rebounding records, shot blocking records and offensive records. People will argue that the only reason he holds any of these records is because of his longevity, but they seem to forgot that during his prime, Abdul-Jabbar was a 35/15/5/4 player and he was a winner while doing this.

He wasn't like Oscar Robertson where he just put up godly numbers on poor teams that weren't going anywhere.

Kareem was considered to be the best player in the league for probably close to 15 years and even when he was past his prime with the Lakers, he was still their go to guy.

I know that he wasn't their leading scorer at times, but make no mistake about it, when the Lakers were in need of a basket, it was the sky-hook that they turned to time and time again and more often than not, he would come through because he was a very clutch player.

People will try to bring up the fact that he played with Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson (who was past his prime with Kareem anyways) but Kareem does have six championships and none of these other players have a title without Kareem on their roster.

Now I hate it when people say so and so can't win without so and so because this is a team game and you need a team to win, so I am not trying to discredit Magic by any means because Kareem needed him just as much as Magic needed Kareem. I am just trying to point out that this is a terrible argument.

You prove yourself vs Wilt. You prove yourself vs Hakeem. You win six titles. You put up video game numbers. You win six MVPs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, you are the greatest big man to ever play the game.

By: Built Ford Tough of NBA Dimensions

Built Ford Tough's 2009 NBA Mock Draft

NBA Dimensions — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:36:41 -0400

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BFT's Mock Draft

1. Los Angeles Clippers

With the first pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers select Blake Griffin out of Oklahoma.

This is a no-brainer if you ask me. Blake Griffin is an athletic big man that isn't afraid to bang down low. He is a great rebounder and will get after it on the glass. He can create his own shot very well and can face up his defender and use his explosive first step to get by him.

He doesn't have the greatest of back to the basket game, but with time he can add that to his offensive arsenal. His jump shot needs work and he isn't the best of defenders. Both of these things can improve with hard work and there have been no signs that Griffin is lazy and won't put in the effort to improve his game.

Griffin definitely has the most upside out of any player in this year's draft and he could step in and contribute right away.

NBA Comparison: Amare Stoudemire

2. Memphis Grizzlies

With the second pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select Ricky Rubio from Spain.

While I don't think that Rubio will end the night as a Grizzly, I do think that they will select him with the 2nd pick. Rubio has a fantastic feel for the game and a great basketball IQ.

He is a pure point guard and is a very crafty player with the ball in his hands. He runs an offense with maturity beyond his years and is particularly great at running the pick and roll. He has great instincts on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. He is fantastic at playing passing lanes and coming up with steals. His man to man defense could use some improvement.

He isn't a great athlete by any stretch of the imagination, but he isn't going to be overwhelmed by the speed and strength of the NBA either. His jumper needs work, but he has improved it over the last year and made some serious strides in this area of his game. Rubio is such an intriguing prospect and plays the game with a savvy and maturity beyond his years.

Expect to see Rubio dealt sometime during the draft though, possibly to either Sacramento, New York, Golden State or Minnesota

NBA Comparison: Jason Kidd

3. Oklahoma City Thunder

With the third pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder select James Harden out of Arizona State.

Harden has an outstanding feel for the game and this versatile lefty knows how to play the game the right way. He is able to create for himself and others very well. He can attack the rim and draw the defense in and then kick it out to a teammate for an open jumper. His play making skills for a shooting guard are good. He is a solid defender that will play smart, positional basketball and not gamble. Plays with defense with his feet and not his hands.

His ball handling to his right, his off-hand, could use some improvement, but it is not a major concern.

A good all-around player that doesn't really stand out in any single category, but doesn't really have any glaring weaknesses either.

NBA Comparison:Manu Ginobili

4. Sacramento Kings

With the fourth pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Brandon Jennings out of Italy.

Jennings is a terrific athlete and a pure point guard. He is creative with the ball and is able to make spectacular plays. He is very confident in his abilities and wants the ball in his hands in pressure situations. Has a fantastic first step and is very dangerous off of the bounce.

He has very good court vision and likes to create for his teammates. Can get to the rim seemingly at will. Great in the open court and in a fast paced game. He seems to have a great feel for the game and it plays like he was born to be a basketball player.

He needs to add consistency to his jumper and at times he can get out of control. His decision making needs to improve and he definitely needs to add muscle to his frame and get stronger. His man to man defense needs to work and he needs to buy into playing defense every possession.

Jennings has excellent potential and can become a very good NBA point guard.

NBA Comparison: Stephon Marbury

5. Washington Wizards

With the fifth pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards select Hasheem Thabeet out of the University of Connecticut.

Thabeet is a defensive monster. The most imposing defensive presence in all of college basketball last season, Thabeet and his 7'3" frame is an intimidating defensive presence. An excellent shot blocker with great defensive instincts, he has a great body, a huge wingspan and is a good athlete. His rebounding, while not at the level you would want it to be, is improving. He is great at running the floor, even beating guards down court sometimes.

His post game needs work and he is still very raw on the offensive end of the floor. He needs to add some more strength to his frame because stronger players are able to push him around a bit. He has only been playing basketball for a short time so he is still learning the game.

He has an immense amount of potential and will be a force on the defensive end of the floor.

NBA Comparison: Rich Man's Samuel Dalembert

6. Minnesota Timberwolves

With the sixth pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timerwolves select Stephen Curry out of the University of Davidson

Stephen Curry is the best shooter in this class bar none. Just like his father Dell, Stephen is a lights out shooter and if he gets an open look, it is going in. This will be a huge asset for playing with Al Jefferson as Curry will space the floor for the big man to work down low and provide a shooting threat if teams double down on him.

He is great at spotting up for a three, curling off of a screen, catching and shooting as well as putting the ball on the floor and pulling up from mid range. He is just a fantastic shooter. Curry made the transition to point guard last season and he proved that he may just have a future as a point guard in the NBA as he put up six assists a game on a very poor Davidson team.

He has a very good feel for the game and a good basketball IQ, which is to be expected from somebody that has been around the game his entire life. He is very poised under pressure and wants the ball in his hands during late game situations and is very clutch.

His ball handling needs work and decision-making could be better as well but that is to be expected from someone that has played limited minutes at point guard. He needs to work on creating his own shot a bit more as well.

He proved all of the naysayers wrong about his athleticism as he had a solid showing in the Combine and removed the label of being a poor athlete. Defensively he needs work and will never be a good defender. He needs to add muscle to his frame.

Curry is the best shooter in the draft and with his ever expanding point guard skills, he could become a very good player in the NBA.

NBA Comparison: Mike Bibby

7. Golden State Warriors

With the seventh pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors select Jonny Flynn out of Syracuse.

The Warriors are in need of a point guard and regardless of what Monta Ellis may want, the Warriors are going to draft a point guard. Brandon Jennings is the ideal pick for the Warriors but I don't see him falling down to the Warriors so they will have to settle for Johnny Flynn instead.

Flynn is a lightening quick point guard that is very athletic. He is great in a faced paced game and that is exactly the style of game that he will play with the Warriors. He is an excellent ball handler and likes to get teammates involved, which will be a nice change for the otherwise selfish Warrior team.

His size may be a question mark with some teams as he is only 6'0" tall and together with Monta Ellis that makes an incredibly small backcourt, but since when have the Warriors cared about defense? His decision-making needs to improve and he really struggles defensively, but he is a pure point guard and a guy that will excel in a fast paced system.

NBA Comparison: T.J. Ford (?)

8. New York Knicks

With the eighth pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks select Tyreke Evans out of the University of Memphis.

Tyreke Evans is a shooting guard with point guard skills. He will never be a full-time point guard but he will be able to play the position occasionaly. Evans is great at creating his own shot and is very creative with the ball in his hands. He has good play making from the shooting guard position. On defense he plays the passing lanes very well and is a good rebounder for a 6'5" shooting guard, averaging 5.5 rebounds per game last season with the Tigers.

Evans is very good with the ball in his hands, but he needs to work on playing off of the ball a bit more. His jumper is very inconsistent and needs work and at times he can get a bit out of control. He needs to work on involving his teammates a bit more as he can get tunnel vision at times.

Evans has a ton of potential and he will fit in very well with the high octane offense that Mike D'Antoni loves to run. His playmaking ability from the two-guard spot will be a huge asset for the Knicks.

NBA Comparison: Larry Hughes

9. Toronto Raptors

With the ninth pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors select DeMar DeRozan out of the University of Southern California.

DeRozan is arguably the best athlete in this draft and has the most upside out of any player in the draft. He is very raw right now but he is an incredible athlete that can jump out of the gym. He is great at running the floor and finishing in transition and loves to finish with high flying theatrics.

He possess all of the raw, athletic attributes that you would want in a wing player and maybe most importantly, he has his head on straight. He knows that he has to put in the work to become an NBA player and he works very hard. He doesn't just rely on his athletic ability and he really wants to make this NBA thing work to help out his struggling family.

He shows a solid midrange stroke but he does need to increase his range out to the three-point line. In college he struggled shooting the long ball, but he does have solid shooting mechanics so over time it isn't unrealistic to expect him to develop a respectable jumper.

He needs to work on his handles on offense in order for him to get the most out of his athletic ability. On defense he has a very good frame and athletic ability, but he isn't a very good fundamental defender and needs to put in the work there as well. He has no problems playing defense and doesn't take possessions off.

He had a slow start last year, but he came on very strong during the last month of the season and put the Trojans on his back during the Pac-10 Tournament. DeRozan has the most upside out of any player in this draft, but he will take time to develop. The sky is the limit for him though.

NBA Comparison: Poor Man's Vince Carter.

10. Milwaukee Bucks

With the 10th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks select Jordan Hill out of the University of Arizona.

With Charlie Villaneuva not looking to return to the Bucks, Jordan Hill fits right in with the Bucks. He would make a very good, young big man pairing with Andrew Bogut.

He is super athletic and very long which helps him out tremendously on the glass where he is a very good rebounder. He doesn't quit on any rebound and will go after it. He loves to play inside, and although he needs to bulk up a bit to band down low at the NBA level, he has the frame to do so. He runs the floor very well and loves to get out in transition.

His offensive game is still developing and needs some more work to it. He is pretty unpolished on the offensive end of the floor. Defensively he isn't great, but he gives it his all on every possession and will work hard. He has only been playing for a short period of time and he made some big strides in his game during his junior season at Arizona.

He has a lot of potential and can be a good big man in the NBA.

NBA Comparison: Better Version of Chris Wilcox

11. New Jersey Nets

With the 11th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the New Jersey Nets select Earl Clark out of the University of Louisville.

The Nets are set at point guard and center with Devin Harris and Brook Lopez respectively so I can see them going anywhere other than those two positions with this pick. Ultimately, I decided on Earl Clark over James Johnson out of Wake Forest due to the potential that he has.

There are questions about whether or not Clark will be able to make the adjustment to full time small forward but you can't deny the natural tools and potential that he has. He is very versatile and can do a little bit of everything.

He doesn't really excel at any one area, although he is a good defender and rebounder from the small forward position. He isn't great offensively and definitely needs to work on his very inconsistent jumper and his shot selection can be poor as well.

He has a tendency to coast at times and doesn't appear to be completely into the game, but if he is able to put it all together and get his head in the game at all times, he can become a very solid player for the New Jersey Nets and be a solid piece to their rebuilding puzzle.

NBA Comparison: Boris Diaw

12. Charlotte Bobcats

With the 12th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Bobcats select Jrue Holiday out of UCLA.

I think that the Bobcats won't be able to pass up the best player available, and that player is Jrue Holiday. Some people question if he is a true point guard in the NBA or not, but with Charlotte that isn't as much of a concern as they have last year's first round pick D.J. Augustin at point guard.

With Charlotte, Holiday can play more of a play making 2 guard role which is something that fits him better at the start of his NBA career. Holiday is stuck between the 1 and 2 guards, but he has a nice frame and is a good defensive player that is able to create his own shot on offense.

He needs to improve on his jump shot in order to be a successful NBA player, especially if he sees time at the 2-guard during his time in the league. He has a good feel for the game and can become a very good defensive player.

Pairing Holiday with Augustin in the back court gives the Bobcats a nice, youthful back court going forward and gives them a little leverage in case they lose Raymond Felton to free agency or choose not to bring him back.

NBA Comparison: Rodney Stuckey

13. Indiana Pacers

With the 13th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Indiana Pacers select Terrence Williams out of the University of Louisville.

This was a tough pick for me as the Pacers need a big man the most, but there really aren't any good big men left in the draft at this point so I went with Terrence Williams and his versatility.

Williams is able to play the shooting guard and small forward positions and can be effective at both of those positions. He is a good athlete that has an NBA ready body and is not afraid to use it. His best attribute is his defensive capabilities. He is a guy that will play tough, hard nosed defense and not back down from anybody.

He is capable of handling the ball on offense and creating plays, but his scoring ability isn't that great. He would much rather set up teammates and is at times too unselfish. He needs to work on scoring the rock to take his game to the next level.

Williams will provide the Pacers with a very tough, hard-nosed, versatile player that will do the dirty work for them.

NBA Comparison: Poor Man's Andre Iguodala

14. Phoenix Suns

With the 14th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns select James Johnson out of Wake Forest.

Johnson is the best player available at this point in my opinion and that is what I think the Suns are looking for.

Johnson is a tough, physical player that is not afraid to bang down low with bigger players. He played a lot of power forward in college but he will be a small forward in the NBA. He puts the opposing team in a lot of mismatches with his size and strength because he can take smaller defenders down to the low block and post them up, but if he has a bigger defender on him he can take them off of the dribble.

He has good instincts on the offensive end of the floor when it comes to scoring the ball and seems to have a nose for the basketball. He is a good rebounder and physical defender that also has some decent shot blocking instincts.

His game still needs some polishing up on both ends of the floor and some people think that he may be stuck between the small forward and power forward positions in the NBA so we will have to see how he makes the transition, but Johnson will provide the Suns with a tough, physical player that isn't afraid to mix it up.

NBA Comparison: Ryan Gomes

15. Detroit Pistons

With the 15th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons select B.J. Mullens out of Ohio State University.

The Pistons are going to lose Rasheed Wallace via free agency this offseason and seem to be ready to start rebuilding.

Mullens is a very intriguing center prospect. He is athletic, has a great frame, long wingspan, good touch and soft hands. He is very good at establishing position down low and finishing around the basket.

He is a work in progress and is far from being NBA ready. He needs to develop a wider array of post moves, as well as gain a better feel for offensive in general. He seems to have a lack of commitment to play on the defensive end and this needs to change. He isn't a great rebounder for his size and loses focus easily on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.

Mullens has an incredible amount of potential, and it will take at least a couple of years before he reaches his potential. If the Pistons have the patience to work with Mullens and let him come along slowly, they will reap the benefits though because the upside that Mullens has is through the roof.

NBA Comparison: Chris Kaman

16. Chicago Bulls

With the 16th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls select DeJuan Blair our of Pittsburgh.

Blair is an undersized big man in terms of height, but he is a very big, strong boy. He somewhat makes up for his limited size with his long wingspan, but at 6'7" will definitely hurt his draft stock at least a little bit.

He was probably the best rebounder in all of college basketball last season and he is not afraid to mix it up with bigger, stronger players. He is an intense player that will leave it all on the court and play a physical style of basketball. He is a solid interior defender that is also pretty good at playing the passing lanes.

He needs to work on his perimeter skills on both offense and defense and there are some questions about whether or not he will be able to keep his weight in check. There are also some serious questions about his knees and their durability.

Blair will never be a star, but he can become a good energy big guy off of the bench for the Bulls and provide them with some toughness down low.

NBA Comparison:Paul Millsap

17. Philadelphia 76ers

With the 17th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers select Ty Lawson out of the University of North Carolina.

The Sixers are apparently really high on Ty Lawson and are big fans of his game and with the pending free agency of Andre Miller and his future up in the air, they could really use Lawson and his pure point guard game.

He is incredibly quick with the ball and is a good decision maker. He has a fantastic assist to turnover ratio at 3.48 which further proves his decision making. He is definitely a pure point guard that looks to get the ball into the hands of his teammates and would rather set them up than score himself. He is a good leader on the floor. He is effective at pushing the ball in transition which would be a great fit for this Philadelphia team that likes to get out and run and he is also very used to playing with a dominant big man after playing with one of the nations top power forwards in Tyler Hansbrough for the duration of his college career which will help with how he and Elton Brand work together.

Lawson needs to improve his jumper from both long range and mid range. He doesn't have great mechanics so his form will need a makeover. He is going to have trouble guarding bigger and stronger point guards at the next level. He needs to work on his ability to create off of the dribble as well.

Lawson should be a rock solid point guard in the NBA and with Miller's future up in the air, he could be a nice insurance policy for the 76ers.

NBA Comparison:Jamaal Tinsley without the baggage.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves

With the 18th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select Gerald Henderson out of Duke.

It was really hard for me to have Henderson drop all the way to 18 and to be perfectly honest I don't think that he will fall this far. If he is still on the board at this point though there is no way that the Wolves will be able to pass up Henderson.

He is definitely the best player available at this point in time and with the Corey Brewer coming off of ACL surgery and Rodney Carney being unproven, Henderson could step in right away and have an impact on this team. He is one of the more NBA ready players in the entire draft. He has a good all around game and doesn't have any glaring weaknesses. He can step in and contribute immediately.

The upside on Henderson isn't very great and I don't think that he will ever be anything more than a role player in the NBA but he can definitely be a solid contributor in the NBA and at this point in the draft, it would be a huge mistake to pass on Henderson.

NBA Comparison:More offensive capable Dahntay Jones

19. Atlanta Hawks

With the 19th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks select Jeff Teague out of Wake Forest.

With Mike Bibby possibly leaving through free agency, the Hawks would be smart to look to add some point guard insurance in case Acie Law proves incapable of being a full time point guard and Jeff Teague provides them with that. He is not a pure point guard but that is where he will see time in the NBA. Teague's biggest strength is his ability to score the basketball. He is a very dangerous scorer and has terrific scoring instincts. On offense he really does have the whole package. He has a good jumper and was hitting college three pointers at a good clip last season, he can drive to the hoop and finish, he has a good jumper from mid range. When it comes to scoring, Teague can do it all.

He needs to work on his point guard skills in order to take the next step and get consistent minutes in the NBA. His decision-making isn't very good and he isn't that good at running an offense. On defense he has the tools to be a pretty good defender but he has an unwillingness to put in the effort at the defensive end of the floor.

Teague is a scoring machine and is one of the most dangerous scorers in this draft, but if he wants to take his game to the next level he has to develop better point guard skills.

NBA Comparison: Better Shooting Monta Ellis

20. Utah Jazz

With the 20th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz select Tyler Hansbrough out of the University of North Carolina.

Carlos Boozer is a free agent and there is a good chance that he will test the market and end up elsewhere next season so that leaves the Jazz with a hole at the 4. The Jazz are in desperate need of a shooter, but at this point in time there really isn't anybody worth taking in that regard so I settled on Hansbrough. Hansbrough is coming off of a fantastic college career and looks to carry over that success to the NBA. He is a relentless worker that may be limited physically but he makes up for it with his heart and hustle. He is a very smart player that is great at creating contact and getting to the line. He has a winning mentality and will do whatever it takes to get a win. He is an ultra competitive person and that pushes him to be the best that he can be.

At the NBA level he may be overwhelmed by the size, strength and speed of the league as he was at times a man amongst boys at the college level. He doesn't have much potential and what you see is what you get with Hansbrough.

He will never be a star but he can be a serviceable big man off of the bench and can provide you with some energy and hustle.

NBA Comparison: Kris Humphries

21. New Orleans Hornets

With the 21st pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Hornets select Eric Maynor from Virgina Commonwealth University.

The Hornets have stud point guard Chris Paul leading their team but they are in need of a legitimate backup point guard and Eric Maynor may be that guy.

Maynor is coming off of a very good season at VCU in which he put up 23/4/6 capping off a college career that saw him improve on his game each year. Maynor is a crafty point guard that is able to mix his game up effectively using change of pace dribbles, different speeds and mixing up his scoring and passing. He is a smart point guard that knows when he should look for his own shot or when he should find the open man. He has a good jump shot with extended range and he loves to have the ball in his hands during crunch time and when the pressure is on as he is very confident in his abilities.

He needs to take better care of the ball as he can be a bit turnover prone at times and he can also struggle finishing around the rim at times. His defense needs work and especially his commitment to playing on the defensive end of the floor.

Maynor could become a nice backup point guard for the Hornets and by drafting him, they are able to afford to have Paul get some rest during the course of the game.

NBA Comparison: Sam Cassell

22. Dallas Mavericks

With the 22nd pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks select Sam Young out of Pittsburgh.

To be perfectly honest, I have absolutely no idea what the Mavs are going to do with this pick and I just ended up deciding on Young because he is probably the most NBA-ready player at this point in the draft.

Young is an athletic small forward that will provide the Mavs with some grit and toughness. He started his career as a power forward but has made the transition to small forward and he still plays with that toughness that you need to bang down low with opposing big men. Young is a strong defender and rebounder thanks to his strength, athleticism and frame.

On offense, he is a pretty good shooter when he gets his feet set but he isn't nearly as accurate once you make him put the ball on the floor for more than a couple of dribbles. He doesn't really have much of an offense game and needs to work on that area of his game.

Young earn his keep on the defensive end of the floor, providing the team he goes to with some physicality and toughness.

NBA Comparison: Joey Graham

23. Sacramento Kings

With the 23rd pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Austin Daye out of the University of Gonzaga.

With the Kings already addressing their need at point guard earlier in this draft, I think that they would be intrigued with the potential that Daye has. He is a very long and lanky small forward and has fantastic size at 6'11" for the 3.

He has good instincts on the offensive end of the floor and can create his shot like a guard. He has good handle and footwork for a guy his size and he also has a solid jumper with range out to the three-point line. His length allows him to play the passing lanes very well and even coming from the weak side to block shots.

He is going to struggle a lot guarding his own position in the NBA due to his lack of strength. He has a really skinny, lanky frame so it looks like it would be hard for him to put any serious muscle on and will always be a weaker player.

Daye needs plenty of time to develop and there is a good chance that he never puts it all together, but at 23 I think that his potential would be worth the gamble.

NBA Comparison: Poor Man's Rashard Lewis

24. Portland Trailblazers

With the 24th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Portland Trailblazers select Darren Collison out of UCLA.

The Blazers don't really have that big of a need at any position other than point guard. Collison could provide them with a nice option off of the bench as he is a very experienced player that had a great college career at UCLA.

Collison has a good feel for the game and makes good decisions on the floor. He is capable of running a team in a half court set and pushing the ball and getting out in transition. He is very poised and doesn't get rattled under pressure.He has good court vision and is more than willing to make the extra pass as he is very unselfish. He is excellent at pressuring the ball carrier and playing team defense.

He is going to be outmuscled in the NBA and he isn't really great at creating offense. He doesn't have great scoring instincts and can be pretty passive on the offensive end. He has very limited upside and will never be more than a role player or backup.

Collison could become a nice point guard off of the bench for the Blazers and with a team whose only real weakness is the point guard spot, I could see the Blazers taking a chance on Collison here.

NBA Comparison: Chris Duhon

25. Oklahoma City Thunder

With the 25th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder select Chase Budinger out of the University of Arizona.

Even though I already have the Thunder selecting Harden with their 3rd pick and effectively addressing their shooting guard need, I think that they would still consider taking Budinger. He is a very good shooter and a great athlete that can jump with the best of them. His biggest asset is going to be his shooting ability which is very good.

He is good at spotting up and taking jumpers, coming off of screens for open looks and being a catch and shoot player. He has a good feel for the game and a high basketball IQ. He is very good at moving without the ball and creating space to get his shot off. He is not good at creating off of the dribble and his midrange game is basically non existent.

On offense everything with Budinger is either beyond the arc or in the paint. He needs to develop that in between game. On defense he may have troubles guarding his own shooting guard position. He doesn't have much potential and will most likely not be anything more than a shooter off of the bench for a team but I think that the Thunder will covet his shooting ability off of the bench and take a chance on him at 25.

NBA Comparison: Brent Barry

26. Chicago Bulls

With the 26th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls select Toney Douglas out of Florida State University.

This is strictly an insurance pick in case the Bulls lose Ben Gordon to free agency this summer. Douglas could be a poor man's Ben Gordon for the Bulls as he has a very similar game to Gordon. He is not a true point guard but his size will limit him when it comes to playing the two as he is only 6'2".

He can provide the Bulls with instant offense and a shooting threat off of the bench though. He is great at coming off of screens and taking jumpers, catching and shooting and pulling up and shooting a jumper.

Other than scoring and shooting though he doesn't really bring much to the table. He is going to struggle defensively and his limited point guard skills will force him to play the shooting guard position in the NBA. Douglas would be good for some instant offense off of the bench but if he is forced to play major minutes I think that his effective offense will be nullified by what he will give up on the defensive end of the floor.

A good scoring option off of the bench, but nothing more than that. This pick would be insurance in case Gordon leaves via free agency and would soften the blow a bit for the Bulls.

NBA Comparison: Charlie Bell or a Poor Man's Ben Gordon

27. Memphis Grizzlies

With the 27th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select Omri Casspi from Israel.

With this pick the Grizzlies are able to save some money as they won't bring Casspi over immediately. Casspi has some interesting mismatch potential as he is a combo forward that is able to create his own shot on the perimeter but isn't afraid to go down low and post up either.He is a very tough, confident player that loves to mix it up and play physically. He won't back down to anybody and thrives when games get gritty.

He doesn't have much skill but he can provide the Grizzlies with a hard nosed, blue collar player and most importantly, they don't have to worry about paying him immediately as they can let him stay in Israel for a while.

NBA Comparison: Matt Harpring

28. Minnesota Timberwolves

With the 28th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select Jonas Jerebko from Sweden.

I can't see the Wolves having three rookies on their roster next season so that makes me think that they will look overseas with this pick and I think they will settle on Jonas Jerebko from Sweden.

Jonas is a limited offensive player that doesn't posses much skill or confidence on that end of the floor but he has a lot of potential on the defensive end of the floor. He is great at using his size and length to bother opponents. He will make his living on the defensive end of the floor and has a lot of potential in this area of the game.

NBA Comparison: Thabo Sefolosha

29. Los Angeles Lakers

With the 29th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select Wayne Ellington out of the University of North Carolina.

Everything that I have read so far suggests that the Lakers will be looking for a point guard but there really aren't any point guards in the draft worth passing Ellington to obtain. I wouldn't be surprised if the Lakers go with Patrick Mills here, though.

Ellington came on strong for UNC during their National Championship run and he was named Final Four MVP. He is a knock-down shooter that can provide spot-up shooting as a catch-and-shoot wingman or a player that comes off screens and uses off-ball movement to get open. He is also very good at pulling up from midrange off the dribble and knocking down the midrange jumper.

Outside of his deadeye shooting, I don't think that he brings much else to the table. He isn't good at creating his own shot and he isn't anything special on the defensive end of the floor or when it comes to ball handling.

Ellington is the best player available at this point and that is what I think that Lakers will be looking for unless they are dead set on acquiring a point guard.

NBA Comparison: Daequan Cook

30. Cleveland Cavaliers

With the 30th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Calavliers select Derrick Brown out of Xavier University.

With the possibility of losing Anderson Varejao and Ben Wallace this summer and after having their unathletic big men getting exposed against the Orlando Magic in the playoffs, I have the Cavs taking Derrick Brown here due to his ability to guard perimeter oriented power forwards.

He doesn't have much of an offensive game but he is a good defensive player that can defend down low as well as out on the perimeter. He has good lateral quickness for a power forward and this enables him to step out and defend. He also has a long wingspan which helps him out on the defensive end of the floor.

Drafting Brown gives the Cavs a power forward that is able to step out onto the perimeter and defend.

NBA Comparison:Quicker, less-offensively inclined Jason Maxiell (?)

Sixers Grab Much-Needed Momentum Before All-Star Break

NBA Dimensions — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 06:16:57 -0500

?uestlove & vanSHE | www.nbadimensions.net

Prior to the commencement of the 2008/2009 season, the expectations for the youthful, energetic and impressive on paper Philadelphia 76ers were high.

The Sixers had finished the 2007/2008 season on fire, and with the signing of marquee free agent Elton Brand, who previously played for the Los Angeles Clippers and the drafting of the impressively long Marreese Speights, chatter began to swirl around NBA fanatics about a possible Eastern Conference Finals berth for the 76ers.

And expectations grew even higher during the Las Vegas Summer League. Fronted by second-year player Thaddeus Young and the aforementioned Marreese Speights, the Sixers posted a 3-1 record.

During the games held in Las Vegas, Young led the team in scoring with 19.5 points per game, with Speights leading them in rebounding at nearly 10 rebounds a game and adding 18 points per game to boot.

But when the season began, the Philadelphia team did not look very youthful, energetic, or impressive.

Marred by the inability to shoot the three-point shot, or the ability to play efficiently in the half court system, and catering to Brand, the 76ers began the season with a subpar 2-5 record.

Andre Iguodala, the team's previous season leading scorer, began the season shooting below 40 percent from the field, and hadn’t gotten his rhythm back until the most recent few months.

Brand, although beginning the first few games well, struggling to get a grip on the 76ers playing methods, slowly began the fall into being merely a role player on this team.

Thing didn’t get much better for them from then on, beginning a season of which seemed to be raveled with inconsistencies, namely, having two four game winning streaks, only to have two three game losing streaks.

With a 13-20 record to begin the New Year, the 76ers were sitting outside of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference.

Thing began to change for the Sixers and the Sixers faithful with an eight point home win on Jan. 6, 2009, vs. the Houston Rockets. The duo of Andre Iguodala and back up shooting guard Willie Green put major pressure on the oft-injured Tracy McGrady, holding him to 5 for 15 shooting (33 percent) and only 14 points.

Meanwhile, Iguodala came up big in that game, shooting 12-for-19 from the field (63 percent), for 28 points. He also chipped in three rebounds, three assists and four steals.

The 76er bench had one of their strongest games of the season, namely both Louis Williams and Speights, who both had 15-point games and shot over 50 percent from the field.

And since this game, the future of the club has began to look bright. They are currently on a 12-4 tear without Brand, who went down for the season with a shoulder injury.

Three of their losses during this run have been by a combined five points. The wins during this run included blowouts of the Atlanta Hawks, the Portland TrailBlazers, the San Antonio Spurs and two wins over the New York Knicks.

In the months of January and February, the 76ers have held their opponents under 100 points six times during their seven game winning streak.

Currently, their record stands at 27-24, only half a game behind the fifth-seeded Miami Heat, a team the 76ers beat only six days ago.

Since Brand's injury, Igudodala has finally began to assume leader roles for this team. Since moving to the small forward position, Iguodala has been on his own tear within the teams run, averaging 20 points, six rebounds and six assists, on excellent shooting, and smothering defense.

In the month of January alone, Iguodala put up numbers even the All-Stars would be jealous of, with 22 points, six rebounds and six assists along with 42 percent shooting from the three-point line.

But, it wasn’t all about Iguodala, as much as it was about his whole team upping their production to fill the seemingly large role left by the 6-foot-9 Brand.

In the last 20 games, point guard Andre Miller has averaged 18 points a game to go along with 6 and a half assists a game.

Like Iguodala, Miller has been shutting down opposing point guards, playing strong, hard-nosed defense, the kind that the 76ers were playing to complete the 2007/2008 NBA regular season.

The bench of the 76ers has also been much improved. Speights, an NBA rookie, has been averaging 11 points and four rebounds per game in his last 20 games.

He is also the rookie leader in John Hollinger’s PER statistic, which bases a players production in a per minute statistic. Speights PER currently stands at 21.06, within a few tenths of prominent NBA superstars Danny Granger and Kevin Durant, amongst countless others, and a full two-point lead over other NBA rookies such as Greg Oden, Kevin Love and Brook Lopez.

Not to be outdone by a rookie, Louis Williams has upped his ante also, averaging 14 points and five assists during the same period. To round out the rotation, players such as Theo Ratliff, Willie Green and Royal Ivey have also stepped up their game to fill the final minutes given out by the coach.

Each has played extraordinarily well in the minutes they have received. But, most impressive of all, has been Thaddeus Young, one year removed from his rookie season.

Young began the season leading the Philadelphia 76ers in scoring for a great portion of the season. His 16 points per game, shown through a variety of different ways, has shown his versatility and ability to create a shot for himself, something which was lacking from the other players of this ball club to begin the season.

As impressive as any of their individual numbers might be, the core of this team still believes in "team first" and has played that way.

Although they have no great defenders on the team, aside from specialist shot blocker, Theo Ratliff, who’s minutes are scarce as it is, the team ranks fifth in turnovers forced, with 18 forced turnovers per game.

Their heart and integrity have never been question, as they out-rebound their opponents by four rebounds per game, on average. And most importantly, during their last 20 games, they have been one of the leaders in point differential around the league, outscoring their opponent by nearly six points per game.

So finally, the 76ers are meeting the expectations placed upon them. With an amped up offensive system, and with smoldering defense, they have been placing a beating on their opponents.

This young team, barring any serious injuries to their rotation regulars, will be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time.

www.nbadimensions.net

An Unloved Superstar: Why Dirk Nowitzki Should Be Appreciated

NBA Dimensions — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:31:06 -0500

www.nbadimensions.net

Let’s face it, most people at the WWL (World Wide Leader a.k.a ESPN) love to say how soooooft Dirk is, how he can't for the life of him lead a team or be clutch, how he is not a franchise player. When in reality Dirk has been the Mavericks’ franchise cornerstone since the early 2000s, and a damn good one at that, and has been a top 10 player for the greater part of his time with the Mavericks.

After a so-so rookie year where he looked lost at time and even with his 20 MPG average only appeared in 47 games, Dirk began his rise to the pinnacle of the league’s big men.

His sophomore season was a large success. In his campaign, he averaged 18 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, playing in all 82 (81 starts) games. He also had a very impressive 112 Offensive (team points scored with him on the court) rating, good enough to rate him amongst the 20 best offensive players in the league and in only his second season.

In his third season playing for the Mavericks, he continued to improve all across the board, nabbing All-NBA Third Team honors, an All-Star Game berth and most importantly, a playoff spot for the Mavericks. This was his first season above the 20 PPG mark. During the 2006-07 season, Dirk led his team to 67 wins.

Let’s face it, that team had NO big man talent on the team behind him, Harris was the PG the majority of the time and he was still very raw offensively. So Dirk’s supporting cast was three wingmen in Howard, Terry, and Stackhouse who all, while solid, were not great. Yet he was able to lead them over the top teams in the West.

And he had plenty of big games against the best teams in league, examples include his 35-point, seven-rebound and 27-point, 10-rebound games against the Phoenix Suns, and his 31-point, 10-rebound and 36-point, eight-rebound games against the interstate rival, the San Antonio Spurs. And don’t forget 28-point, 12-rebound game at the Palace versus the Detroit Pistons or the 38-point, seven-rebound game at Utah.

Before the 2006-07 season, Dirk was not talked about as a superstar, therefore not hated as one. Certainly, the Warriors/Mavericks playoff series can be accredited to all the hate that Dirk does indeed get. Don Nelson, coach of the Warriors, knew Dirk better than anyone because he had coached his early years in Dallas, and knew how to stop him.

But it wasn’t exactly Nowitzki who was stopped. It was the rest of his team, who just couldn’t cope with the pressure and intensity that the Warriors played at. They had not experienced it enough in the regular season to know what they were up against.

Dirk still averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds, and displayed leadership abilities, but the Mavericks were in a state of shock after being defeated that first game by the Warriors that their confidence never really picked up again.

Certainly, Dirk is dependable in any situation. He has amongst the league’s best players in fourth-quarter scoring, over plenty of other dominating big men such as Tim Duncan and Dwight Howard. He is also amongst the best free throw shooters in the fourth quarter also, hitting 90 percent of his shots from the line when it counts.

When the clock is running down, and is in "crunch" time, Dirk converts FGs at a strong 46 percent, which is extremely impressive considering the coverage and double teams thrown at Dirk.

In the entirety of his career, Dirk has lead the Mavericks to eight playoff visits, been amongst the top scorers in the league nearly every season, led the league in PER in two seasons, made an NBA Finals appearance, been named to three All-NBA First teams, and had been names the league’s Most Valuable Player for the 2006-07 season.

In his time with the Mavericks, the team has been behind the San Antonio Spurs as the second most successful regular season team in the NBA. A lot of that success can be attributed to Dirk Nowitzki.

But, of course, statistics can only tell part of the story. You have to watch Dirk’s game to truly appreciate the talent and skill in the big man. There hasn’t been another seven-footer in the league that has had the ability to create a shot like Dirk Nowitzki can.

There hasn’t been another seven-footer who’s been able to be as agile as Dirk. He is a once in a generation player. Bigger forwards are too slow to stop him and smaller forwards are too weak to be able to contain him, or his high-arcing jumpshot.

In my opinion, he can be counted towards being one of the ten best players of this decade. His game is far from a lot of the other European players that come into the league and his style does not resemble the stereotypical "soft Euro" game.

Written By: ?uestlove and vanSHE

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The Window is Closing: What Will the Dallas Mavericks Do?

NBA Dimensions — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:37:15 -0400

THE BIG THREE | nbadimensions.net

The Dallas Mavericks, a team whose average age is 28.1, realize that their window of opportunity to get back to the NBA Finals is closing.

They know that, you know that, I know that, and apparently even Magic Johnson knows that, according to a blog on the Dallas Morning News’ website.

The acquisition of future Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd just before the All-Star break sent the Mavericks in the opposite direction of the one they hoped to travel.

A first round elimination, courtesy of the New Orleans Hornets, made 2008 the second straight year the Mavericks had failed to advance in the playoffs.

It prompted the organization to fire head coach Avery “Little General” Johnson, who had led them to the Finals in the second of his four seasons in Dallas.

Rick Carlisle, former Coach of the Year with the Detroit Pistons, was named Johnson’s successor on May 9, signing a four-year deal with the team.

In his two seasons as an NBA head coach with the Detroit Pistons, Carlisle was able to record consecutive 50-win seasons, and got them to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2003.

After being fired by the Pistons in favor of legendary head coach Larry Brown, Carlisle was able to lead the Indiana Pacers to a franchise-best 61 wins in his first year as their head coach, including an Eastern Conference Finals berth that same season.

Carlisle’s first move was to visit Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki in Germany; a great way to start his tenure. He looks to bring credibility to the Mavericks, though a little inexperienced with only seven NBA seasons under his belt as a head coach.

The buck doesn’t stop there, however. Hiring a new coach isn’t going to change the fact that the Mavericks still can’t compete for a championship without making some trades and free agent signings.

So far, the Mavericks have added swingman Gerald Green, 22; forward James Singleton, 27; former Maverick DeSegana Diop, 26; and they drafted sharp shooting Shan Foster of Vanderbilt, who doesn’t look to be a contributor right away.

While these are solid additions, they are nowhere near enough to get this franchise back to the top. If Dallas wants to rejoin the elite in the basketball world, they’re going to have to swing one or two more trades.

Carlisle could prove to be a nice change in philosophy for the team, but he can’t get this team back to the Finals on his own; he’s going to need the help of owner Mark Cuban and President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Donn Nelson.

Trading Josh Howard could be one route to go. He’s still young at 28, and his contract, at about $10 million for the upcoming season with two years left isn’t going to scare anyone away.

He has embarrassed the team by vocalizing his use of marijuana, and he shot a dismal 29.2 percent from the field in Dallas’ five games against the Hornets in the playoffs. A change of scenery could be just what he needs.

Guard Jason Terry and center Erick Dampier, both with unwelcoming contracts, could also be moved in a trade if Dallas can find a willing partner, as they’re looking at some cap issues down the line—Dirk, Diop, Terry, and Dampier all have three years or more left on their contracts.

Dallas would like to dump one or both of their contracts so they won’t be hampered by bad contracts when they’re no longer able to compete and need to sign a new group of players.

Maybe Jason Kidd could be on his way out as another possible option? This would be less likely to me than trading Howard would, but Kidd’s $21 million deal expires at the end of this season, and team’s with talent that are looking to rebuild could be interested in him.

New York is one team that comes to mind. They have two goals in mind: First, to be under the cap by 2010, the offseason in which LeBron James and other notable free agents end their deals with their respective teams and test the free agency pool. This must be achieved by loading up on contracts that expire in two seasons or less.

The second goal is to get the right players to fit D’Antoni’s run-and-gun system. They have a few players that don’t currently fit the team’s system, and they could be used as trade bait.

Who fits those two criteria better than Jason Kidd? Expiring contract before 2010? Check. Ability to run a fast break-oriented team from the point guard spot? Check.

Jason Kidd is a perfect fit for offensive mastermind Mike D’Antoni. Currently, the Knicks have Chris Duhon and Nate Robinson competing for New York’s starting spot at point.

You’ve got to think D’Antoni would welcome an experienced veteran, one of the NBA’s top point guards of all-time, to quarterback his offense instead of one of these guys.

The main question in this kind of deal is, “What could the Knicks possibly offer the Mavericks in any kind of trade?”

This is a legitimate question that needs to be asked. Currently, the Knicks don’t have a quality point guard to offer, and the Mavericks would likely want to get a guard in return.

Also, Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph have been underachievers in New York, though a change of scenery could benefit them both.

Am I crazy to think that the Mavericks would be interested in trading with this team that seemingly has little to offer? Crazy as I may be, I decided to mess with the trade machine, and here are the ideas I got:

The Mavericks would send Jason Kidd ($21 million, expiring) and Erick Dampier ($11.5 million, three years left) to the Knicks for Zach Randolph ($14.7 million, three years left), Jamal Crawford ($8.6 million, three years left), Nate Robinson ($2 million, expiring), and David Lee ($1.8 million, expiring).

This deal has its drawbacks, but how many deals are perfect, with both teams filling needs and having no new problems? This is definitely far out there, but I think it could be good for both teams.

Dallas, lacking a true post scorer next to Dirk, would obtain the explosive Zach Randolph. If he can change his attitude, and return to his prime self in Portland, then the Mavericks are getting a good sidekick next to Dirk.

Zach could contribute something around 16 points and 8 boards per game, and would form a nice inside-out combo with Nowitzki.

Jamal Crawford helps fill the void left by the departed Jason Kidd. He’s not a point guard, but current combo guard Jason Terry could move over to point and play in the backcourt with Crawford.

Both players can score, though Crawford at a low percentage, but they could become a solid offensive duo together. Terry, Crawford, Stackhouse, and Howard would be a nice perimeter rotation, with also-new acquisition Nate Robinson coming off the bench as the backup point guard.

David Lee, the final piece of this trade coming to Dallas, allows the Knicks to get rid of another player that doesn’t fit the system, and Dallas is able to acquire a solid hustle player off the bench.

The Knicks benefit from this trade as well, acquiring both cap relief (getting an expirer, along with trading two bad contracts for one) and a real point guard to run the show in New York. Dampier isn’t a good fit for the system, but considering they would be able to rid themselves of Randolph, Lee, and Crawford, it would be worth it.

Now, D’Antoni is able to put a potentially competitive team on the floor, with Curry and Dampier splitting minutes at center, and Kidd running the show at point. Room is freed up for the likes of Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Quenton Richardson, and other players who fit D’Antoni’s system better to get playing time.

Neither Randolph nor Lee are the kind of power forward Mike D’Antoni looks for in his system, so dumping them both is a good move.

I feel both teams are able to benefit from this trade, as the Mavericks acquire a suitable power forward to play with Dirk (though they could face defense problems, with neither Dirk nor Randolph being defensive standouts; Diop and Lee could help in this respect off the bench), along with a capable perimeter scorer in Crawford, a backup point guard in Nate Robinson, and an energy guy in forward David Lee.

The Knicks are able to upgrade at point guard and fix salary cap issues; I think they come out a big winner in this trade. I do sympathize with any of you viewers that see this trade as risky on Dallas’ part, and they would probably reject this offer should the Knicks come knocking on their door.

Assuming that trade idea doesn’t work, here’s another idea: Trade Josh Howard and Jerry Stackhouse to the Nuggets for Allen Iverson. The Mavericks would get a great perimeter scorer, and an Iverson/Kidd backcourt appears to mesh well both on offense and defense, with Kidd being able to make up for Iverson’s height deficiency and defend shooting guards.

This would give the Mavericks a threatening trio, and they would get the added bonus of both Iverson’s and Kidd’s $20+ million deals coming off the books next offseason. Jason Terry might end up in the deal as well, as he and Iverson probably wouldn’t be able to play on the court at the same time due to them both being undersized scoring guards.

Perhaps the Nuggets would include J.R. Smith (not likely) or Linas Kleiza along with their trade exception (which could be used as cap room for the Mavericks or another trading asset to use in a future deal) to make contracts match up.

Here’s another possibility between the Nuggets and Mavericks: Switch Terry with Stackhouse, and the Nuggets would get a starting point guard, and the Mavericks could rid themselves of problems at guard, as well as get rid of a bad contract and keep a starting-caliber small forward on the roster.

This idea is less sexy for the Nuggets, but they’re at least able to get a possible starting point guard in Terry, with Howard starting at the 2 and J.R. Smith coming off the bench. Either way the Nuggets and Mavericks would decide to go, both teams should be able to get what they want (Mavericks: A veteran that can score outside of Dirk and help the team win now; Nuggets: A young piece next to Melo that can defend and bring versatility, along with a solid backup coming from the deal as well).

The Lakers, who could be looking to deal the inconsistent Lamar Odom, could be interested in Josh Howard. Perhaps a Howard/Eddie Jones deal could work for both teams?

It’s not a big deal that’s going to change either franchise significantly, but the Lakers are able to upgrade at small forward, and the Mavericks get a versatile forward who can also handle the ball. If things don’t work out with Odom, he’s a free agent at the end of the year with Kidd.

Another idea: Send Howard and Dampier to the Miami Heat for Shawn Marion and Udonis Haslem. This deal might not work, as the Heat want Marion to play power forward, but perhaps they’d settle on putting Beasley in the post if that means getting a young small forward next to Wade and filling their need at center.

Here’s another blockbuster idea: Trade Josh Howard and Eddie Jones to New Jersey for Vince Carter. Carter, whose contract runs past the 2010 offseason, is a possible trading asset. If New Jersey’s going to try and trade him, they might as well do it now; his value’s as high as it’s going to get for a while.

This is the type of deal that might occur during the season, while the Nets are trying to up his trade value and both teams are testing out what they’ve got. If it were to occur, the Mavericks would now have a solid Big Three, Kidd would be reunited with his former Nets teammate Carter, and Nowitzki would have a solid perimeter complement.

Carter would get to play out West against the best in Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant, and he would also allow Jason Terry to stay with the team, as “Vinsanity” isn’t the combo guard Iverson is, and wouldn’t have chemistry issues with Terry in the game.

I understand that some of my ideas seem far off, but the Mavericks are in a desperate situation. Their window is closing; in fact, it may already be shut, unless they make a big move. The Randolph idea was out there, I admit, and it mainly favors the Knicks (though Mavericks do acquire some more depth).

But some of the other trades, including the Iverson and Carter ideas, could be enough to put the Mavericks back on top. Like I mentioned earlier, Rick Carlisle can’t put this team back to the top himself, and at some point in the season the Mavericks will realize that, and they might decide to shake the foundations of the Western Conference once again.

If they decide not to, and continue to accept finishing in the middle of the pack as far as the Western Conference goes, then they’ll have you, myself, and Magic Johnson saying, “I told you so.”

The Big Three is a writer for NBA Dimensions. Join nbadimensions.net to discuss basketball with The Big Three and other NBA fanatics.

Piecing Together the Brett Favre Nonsense

NBA Dimensions — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:38:09 -0400

The Brett Favre saga has been nothing but annoying and crazy. He's coming back, but no, the ship has sailed.

"We want to protect the Brett Favre legacy, however he will need to be the backup QB."

"Favre can compete for the starting QB job."

Make up your mind.

Honestly who cares what happens now? Brett, you have sucked as much attention out of non Packer fans as possible. We really don't care what your itch tells your nor if the train is going.

As long as you're not in my NFC East, I really don't care. Who really is spending every second possible checking where your going? I know I'm not.

The Packers really blew this one. If they wanted to protect the Favre legacy, they wouldn't have said publicly that he will need to ride the bench if he wants to come back.

On day one, they should have flown down to Mississippi and sat down with Queen Favre and said "Brett, Aaron is our QB. We don't want you here, so we're going to trade you."

It seems he's going to become a Buc. This saga has lasted over 10 days. This has gone on long enough. This is going to last until Brett and the Bucs play the Packers at Raymond James. Brett, just please stop this nonsense. Most of us are annoyed by this garbage.

Triple H is a writer for the basketball discussion site NBA Dimensions. Join nbadimensions.net to discuss basketball with Triple H and other NBA fanatics.

Kevin McHale: The Driving Force Behind the Minnesota Timberwolves' Turnaround

NBA Dimensions — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 13:15:07 -0400

KLOMP44 | nbadimensions.net

Minnesota Timberwolves’ Vice President of Basketball Operations Kevin McHale has gotten his fair share of criticism over the years. Much of it was deserved, as he gave lucrative deals to the likes of Troy Hudson, Mike James, Marko Jaric, and Joe Smith (whose contract will never be forgotten by Wolves fans everywhere).

However, I don’t believe McHale has gotten the credit he deserves for the recent roster overhaul. Prior to the 2006-2007 season, the Timberwolves roster looked like this:

PG: Mike James / Randy Foye / Troy Hudson
SG: Ricky Davis / Rashad McCants / Bracey Wright
SF: Trenton Hassell / Marko Jaric / Justin Reed
PF: Kevin Garnett / Eddie Griffin / Craig Smith
C: Mark Blount / Vin Baker

Currently, our roster looks like this:

PG: Randy Foye / Sebastian Telfair
SG: Rashad McCants/Corey Brewer
SF: Mike Miller/Ryan Gomes
PF: Kevin Love/Craig Smith/Brian Cardinal
C: Al Jefferson/Jason Collins/Calvin Booth

We’ve also acquired three additional first rounders, as well as numerous second rounders.

The bloated contracts of Jaric, Blount, James, Hassell, and Hudson are gone. Instead, this roster has been replenished with youth and high character veterans. The only contract that could be seen as negative is that of Brian Cardinal or Mark Madsen, but both are a locker room presence, and have contracts expiring after the 2009-2010 season.

Not only that, but he took team cancers of Ricky Davis and Mark Blount, and turned them into Antoine Walker, Michael Doleac, and a first rounder. He then took Walker, Jaric, and Buckner, and turned them into Mike Miller, Jason Collins, and Brian Cardinal.

Obviously, the most notable transaction made in that time frame was when Minnesota shipped the now-World Champion Kevin Garnett—boy, that has a good ring to it!—to Boston in exchange for Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff, Gerald Green, and two first-round draft picks, including one which was originally Minnesota’s.

Last offseason, McHale was able to resign Al Jefferson to a modest long-term deal, something other NBA franchises are struggling to do. Had the Wolves failed to do so, it would be very difficult to sign him for the money he’d be asking for now, after averaging 21 points and 11 rebounds per game last season.

Look once again at those two rosters. Only three players remain from the old squad. And there is still a lot of optimism from many Timberwolves fans about this upcoming season.

However, like always, there will be those who still want to bad mouth McHale, ignoring the excellent job he’s done thus far in the rebuilding process.

Houston Rockets Past to Present

NBA Dimensions — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 13:09:59 -0400

What do NBA fans think of when they hear about the Houston Rockets?

The first thing that comes to my mind is the two impressive championships won by the Rockets.

Many loyal fans of the Houston Rockets immediately think of the “Clutch City” days of Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde the “Glide” Drexler, and the two amazing back-to-back championship runs.

Under the leadership of Hakeem Olajuwon, one of the greatest centers to ever play the game of basketball, the Rockets began the 1993-94 season with a record of 15-0 before they lost their first game. A solid season for the franchise was under way, as the Rockets finished the season with a 58-24 record, making them the team to beat in the NBA.

The team’s success was not ignored. In particular, one player was honored with one of the biggest awards an NBA player can receive.

The MVP award was given to Hakeem Olajuwon, along with the Defensive Player of the Year award. The amazing start to the season had paid off in big ways, and the Rockets won their first NBA championship in franchise history.

As the 1994-95 season began, people in Houston were anxious for the Rockets to defend their title, and keep it where it belonged. The Rockets started the season struggling, and chances of keeping the title in Houston looked bleak.

But fans did not realize is that this would be one of the most entertaining seasons they would ever be a part of.

In a much-needed boost, the Rockets made a midseason trade acquiring Clyde Drexler from the Portland Trail Blazers, reuniting Olajuwon with his college teammate. As a championship team is trained to do, the Rockets battled and finished the season with a record of 47-35, making them the sixth seed in the West.

With the Rockets as underdogs, the word clutch had never meant more to the city, and the team. The Rockets battled throughout the playoffs, creating memorable moments that many fans would never forget.

The Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs showcased two of the most talented big men ever, David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon. One night, Robinson received his MVP award, something that Olajuwon did not enjoy watching. Olajuwon took his game to another level, complete dominating the MVP.

The Rockets beat the Spurs and moved on to the NBA Finals for the second straight year. The word “domination” started to recur, as the Rockets swept the Magic and became the first sixth seed team to win a championship. As the Rockets celebrated at halfcourt, coach Rudy Tomjonvich took the microphone and said, “Don't ever underestimate the heart of a champion!”

Times have changed, and the “new age” of basketball is underway. Now when the Rockets are mentioned in the news, the first thing that comes to mind is the constant injuries, or lack of production in the playoffs—particularly focusing on Tracy McGrady.

The Rockets are at a point where they have to figure out a way to win, or a way of limiting Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady’s minutes on the court. On paper the Rockets look like a solid contender—and in my opinion have looked that way for a couple of years, while making good solid additions in the process.

This past season turned out to be one filled with ups and downs, again involving constant injuries, having all Rockets fans say “so what else is new?”

The Rockets started of the season well, and started to gel as a team even with McGrady’s injury problems. When he returned the Rockets looked great, but once again Yao Ming’s season came to a sad stop. This did not stop the Rockets from playing hard, so hard that it translated into a 22-game winning streak and one of the most enjoyable runs I have ever seen in sports.

I was proud of the Rockets for hanging on and battling in the playoffs, but at the end of the day as fans and players know, the championship is the most important thing.

So far, the Rockets have had a solid offseason, and as I was typing, the biggest acquisition most recently as of NOW is Ron Artest.

They have strategically filled some other spots as well. I thought the draft was a success, with Houston acquiring Donte Greene—who will most likely be traded to Sac Town with the Artest deal—and Joey Dorsey, who adds some athleticism, strength, and future to the team.

Dorsey was a good pickup, and may end up playing more than we expect with Carl Landry's swaying decisions over that past few weeks. Another solid addition was Brent Barry—a sharpshooter, and an old vet with championship experience.

The Artest trade is major and officially makes Houston championship contenders. This is the best Rockets team I have seen since the “Clutch City” days, and expectations just reached an all time high with the acquisition of Arterst.

Ron and Rick Adelman have been on the same page before, and I don’t see why they can’t get on that page again. There are no more excuses left in the bag—the Rockets are stacked with depth and the defense should be better than ever, assuming Shane Battier does not get moved as time passes.

Now they officially have the "Big Three" of the West in McGrady, Yao, and Artest. Could this finally be the year the Rockets break out of there playoff and championship slump?

As a Rockets fan, I am excited for the upcoming season and can’t wait to see how the interesting attitude of Artest mixes with the rest of the team.

ROCKETS '08-09 = CHAMPIONS!

The "Real Nene"

NBA Dimensions — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:48:31 -0400

TRIPLE H | nbadimensions.net

With the seventh pick in the 2002 NBA draft, the New York Knicks selected Nene Hilario.

As a Knicks fan, I thought the future was bright for Nene in New York. I assumed he would bring some instant offense off the bench, would be able to play some solid defense, and help the Knicks get back to the Finals.

That was, of course, short-lived, as he was traded to the Nuggets for the rights to Frank Williams and Marcus Camby. I was going wild when we got McDyess. I remember hearing my father say “Who the hell is Frank Williams”? (Williams went on to average 3 points a game.)

Nene began his rookie campaign on the bench, but that didn’t stop him from showing the potential he had. He was doing everything that analysts—and I—thought he would. He brought good offense off the bench and became a solid defender. Towards the end of the season, he became a starter.

Nene averaged 10.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. He also finished in the top ten in shooting percentage. For a rookie, this was very good. After the season, he was selected to the NBA All-Rookie first team.

In Nene’s next season, he had another solid year with 11 points and six rebounds per game. He was once again showing signs of greatness. But the next season Nene had a drop in numbers and his playing time was reduced.

But what Nene didn’t know was that the following season would be a heart-wrenching one.

In the 2005-06 season opener versus the Spurs, Nene went down. Nene tore his ACL, his Meniscus, and sprained his MCL. In just three minutes, his season was over.

Nene would have to overcome many obstacles to play in the NBA yet again. He worked his butt off to make it back to the big show. Nene proved to many that he deserved to come back, and he did so stronger than ever. He averaged 12 points and seven rebounds—both career highs.

Nene had proven he could do anything. He was a true warrior. What Nene didn’t know was that next season would become yet again be cut short—and could become potentially deadly.

Nene started the season with his minutes cut more than in half. For some reason, he wasn’t that guy who once showed that killer potential.

However once the world found out what Nene was diagnosed with, they understood.

Nene released a statement saying that he was "taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team to take care of a personal medical issue." On January 14, 2008, he had a testicular tumor removed at a local Denver hospital. Three days later, Nene released a statement on his personal website stating the tumor was benign, he was recovering well, and that more information would be released later on that day.

On January 22, Denver Nuggets officials said that the tumor was malignant and Nene was recovering. They also said there was no timetable for his return to playing. On March 27, in a 118-105 Nuggets home win over the Mavs, Nene returned to action for the first time since he had surgery to remove the testicular tumor. The warrior had once again beat the odds and returned to the show.

How many people can beat cancer and then return to the NBA? His career was supposed to have ended twice, but Nene was too strong to let injuries cut his time short.

Nene entered the game with 1:17 left in the fourth quarter to a standing ovation. Nene was more than just another Millionaire player in the NBA. He was more than just another cancer survivor. He was more than just a warrior.

Nene had shown millions of people around the globe that if you work your hardest every single day and put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. Nene is a hero to millions. That is the "Real Nene."

Atlanta Hawks Have Horrible Offseason

NBA Dimensions — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:42:40 -0400

TJ#11 | nbadimensions.net

The Atlanta Hawks' offseason has been worse than they expected it to be.

Coming off a surprising playoff series in which they pushed the Boston Celtics to seven games, everyone thought they were going to return to that level and maybe even get out of the first round the next season.

This might not happen, however. This offseason has been a nightmare for both the Hawks organization and the Hawks fans.

First, Josh Childress and Josh Smith were both free agents. Everyone assumed that the Hawks would be able to sign them both and compete again next season. As it is, they have already lost one, and the other seems likely to leave next offseason if not now.

Josh Childress was not happy with what the Hawks were doing, and honestly I can't blame him. They were playing around, offering very low offers. He decided to give them a piece of their own pie and started looking around the NBA for more offers as well.

He went to visit the 76ers and came away without an offer sheet. The Phoenix Suns also tried to acquire Childress in a sign and trade deal, but the Hawks refused it.

After a few weeks of waiting for the right offer, Childress finally got one. It was from a European team. He sat on the offer for a few days, waiting for the Hawks to reply and offer him the contract he had wanted from them all along. It never came.

He accepted the offer from the European team, and the Hawks lost one of their best players right there. Now they are likely to lose another.

Josh Smith wants a big contract but hasn't gotten one. It seems the Hawks are doing the same thing to him that they did to Childress, offering low contracts.

If they don't hurry up and get something done, he might either ignore contract talks, or accept a high offer from another team and the Hawks won't match it. Or he will just not play as hard this season and leave next offseason.

The Hawks have to be very disappointed. I think they might lose some of their fan support because of these losses.

Unfortunately, the Hawks team is probably not going to be as good as last year, which means no playoffs. This truly has been a horrible offseason for the Atlanta Hawks.

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The Rise and Fall of the Seattle SuperSonics

NBA Dimensions — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:09:00 -0400

HOUSTONPOWER780 | nbadimensions.net

It all just seemed surreal. One minute the team that you grew up with was here and alive, and the next minute they are 300 miles away.

How did it get to this point with so much promise for a team that had been in the league since the beginning? Was it that the team couldn’t win? The owner was corrupt? Or did the city just not feel the need for the Sonics to be part of the family anymore?

Whatever it was, this is the rise and fall of the Seattle SuperSonics as written by myself, houstonpower780.

With the second pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, the Seattle SuperSonics select…Yeah, it was all so clear this time last summer….Kevin Durant of the University of Texas…it seemed like the answer had arrived, and that all hope would be reassured to the fans that have longed so much for a team they could cheer for.

Everything seemed right, like the team would be around for the city to watch the growth and development of their savior Kevin Durant, and for a season he put on a hell of a show.

Too bad it was cut short, and that pretty soon, their saviour didn’t have a word on whether the team would stay or go, and now it seemed that everything was lost and that the hope was gone.

It is a cold December day in Seattle and the year was 1966. The new owner is about to be announced for the new expansion team, the Seattle SuperSonics.

Excitement builds as the city is preparing for their first major league franchise and with everything being set and prepared, the name is announced. Sam Schulman and Eugene V. Klein, a couple of businessmen from the Los Angeles area, and with their names being selected, a new era was about to begin in Seattle and the history would soon begin to write itself.

The SuperSonics' season did not go well coming out of the gates. They went 23-59, even with All-Star Walt Hazard and a couple of first-team rookies.

The season was a major letdown and the owners knew something had to be done in order for this not to happen again.

During their first offseason, the Sonics made a move that would go down to be one of their best, and traded away Walt Hazard to the Atlanta Hawks for Lenny Wilkens who would later become the coach of the Sonics next offseason.

But with Wilkens and their phenomenal rookie Bob Rule, the team only finished winning 30 games, but knew they were on the right track to success and with a few developing players, they would be where they wanted in no time. The key here was patience, and the drive to win had to stay with the team.

Well, with everything going well for Seattle; two big stars were both selected to the All-Star game in 1970, with Wilkens leading the league in assists and Rule playing phenomenal basketball as he always had.

They had their two big stars, but they just couldn’t find the wins. With a player being the coach, it was very difficult for Wilkens to find a solid role on his team and his coaching abilities were often mocked at and resented.

The next season, with Rule out due to a torn Achilles' tendon, Wilkens knew he had to outperform every opponent every night of the season, and with this mentality he won the 1971 All-Star game MVP, which was a huge honor and made the city of Seattle proud to have such a player on their team.

But that wasn’t enough, and owner Sam Schulman knew he had to do something about it, so the next season he landed rookie of the year and ABA MVP Spencer Haywood, who would help the Sonics a lot the following season.

With everyone healthy, the Sonics went 46-27 but then everything came down with late injuries to three of their starters. The Sonics fell to 47-35, losing eight of their final nine games and missing the playoffs with such high hopes and everything going well. This was a major disappointment, and with this disappointment so more moves were about to happen.

The next season, Lenny Wilkens was dealt to Cleveland for virtually nothing, and without him the team struggled and went 26-57. It seemed that time was not on Seattle’s side, and that some more changes where needed in order to see this team where it wanted to be.

The next season, the Sonics would have more than they could ever imagine. The '75 season began with the hiring of new coach Bill Russell, who was sought after to be the new light of the Sonics and lead them to the promised land.

With the help of his stars Haywood, Slick Watts, and Fred Brown, the team was able to make the playoffs for the very first time, and the city of Seattle was happier than ever. Just the season before, they were the worst team in the league, and now with everything going right, they were prepared to enter the playoffs with the sole intention to win.

They began on fire, defeating the Detroit Pistons in three games, but then the emotions caught up and they failed to defeat the defending champion Golden State Warriors, who defeated them. They were sent home with the sour taste of losing in their mouth.

After one successful season, Bill Russell left the SuperSonics for new opportunities, and the team was left with yet another new coach: Bob Hopkins, who the city thought would continue the success left by Russell.

Instead, he couldn’t lead the team and began with a record 5-17. After the Sonics' poor start, he was dismissed, and the Sonics' coaching search opened up once again. This new coach they would be familiar with, since many of the players had been coached by him before.

Yes, Lenny Wilkens was brought back with the sole intention to coach, and with this new mindset Wilkens went out and won 11 of the next 12 games, and the season was back in Seattle’s hands with the hopes of making the playoffs once again.

The team finished 47-35 and made a run all the way to the Finals, where they almost beat the Washington Bullets. The Sonics had a 3-2 advantage before losing in seven games.

The '78-'79 season began with hopes of returning to the Finals and winning it this time. With a healthy roster the whole way through, they managed just that: Winning their division and making a run to the Western Conference Finals, they would defeat the Phoenix Suns in one of the most intense seven-game series the league has ever seen.

Then came the rematch with the Bullets that the Sonics had wanted all season long, and this time they were prepared to win. The Sonics rolled over the Bullets to win in five games and give the city its first and only championship in franchise history.

Dennis Johnson was named MVP, and this was the end of the '70s for the Sonics. There were some major ups and downs for the team in this era, but it finished with a championship trophy.

The Sonics began the '80s strong, with their players winning all sorts of awards and then making it to the Conference Finals for the third time in a row, but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games, and this would be the last time much of the team would play with each other for multiple reasons.

Trades and contract disputes separated much of the team, and due to that the next season they went 34-48, but with the help of some of their players coming back from contract situations, the next two seasons would be pleasant with some good winning records.

That all came down quickly once again with Sam Schulman selling the team to Barry Ackerley, and more change would follow, such as the retirement of Fred Brown, who had played each of his 13 seasons in the NBA with the Sonics.

Lenny Wilkens left the team following the '85 season, and the following year Jack Sikma was traded away, and that was it: all the remaining pieces of the championship team were gone.

The winning did not stop, surprisingly enough. It had just begun, with newly acquired Tom Chambers winning the All-Star game MVP in '87, and the Sonics making the Western Conference Finals that same year. They shocked the world with surprisingly good contributions from their new additions.

Their winning would continue, and their players would grow as they made their appearance again and finished strong, with a second round exit in the 1989 season.

However, the Sonics just could not seem to finish when it came to closing out a season, and a lot of speculators thought it was luck seeing them there in the first place, but the fans where always behind them 100 percent and always believed they would win another NBA championship.

This was the '80s for Seattle, and just like in the past decade, there were a lot of major ups and downs, but unlike there last decade they could not finish this time around and that is what hurt them the most.

$$The first few seasons of the '90s where rough on the Sonics, as they seemed to lose more and more. But with this period of little success came some prizes via the draft.

In 1989, they drafted forward Shawn Kemp, who would pave the way for the new decade. A year later they would draft legendary point guard Gary Payton to a team that was starting to reestablish itself as a contender.

Then, in 1992, the hiring of George Karl had the people of Seattle believing again that they could make it back to the playoffs, and perhaps win another championship. The city deserved it, and Karl's team did not want to disappoint.

The city didn’t think they would come out the way they did, but they shocked the world and posted a 55-27 record and made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals, before losing to the powerhouse Suns in seven games. But even then, this was just a start to something greater.

Then the impossible happened. The next season the team would post the best record in the league at 63-19, but when playoff time came around they were embarrassed that they could let an eighth seed defeat them.

The humiliated Sonics were taken out that season by the eighth seed Denver Nuggets, who would become the first eighth seed to knock out a No. 1 seed, and the league was shocked. No one would ever forget that series and what evolved from it.

Before the 1995-1996 season, the team moved back to the place where the magic had begun. The Key Arena, as it was now called, had been rebuilt, and the team was ready to play in such an arena that had hosted greats such as Wilkens, Brown, Sikma, and Haywood.

Maybe it was the arena that sparked the team while they were all hitting their prime, as they posted a franchise best 64-18 record and included a lot of stars, with names such as Kemp, Payton, Sam Perkins, and Nate McMillan.

This team had the perfect opportunity to win it all, and almost did, but like so many other teams lost their dreams in the Finals to the Jordan-led Chicago Bulls.

For the next two seasons, the winning would continue, with the Sonics posting 57 wins the next season and 61 the season after that, but could not finish in the playoffs due to the toughness of their conference. They would win more division titles, but after those two seasons, Nate McMillan would retire and the team would never be the same again.

Karl decided to leave with Nate due to some problems with the Sonics front office, which would become a horrible period for the Sonics, as they would continue to lose in the new decade. In '02, Gary Payton was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks and that ended their 11-year streak of posting .500 or higher records.

The next season surprised many, as Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis helped lead the team to win 52 games, but in the upcoming offseason their head coach Nate McMillan would leave to the rival Trail Blazers, and the team would suffer through a 35-47 record and missed the playoffs.

Now, here we are today. The Sonics acquired Kevin Durant after all the moves that were made on draft day, but the organization would be left to suffer once more. The fans thought this would be a rebuilding stage and that in a few seasons the team would be back up and winning like always, but it didn’t turn out that way.

The rest is, as you know, HISTORY.

We leave this beloved franchise in its weakest years, but are grateful for the years we did have them, seeing the likes of their Hall-of-Famer Lenny Wilkens, and even a little glimpse of Patrick Ewing during the turn of the new decade.

Seeing the great ones, Gus Williams, Nate McMillan, Spencer Haywood, Fred Brown, Jack Sikma, Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp.

Now the franchise is in Oklahoma City where they will be forced to change their name and colors so the only thing we have left to remember Seattle for are memories.

Denver Nuggets: What to Expect

NBA Dimensions — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:44:50 -0400

MELOSHOW | nbadimensions.net

The Nuggets offseason has been controversial, to say the least. The most notable transaction has to be swap the Marcus Camby for what plenty of Denver fans see as nothing.

In reality, we have traded a big asset for some cap space, possibly triggered by an upset Stan Kroenke sick of paying luxury tax for a team that is continuously being knocked out of the first round. The trade opens the door to numerous trades and makes the Nuggets valuable trading partners for any team wanting to trim salaries.

The other trades have been role players for minimum contracts. They picked up former Nugget Chris Andersen, fresh off a two year drug ban. IMO, this was a great pick up as he fills the shoes of Eddie Najera and only sign a one-year minimum contract. High reward, low risk.

Dahntay Jones was another minor signing by the Nuggets, after his dominating performance in the summer league. Jones will probably be a solid player in Denver's second unit as a swing man and as a scorer.

The remaining move the Nuggets made was a swap with the Knicks that sent Bobby Jones and Taurean Green from the Nuggets to the Knicks in exchange for Renaldo Balkman and $1 million in cash.

This was a fantastic trade for Denver, who were expecting to release both Jones and Green after their poor performances in the summer league. Balkman brings energy and hustle, but his most important attribute is his focus on defense—something the Nuggets could have used in the past few seasons.

Since the moves that have been made by the Nuggets seem to be band-aids after the loss of Camby, I would not be surprised if Denver is involved in another trade—and I think it would be in their best interest for the coming season that they do just that.

They still lack defense, and the lineups formula just doesn't click into the right places for this team to go further then the first round yet.

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This is an article created by a member on NBA Dimensions. NBA Dimensions has a series of writers. Each writer conveys different styles and different subjects.