Quarterback:
The Patriots are in good hands as long as Tom Brady is leading the team from under center. He is one of the best quarterbacks in the league and always seems to do well with what weapons he has at his disposal. He is now 36 years old and nearing the end of his career, but it seems as if age has not bothered him much based on his stats last season. He has a deal that will potentially keep him in New England until 2017 and I expect he will play out the deal.
Ryan Mallet is his backup as of now, but will he replace him when he retires? He is still a work in progress, but has made many stride, especially last season. He needs to keep improving in order for Belichick to feel comfortable with him backing up Brady. They also brought in Tebow. but I doubt he sees the field much this season. He needs to focus on improving as a quarterback.
Grade: A
Running Back:
Steven Ridley rushed for 1293 yards last season on 4.4 yards per carry and gave New England their first real rushing threat since Corey Dillon. Ridley was adept at finding the end zone last season, finishing with 12 touchdowns and he turned 82 carries in for first down, which was good for third in the league. He will be the number one running back heading into camp and deservedly so.
Brandon Bolden could push him for some carries, but I doubt that he is much of a threat to become the number one back. He is a very suitable backup and if Ridley goes down, he could become a lot more than that. Danny Woodhead left for San Diego, but New England did not put up much of a fight for him, which I believe shows their confidence in Shane Vareen. They also signed Leno Washington, but I doubt we see much of him coming out of the backfield.
Grade: B
Receivers:
Wes Welker left for Denver, which means Tom Brady will have to find a new security blanket. Danny Amendola is the top candidate to replace him, but he needs to prove that he can stay healthy. He runs good routes and catches the ball well, but I dont think he will be able to replace everything Welker brought to the Patriots offense. Julian Edelman might be getting a lot of looks in the slot as well, especially if Amendola does not pan out.
They also do not have Brandon Llyod, he did not make the impact some thought he would when he first came, but he was still pretty significant. He caught 74 balls for 911 yards and 4 touchdowns, he will be difficult to replace on the outside. They will be counting on rookie Aaron Dobson to fill one of the holes on the outside. Jones never did anything special during his time in Buffalo, but he has the potential now that he is playing with one of the best quarterbacks in the game. Dobson projects as a deep threat who will allow the slot receivers to get open. However, that will only work if teams are afraid of him. The Patriots need to try to establish him early in the season.
Rob Gronkowski has had numerous surgeries this offseason and he might not be 100% for the entire season, at least not for the majority of it. Gronk is their biggest weapon, but if he is playing injured, teams will be a lot more likely to slow him down. Jake Ballard will have to step up as a play maker because of Gronk's injuries and the fact that Aaron Hernandez will likely be in prison for the rest of his life and even if he is innocent, the Patriots have already cut him. Ballard has been in the league for three years, but has only played in one season. He has a lot of potential, but he will not be able to make up for what a heathy Gronk and Hernandez brought to the offense.
Grade: C+
Offensive Line:
Left tackle, Nate Solder played well last season, but he still has a lot of room to improve. It was only his first full season as starter at left tackle so New England should give him more time. Logan Mankins is entering his tenth year in the league and missed most of the season last year with injuries, but he hopes to be fully healthy this season. When he is healthy, he is one of the best guards in the league. Right tackle, Sebastian Vollmer, is one of the best in the league at his position, when healthy. He was resigned this year in order to keep the starting five together.
Last season, center Ryan Wendell finally got the chance to become the starter and made the most of it. He proved that he is tough and a very good run blocker. He should be the starting center for many years to come. Dan Connolly is probably the weak link on the line. He is an OK player, but he could be easily replaced in next years draft.
Grade: B
Defensive Line:
Chandler Jones is probably the most talented player on the defensive line. He has a lot of potential as a pass rusher and showed flashes last season before he suffered nagging injuries that deemed him useless. I believe he will finish with double digit sacks next season and will improve in his run stopping abilities. Rob Ninkovich is starting at the other defensive end position. He is a savvy veteran who gets sacks using a myriad of tools. If either Ninkovich or Chandler go down to injury, there is no one behind them who can bring pressure off of the end.
Vince Wilfork is still one of the best defensive tackles in the league. He disrupts a lot of plays up the middle and is one of the reasons the Patriots had a top ten run defense last season. Kevin Love will be starting next to him. He is not as talented as Wilfork, but he is solid and a very good compliment to what Wilform brings to the line. They also decided to bring in Tommy Kelly in free agency this offseason. He was prett bad with the Raiders last season, it will be interesting to see if he turns it around in New England.
Grade: B
Linebackers:
New England has three very talented starting linebackers in Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes and Dont'a Hightower. Mayo is the best player out of the group, but has been held back because Hightower and Spikes were untrustworthy. Now that they have both grown as players, Mayo will get more of a chance to be himself on the field. Spikes has been very good against the run, but showed a lot of improvement against the pass last season. If he could become a three down linebacker, he could be one of the best weapons in the league.
Hightower is a very good well rounded player. He has issues against the pass, but he can be used as a pass rusher. Like Spikes, he is also very good against the run. The only problem with the linebacking core is that they lack depth. They drafted Jamie Collins, but he is raw because he was not primarily a linebacker in college. He could be used a pass rusher. The Patriots should be very worried if one of their starting linebackers goes down because it could result in disaster.
Grade: B
Secondary:
Aqib Talib might not be as good as many thought when he was drafted, but he is talented and played very well for the Patriots last season. He is only on a one year deal, which should put him on the top of his game if he wants to land a big deal next offseason. Alfonzo Dennard found a spot on the starting lineup at the end of his rookie season and was solid. He is not a superstar, but he should be serviceable for at least the next couple of years. Kyle Arrington will likely be the starting nickel back where he is more of a natural fit. They drafted Logan Ryan this past draft and he could possibly push Dennard for the starting spot if his impresses.
This past season, the Patriots decided to move Devin McCourty to safety where he has been a lot more successful than he was playing cornerbck. He finished last season with fiver interceptions and 13 pass defensed and I expect those numbers to rise as he becomes more comfortable. Tavon Wilson is looking to take a bigger role as the strong safety this season. He was being primed last season to take the starting spot and it looks as if he will win it over in training camp. The team brought in Adrian Wilson to provide a hard hitting veteran presence. He wont be an every down player, but he will contribute a lot to the team this year. Steve Gregory was serviceable last season and will be a decent backup.
Grade: C+
Special Teams:
Stephen Gostkowski is a good kicker who converts when he is called upon. He was fourth in the league in touchbacks last season. Brian Mesko is a serviceable punter, but it does not look as if they will bring in a challenger for him in training camp. Leon Washington will give them a dynamic kick returner, something that have lacked for a while. Julian Edelman is a very good, yet underrated, punt returner.
Grade: B+
Overview:
Even with all of the turnover and off season issues the Patriots should still win the division. They will not go far in the playoffs, but I do not expect anything less than a division win. Losing Welker and Hernandez takes a big chunk out of the offense and Brady will have to find replacements. Unfortunately for Brady, that sounds easier than it actually is.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Denver Broncos Training Camp Battles Preview
Training camp is almost here, which means that the season is about to get underway for the NFL. The Denver Broncos are looking to contend for a Super Bowl and anything short wont cut it. They have most of their starters in place, but there are still some positions up for grabs. Most of the action will take place with the younger players fighting for, not only playing time, but a spot on the team.
The middle linebacker competition will be very interesting to watch in training camp and pre season games. The starting job has not been doled out and three players will be fighting for it. Nate Irving, a third year pro, is the favorite heading into training camp. He is quick and fast, but lacks strength. He has not received a lot of playing time during the past two seasons, but when he was on the field he was impressive. Steven Johnson, a second year player, signed as an undrafted free agent last year and made the team. He still has a lot to prove, which is why I think he makes a huge impression on the coaches with a big time training camp. Stewart Bradley is the veteran of this competition with five years of experience. He was once a starter with the Eagles, but he did not start the past two seasons with the Cardinals. He has experience as a starter, which gives him a leg up on his competition. I believe Steven Johnson will end up winning the competition because he is hungry to prove everyone wrong. Even though he was undrafted, his skills are about the same as Irving and Bradley. Irving will be a close second and should receive a good amount of playing time in the rotation.
As was seen in minicamp, both safety positions could be up for grabs. Mike Adams and Rahim Moore were the starters last season. Adams was not good at all. He struggled against the run and was even worse against the pass. Moore had a very good second season, compared to his first, but he still has a lot of room to improve, especially in pass defense. Quinton Carter did not get to play last season because of injury and he will be looking to come back with a vengeance. He will be gunning for Mike Adam's spot as a starter. He is much better against the run and has the speed and size to cover tight ends. David Bruton received some playing time as the starter in minicamp and looks to carry that momentum into training camp. Bruton, a special teams ace for his entire career, has the ability to play both safety positions, which may give him a leg up on the competition. Bruton will not be afraid to stick his nose in on running plays, but I have not seen enough of him on defense to judge his pass defense. The Broncos also signed Quentin Jammer, but I do not think he is a candidate to start. Rather, he will be used as a specialty player in nickel and dime situations. Call me crazy, but I think Mike Adams has a chance of being cut if he is passed over by Carter and Bruton. I think Moore and Carter win the starting jobs, but Bruton will see playing time occasionally.
The defensive tackle competition will also be a good one. Kevin Vickerson and Mitch Unrein performed well last season, but the Broncos brought in Sylvester Williams, through the draft, and Terrance Knighton, through free agency. Last season, Vickerson put on more weight, which helped him against the run. He is not much of a pass rusher, in terms of sacks, but he does push the pocket well, which helps the edge rushers get to the quarterback. Mitch Unrein came out of nowhere last season and performed very well. He is a versatile player, who should be able to find some playing time in the rotation. Terrance Knighton has always had potential, but he faltered in Jacksonville last season, but reuniting with Jack Del Rio should put him back on track. Knighton is a run stuffer with the potential to rush the passer. He will have to show coaches that he can push the pocket, if he wants to see playing time on third downs. Sylvester Williams, the Broncos first round draft pick, has the most potential out of anyone in the group. He can stop the run and rush the passer effectively, so he should at least find playing time in nickel situations. He should develop into a dominant force at some point in his career. I believe Vickerson and Williams will win the starting jobs, but Knighton and Unrein should find plenty of playing time as part of the rotation.
The running back position has yet to be figured out. The main battle will take place between Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman for the starting job. Ball is a sturdy back who is adept a finding the hole and going. He is also good at breaking tackles and it short yardage situations. Hillman is more of a playmaker, but needs to prove he can run inside the tackles. At the end of the day, Ball should win the competition, but carried will be split fairly evenly. CJ Anderson, an undrafted rookie, and Knowshon Moreno will battle for the backup position. Anderson is a strong runner, who would be a nice complement to Ball and Hillman, while Moreno is a good pass catcher who can be used on third down. Montee Ball is also a good pass catcher and blocker, which makes Moreno expendable. CJ Anderson should make the roster, but will likely not receive many carries.
Training camp is on the way and I could not be more exited. There will obviously be many more camp battles than this, but I believe these are the four most important that will effect the Super Bowl run the most.
The middle linebacker competition will be very interesting to watch in training camp and pre season games. The starting job has not been doled out and three players will be fighting for it. Nate Irving, a third year pro, is the favorite heading into training camp. He is quick and fast, but lacks strength. He has not received a lot of playing time during the past two seasons, but when he was on the field he was impressive. Steven Johnson, a second year player, signed as an undrafted free agent last year and made the team. He still has a lot to prove, which is why I think he makes a huge impression on the coaches with a big time training camp. Stewart Bradley is the veteran of this competition with five years of experience. He was once a starter with the Eagles, but he did not start the past two seasons with the Cardinals. He has experience as a starter, which gives him a leg up on his competition. I believe Steven Johnson will end up winning the competition because he is hungry to prove everyone wrong. Even though he was undrafted, his skills are about the same as Irving and Bradley. Irving will be a close second and should receive a good amount of playing time in the rotation.
As was seen in minicamp, both safety positions could be up for grabs. Mike Adams and Rahim Moore were the starters last season. Adams was not good at all. He struggled against the run and was even worse against the pass. Moore had a very good second season, compared to his first, but he still has a lot of room to improve, especially in pass defense. Quinton Carter did not get to play last season because of injury and he will be looking to come back with a vengeance. He will be gunning for Mike Adam's spot as a starter. He is much better against the run and has the speed and size to cover tight ends. David Bruton received some playing time as the starter in minicamp and looks to carry that momentum into training camp. Bruton, a special teams ace for his entire career, has the ability to play both safety positions, which may give him a leg up on the competition. Bruton will not be afraid to stick his nose in on running plays, but I have not seen enough of him on defense to judge his pass defense. The Broncos also signed Quentin Jammer, but I do not think he is a candidate to start. Rather, he will be used as a specialty player in nickel and dime situations. Call me crazy, but I think Mike Adams has a chance of being cut if he is passed over by Carter and Bruton. I think Moore and Carter win the starting jobs, but Bruton will see playing time occasionally.
The defensive tackle competition will also be a good one. Kevin Vickerson and Mitch Unrein performed well last season, but the Broncos brought in Sylvester Williams, through the draft, and Terrance Knighton, through free agency. Last season, Vickerson put on more weight, which helped him against the run. He is not much of a pass rusher, in terms of sacks, but he does push the pocket well, which helps the edge rushers get to the quarterback. Mitch Unrein came out of nowhere last season and performed very well. He is a versatile player, who should be able to find some playing time in the rotation. Terrance Knighton has always had potential, but he faltered in Jacksonville last season, but reuniting with Jack Del Rio should put him back on track. Knighton is a run stuffer with the potential to rush the passer. He will have to show coaches that he can push the pocket, if he wants to see playing time on third downs. Sylvester Williams, the Broncos first round draft pick, has the most potential out of anyone in the group. He can stop the run and rush the passer effectively, so he should at least find playing time in nickel situations. He should develop into a dominant force at some point in his career. I believe Vickerson and Williams will win the starting jobs, but Knighton and Unrein should find plenty of playing time as part of the rotation.
The running back position has yet to be figured out. The main battle will take place between Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman for the starting job. Ball is a sturdy back who is adept a finding the hole and going. He is also good at breaking tackles and it short yardage situations. Hillman is more of a playmaker, but needs to prove he can run inside the tackles. At the end of the day, Ball should win the competition, but carried will be split fairly evenly. CJ Anderson, an undrafted rookie, and Knowshon Moreno will battle for the backup position. Anderson is a strong runner, who would be a nice complement to Ball and Hillman, while Moreno is a good pass catcher who can be used on third down. Montee Ball is also a good pass catcher and blocker, which makes Moreno expendable. CJ Anderson should make the roster, but will likely not receive many carries.
Training camp is on the way and I could not be more exited. There will obviously be many more camp battles than this, but I believe these are the four most important that will effect the Super Bowl run the most.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Denver Nuggets Summer League Game Five Impressions
The Nuggets were knocked out of the tournament by the Toronto Raptors, but will get to play one more game in which the benchwarmers will receive a lot of minutes. In the fifth game, Jordan Hamilton scored a game high 23 points on 10-21 shooting, 4-10 from three, and grabbed 3 rebounds 2 steals and a blocked shot. He continued his hot shooting from the fourth game, which is a good sign. He has proven that he can hit shots from all over the court in Summer League, but he needs to do it when it counts, during the NBA season. Quincy Miller had trouble down low when he had to help with Valanciunis on defense and when he was trying to score inside. Miller should put on some more weight in order to be more effective down low. He scored 10 points, shooting 4-11, 2-3 from three, and grabbed 7 rebounds, while blocking 1 shot. It was nice to see him rebound well, while shooting well from deep, but he really needs to work on his inside game on offense and defense.
Evan Fournier had another lackluster performance scoring only 5 points on 2-7 shooting, 0-4 from three, while grabbing zero boards and dishing zero assists. I would not put too much stock into Fournier's Summer League woes because he has played much better in actual NBA games. Erick Green also struggled. Green scored 6 points on 3-12 shooting, 0-4 from three, but he had 4 assists and 3 rebounds. Green struggled to shoot and get to the rim. When he actually got to the rim, he often missed. Green should get a chance to avenge himself in the next game, with a healthy diet of minutes.
CJ again got the start, but did not receive a lot of minutes. He scored 5 points, on 2-4 shooting, grabbed 3 rebounds and dished out 4 assists. Hopefully, he will receive more minutes in the sixth game and play well enough to earn and invitation to training camp. Luke Harangody, another training camp hopeful, played decently. He scored 10 points on 3-7 shooting, 1-2 from three, to go along with 5 rebounds and one steal. He had trouble with defense down low, which he will need to improve on to make the team.
The Nuggets will have a sixth game tomorrow against a team that has yet to be named. Fournier, Miller and Hamilton are unlikely to receive minutes in this game.
Evan Fournier had another lackluster performance scoring only 5 points on 2-7 shooting, 0-4 from three, while grabbing zero boards and dishing zero assists. I would not put too much stock into Fournier's Summer League woes because he has played much better in actual NBA games. Erick Green also struggled. Green scored 6 points on 3-12 shooting, 0-4 from three, but he had 4 assists and 3 rebounds. Green struggled to shoot and get to the rim. When he actually got to the rim, he often missed. Green should get a chance to avenge himself in the next game, with a healthy diet of minutes.
CJ again got the start, but did not receive a lot of minutes. He scored 5 points, on 2-4 shooting, grabbed 3 rebounds and dished out 4 assists. Hopefully, he will receive more minutes in the sixth game and play well enough to earn and invitation to training camp. Luke Harangody, another training camp hopeful, played decently. He scored 10 points on 3-7 shooting, 1-2 from three, to go along with 5 rebounds and one steal. He had trouble with defense down low, which he will need to improve on to make the team.
The Nuggets will have a sixth game tomorrow against a team that has yet to be named. Fournier, Miller and Hamilton are unlikely to receive minutes in this game.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Denver Nuggets Summer League Game Four Impressions
The Nuggets finally got their first win in Summer League play and they get to advance to the next round of the tournament. Jordan Hamilton came out firing and it paid off, he finished with 23 points on 8-14 shooting, 4-7 from three, to go along with 4 rebounds and 2 steals. He showed that when he is on his game, he can score at will, but that needs to happen on a more consistent basis. He needs to show that he can score like that again in game five. Evan Fournier did not play well, scoring 8 points on 2-8 shooting, 2-7 from three, he also had 4 rebounds 4 assists and 1 steal. Fournier also committed zero turnovers, which proved that his 7 seven turnovers in game three was an anomaly. He only shot one shot inside the three point line, which is not something he should continue. He is a decent three point shooter, but he has the skills to score from other spots on the floor.
Quincy Miller, like Hamilton, finally had a good game shooting the ball, scoring 17 points on 6-10 shooting, 5-5 from three, to go along with 5 rebounds 1 steal and 1 block. The hot shooting was nice to see, but he could have done more to get to rebounds. Although, he was out on the perimeter a lot, where it gets a bit tougher to grab rebounds. Erick Green did not get the start, but he received a lot of minutes. Green scored 14 points on 5-9 shooting, 1-1 from three, grabbed 3 rebounds and dished out 1 assist and added one steal. Green showed his ability to score inside the three point line and get to the rim, both of which I have been waiting to see the entire Summer League.
CJ Harris received the start, but was limited to 8 minutes of playing time. He did play well though, he scored 7 points on 3-3 shooting and scored 2 rebounds. I would like to see him receive more minutes because he has had two promising games in a row. Luke Harangody struggled this game, going 1-6 from the field and only grabbing 4 rebounds. I am sure he will have a fantastic game next time out to make up for this lackluster performance.
The Nuggets moved onto the next round with this win and will face the Raptors to try to move on in the tournament.
Quincy Miller, like Hamilton, finally had a good game shooting the ball, scoring 17 points on 6-10 shooting, 5-5 from three, to go along with 5 rebounds 1 steal and 1 block. The hot shooting was nice to see, but he could have done more to get to rebounds. Although, he was out on the perimeter a lot, where it gets a bit tougher to grab rebounds. Erick Green did not get the start, but he received a lot of minutes. Green scored 14 points on 5-9 shooting, 1-1 from three, grabbed 3 rebounds and dished out 1 assist and added one steal. Green showed his ability to score inside the three point line and get to the rim, both of which I have been waiting to see the entire Summer League.
CJ Harris received the start, but was limited to 8 minutes of playing time. He did play well though, he scored 7 points on 3-3 shooting and scored 2 rebounds. I would like to see him receive more minutes because he has had two promising games in a row. Luke Harangody struggled this game, going 1-6 from the field and only grabbing 4 rebounds. I am sure he will have a fantastic game next time out to make up for this lackluster performance.
The Nuggets moved onto the next round with this win and will face the Raptors to try to move on in the tournament.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Denver Nuggets Summer League Game Three Impressions
The Nuggets, as a team, regressed from their improvements that they made in game two. Jordan Hamilton did not play due to "Personal Reasons" and that meant more playing time for players who have not played yet. Chris Harris was the only player to take advantage of the increased playing time, scoring 8 points on 3-4 shooting. Evan Fournier only scored 12 points on 4-9 shooting , but 1-5 from three point range, he also had 4 rebounds and 7 turnovers. The 7 turnovers are the most concerning part of the stat line, but that is an anomaly for him so far, as long as the turnovers don't continue, there should be no worry about this game.
Quincy Miller finished with 11 points on 5-13 shooting, 1-5 from three point range, he also had 4 rebounds and 1 block. He has not seemed to find his rhythm in any of the three games during Summer League and is not playing within the game. He needs to find his game before training camp begins, or he could be on the roster bubble. Erick Green had a decent game, scoring 9 points 2 rebounds and 2 assists, but of those 9 points, he did not score any inside the three point line. That has been a theme for him throughout summer league and it is troubling. He has had trouble getting to and scoring at the rim and that has yet to change. His shooting could get him by, but he will have limited scoring potential if he does not improve near the rim.
Luke Harangody kept up his good play in Summer League, finishing with 9 points 5 rebounds and 2 assists in limited minutes. He was efficient in the amount of minutes he received, but I am hoping he will get more in the next two games. Kyle Barone had another disappointing game, finishing with 5 points and 5 rebounds. I had more expectations for him in Summer League and he has been disappointing, especially on the defensive end.
The Nuggets got blown out again and it is starting to get disappointing. Score does not really matter in Summer League, but losing by double digits in three straight games does not inspire awe. The next game is against New Orleans on wednesday.
Quincy Miller finished with 11 points on 5-13 shooting, 1-5 from three point range, he also had 4 rebounds and 1 block. He has not seemed to find his rhythm in any of the three games during Summer League and is not playing within the game. He needs to find his game before training camp begins, or he could be on the roster bubble. Erick Green had a decent game, scoring 9 points 2 rebounds and 2 assists, but of those 9 points, he did not score any inside the three point line. That has been a theme for him throughout summer league and it is troubling. He has had trouble getting to and scoring at the rim and that has yet to change. His shooting could get him by, but he will have limited scoring potential if he does not improve near the rim.
Luke Harangody kept up his good play in Summer League, finishing with 9 points 5 rebounds and 2 assists in limited minutes. He was efficient in the amount of minutes he received, but I am hoping he will get more in the next two games. Kyle Barone had another disappointing game, finishing with 5 points and 5 rebounds. I had more expectations for him in Summer League and he has been disappointing, especially on the defensive end.
The Nuggets got blown out again and it is starting to get disappointing. Score does not really matter in Summer League, but losing by double digits in three straight games does not inspire awe. The next game is against New Orleans on wednesday.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Denver Nuggets Summer League Game Two Impressions
The first thing that jumped out at me during this game was an improved Fournier. He scored 20 points on 7-15 shooting and was 4-8 from the three point line. He had some troubles on defense, but that can be changed, considering he played good defense against NBA teams. He finished with two rebounds, but had no assists or steals. He should continue playing good on offense, but I would like to see improvement on his all around game. Jordan Hamilton played better, but he also had troubles on defense. He finished 4-11 from the field, but was 3-5 from three point range, scoring 11 points. Hamilton has troubles when he moves inside the three point line, which does not bode well for his NBA future. He has the athleticism to finish inside, but has struggled in Summer League. I would like to see him fix that in the remaining three games. He did finish with seven rebounds, which is good for a small forward.
Quincy Miller again struggled from the field, 3-9 0-2 from three point range, but he did finish with six boards and three block shots, proving he has the skills to play power forward at the NBA level. He needs to score at a better rate. He seems to play too fast and is trying to hard, which puts him out of the rhythm of the game. If he can play within himself, he will be very dangerous. Erick Green played much better than he did in the first game. He finished with 11 points on 4-8 shooting and 3-4 from three point range. He shot much better, but he still needs to work on getting to the rim. I would like to see him, like Hamilton, score more inside the three point line.
Luke Harangody played like he wants to make the team. He finished with 17 points and 7 rebounds, 3 of them offensive and he was 6-9 from the field and 2-3 from the three point line. He is undersized for his position, but he does not play like it. He is a long shot to make the final roster, but if he keeps playing like this he will have a slight chance. Kyle Barone got to start this game, but he made nothing of it. He finished with zero points and only two rebounds. He needs to improve a lot on this game if he wants to see more minutes. Darious Johnson-Odom played well. He finished with 10 points and lead the team with 6 assists. He should be in line for more minutes as Summer League wears on.
The Nuggets did not win the game, but that is not the goal of Summer League. Every important player improved on their performances from game one. They play again tonight at 8:00 mountain time and I am expecting more improvement.
Quincy Miller again struggled from the field, 3-9 0-2 from three point range, but he did finish with six boards and three block shots, proving he has the skills to play power forward at the NBA level. He needs to score at a better rate. He seems to play too fast and is trying to hard, which puts him out of the rhythm of the game. If he can play within himself, he will be very dangerous. Erick Green played much better than he did in the first game. He finished with 11 points on 4-8 shooting and 3-4 from three point range. He shot much better, but he still needs to work on getting to the rim. I would like to see him, like Hamilton, score more inside the three point line.
Luke Harangody played like he wants to make the team. He finished with 17 points and 7 rebounds, 3 of them offensive and he was 6-9 from the field and 2-3 from the three point line. He is undersized for his position, but he does not play like it. He is a long shot to make the final roster, but if he keeps playing like this he will have a slight chance. Kyle Barone got to start this game, but he made nothing of it. He finished with zero points and only two rebounds. He needs to improve a lot on this game if he wants to see more minutes. Darious Johnson-Odom played well. He finished with 10 points and lead the team with 6 assists. He should be in line for more minutes as Summer League wears on.
The Nuggets did not win the game, but that is not the goal of Summer League. Every important player improved on their performances from game one. They play again tonight at 8:00 mountain time and I am expecting more improvement.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Denver Nuggets Summer League Game One Impressions
There was not one Nuggets player who played well. Quincy Miller was impressive to begin the game, but faltered as the game went on. He finished with nine points eight rebounds and three blocks. He showed some promise in becoming a stretch four. His rebounding was promising, as were his three blocked shots. He still needs work on consistency with his outside shot, but that will come with practice. Evan Fournier, although he did not particularly play well, showed promise. He scored ten points and played some good defense. He shot 4-11 from the field, but it looked as if he just had an off game, I fully expect him to come back and play well in the next game.
Jordan Hamilton shot very poorly from the field and needs to work on his shot selection. He was 1-11 from the field and did not connect on any three pointers. He also needs to work on his defense. He committed six fouls and most of them were a result of him not playing good defense. If he wants to find a spot in the regular season rotation, he needs to play much better than this. Erick Green, the Nugget's 2013 second round draft pick, played equally as terrible. He only scored four points on 2-12 shooting and had a very rough time getting to the rim. If he shows that he is not able to get to the rim in Summer League, he will have a rough NBA career, given his size. He needs to prove that he can score against NBA competition in his next game.
Ben Uzoh had the best game of any Nugget player and played like he wants an invite to training camp. He scored 11 points on 4-7 shooting. He also added two assists three boards and two steals. He played inspired defense and had the best +/- rating on the Nuggets with +5. Look for him to get more playing time if he keeps up this type of play. I was exited to see Kyle Barone play and although he did not get a lot of playing time, he finished 4-4 from the field and grabbed two rebounds, both of them offensive. I hope to see him get more minutes as Summer League continues.
Hopefully this was the worst game that the Nuggets will play during Summer League. Everyone on the team can improve their performance from this game, especially Erick Green and Jordan Hamilton. The next game will be July 15th at 8:30 Mountain Time against the Chicago Bulls.
Jordan Hamilton shot very poorly from the field and needs to work on his shot selection. He was 1-11 from the field and did not connect on any three pointers. He also needs to work on his defense. He committed six fouls and most of them were a result of him not playing good defense. If he wants to find a spot in the regular season rotation, he needs to play much better than this. Erick Green, the Nugget's 2013 second round draft pick, played equally as terrible. He only scored four points on 2-12 shooting and had a very rough time getting to the rim. If he shows that he is not able to get to the rim in Summer League, he will have a rough NBA career, given his size. He needs to prove that he can score against NBA competition in his next game.
Ben Uzoh had the best game of any Nugget player and played like he wants an invite to training camp. He scored 11 points on 4-7 shooting. He also added two assists three boards and two steals. He played inspired defense and had the best +/- rating on the Nuggets with +5. Look for him to get more playing time if he keeps up this type of play. I was exited to see Kyle Barone play and although he did not get a lot of playing time, he finished 4-4 from the field and grabbed two rebounds, both of them offensive. I hope to see him get more minutes as Summer League continues.
Hopefully this was the worst game that the Nuggets will play during Summer League. Everyone on the team can improve their performance from this game, especially Erick Green and Jordan Hamilton. The next game will be July 15th at 8:30 Mountain Time against the Chicago Bulls.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Orlando Summer League Impressions
Andre Drummond, Too Good for Summer League
Andre Drummond was probably the best player in summer league. He averaged 15.7 points 15 rebounds 2.7 steals and 2.7 blocks per game in his four regulation appearances and added 15 points and 14 rebounds in the last game. He should have had a better field goal percentage, but he was the major threat in Detroit's lineup so teams went after him. Drummond will likely come off of the bench for Detroit this season, but he should have been starting, if Detroit did not sign Josh Smith. Drummond is a starting caliber center and proved it in Orlando.
Oladipo is for Real
Victor Oladipo really impressed at Summer League. He averaged 19 points per game 5 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game, while being groomed as point guard. Oladipo also added a step back game winner against Philadelphia. His shooting percentage was lackluster, 37%, but that should not be an issue right now because he does not have a lot of talent to pass to so he was forced to take some bad shots. He also played great defense and showed that he could be a defensive stopper in the NBA, like most thought. He had an impact all over the court like going up for rebounds over guys that are bigger than him. One aspect of his game that revealed itself was that he showed that he could play point guard. He looked fairly comfortable at that position and he could be asked to play some in spot duty during the regular season.
Kelly Olynyk is Ready, Offensively
Olynyk was probably the second best rookie at the Orlando Summer League, behind Victor Oladipo. He averaged 19.5 points 8 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game. Olynyk showed that he can score from a lot of places on the court, even hitting shots consistently from the three point line. He also showed that he can rebound well too. He is not a dominant player on the boards, but he is good and knows how to get position. Even with all of his success in Summer League, I still have doubts about his defense. He can and will can beat down low by NBA bigs. He needs to gain some strength to compete with NBA bigs on the inside.
Michael Carter-Williams Needs to Shoot Less, A Lot Less
Michael Carter-Williams averaged 7.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds and 14.8 points, but shot 17.2 shots per game, connecting on 26% of them. He may have shot this much because there is not much talent around him in Summer League, but at some point he should have realized he was not helping by jackup up shots.
Trey Burke Struggles
Burke put together a terrible string of games. He averaged 9 points on 21% shooting and only averaged 3.7 assists per game. He could not find his groove and looked very lost at times. This is disappointing, considering this was supposed to be the best point guard in the draft. He could not find his shot and could have been going through a cold sooting streak, but he did not seem interested in getting to the rim consistently, which is another red flag. He needs to earn the trust of the coaches in training camp if he want to earn the starting job.
Jeremy Lamb is Poised to Replace Kevin Martin
Jeremy Lamb played very well in Summer League, averaging 19 points per game. Martin left for Minnesota in free agency and someone needs to be ready to take over the sixth man position. Lamb showed that he can hit the long ball, as well as score from other spots on the floor and create his own shot, something Martin struggled with last season. Lamb will be in line for a lot of minutes next season, based on his Summer League play.
Andre Drummond was probably the best player in summer league. He averaged 15.7 points 15 rebounds 2.7 steals and 2.7 blocks per game in his four regulation appearances and added 15 points and 14 rebounds in the last game. He should have had a better field goal percentage, but he was the major threat in Detroit's lineup so teams went after him. Drummond will likely come off of the bench for Detroit this season, but he should have been starting, if Detroit did not sign Josh Smith. Drummond is a starting caliber center and proved it in Orlando.
Oladipo is for Real
Victor Oladipo really impressed at Summer League. He averaged 19 points per game 5 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game, while being groomed as point guard. Oladipo also added a step back game winner against Philadelphia. His shooting percentage was lackluster, 37%, but that should not be an issue right now because he does not have a lot of talent to pass to so he was forced to take some bad shots. He also played great defense and showed that he could be a defensive stopper in the NBA, like most thought. He had an impact all over the court like going up for rebounds over guys that are bigger than him. One aspect of his game that revealed itself was that he showed that he could play point guard. He looked fairly comfortable at that position and he could be asked to play some in spot duty during the regular season.
Kelly Olynyk is Ready, Offensively
Olynyk was probably the second best rookie at the Orlando Summer League, behind Victor Oladipo. He averaged 19.5 points 8 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game. Olynyk showed that he can score from a lot of places on the court, even hitting shots consistently from the three point line. He also showed that he can rebound well too. He is not a dominant player on the boards, but he is good and knows how to get position. Even with all of his success in Summer League, I still have doubts about his defense. He can and will can beat down low by NBA bigs. He needs to gain some strength to compete with NBA bigs on the inside.
Michael Carter-Williams Needs to Shoot Less, A Lot Less
Michael Carter-Williams averaged 7.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds and 14.8 points, but shot 17.2 shots per game, connecting on 26% of them. He may have shot this much because there is not much talent around him in Summer League, but at some point he should have realized he was not helping by jackup up shots.
Trey Burke Struggles
Burke put together a terrible string of games. He averaged 9 points on 21% shooting and only averaged 3.7 assists per game. He could not find his groove and looked very lost at times. This is disappointing, considering this was supposed to be the best point guard in the draft. He could not find his shot and could have been going through a cold sooting streak, but he did not seem interested in getting to the rim consistently, which is another red flag. He needs to earn the trust of the coaches in training camp if he want to earn the starting job.
Jeremy Lamb is Poised to Replace Kevin Martin
Jeremy Lamb played very well in Summer League, averaging 19 points per game. Martin left for Minnesota in free agency and someone needs to be ready to take over the sixth man position. Lamb showed that he can hit the long ball, as well as score from other spots on the floor and create his own shot, something Martin struggled with last season. Lamb will be in line for a lot of minutes next season, based on his Summer League play.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Denver Nuggets Summer League Preview
The Denver Nuggets are set to open up their summer league play on July 13th against the Milwaukee Bucks. There are now new rules in summer league that make it more competitive. Each team plays three games and then they are entered into a single elimination tournament that will crown the winner. Players will now try to win it for the team, rather than try to pad their stats.
The player that I will be looking forward to watching the most is Evan Fournier because he has a real chance to start this season. He played very well during the end of the season when he got a couple of starts and decent minutes. He can score in a variety of ways including from the three point line where he finished 40% from, which was good for second on the team. He also showed that he can score inside and is not afraid to drive. He needs to show that he is ready to take his game to the next level in Summer League. He should be the top scorer on the team, but I would also like to see him rack up a good number of assists in order to show that he can play the point, in spots, when Lawson is on the bench.
Jordan Hamilton is coming up on a make or break season, so you can bet he will play hard. He was the star of the Nuggets summer league last season, but that did not translate into playing time in a crowded backcourt. Now that spots have opened up with Iguodala and Brewer leaving and Gallo out until at least December with an injury, he will have a good chance to carve out a good amount of playing time. He brings three point shooting, but I would like to see him work on scoring from other spots as well. He also needs to show that he has improved his defense, in order to prove to the coaching staff that he deserves a healthy diet of minutes during the regular season.
Quincy Miller recently made the decision that he wants to be a stretch four by saying that he wants to bulk up to 230, in order to handle other fours on the defensive end. This decision will likely get him some more playing time during the regular season. Miller is a good shooter and scorer, but needs to work on his rebounding and defense. During Summer League, the Nuggets will look for him to improve his defense and rebounding, but they also would like to see him continue to improve his shooting and maybe develop one or two post moves. He likely won't receive steady minutes this season, barring injuries, but he could prove the the front office and coaching staff that they should invest in him for the future.
Erick Green was the Nuggets first pick in the 2013 NBA draft. He will likely be starting at point guard in summer league and will to to prove that he can take over for Andre Miller, if the team wants to trade him or when he retires. Green was the highest scorer in college basketball last season, but will need to show the Nuggets that he is a ready and able passer or he may not find playing time. He also needs to show that he can score against NBA players and NBA hopefuls, if he cant then he will not find a spot in the league. Scoring in college does not necessarily translate to scoring in the NBA.
Kyle Barone is the only true center on the Summer League roster and should be in store for a lot of playing time. He was a good scorer at Idaho, averaging 17.2 points per game on 59% shooting, he is also a good rebounder, 9.8 per game. He also has a nice touch from the free throw line where he shot 78% from as a senior. It will be interesting to see how his game translates in Summer League and if he looks good, he will likely be invited to training camp and could make the final roster.
Ramon Galloway is another player with a good amount of potential on the Summer League roster. Galloway was a good scorer at LaSalle, but he needs to learn how to play point guard in order to find a spot on any NBA roster. He was a 41% shooter from the three point line during his senior season. That type of shooting could be very valuable to the Nuggets. OD Anosike, an undersized power forward, rounds out the players that are worth watching based on NBA potential. Even though he is undersized, he grabbed 11.4 boards per game last season. He also has high basketball IQ, which is something a lot of players on the Nuggets are missing.
Summer League us an exiting time for watching young players with a lot of potential. It is also a good see if second year players have improved. However, it is always important to remember that Summer League does not tell us who can play, rather who cannot play.
The player that I will be looking forward to watching the most is Evan Fournier because he has a real chance to start this season. He played very well during the end of the season when he got a couple of starts and decent minutes. He can score in a variety of ways including from the three point line where he finished 40% from, which was good for second on the team. He also showed that he can score inside and is not afraid to drive. He needs to show that he is ready to take his game to the next level in Summer League. He should be the top scorer on the team, but I would also like to see him rack up a good number of assists in order to show that he can play the point, in spots, when Lawson is on the bench.
Jordan Hamilton is coming up on a make or break season, so you can bet he will play hard. He was the star of the Nuggets summer league last season, but that did not translate into playing time in a crowded backcourt. Now that spots have opened up with Iguodala and Brewer leaving and Gallo out until at least December with an injury, he will have a good chance to carve out a good amount of playing time. He brings three point shooting, but I would like to see him work on scoring from other spots as well. He also needs to show that he has improved his defense, in order to prove to the coaching staff that he deserves a healthy diet of minutes during the regular season.
Quincy Miller recently made the decision that he wants to be a stretch four by saying that he wants to bulk up to 230, in order to handle other fours on the defensive end. This decision will likely get him some more playing time during the regular season. Miller is a good shooter and scorer, but needs to work on his rebounding and defense. During Summer League, the Nuggets will look for him to improve his defense and rebounding, but they also would like to see him continue to improve his shooting and maybe develop one or two post moves. He likely won't receive steady minutes this season, barring injuries, but he could prove the the front office and coaching staff that they should invest in him for the future.
Erick Green was the Nuggets first pick in the 2013 NBA draft. He will likely be starting at point guard in summer league and will to to prove that he can take over for Andre Miller, if the team wants to trade him or when he retires. Green was the highest scorer in college basketball last season, but will need to show the Nuggets that he is a ready and able passer or he may not find playing time. He also needs to show that he can score against NBA players and NBA hopefuls, if he cant then he will not find a spot in the league. Scoring in college does not necessarily translate to scoring in the NBA.
Kyle Barone is the only true center on the Summer League roster and should be in store for a lot of playing time. He was a good scorer at Idaho, averaging 17.2 points per game on 59% shooting, he is also a good rebounder, 9.8 per game. He also has a nice touch from the free throw line where he shot 78% from as a senior. It will be interesting to see how his game translates in Summer League and if he looks good, he will likely be invited to training camp and could make the final roster.
Ramon Galloway is another player with a good amount of potential on the Summer League roster. Galloway was a good scorer at LaSalle, but he needs to learn how to play point guard in order to find a spot on any NBA roster. He was a 41% shooter from the three point line during his senior season. That type of shooting could be very valuable to the Nuggets. OD Anosike, an undersized power forward, rounds out the players that are worth watching based on NBA potential. Even though he is undersized, he grabbed 11.4 boards per game last season. He also has high basketball IQ, which is something a lot of players on the Nuggets are missing.
Summer League us an exiting time for watching young players with a lot of potential. It is also a good see if second year players have improved. However, it is always important to remember that Summer League does not tell us who can play, rather who cannot play.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
The Nuggets to Get Randy Foye in Sign and Trade
It looks as if the Nuggets have found their shooter that they were looking for heading into the offseason. Foye was a 41% three point shooter last season and will look to bring that type of shooting to the Nuggets offense. Foye will be making three million a year for the next three years, which is a good deal for the Nuggets. The Nuggets will be getting a $12 million trade exception, which is valid for one year. The trade exception is huge because the Nuggets can try to trade for a good player at the trade deadline. I hope they do not waste it by letting it expire.
Although he is a good shooter, he does not do much else on the court. He does have the ability to run the point in short spurts, which might make Andre Miller expendable. He is also a decent defender, who will help the Nuggets defense. He is not an impact defender like Iggy, but he is not totally lost on that end like a couple of Nuggets players.
Evan Fournier and Foye will likely be battling for the starting spot during training camp. This will be a good battle because it will show how far Fournier has come along, if he wins the job. I believe Foye will get the start, but Fournier could get around 25 minutes per game.
It is nice to see the Nuggets get something in exchange for Iguodala, considering there were reports that the Nuggets turned down a sign and trade. Foye is no Iguodala, but he is a good shooter and will be very useful for Ty Lawson on kick outs. Even with this signing, the Nuggets would be lucky to make the playoffs next season, but he does make this team better.
Although he is a good shooter, he does not do much else on the court. He does have the ability to run the point in short spurts, which might make Andre Miller expendable. He is also a decent defender, who will help the Nuggets defense. He is not an impact defender like Iggy, but he is not totally lost on that end like a couple of Nuggets players.
Evan Fournier and Foye will likely be battling for the starting spot during training camp. This will be a good battle because it will show how far Fournier has come along, if he wins the job. I believe Foye will get the start, but Fournier could get around 25 minutes per game.
It is nice to see the Nuggets get something in exchange for Iguodala, considering there were reports that the Nuggets turned down a sign and trade. Foye is no Iguodala, but he is a good shooter and will be very useful for Ty Lawson on kick outs. Even with this signing, the Nuggets would be lucky to make the playoffs next season, but he does make this team better.
Monday, July 8, 2013
Denver Nuggets Sign JJ Hickson
The Nuggets have finally made a move in free agency that benefits them. They snagged JJ Hickson, who averaged a double double last season, for just five million a year. Hickson started at center last season and played well, but I dont think he will start at center for Denver because his defense was horrible last season. He will likely play mostly at small forward and power forward. I think he will get a lot of minutes at small forward before Gallo comes back from his injury. He should have no problem finding playing time as this team has a lot of holes.
It remains to be seen if he starts for Denver. His best spot would be starting at power forward, but Faried has started there for the past two seasons. However, Faried would be a good sixth man because of the energy he would bring. Hickson brings good rebounding and is a decent shooter for a power forward. He would provide the Nuggets with a stretch four, something they have not had since Al Harrington. Hickson does not shoot threes, but he has range up to around 18 feet.
Even though the Nuggets have Faried, they needed a lot more help on the boards, as McGee is not a lot of help in that arena. Hickson gives them a great offensive rebounder, he and Faried were both top ten last season, but he is also good on the defensive end, which is where the Nuggets lacked, especially in the playoffs.
Hickson covers a lot of needs for this team and for cheap. He gives the Nuggets a good rebounder and a stretch four, but he does have problems on defense, which the Nuggets will try to solve by not playing him at center. I am hoping last season was not an anomaly and he will live up to expectations this season.
Friday, July 5, 2013
Houston Rockets Sign Dwight Howard
The Houston Rockets have won the Dwight Howard sweepstakes. There are still details to be hammered out such whether or not there will be a sign and trade. I will just be covering the bare bones, "Howard to Houston" part in this article.
The Rockets got the best center in the league. Some say he had a bad year last season, but I dont think so. He was not as dominant on the boards, but he still grabbed 12.4 a game last year. He shot the same percentage from the field as the year before, even though his points per game dropped. He is still a very good defender and will help Houston out in that area. He is still a decent low post presence, although his free throw shooting is very bad, but it was not like Asik was much better from the line.
The Rockets now have James Harden, a healthy Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons. That is a big three that has the ability to seriously compete in the Western Conference. They should be able to gain home court advantage. Harden's scoring should not drop and I think his shooting percentage will rise due to Howard being an offensive presence on the inside. Parsons should be able to get more good looks around the three point line. They still might have some questions about their bench, but their starting five will be rock solid.
This was a good signing for the Rockets because Howard immediately makes them a contender. He gives them a decent offensive weapon on the inside. They also will have the ability to make a sign and trade for another player like Josh Smith or Paul Millsap. Houston should be able to gain home court advantage in the playoffs next season and have the talent to advance to the Western Conference finals.
Grade: A
The Rockets got the best center in the league. Some say he had a bad year last season, but I dont think so. He was not as dominant on the boards, but he still grabbed 12.4 a game last year. He shot the same percentage from the field as the year before, even though his points per game dropped. He is still a very good defender and will help Houston out in that area. He is still a decent low post presence, although his free throw shooting is very bad, but it was not like Asik was much better from the line.
The Rockets now have James Harden, a healthy Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons. That is a big three that has the ability to seriously compete in the Western Conference. They should be able to gain home court advantage. Harden's scoring should not drop and I think his shooting percentage will rise due to Howard being an offensive presence on the inside. Parsons should be able to get more good looks around the three point line. They still might have some questions about their bench, but their starting five will be rock solid.
This was a good signing for the Rockets because Howard immediately makes them a contender. He gives them a decent offensive weapon on the inside. They also will have the ability to make a sign and trade for another player like Josh Smith or Paul Millsap. Houston should be able to gain home court advantage in the playoffs next season and have the talent to advance to the Western Conference finals.
Grade: A
Pelicans, Kings and the Trailblazers agree on Three Team Trade
This trade sends Tyreke Evans and a four year $44 million contract to the Pelicans, who send Robin Lopez to the Trailblazers and Greivis Vasquez to the Kings, while the Trailblazers send cash to the Kings.
I dont know what to think of this move for the Pelicans. They now have Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans at the guard positions. I guess this means they will try to part with Eric Gordon via trade for a center. They could also try and move Evans to small forward, which is not a good idea. Evans needs the ball in his hands to be effective and I dont think there will be enough shots to go around.
The Kings got Greivis Vasquez in the deal, but I dont understand that move for the Kings. They have Isaiah Thomas and Jimmer at point guard and they drafted Ray McCallum. Vasquez will likely start, but they will have a lot of other point guards looking for minutes. They did part with Evans, which was good on their part, considering his production has declined every year.
The Trailblazers got the starting center they were looking for. They only had to part with cash and a second round pick to obtain Lopez. Lopez is a defensive minded center, who gives it his all every time he steps on the court. His defense will be welcomed by many in Portland. He does not do much on the offensive end, but that is what LaMarcus Aldridge is there for.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Free Agent Grades Up to July 4th
Chris Paul Resigns with the Clippers for 5 Years 107 Mil
This was a no brainer for the Clippers. They knew Paul was going to command a max contract, but they were the only team who could sign him for five years. They brought in Doc Rivers for the sole purpose of keeping Paul. Paul's best option was to stay in LA because they were the only contender who could sign him besides Dallas if they got Dwight. He will be around familiar players on a team that got much better over the offseason. This was a no brainer move by the Clippers and they will have a top three point guard for the next four or five years.
Grade:
Mike Dunleavy Signs with Chicago for 2 Years x\6 Mil
The Bulls got a great deal here, considering Kyle Korver signed for 4 years 24 million. Dunleavy will give the Bulls an actual threat from three point range. Dunleavy is not just a spot up shooter either, he can make threes in a variety of ways. He will be a real threat coming off of off ball screens. The got rid of Rip Hamilton and he will replace him immediately and hopefully will stay healthy.
Grade: A
Andray Blatch Resigns with Brooklyn for Vet Minimum
Blatch may have his bad moments, but he played well for Brooklyn last season. He will be the backup behind Garnett, but will provide quality minutes, especially when he is only making the minimum. The reason he signed for the minimum was the fact that the Wizards still owe him a lot of money.
Grade: A
David West Resigns with Indiana for 3 Years 36 Million
This was a good signing for the Pacers in the short term, but it brings up financial problems in a couple of years. They will have limited flexibility to improve the team in the future. West is a good player, but he is in his mid 30's and could start a real decline at any moment. However, I wont dock Indiana too much for this signing because they needed him back in order to compete next season.
Grade: B-
Martell Webster Resigns with Washington for 4 Years 22 Million
Webster played very well last season and will add depth off the bench as a three point shooter. Webster has had problems with consistency in his past so a four year contract could be a little risky. This was probably the best season of his career and he could have just been playing for a contract,
Grade: B-
Tiago Splitter Returns to San Antonio for 4 Years 36 Million
Tiago played very bad in the NBA Finals, which makes this contract look silly, but he had a very solid regular season. Splitter is not particularly great at any one thing, but he fits in well in San Antonio. He was a big part of the reason why the Spurs had such a great season and ended up in the Finals. I think the Spurs got good value on this contract, considering Javale McGee will be cashing in 11 million next season.
Grade: B+
Chase Budinger Resigns with Minnesota for 3 Years 16 Million
Minnesota had the worst three point shooting team in the NBA, but it was not Budinger's fault. He shot 41% from the three point line, but he has shown the ability to shoot better from that range. They will be hoping that he will continue his good shooting and give Rubio a nice kick-out option. This is a good deal for the Timberwoves, considering Martell Webster received 22 million over four years.
Grade: A-
Kevin Martin Signs with Minnesota for 4 Years 28 Million
The Timberwolves are clearly looking to get much better from the three point line. Martin has played a lot under Rick Adelman, he started his career in Sacramento under him and played his best season under him in Houston. Martin will likely be starting again and will get a fair amount of shots. However, there is always the threat of injury. I think this provides a good chance for Martin to get his career back on track and it is also a good deal for the Timberwolves, assuming he stays healthy.
Grade: A-
Tony Allen Resigns with Memphis for 4 Years 20 Million
This is an awesome deal for Memphis. I thought he would sign for much more, even though if he does not bring much on the offensive end. He is one of, if not the best, perimeter defender in the NBA. Allen was a big reason why the Grizzlies reached the conference finals.
Grade: A
Manu Ginobli Resigns with San Antonio for 2 Years 14 Million
I think this is overpaying for Manu. He did not play well this season and has had injury problems for the past two seasons. He is clearly not the same player he was four or five years ago, but he still has the ability to take over every couple of games. The Spurs dont have much young talent behind him so I guess it was a necessity to resign him, even if they did over pay.
Grade: C+
Kyle Korver Resigns with Atlanta for 4 Years 24 Million
Korver was the best three point shooter, percentage wise, in the league last season. However, I know if a spot up three point shooter who cant play defense is worth six million a year. Korver is a great shooter and will provide the Hawks with a three point shooting threat, but I dont think this was a good value signing, especially since Mike Dunleavy was signed for just half of tis deal.
Grade: C+
JR Smith Signs with New York for 4 Years 24.5 Million
This is either a very good or very deal for New York, depending on how you look at it. I am not fond of this deal. He is the reigning sixth man of the year, but he is a very inefficient chucker and the deal is contingent on the chance that he continues his production from last season. I dont think he will.
Grade: C
Al Jefferson Signs with Charlotte for 3 Years 41 Million
This was a great deal for Al Jefferson, signing for almost 14 million a year. That is a pretty good deal for a center who doesnt play defense. If the Bobcats try to pair him up with Cody Zeller in the starting lineup, their interior defense will be a disaster. However, Jeffersons value will depend on the box score and there is a good chance that he will average 20 and 10. This deal includes a player option at the end of the second season, which will put Jefferson in good position for another big contract with a better team.
Grade: B-
Marco Belinelli Signs with San Antonio for 2 Years 6 Million
This deal signals the end of Gary Neal in San Antonio. Belinelli is a decent three point shooter, but his accuracy tailed off last season. Neal has had troubles creating his own shot. Belinelli has the ability to create his own shot off of the dribble. This will give the Spurs a better option off of the bench rather than Neal.
Grade: B
Pelicans, Kings and the Trailblazers agree on Three Team Trade
This trade sends Tyreke Evans and a four year $44 million contract to the Pelicans, who send Robin Lopez to the Trailblazers and Greivis Vasquez to the Kings, while the Trailblazers send cash to the Kings.
I dont know what to think of this move for the Pelicans. They now have Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans at the guard positions. I guess this means they will try to part with Eric Gordon via trade for a center. They could also try and move Evans to small forward, which is not a good idea. Evans needs the ball in his hands to be effective and I dont think there will be enough shots to go around.
The Kings got Greivis Vasquez in the deal, but I dont understand that move for the Kings. They have Isaiah Thomas and Jimmer at point guard and they drafted Ray McCallum. Vasquez will likely start, but they will have a lot of other point guards looking for minutes. They did part with Evans, which was good on their part, considering his production has declined every year.
The Trailblazers got the starting center they were looking for. They only had to part with cash and a second round pick to obtain Lopez. Lopez is a defensive minded center, who gives it his all every time he steps on the court. His defense will be welcomed by many in Portland. He does not do much on the offensive end, but that is what LaMarcus Aldridge is there for.
This was a no brainer for the Clippers. They knew Paul was going to command a max contract, but they were the only team who could sign him for five years. They brought in Doc Rivers for the sole purpose of keeping Paul. Paul's best option was to stay in LA because they were the only contender who could sign him besides Dallas if they got Dwight. He will be around familiar players on a team that got much better over the offseason. This was a no brainer move by the Clippers and they will have a top three point guard for the next four or five years.
Grade:
Mike Dunleavy Signs with Chicago for 2 Years x\6 Mil
The Bulls got a great deal here, considering Kyle Korver signed for 4 years 24 million. Dunleavy will give the Bulls an actual threat from three point range. Dunleavy is not just a spot up shooter either, he can make threes in a variety of ways. He will be a real threat coming off of off ball screens. The got rid of Rip Hamilton and he will replace him immediately and hopefully will stay healthy.
Grade: A
Andray Blatch Resigns with Brooklyn for Vet Minimum
Blatch may have his bad moments, but he played well for Brooklyn last season. He will be the backup behind Garnett, but will provide quality minutes, especially when he is only making the minimum. The reason he signed for the minimum was the fact that the Wizards still owe him a lot of money.
Grade: A
David West Resigns with Indiana for 3 Years 36 Million
This was a good signing for the Pacers in the short term, but it brings up financial problems in a couple of years. They will have limited flexibility to improve the team in the future. West is a good player, but he is in his mid 30's and could start a real decline at any moment. However, I wont dock Indiana too much for this signing because they needed him back in order to compete next season.
Grade: B-
Martell Webster Resigns with Washington for 4 Years 22 Million
Webster played very well last season and will add depth off the bench as a three point shooter. Webster has had problems with consistency in his past so a four year contract could be a little risky. This was probably the best season of his career and he could have just been playing for a contract,
Grade: B-
Tiago Splitter Returns to San Antonio for 4 Years 36 Million
Tiago played very bad in the NBA Finals, which makes this contract look silly, but he had a very solid regular season. Splitter is not particularly great at any one thing, but he fits in well in San Antonio. He was a big part of the reason why the Spurs had such a great season and ended up in the Finals. I think the Spurs got good value on this contract, considering Javale McGee will be cashing in 11 million next season.
Grade: B+
Chase Budinger Resigns with Minnesota for 3 Years 16 Million
Minnesota had the worst three point shooting team in the NBA, but it was not Budinger's fault. He shot 41% from the three point line, but he has shown the ability to shoot better from that range. They will be hoping that he will continue his good shooting and give Rubio a nice kick-out option. This is a good deal for the Timberwoves, considering Martell Webster received 22 million over four years.
Grade: A-
Kevin Martin Signs with Minnesota for 4 Years 28 Million
The Timberwolves are clearly looking to get much better from the three point line. Martin has played a lot under Rick Adelman, he started his career in Sacramento under him and played his best season under him in Houston. Martin will likely be starting again and will get a fair amount of shots. However, there is always the threat of injury. I think this provides a good chance for Martin to get his career back on track and it is also a good deal for the Timberwolves, assuming he stays healthy.
Grade: A-
Tony Allen Resigns with Memphis for 4 Years 20 Million
This is an awesome deal for Memphis. I thought he would sign for much more, even though if he does not bring much on the offensive end. He is one of, if not the best, perimeter defender in the NBA. Allen was a big reason why the Grizzlies reached the conference finals.
Grade: A
Manu Ginobli Resigns with San Antonio for 2 Years 14 Million
I think this is overpaying for Manu. He did not play well this season and has had injury problems for the past two seasons. He is clearly not the same player he was four or five years ago, but he still has the ability to take over every couple of games. The Spurs dont have much young talent behind him so I guess it was a necessity to resign him, even if they did over pay.
Grade: C+
Kyle Korver Resigns with Atlanta for 4 Years 24 Million
Korver was the best three point shooter, percentage wise, in the league last season. However, I know if a spot up three point shooter who cant play defense is worth six million a year. Korver is a great shooter and will provide the Hawks with a three point shooting threat, but I dont think this was a good value signing, especially since Mike Dunleavy was signed for just half of tis deal.
Grade: C+
JR Smith Signs with New York for 4 Years 24.5 Million
This is either a very good or very deal for New York, depending on how you look at it. I am not fond of this deal. He is the reigning sixth man of the year, but he is a very inefficient chucker and the deal is contingent on the chance that he continues his production from last season. I dont think he will.
Grade: C
Al Jefferson Signs with Charlotte for 3 Years 41 Million
This was a great deal for Al Jefferson, signing for almost 14 million a year. That is a pretty good deal for a center who doesnt play defense. If the Bobcats try to pair him up with Cody Zeller in the starting lineup, their interior defense will be a disaster. However, Jeffersons value will depend on the box score and there is a good chance that he will average 20 and 10. This deal includes a player option at the end of the second season, which will put Jefferson in good position for another big contract with a better team.
Grade: B-
Marco Belinelli Signs with San Antonio for 2 Years 6 Million
This deal signals the end of Gary Neal in San Antonio. Belinelli is a decent three point shooter, but his accuracy tailed off last season. Neal has had troubles creating his own shot. Belinelli has the ability to create his own shot off of the dribble. This will give the Spurs a better option off of the bench rather than Neal.
Grade: B
Pelicans, Kings and the Trailblazers agree on Three Team Trade
This trade sends Tyreke Evans and a four year $44 million contract to the Pelicans, who send Robin Lopez to the Trailblazers and Greivis Vasquez to the Kings, while the Trailblazers send cash to the Kings.
I dont know what to think of this move for the Pelicans. They now have Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans at the guard positions. I guess this means they will try to part with Eric Gordon via trade for a center. They could also try and move Evans to small forward, which is not a good idea. Evans needs the ball in his hands to be effective and I dont think there will be enough shots to go around.
The Kings got Greivis Vasquez in the deal, but I dont understand that move for the Kings. They have Isaiah Thomas and Jimmer at point guard and they drafted Ray McCallum. Vasquez will likely start, but they will have a lot of other point guards looking for minutes. They did part with Evans, which was good on their part, considering his production has declined every year.
The Trailblazers got the starting center they were looking for. They only had to part with cash and a second round pick to obtain Lopez. Lopez is a defensive minded center, who gives it his all every time he steps on the court. His defense will be welcomed by many in Portland. He does not do much on the offensive end, but that is what LaMarcus Aldridge is there for.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Clippers Trade Eric Bledsoe in Three Team Deal
The Clippers sent Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler to the Phoenix Suns for JJ Redick from the Bucks and Jared Dudley, the Bucks only received two second round draft picks. The Clippers made out the best on this deal, even though they lost Bledsoe, whom they probably would have lost in the next free agency period. They received Redick who was signed and traded and will come with a 4 year $28 million contract. That is a good deal for a guy who will used as a three point ace. It remains to be seen if he will start or not, but I think he will because Jamal Crawford is better suited coming off of the bench. Receiving Jared Dudley in the deal makes it even better for them. He will likely start, especially if Matt Barnes does not return. Dudley is not very athletic, but he can score and knock down an open three when he is called upon. The Clippers traded a point guard who would not receive a lot of playing time and an again Butler for two starter, both of whom can knock down shots on a consistent basis.
I dont know why the Suns were adamant to get Bledsoe. Goran Dragic played well last year and still has three years left on his contract. Maybe they want to try and flip him at the trade deadline for a better deal. Butler's contract will expire in 2014 which will leave them with a lot of cap room if they want to make a splash in free agency. They did lose Dudley, but they will be hoping that first round draft pick Archie Goodwin will make up for Dudley in his absence.
The Bucks blew it at the trade deadline. They went after Redick and they were not able to keep him, they did not even get a good deal in this sign and trade. Redick is worth a lot more than two second round picks. They also gave up Tobias Harris, when trading for Redick, who proved that he could be a really good player if he had playing time. This might be one of the worst front office sequences for the Bucks in recent memory.
This was a great trade for the Clippers. Redick is going to be a great shooter for them and should fit in seamlessly. Dudley is also a solid addition and could possibly start right away. They had no use for Bledsoe, which made him easy to part with. Phoenix got Bledsoe, which doesnt make much sense to me. He might be in competition for the starting job, but if he wins it, what do they do with Dragic? I wont even comment on how bad this deal was for the Bucks.
I dont know why the Suns were adamant to get Bledsoe. Goran Dragic played well last year and still has three years left on his contract. Maybe they want to try and flip him at the trade deadline for a better deal. Butler's contract will expire in 2014 which will leave them with a lot of cap room if they want to make a splash in free agency. They did lose Dudley, but they will be hoping that first round draft pick Archie Goodwin will make up for Dudley in his absence.
The Bucks blew it at the trade deadline. They went after Redick and they were not able to keep him, they did not even get a good deal in this sign and trade. Redick is worth a lot more than two second round picks. They also gave up Tobias Harris, when trading for Redick, who proved that he could be a really good player if he had playing time. This might be one of the worst front office sequences for the Bucks in recent memory.
This was a great trade for the Clippers. Redick is going to be a great shooter for them and should fit in seamlessly. Dudley is also a solid addition and could possibly start right away. They had no use for Bledsoe, which made him easy to part with. Phoenix got Bledsoe, which doesnt make much sense to me. He might be in competition for the starting job, but if he wins it, what do they do with Dragic? I wont even comment on how bad this deal was for the Bucks.
Monday, July 1, 2013
2009 NBA Draft Grades
Atlanta Hawks
Choices: Jeff Teague, Sergiy Gladyr
Teague took over as the starter in his third season and has played well. Last season, he averaged 14.6 points and 7.9 assists per game. He is one of the more stable parts on the team and I doubt he is replaced anytime soon. He has turned out better than any point guard drafted after him, which is good news for the Hawks. Gladyr has not played in a single NBA game outside of summer league, but you cannot expect much out of a second round pick.
Draft Grade: B
Boston Celtics
Choice: Lester Hudson
Hudson was waived by the Celtics before the end of his first season. He only played in a couple of games and did not stand out in any of them. He was a late second round pick so it is hard to dock the Celtics points for drafting him.
Grade: Incomplete
Charlotte Bobcats
Choices: Gerald Henderson, Derrick Brown
Henderson has been a decent player for the Bobcats. He is a decent scorer, 15.5 points per game last season, but he does not do much else, in terms of rebounds and assists. He might be replaced in this upcoming draft by either Mclemore or Oladipo. Derrick Brown took a while to get going, but came into his own last season. He had 8 points on 51% shooting and did a decent job on the boards. Both of these players would be better suited in a bench role, which is good for Brown, but not so good for Henderson who was a lottery pick.
Grade: C
Chicago Bulls
Choices: James Johnson, Taj Gibson
James Johnson has been a bust for the Bulls. He only played one and a half seasons for the Bulls before he was traded to Toronto, where he had more success. Gibson has had much more success with the Bulls. He comes off of the bench for Boozer, but plays an integral role on defense. He and Noah make a very good duo, in terms of defense. His offensive game could use some work, but as of now the Bulls don't need him to score in double digits every game.
Grade: B-
Cleveland Cavaliers
Choices: Christian Eyenga, Danny Green, Emir Preldzic
Eyenga had a very shot career that only lasted two seasons. He did not show any promise at all and was traded to the Lakers in his second season. Danny Green has had success, but not in a Cavs uniform. They waived him after his first season, but he burst onto the scene in San Antonio where he has enjoyed a lot of success. They should not have parted ways with Green as early as they did, considering the talent was light on this team. Preldzic never played a game for the Cavs.
Grade: D-
Dallas Mavericks
Choices: Rodrigue Beaubois, Nick Calathes Ahmad Nivins
Beaubois never turned into the explosive player that the Mavericks thought he had a chance to be. It is also likely that he leaves via free agency this summer. Calathes never saw an NBA court and took his talents to Greece before his first NBA season. Nivins also never played a game in the NBA, but he was a late second round pick.
Grade: D
Denver Nuggets
Choice: Ty Lawson
The Nuggets traded for Lawson on draft night and it looks like he turned out to be a very good pick. He is their starting point guard and he keeps improving. He is likely a top 10 point guard at this point in his career. He is also better than some point guards drafted before him, like Ricky Rubio, Johnny Flynn and Brandon Jennings.
Grade: A
Detroit Pistons
Choices: Austin Daye, Jonas Jerkebo Austin Daye was a big bust. He was supposed to be a good player because of his length and shooting ability. He never had a good season and was traded to the Grizzlies at the trade deadline this past season. Jerkebo has had more success as a second rounder. However, he is now the fourth big man on the team after Andre Drummond's arrival. Jerkebo would have been more of a threat if he could have rebounded better.
Grade: D+
Golden State Warriors
Choice: Stephen Curry
Curry really stepped into his own this season. He is one of the best three point shooters in the league, if not the best. He is not just a shooter, he averaged 6.9 assists per game last season. He has ended up better than the two point guards that were drafted in front of him, Rubio and Flynn. He is a top 10 point guard in the league right now. Golden State made a very good choice by picking him instead of some of the other point guards available.
Grade: A
Houston Rockets
Choices: Jermaine Taylor, Chase Budinger
Jermaine Taylor was a bit of a disappointment after his stellar college career at the University of Central Florida. He was a second round pick, but he had a lot of promise that he failed to deliver on. He was traded only a couple of games into his second season and he has not played the past two seasons. Budinger had three very solid seasons for the Rockets, but left last season for the Timberwolves. He surprised a lot of people, especially in his first season.
Grade: D
Indiana Pacers
Choices: Tyler Hansbrough, AJ Price
Hansbrough had his best season in his second year, but has been relegated to the bench in the past two season because if David West's arrival. He plays a very important "tough guy" role off of the bench, but he has been a disappointment, considering how good he was in college. Price had some very bad seasons in Indiana before moving onto Washington. He has not played well so far in the NBA and his days could be numbered.
Grade: C-
LA Clippers
Choice: Blake Griffin
Many teams choose a bust with the first pick, but Griffin has turned out to be a very good player. He is mostly known for his alley-oops, but he has slowing improved his low post game in recent seasons. Griffin is also a very good rebounder and a double double machine. There are many things he can improve on, but as of now, he is the best player out of this draft.
Grade: A
LA Lakers
Choices: None
Grade: N/A
Memphis Grizzlies
Choices: Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll
Thabeet has been one of the biggest bust in the modern era. He was traded halfway into his second season with the Grizzlies and has not improved anywhere. Carroll has not been much better either. He was also traded halfway through his second season. Imagine how good they could have been if they drafted James Harden instead of Thabeet. The Grizzlies would take back both of these draft picks in a heat beat if they had a chance.
Grade: F-
Miami Heat
Choices: Patrick Beverly, Robert Dozier
Beverly and Dozier never played a game for the Heat. Beverley played well for the Rockets in the playoffs, but off the court issues hurt him early in his career.
Grade: Incomplete
Milwaukee Bucks
Choices: Brandon Jennings, Jodie Meeks
Jennings has been overrated his entire career. He does not shoot well from the field, 39.4% for his career, and he does not pass well, last season was the first season that he had more than 6 assists per game. Jrue Holiday and Ty Lawson, both drafted after him, have turned out better than him. Meeks only played half of his first season in Milwaukee before he was traded. He had some good success in Philadelphia, but was a disappointment in Milwaukee.
Grade: B
Minnesota Timberwolves
Choices: Ricky Rubio, Jonny Flynn
Rubio has only been in the league for two seasons because he stayed in Europe for two years after getting drafted. Rubio is primarily a passer, 7.7 assists in two seasons, but he really needs to improve his scoring, 36% for his career. They would have been better off with Curry, Holiday or Lawson instead of Rubio. Flynn was a complete bust and I have no idea why he was drafted right after Rubio. He had a decent rookie season, but fell off after that.
Grade: D
New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets
Choice: Terrence Williams
Williams was a very good all around player in college, but that did not translate onto the NBA hardwood. He only lasted one and half seasons in New Jersey before he was shipped out.
Grade: F
New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans
Choices: Darren Collison, Marcus Thorton
Collison played very well in his one and only season in New Orleans when he filled in for an injured Chris Paul. He has had a decent career, but could have been much better. Thornton only lasted a season and a half in New Orleans when he was traded, but he showed a lot of promise as a scorer. I believe they should have kept him instead of trading for Eric Gordon.
Grade: C
New York Knicks
Choice: Jordan Hill
Hill did not even make it through a full season with New York before he was traded. They could have had a much better player than him because they needed help at every position. DeRozen, Hansbrough, Holiday and Lawson would have all been better choices.
Grade: F
Oklahoma City Thunder
Choices: James Harden, Byron Mullens, Robert Vaden
James Harden has a really good chance to be considered a superstar, but not with Oklahoma City. He was traded to Houston last season and played great, averaging 25.9 points, 5.8 assists and 4.9 rebounds. He did win sixth man of the year while in OKC and when they traded him, he commanded a rather large haul. Mullens was a bust with OKC, but has had success in Charlotte. He never earned any real playing time in OKC, but when it was given to him he performed well. Vaden never played a single game in the NBA.
Grade: B+
Orlando Magic
Choices: None
Grade" N/A
Philadelphia 76ers
Choice: Jrue Holiday
Holiday finally found his groove this season, after becoming the primary ball handler because of the Andre Iguodala trade. He averaged 17.7 points and 8 assists this past season, after not averaging more than 14 points or 6.5 assists. They could have drafted Lawson, but I believe the results would have been similar either way.
Grade: A-
Phoenix Suns
Choices: Earl Clark, Taylor Griffin
Clark was a total bust as the last lottery pick in 2009. He only played one full season in Phoenix before he was traded. Most of his claim to fame in the NBA came with the Lakers when he was able to start. He finally showed some of his potential with the Lakers, but was again relegated to the bench after Pau Gasol came back. Griffin, brother of Blake Griffin, only played in eight games and was not successful in any of them.
Grade: F
Portland Trail Blazers
Choices: Victor Claver, Jeff Pendergraph Dante Cunningham, Patty Mills
Claver only played one season in Portland before returning back to Spain. He did not play much better than any of the picks after him. Pendergraph was also a disappointment. He only played 10 minutes per game in his rookie season because he could not find a spot on the team. Cunningham has had more success elsewhere and he only lasted one and a half seasons in Portland before he was traded. Mills had a lot of potential, but did not discover it while he was in Portland. He has had more success in San Antonio. I would not call him a bust because he was a late second round pick.
Grade: D-
Sacramento Kings
Choices: Tyreke Evans, Jon Brockman
Evans has declined every season since winning rookie of the year. He is still a good player, but he has not reached the level many thought he would after his amazing rookie season. Evans never put the team on his back and elevated them even when he had decent talent around him. Brockman only played one one season in Sacramento, but he never got a lot of minutes. He was a good rebounder, but he had trouble putting the ball in the basket.
Grade: B-
San Antonio Spurs
Choices: DeJuan Blair, Nando de Colo
Blair had a good first three seasons in San Antonio, but was relegated spot duty after Tiago Splitter's emergence. He is going to be a free agent this season and could find success elsewhere. Colo finally joined the Spurs this past season, but he did not get a lot of minutes because Tony Parker gets a lot of minutes as a starter and Cory Joseph had the backup duty on lockdown. He was a good second round value pick who could play a much bigger role next season.
Grade: C+
Toronto Raptors
Choice: DeMar DeRozen
DeRozen has played much better than most thought he would. He averaged 18 points per game last season, but he does not do much else on the court. He was the Raptors best scorer until the brought in Rudy Gay via trade.
Grade: B
Utah Jazz
Choices: Eric Maynor, Goran Suton
Maynor was traded halfway into his rookie season with Utah where he did not play well. He has not played well anywhere, but he was so bad with Utah that they had to trade him. Suton has not played a single minute in the NBA.
Grade: F
Washington Wizards
Choices: None
Grade: N/A
Choices: Jeff Teague, Sergiy Gladyr
Teague took over as the starter in his third season and has played well. Last season, he averaged 14.6 points and 7.9 assists per game. He is one of the more stable parts on the team and I doubt he is replaced anytime soon. He has turned out better than any point guard drafted after him, which is good news for the Hawks. Gladyr has not played in a single NBA game outside of summer league, but you cannot expect much out of a second round pick.
Draft Grade: B
Boston Celtics
Choice: Lester Hudson
Hudson was waived by the Celtics before the end of his first season. He only played in a couple of games and did not stand out in any of them. He was a late second round pick so it is hard to dock the Celtics points for drafting him.
Grade: Incomplete
Charlotte Bobcats
Choices: Gerald Henderson, Derrick Brown
Henderson has been a decent player for the Bobcats. He is a decent scorer, 15.5 points per game last season, but he does not do much else, in terms of rebounds and assists. He might be replaced in this upcoming draft by either Mclemore or Oladipo. Derrick Brown took a while to get going, but came into his own last season. He had 8 points on 51% shooting and did a decent job on the boards. Both of these players would be better suited in a bench role, which is good for Brown, but not so good for Henderson who was a lottery pick.
Grade: C
Chicago Bulls
Choices: James Johnson, Taj Gibson
James Johnson has been a bust for the Bulls. He only played one and a half seasons for the Bulls before he was traded to Toronto, where he had more success. Gibson has had much more success with the Bulls. He comes off of the bench for Boozer, but plays an integral role on defense. He and Noah make a very good duo, in terms of defense. His offensive game could use some work, but as of now the Bulls don't need him to score in double digits every game.
Grade: B-
Cleveland Cavaliers
Choices: Christian Eyenga, Danny Green, Emir Preldzic
Eyenga had a very shot career that only lasted two seasons. He did not show any promise at all and was traded to the Lakers in his second season. Danny Green has had success, but not in a Cavs uniform. They waived him after his first season, but he burst onto the scene in San Antonio where he has enjoyed a lot of success. They should not have parted ways with Green as early as they did, considering the talent was light on this team. Preldzic never played a game for the Cavs.
Grade: D-
Dallas Mavericks
Choices: Rodrigue Beaubois, Nick Calathes Ahmad Nivins
Beaubois never turned into the explosive player that the Mavericks thought he had a chance to be. It is also likely that he leaves via free agency this summer. Calathes never saw an NBA court and took his talents to Greece before his first NBA season. Nivins also never played a game in the NBA, but he was a late second round pick.
Grade: D
Denver Nuggets
Choice: Ty Lawson
The Nuggets traded for Lawson on draft night and it looks like he turned out to be a very good pick. He is their starting point guard and he keeps improving. He is likely a top 10 point guard at this point in his career. He is also better than some point guards drafted before him, like Ricky Rubio, Johnny Flynn and Brandon Jennings.
Grade: A
Detroit Pistons
Choices: Austin Daye, Jonas Jerkebo Austin Daye was a big bust. He was supposed to be a good player because of his length and shooting ability. He never had a good season and was traded to the Grizzlies at the trade deadline this past season. Jerkebo has had more success as a second rounder. However, he is now the fourth big man on the team after Andre Drummond's arrival. Jerkebo would have been more of a threat if he could have rebounded better.
Grade: D+
Golden State Warriors
Choice: Stephen Curry
Curry really stepped into his own this season. He is one of the best three point shooters in the league, if not the best. He is not just a shooter, he averaged 6.9 assists per game last season. He has ended up better than the two point guards that were drafted in front of him, Rubio and Flynn. He is a top 10 point guard in the league right now. Golden State made a very good choice by picking him instead of some of the other point guards available.
Grade: A
Houston Rockets
Choices: Jermaine Taylor, Chase Budinger
Jermaine Taylor was a bit of a disappointment after his stellar college career at the University of Central Florida. He was a second round pick, but he had a lot of promise that he failed to deliver on. He was traded only a couple of games into his second season and he has not played the past two seasons. Budinger had three very solid seasons for the Rockets, but left last season for the Timberwolves. He surprised a lot of people, especially in his first season.
Grade: D
Indiana Pacers
Choices: Tyler Hansbrough, AJ Price
Hansbrough had his best season in his second year, but has been relegated to the bench in the past two season because if David West's arrival. He plays a very important "tough guy" role off of the bench, but he has been a disappointment, considering how good he was in college. Price had some very bad seasons in Indiana before moving onto Washington. He has not played well so far in the NBA and his days could be numbered.
Grade: C-
LA Clippers
Choice: Blake Griffin
Many teams choose a bust with the first pick, but Griffin has turned out to be a very good player. He is mostly known for his alley-oops, but he has slowing improved his low post game in recent seasons. Griffin is also a very good rebounder and a double double machine. There are many things he can improve on, but as of now, he is the best player out of this draft.
Grade: A
LA Lakers
Choices: None
Grade: N/A
Memphis Grizzlies
Choices: Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll
Thabeet has been one of the biggest bust in the modern era. He was traded halfway into his second season with the Grizzlies and has not improved anywhere. Carroll has not been much better either. He was also traded halfway through his second season. Imagine how good they could have been if they drafted James Harden instead of Thabeet. The Grizzlies would take back both of these draft picks in a heat beat if they had a chance.
Grade: F-
Miami Heat
Choices: Patrick Beverly, Robert Dozier
Beverly and Dozier never played a game for the Heat. Beverley played well for the Rockets in the playoffs, but off the court issues hurt him early in his career.
Grade: Incomplete
Milwaukee Bucks
Choices: Brandon Jennings, Jodie Meeks
Jennings has been overrated his entire career. He does not shoot well from the field, 39.4% for his career, and he does not pass well, last season was the first season that he had more than 6 assists per game. Jrue Holiday and Ty Lawson, both drafted after him, have turned out better than him. Meeks only played half of his first season in Milwaukee before he was traded. He had some good success in Philadelphia, but was a disappointment in Milwaukee.
Grade: B
Minnesota Timberwolves
Choices: Ricky Rubio, Jonny Flynn
Rubio has only been in the league for two seasons because he stayed in Europe for two years after getting drafted. Rubio is primarily a passer, 7.7 assists in two seasons, but he really needs to improve his scoring, 36% for his career. They would have been better off with Curry, Holiday or Lawson instead of Rubio. Flynn was a complete bust and I have no idea why he was drafted right after Rubio. He had a decent rookie season, but fell off after that.
Grade: D
New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets
Choice: Terrence Williams
Williams was a very good all around player in college, but that did not translate onto the NBA hardwood. He only lasted one and half seasons in New Jersey before he was shipped out.
Grade: F
New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans
Choices: Darren Collison, Marcus Thorton
Collison played very well in his one and only season in New Orleans when he filled in for an injured Chris Paul. He has had a decent career, but could have been much better. Thornton only lasted a season and a half in New Orleans when he was traded, but he showed a lot of promise as a scorer. I believe they should have kept him instead of trading for Eric Gordon.
Grade: C
New York Knicks
Choice: Jordan Hill
Hill did not even make it through a full season with New York before he was traded. They could have had a much better player than him because they needed help at every position. DeRozen, Hansbrough, Holiday and Lawson would have all been better choices.
Grade: F
Oklahoma City Thunder
Choices: James Harden, Byron Mullens, Robert Vaden
James Harden has a really good chance to be considered a superstar, but not with Oklahoma City. He was traded to Houston last season and played great, averaging 25.9 points, 5.8 assists and 4.9 rebounds. He did win sixth man of the year while in OKC and when they traded him, he commanded a rather large haul. Mullens was a bust with OKC, but has had success in Charlotte. He never earned any real playing time in OKC, but when it was given to him he performed well. Vaden never played a single game in the NBA.
Grade: B+
Orlando Magic
Choices: None
Grade" N/A
Philadelphia 76ers
Choice: Jrue Holiday
Holiday finally found his groove this season, after becoming the primary ball handler because of the Andre Iguodala trade. He averaged 17.7 points and 8 assists this past season, after not averaging more than 14 points or 6.5 assists. They could have drafted Lawson, but I believe the results would have been similar either way.
Grade: A-
Phoenix Suns
Choices: Earl Clark, Taylor Griffin
Clark was a total bust as the last lottery pick in 2009. He only played one full season in Phoenix before he was traded. Most of his claim to fame in the NBA came with the Lakers when he was able to start. He finally showed some of his potential with the Lakers, but was again relegated to the bench after Pau Gasol came back. Griffin, brother of Blake Griffin, only played in eight games and was not successful in any of them.
Grade: F
Portland Trail Blazers
Choices: Victor Claver, Jeff Pendergraph Dante Cunningham, Patty Mills
Claver only played one season in Portland before returning back to Spain. He did not play much better than any of the picks after him. Pendergraph was also a disappointment. He only played 10 minutes per game in his rookie season because he could not find a spot on the team. Cunningham has had more success elsewhere and he only lasted one and a half seasons in Portland before he was traded. Mills had a lot of potential, but did not discover it while he was in Portland. He has had more success in San Antonio. I would not call him a bust because he was a late second round pick.
Grade: D-
Sacramento Kings
Choices: Tyreke Evans, Jon Brockman
Evans has declined every season since winning rookie of the year. He is still a good player, but he has not reached the level many thought he would after his amazing rookie season. Evans never put the team on his back and elevated them even when he had decent talent around him. Brockman only played one one season in Sacramento, but he never got a lot of minutes. He was a good rebounder, but he had trouble putting the ball in the basket.
Grade: B-
San Antonio Spurs
Choices: DeJuan Blair, Nando de Colo
Blair had a good first three seasons in San Antonio, but was relegated spot duty after Tiago Splitter's emergence. He is going to be a free agent this season and could find success elsewhere. Colo finally joined the Spurs this past season, but he did not get a lot of minutes because Tony Parker gets a lot of minutes as a starter and Cory Joseph had the backup duty on lockdown. He was a good second round value pick who could play a much bigger role next season.
Grade: C+
Toronto Raptors
Choice: DeMar DeRozen
DeRozen has played much better than most thought he would. He averaged 18 points per game last season, but he does not do much else on the court. He was the Raptors best scorer until the brought in Rudy Gay via trade.
Grade: B
Utah Jazz
Choices: Eric Maynor, Goran Suton
Maynor was traded halfway into his rookie season with Utah where he did not play well. He has not played well anywhere, but he was so bad with Utah that they had to trade him. Suton has not played a single minute in the NBA.
Grade: F
Washington Wizards
Choices: None
Grade: N/A
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