The NBA Draft and Deals: My Quick (and Long Overdue) Thoughts

Five Players Who Landed in Great Situations

DeJuan Blair (No. 37, San Antonio)

Talk about a perfect match of player and team.

The NCAA's leading offensive rebounder falls to the NBA's worst offensive rebounding team.

Blair will immediately compete for big minutes on a veteran Spurs team that is desperate to get younger and more physical on the boards.

Playing alongside proven veterans Tim Duncan and Drew Gooden (and being coached by Gregg Popovich, no less) should be more than enough motivation for Blair to improve his physique.

Ty Lawson (No. 18, Traded to Denver Nuggets)

The point guard from North Carolina's national title squad is a blur on the fast break, as well as a terrific passer and three-point shooter.

Lawson's quickness is also apparent on the defensive end, as he averaged over two steals per game in his junior season.

In short, he is perfect for a fast-paced, high-scoring Nuggets team.

Learning from one of the league's best point guards in Chauncey Billups, the former Tar Heel will likely see valuable minutes off the bench while being groomed as the future replacement for veteran Anthony Carter.     

Eric Maynor (No. 20, Utah Jazz)

The senior from VCU is not a top-level athlete, but is an extremely tough and intelligent offensive player who rarely plays erratically (despite being his team's primary option). He has also hit shots in big moments throughout his college career.

Sounds like a Jerry Sloan player to me.

Learning from a fellow four-year college starter in Deron Williams, Maynor may end up being the long-term answer at the backup point guard spot.

Darren Collison (No. 21, New Orleans Hornets)

The four-year standout from UCLA may not be the most athletic player, but he is an excellent decision-maker whose shooting has improved significantly.

With the experience and maturity gained from three Final Four appearances, as well as the ability to hound opposing guards on the defensive end, Collison should contribute instantly on an inconsistent Hornets' bench. He should have a chance to eventually unseat backup Jannero Pargo at the point guard spot.

Oh, and he may just pick up a few things from that Chris Paul fellow, too.

James Harden (No. 3, Oklahoma City Thunder)

The Thunder brought in Harden for scoring and star power, and the Arizona State product certainly brings both.

The guy can flat out put the ball in the bucket—from long range, by finishing at the basket, and most importantly, by getting to (and converting from) the free throw line.

Considering the youth of OKC's young core (Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, and Russell Westbrook), Harden has the potential to start from day one.

With teams focusing more on Durant, and Westbrook improving as a point guard, look for Harden to get plenty of opportunities to light up the scoreboard. 

Four Reasons Why Shaq Is Not "The Big Answer" in Cleveland

1. Questions of Coexistence

Sure, O'Neal and Lebron danced at All-Star weekend, but can they tango smoothly together on the court?

Shaq's big lane-clogging body may actually be a blow to the most effective part of Lebron James' game.

James' size and athleticism allow him to drive to the basket at will, but that was also due to Zyndrunas Ilgauskas' habit of camping outside the key for jumpers.

If Shaq is unable to get touches inside but still takes up space, James may have to revert to his face-up game, which is not nearly as potent.

But the potential chemistry issues may not be limited to the hardwood.

Shaq's feud with former Heat coach Stan Van Gundy (and O'Neal's alleged contributions to his firing) are well-known. Can Mike Brown deal with Shaq's potential antics?

2. Keeping Up With the Howards

Even if O'Neal had a bounce-back season in 08-09, he is still older (at 37) than either of his predecessors in Cleveland. Certainly, as Steve Aschburner notes, going against Shaq (as opposed to Big Z and Ben Wallace) is like the difference between "running around the block versus circumnavigating the globe."

But one still has to wonder how Shaq will be able to face Dwight Howard's unmatched athleticism, as well as deal with Boston's powerful Kevin Garnett-Kendrick Perkins front court.

3. Where Are the Shooters?

Dwight Howard's 40-point outburst in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals was  killer, but Superman's dominance on the glass was not the only thing that did the Cavs in.

Cleveland lost the series with an inability to make (or defend) perimeter shots against Orlando, and adding O'Neal doesn't change that problem.

Mo Williams, Wally Sczcerbiak, Daniel Gibson, and (I say his name with a shudder) Sasha Pavlovic—neither player could put together a strong, complete shooting night.

With frequent shooting droughts (while being helpless to stop the opposition), is it really surprising how often the Cavs blew big double-digit leads?

Maybe with Lebron and Shaq drawing crowds, the Cavs' shooters may find some nice open looks. Knocking them down? Thats a whole different story.

4. Lebron: Will He Stay or Will He Go?

Even if this deal brought instant returns for James in the form of his first NBA title, James is chasing the likes of Bryant and Jordan—meaning he expects multiple rings. 

Shaq's age and giant contract ($21 million) suggest this deal has all the makings of a one year stint for the Big O'hio.

So even in the most successful situation (a championship in June), Cleveland will likely have to start from square one in trying to keep their star happy. This is why signing a younger big man (Aschburner cites Tyson Chandler) would have been a smarter move.

The Cavs will have to figure something out as the dreaded summer of 2010 approaches—when James becomes a free agent, and many clubs call on the L-Train to stop in their city.

Three Reasons to Like the Potential Amare Stoudemire Trade

(Here I'm assuming Steph Curry is part of the trade)

1. The fear of trading away part of the team's young core is a common argument made against getting Amare, but I think last season indicated more of what the Warriors are, than what they can be.

Yes, the team went through significant injuries, but the current roster mustered just 29 wins in 2008-2009. As much as I like Stephen Curry, he (along with Speedy Claxton and Acie Law) is just another small guard that can't defend very well. 

I just don't see them adding the 10-12 wins that Golden State needs to become a playoff team.

However, a star on a former perennial playoff contender can.

2. Either way (keeping Stephen Curry or signing Amare), I have come to terms with the fact that Nelson will try to win by outscoring the opposition.

While Amare is far from a defensive stalwart, why not at least take a shot at a proven player whose size and athleticism at least has a chance to cause problems for opponents' big men?

3. Then there's the Monta Ellis factor. Could adding Curry have signaled a possible end to Ellis' stint in Golden State? If I had to choose between Ellis and Curry, I choose the player who has already proven he can score 20 points in this league.

Two Annoying Draft Cliches and What They Really Mean

"He's Got Upside": An excuse used to draft players who show some athleticism, but have done nothing in terms of on-court production to merit their draft slot. 

2009 example: Jrue Holiday, who was projected to go in the top 10 of the lottery despite failing to average even 10 points per game in college.

Meanwhile, senior Darren Collison, a former All-Pac 10 guard who led his team to two Final Fours (and whom Holiday backed up in college) and posted better statistics across the board, got picked near the end of the first round.

"He's a Project": We know that the player our management drafted has had limited production and has a great chance to be really terrible. Please stand by as we desperately try to  make him look good. Check back with us in two to five years, after which we'll tell you to wait some more.   

2009 Example: Hasheem Thabeet, who only started playing basketball at 16 and has shown limited offensive skills (just over 10 points per game) and a strong ability to get into foul trouble during his time at UConn.

While scouts claim his defensive and rebounding prowess are saving graces, they ignore the fact that DeJuan Blair, a player drafted a whole round later, racked up 23 rebounds (17 on the defensive end) against Thabeet's Huskies.

One Jeff Van Gundy-ism from Draft Night

After the Pistons drafted Austin Daye:

"Tayshaun Prince must be the happiest man in Detroit" because the Pistons forward is a giant (in terms of width) in comparison.

Brilliant.