NBA 2008-09 Season Preview

Outlook

NBA Draft

The 2008 NBA Draft offered a class of many talented and young players. Derrick Rose went first, returning to his home of Chicago with the Bulls. Michael Beasley went to the lowly Miami Heat, who won an NBA Championship just three seasons ago. OJ Mayo went to the Memphis Grizzlies, a team desperately searching for a scorer after the departure of Pau Gasol. All in all, each team drafted wisely, drafting a college star or European prospect that could potentially help them achieve their ultimate goal, an NBA Championship.

Sleeper Picks

Danilo Gallinari (6)

The 20-year-old Italian was booed by many in New York before he even got a chance to wear a Knicks uniform. But with guards OJ Mayo and Derrick Rose already gone, the Knicks felt that this Euroleague superstar was their only option. Only time will tell if he has what it takes to play under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.

Brook Lopez (10)

The Lopez twins were separated at the NBA Draft and Brook went to New Jersey. Lopez proved to be a threat at Stanford last season averaging 19.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg, and 2.1 bpg. The Nets are getting a much needed post presence on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. With Nenad Krstic’s departure to Russia, the Nets had questions in the post, and drafting Lopez was the smartest move the Nets made.

Kosta Koufos (23)

With the 23^rd pick, the Utah Jazz drafted a player whose game mirrors that of center Mehmet Okur. The 7'1" center attended Ohio State for one year before departing as Greg Oden and Michael Conley Jr. did before him. However, he left his mark at Ohio State. He showed great range in both the paint and on the perimeter, shooting 34.9% from the three-point line and 50.8% from the field. Koufos can easily complement either Boozer or Okur in the Jazz’s pick and roll offense.

Chris Douglas-Roberts (40)

For some odd reason, this Memphis star dropped all the way to the second round and New Jersey happily drafted him with no questions asked. He led the runner-up Memphis (38-2) in scoring, averaging 18.1 points and also had 4.1 rebounds per game. Douglas-Roberts’ game is a lot like that of Detroit’s Tayshaun Prince. He is a scorer in spurts and is able to score when points are needed. His career-high of 33 points came last season against a young but talented UConn team. Douglas-Roberts can fill the void that Richard Jefferson left, despite the fact that he is not very athletic.

Offseason Moves

The 2008 NBA offseason offered a lot of surprising free agent moves and trades. Elton Brand spurned the Clippers and bolted east for the Philadelphia 76ers. Baron Davis left the Warriors to give the Clippers a much needed boost at the point guard position. Jermaine O’Neal joined Chris Bosh in the frontcourt to make the Raptors a scary team on paper. And Corey Maggette went to Golden State, hoping to replace the loss of Baron Davis.

Biggest Acquisitions

Mo Williams, Via Trade To Cleveland

If LeBron James ever wanted a point guard that could take the defensive focus off of him, Mo Williams is that point guard. Williams was a big distributor, but also a proven scorer for the Milwaukee Bucks averaging 17.2 ppg and 6.3 apg. Williams brings leadership and the ability to score to a Cleveland team that lacked a floor leader aside from LeBron during their playoff run to the NBA Finals. Williams has looked a little shaky in the preseason under Mike Brown’s fast-paced offense, but it’s still early and the season has yet to begin. Watch out for Cleveland to do a bit more damage in the East!

Marcus Camby, Via Trade To LA Clippers

The Clippers wasted no time filling the void left by the departure of Elton Brand, acquiring a defender and rebounder rather than another low-post threat. Camby has led the NBA in blocks the past three seasons, averaging 3.6 blocks and 13.1 rebounds last season. Although Camby has been injury-prone the past few seasons, he has learned to play through pain, a sign of toughness that could help the Clippers’ frontcourt in the long run. Camby gives the Clippers another banger in the post to complement Chris Kaman and also gives them another veteran who wants to win.

James Posey, Via Free Agency To New Orleans

The New Orleans Hornets were missing a role player when they faced the Spurs in the Western Conference Semifinals last year and James Posey just seemed to fall in their laps. Posey possesses an ability to hustle and do anything he can to win. In his playoff run with the Boston Celtics, Posey was the first to dive on the floor for loose balls; he’s a hustle player that I love seeing in the NBA. He’s not a selfish player but a two-time champion who leads by example (with his play) rather than his talk. Expect Posey to catapult New Orleans to the top of the West.

Ron Artest, Via Trade To Houston

Ron Artest is reunited with former Sacramento Kings coach Rick Adelman and things look to be promising. Artest hopes to be a catalyst in the Yao—T-Mac tandem that lost in the first round of the NBA Playoffs and rocket the Rockets into the top of the Western Conference. Artest can play either forward position, depending on the lineup, and whether Luis Scola or Shane Battier is in the game. Artest is a proven defender with a mean streak that has seemed to lessen in the past seasons, and hopes that his knack for winning can catapult Houston into a NBA playoff run that won’t stop until they win an NBA Championship.

Conference Outlook

Eastern Conference (Top Five)

1)  Boston Celtics

The reigning champions still look to be the Beasts of the East. “The Boston Three Party” of K.G., Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen do not look to be getting any worse and the whole world knows “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!” in the words of K.G. in his emotional celebration after winning the NBA Finals. The loss of James Posey hurts the team slightly, but it also opens up more time for hustle man Eddie House and the young Tony Allen. The Celtics still control the East, but it won’t be easy to get back to the Finals this season.

2) Cleveland Cavaliers

The addition of Mo Williams makes life a little easier for LeBron James in Cleveland. Williams brings instant offense and another scoring option to Cleveland, something they have needed since the departure of Larry Hughes. Daniel Gibson and Delonte West may have to compete for playing time with Williams’ arrival, but it’s a competitive business. J.J. Hickson is a young but very talented pickup for the Cavaliers and he could see some time should Ben Wallace’s health be an issue as it was last season. Big Z and Anderson Varejao’s roles are still the same with this team and with LeBron at the helm, they could be key to another Finals run in May and June.

3) Detroit Pistons

New coach Michael Curry may have the deepest team in the Eastern Conference. They took a chance signing the talented but still unproven Kwame Brown, but why not? They have a team that plays off of each other’s energy and play, something Brown seemed to not have in L.A. or Memphis. Amir Johnson has looked good in preseason play and his aggressiveness is scary. Rodney Stuckey and Jason Maxiell are the X-Factors for this team and they are only getting better as time progresses. Antonio McDyess and Rasheed Wallace are old but they know how to win and nobody wants to see Sheed’s frustration boil over as it did in last year’s playoffs. Tayshaun, Big Shot Billups, and Rip Hamilton can lead by their play and defense. Detroit Basketball is out for revenge!

4) Philadelphia 76ers

This team has not missed a step in improving since the departure of Allen Iverson. Signing Elton Brand in the offseason was huge for this team. Samuel Dalembert signed a lucrative deal a few offseasons ago, but he is not the superstar type player that Brand is. Andre Iguodala, the new A.I. of the franchise, has stepped up to the plate and become the leader of this team, who took Detroit to six games in the playoffs last year before running out of gas. Louis Williams and Thaddeus Young are earning their playing time by bringing instant energy and offense through their athleticism and ability to get to the basket. The 76ers are sitting high in Philly and this young team can be a threat in the East.

5) New Jersey Nets

It’s early but Yi and Brook Lopez protecting the paint in the preseason has worked so far. Yi looks aggressive and has surprising athleticism for his size. Josh Boone and Lopez should share time at the center position because they both have a knack for rebounding. Devin Harris’ has improved his mid-range jumper, which is something he lacked in Dallas and he always has the ability to go by whoever is guarding him. Keyon Dooling can give New Jersey a perimeter threat if he plays. Vince Carter is the veteran leader of this squad and barring a freak accident, he will hopefully stay healthy this season for a team that lacks depth at the guard and small forward position. If Chris Douglas-Roberts sees time during the regular season, he can be another scorer off the bench. New Jersey has surprised many, and if they play to their potential, they can do well in the East.

Honorable Mentions

Miami Heat

Toronto Raptors

Orlando Magic

Favorite to Win The East: Cleveland Cavaliers

Western Conference (Top Five)

1) L.A. Lakers

This team is scary! Andrew Bynum has put on some bulk and his performance, before getting injured, was stellar. The Pau Gasol trade is still looking be a steal for the Lakers and along with Kobe, Gasol made a Finals run before being sent home in game six. Kobe looked focused in the Olympics and if he brings that back with him from Beijing, the sky is the limit for this team. Jordan Farmar and Derek Fisher did some good things for L.A. last year and hope to contribute the same way this season. Lamar Odom has become vocal about his frustration of coming off the bench, but being a starter did not work out too well for him against Boston and he can find a better rhythm coming off the bench. If this team stays healthy, Phil Jackson can get his 10th NBA Championship as a coach.

2) L.A. Clippers

Both of L.A.’s teams have something to be proud of, because either team can win the NBA Finals this year. Baron Davis and Marcus Camby have a hunger to win, something this L.A. team has been missing. Drafting Eric Gordon was probably the best thing for this team since Shaun Livingston suffered a potentially career-ending knee injury, something we should judge with his performance in Miami. Gordon can score in bunches and pair that with Baron Davis’ highlight play ability, the backcourt in L.A. is dangerous. The frontcourt has a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Marcus Camby, a pain to get through in the paint. Pair that with the potential Deandre Jordan brings and Chris Kaman’s rebounding ability, the posts match up well with a K.G.—Patrick O’Bryant tandem or Pau Gasol—Andrew Bynum tandem. Al Thornton did some good things last year and hopes to do more of the same this year and Cuttino Mobley shoots lights out. All in all, the possibilities for this team are endless.

3) New Orleans Hornets

If anybody says Chris Paul is not one of the best point guards in the NBA, they’re crazy. His ability to run the pick-and-roll is scary and we all know Tyson Chandler loves to run it. Paul is ready to make another playoff run and surprise more teams as they did last year in the N.O. The addition of James Posey gives New Orleans a player who will do anything to win, and its worked twice for Posey. David West is a beast with his back to the basket and hopes to average 20+ ppg again this season. And if Peja Stojakovic stays healthy, his ability to shoot the ball will pay dividends for this squad. Hilton Armstrong and Julian Wright also can play a big role and bring depth to a team that needs it. They brought the pinstripe unis back to the Hornets and hope to bring a championship home this season along with them.

4) Phoenix Suns

Amare Stoudemire sat the Olympics out to focus on an NBA Championship. The rest he got in the offseason could pay dividends for him. Shaq has been very vocal about a lot of things in the offseason, but his play is on the decline and his stamina has been poor lately. The addition of Matt Barnes, however, gives the Suns a proven wing player, who knows how to run the floor and finish at the rim as Barnes did in Golden State. Boris Diaw looked tentative at times last season. Hopefully he can come back this season more focused and ready to score off the bench. Steve Nash is the floor general and his ability to pass and score gives this team an edge. Hopefully, the sun will shine bright in Phoenix and they won’t get an early first round exit like last year.

5) Houston Rockets

The acquisition of Ron Artest could be the best thing that happened to Houston. Yao and T-Mac were hoping to get past Utah in the playoffs, but it didn’t happen. With Artest, the potential to get to the Conference Semifinals is possible, seeing as T-Mac hasn’t made it past the first round yet. Yao became the All-Star center that Houston wanted him to be last year and barring another foot injury, his presence in the post for 82 games makes Houston a favorite in the West. T-Mac’s ability to take over games works in his favor. If he can stay healthy this season, T-Mac will lead Houston to the top seed in the Western Conference. Joey Dorsey is a banger in the post and his ability to block shots at Memphis was impressive. Rafer Alston is frustrating to guard and is a good fit at point guard for Houston. Luis Scola has improved and his ability to get to the basket and finish helps Houston’s frontcourt. Shane Battier is a defensive stopper and with Artest, they can win 22 in a row again. The X—factor, however, is the blossoming of D.J.”Don’t call me Daryl” Strawberry. Strawberry's ability to score in bunches can bring scoring off the bench for the Rockets. The Rockets can go higher with the players they have on this team. The sky is the limit!

Honorable Mention

Dallas Mavericks

Portland Trailblazers

San Antonio Spurs

Favorite to Win The West: L.A. Lakers

The upcoming NBA season offers a lot of excitement and drama. The Western Conference is stacked as usual, but the Eastern Conference is looking to win another championship whether it is in Boston, Cleveland, or Detroit. LeBron is ready, Kobe is ready, Amare is ready, and “The Boston Three Party” is up for another challenge. Only time will tell what pans out in the next 82 games each team plays. So, who will be the ONE?