Detroit Pistons Preview

Hello Readers,

Going to get right to it today.

DETROIT PISTONS:

Key Additions: Andre Drummond (rookie), Corey Maggette (trade)

Key Losses: Ben Gordon (trade), Ben Wallace (retirement).

Projected Lineup:
PG: Rodney Stuckey
SG: Brandon Knight
SF: Tayshaun Prince
PF: Drummond
C: Greg Monroe

Role Players: Will Bynum (PG), Austin Daye (SF), Jonas Jerebko (PF), Maggette (SF), Jason Maxiell (PF), Other players who may actually get playing time, but I don't want to talk about them because I have never heard of them (Slava Kravtsov), or think they suck (Kyle Singler)

Comments: The Pistons are finally committed to rebuilding after attempting to smoothly transition from the team that made 7 straight Eastern Conference Finals (and 1 championship). Now that Ben Wallace retired, only Tayshaun Prince remains from the championship squad, and the Pistons are younger, more athletic, but still offensively challenged, as was the case with the defensive squads led by Chauncey Billups and co.

Lawrence Frank got very lucky when he became coach, as he inherited a New Jersey Nets squad with Vince Carter and Jason Kidd in their primes. Unfortunately, after a while, people started to realize he wasnt very good (as those Nets teams went nowhere), and he was fired. This is his second chance. At least he won't be as bad as John Keucher. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzK-YbJWb_c.

The Pistons have technically 3 PG's on their depth chart, but none of them play PG particularly well. Stuckey is the best of the bunch. He attacks the paint well, draws lots of fouls, and can dish the ball when he feels like it. Although injury prone, he never fully lived up to the hype, when the Pistons believed that they could trade Chauncey Billups and still have a quality point guard. Of course, they got Allen Iverson in that trade, and thats the way the cookie crumbles. Stuckey will hold down the fort until Brandon Knight decides he wants to play PG. Will Bynum is the backup. He is pretty short but stocky, and he doesnt pass the ball particularly well either. In fact, all 3 of the so called PG on the Pistons totaled 8 assists per game (rounding up). There were 7 point guards alone who averaged more than that. What is comical is that the Pistons werent even last in team assists per game... the Thunder were. uhhhh, more on them later.

So Brandon Knight, this guy decided that he wanted to be called a point guard, so people were under the impression he could be the next Rondo, or Wall, or whatever. But, he also decided, that he was just going to shoot 3's instead of do any other PG business. At Kentucky, he wasn't even that good of a 3-point shooter. His percentage actually didnt turn out that bad (38%), but his 3 turnovers a game compared to 4 assists is pretty miserable. We will see if Lawrence Frank can get the JR Smith out of him, so he can become what this team desperately needs. He is quick, and at Kentucky showed great poise with the ball, so if he can be a solid PG, let Stuckey move to SG, the team will be moving in the right direction. With the loss of Gordon, the team actually doesn't have a SG on the roster (unless you count Kim English....let's not). In summary, the Pistons have no PG that play actual point guard, and no shooting guards...good start.

The Pistons do have plenty of forwards, especially the SF's. Tayshaun Prince is the wily veteran, who will try to bring his championship experience to the team to help them grow. He is a great leader, but his basketball skills are diminishing. Still a very good defender, his offensive game (which used to involve some attacking of the basket), is limited to outside shooting. But have no fear, Austin Daye is the young, offensively talented Tayshaun Prince. They also look kind of similar. http://www.nba.com/pistons/photos/prince_daye_400_100121.jpg Anyway, Daye has never really seen playing time with Prince situated in the starting lineup. I think that this will be the year Daye will have his chance to crack the starting lineup. Maggette will be traded from this team. He draws fouls, can defend OK, and has made a living making free throws, but to a rebuilding team, he has no real value (see Bobcats, Charlotte).

Andre Drummond is an interesting prospect. Coming out of high school, people thought he was a potential #1 pick, the next big man to dominate the league. However, at UCONN, he had attitude problems, and never developed an offensive game. So basically he has DeMarcus Cousins attitude with Roy Hibbert defense. Luckily for him, he is put in a situation where he can play right away, and as he will find out (like many big men who could sleep walk through college play because they were just so much bigger), there are a lot of big bodies in the NBA. It will be interesting to see if he can step up his game, and maybe surprise people (like his teammate Greg Monroe once did). He has the tools; strength, size, athleticism, a defensive mindset. Jason Maxiell is a quality hustle guy off the bench. He will offensive rebound for you, play good defense. He could be a trade candidate for this team come February, as I'm sure a team looking to bulk up will come a calling.

Greg Monroe is the Pistons best player by far. If people knew that he was going to be this good offensively, he would have been drafted much higher. Everyone knew he was going to be a good defensive center, but he has developed into a solid offensive player with multiple post moves and a pretty good 17 foot jump shot, and he is an above average rebounder. He should crack double digits in rebounds this year. He will benefit having Drummond to help him inside, maybe take a little attention away from himself. As I look back, I forgot to talk about Jerebko, even though he is a combo forward. So Jonas Jerebko could even land in the starting lineup if Drummond falters. He is a very good outside shooter, a solid rebounder, sort of a young Mehmet Okur.

The Pistons realize that this is a rebuilding year, and won't be expecting a lot. You should expect to see them at the bottom of the eastern conference again this year. They need to sort out their point guard situation first (whether they have one on their team that they can move forward with), and hope they get continued improvement from their young big men. They will play solid defense, but look for them to struggle to outscore anyone, rarely going over 100 points to win.

Next Up, Minnesota Timberwolves

Toronto Raptors Preview

Hello Readers,

This blog thing is fun, and if you have feedback or opinions, I want to see those comments.

TORONTO RAPTORS

Key Additions: Kyle "killed my fantasy team due to a stomach infection" Lowry (Trade), Landry Fields (FA), Jonas Valanciunas (rookie), Terence Ross (rookie), John Lucas (FA), Aaron Gray (FA)

Key Losses: Jerryd Bayless, James Johnson, Gary "not a real loss but a former Nugget so he's worth mentioning" Forbes

Projected Starting Lineup:

PG: Lowry
SG: Ross
SF: Demar Derozan
PF: Andrea Bargnani
C: Valanciunas

Role Players: Jose Calderon (PG), Fields (SG), Amir Johnson (PF), Linas Kleiza (SF), Ed Davis (PF), Lucas (PG)

Comments: The Raptors coach, Dwane Casey, is an experienced and a defensive minded coach, but he isnt very interesting. Bryan Colangelo, the GM, however, is. He is the son of Jerry Colangelo, aka, the architect of the last two olympic squads for the U.S. I was surprised to see that Bryan has actually won two executive of the year awards, because he always seems to do a piss poor job of managing the Raptors. He was under the impression Chris Bosh was a loyal fellow, and let him go. Traded the pick that ended up being Roy Hibbert for an injured Jermaine O'neal in 2008, and drafted Andrea Bargnani with the #1 pick (we will get to him shortly).

One of Colangelo's moves this offseason was getting Kyle Lowry. This didn't take much GM acumen as Lowry requested a trade from Houston, feeling unappreciated (which I think he was). Lowry leads this deep group of PG's on the Raptors. He is a fantasy monster when healthy. His three point shooting has really improved, he is a great passer, and probably the best rebounding point guard outside of Rajon Rondo. His breakup with Houston aside (mainly caused by Goran Dragic's amazing play), this guy is just a solid professional. He should be in for a very nice season. Jose Calderon is the old and poor man's version of Ricky Rubio. He is all about passing, and has averaged double-digit assisting the last few years, but has little scoring skill. Unlike Rubio, no one is scared of Calderon's game, and he will never take over a game at any point. Which, in fact, is unlike the third string on this team- John Lucas. Whenever Lucas came into the game for the Bulls, on national TV especially, he would be on fire offensively. Lucas got unlucky by signing with the Raptors, as they got Lowry soon after, and he will be relegated to third string again. Unfortunately, we may not hear from Lucas for a while, but hopefully he will raise his game to surpass Calderon.

At SG, the Raptors drafted Terence Ross. I didn't see much of Ross at all, since he played for Washington, a team that didnt make the NCAA tourney. From the highlights I watched, he profiles for me as a defensive stopper with offensive upside. He is athletic and long, but struggles shooting the ball, which is a problem for a shooting guard. I see as a similar player to Iman Shumpert but shooting less. He has the chance to develop though into a Rudy Gay, or probably more realistic, Paul George, type.  It is pretty funny how the Raptors ended up with Landry Fields (a former Knick). The Raptors were attempting to sign Steve Nash, and believed their main competition was the Knicks (stupid Lakers, always sneaking in). To try and lure the Knicks into using their money on Landry Fields, they signed him to an offer sheet, forcing the Knicks to spend money to keep Fields. The Raptors forgot one thing in this master plan, Landry Fields isn't that good, and the Knicks had no problem letting him walk. Fields got the whole New York treatment as a rookie when he blasted onto the scene after nobody had heard of him. He hustled, played defense, and tried hard on offense. That's about where his game is now, which is certainly not worth the 7 mil he is getting paid this year. Another great Colangelo move.

DeMar Derozan is a really fun player to watch. He is super athletic, and should have won the dunk contest because of this ridiculous dunk (stupid Blake Griffin jumping over a car... again we have to wait to talk about him). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HPvkBGtHPc. Derozan has really improved his offensive game outside of his driving ability and athleticism, and has developed a nice jump shot. With good length, and clearly high jumping ability, he needs to keep improving on his defense and rebounding. He could be an all-star in the NBA very shortly if he takes more steps forward and doesn't plateau his game. Linas Kleiza, a former Nugget, is one of those players not meant for the NBA. He has really good offensive ability, when he plays for Lithuania, but just can't seem to match the athleticism and strength found in the NBA. It really is too bad... I liked Kleiza from his days on the Nuggets, but he could never reach the point of being an effective starter even though he was one of the best players in the Olympics.

The Bargnani move to power forward (and Valanciunas as center) could be a turning point for this franchise. Bargnani is an above average scorer in the NBA. At 7 feet tall, he can shoot 3's well, and while he is no Dirk Nowitzki, he seems to be getting closer every year. He wasn't a total bust in the really weak 2006 draft, but players like LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Gay, and Rajon Rondo were all drafted later. Why the move to PF is key for Andrea is that he is one of the worst defenders in the NBA. Seriously, he and Pau Gasol are the reasons that Americans think European basketball players are soft. Now that he won't be pushed around by strong centers, he can save more energy for offense, and could get up to a Nowitzki offensive level. Davis and Johnson are very similar players at backup PF. They are both good defenders and rebounders with streaky offensive games. I thought Davis (who has more potential) would step up to control the starting group, but his inconsistency left him on the bench.

Valanciunas is a rookie, but was drafted at #5 in 2011. He spent the last year in Europe maturing and refining his game. We got our first look at him in the Olympics and he disappointed. As one of the taller and stronger people at the Olympics, he should have dominated the post. However, he seemed tentative to use his size. The Raptors can't really afford to have that happen at center when the only other option is Bargnani. He will be one of the more interesting rookies, and I have seen articles where people expect him to compete with Anthony Davis for rookie of the year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyAB35Nm5o4 I won't go that far, but offensively talented 7 foot centers are difficult to find, hopefully his game translates to the NBA.

The Raptors will definitely be an improved team in 2012-13 due to Lowry, Valanciunas, and Bargnani's move to PF. The team is now deeper and more talented than the last few years. However, the Atlantic Divison of the Eastern Conference is very good with the Celtics, 76ers, Knicks, and Nets. Those 4 teams all have legitimate stars, so they will have a difficult time making the playoffs. Add the Heat, Bulls, and Pacers, I expect the Raptors to compete with the Bucks and Hawks for that last playoff spot in the East.

Detroit Pistons are up next

Golden State Warriors Preview

Hello Readers,

Please feel free to comment on my posts. I think it would be cool to get some discussion going if you disagree with something I say, have something to add, or want to praise how awesome a read these things are.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Key Additions: Andrew Bogut (traded last year, but didn’t play), Jarret Jack (Trade), Harrison Barnes (rookie), Draymond Green (rookie), Carl Landry (FA)

Key Losses: Nate “won 2 dunk contests because people were surprised even after he already won once that he could dunk” Robinson, Dorrel Wright

Projected Starting Lineup:

PG: Stephen Curry

SG: Klay Thompson

SF: Barnes

PF: David Lee

C: Bogut

Role Players: Jack, Landry, Brandon Rush, Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins, Green

Comments: I am pretty high on the Warriors this year, but lets start with their ownership. There is a really good Bill Simmons article describing how the Warriors ownership has basically always screwed the team over http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7714701/how-annoy-fan-base-60-easy-steps. In ranking the best fans in the NBA, most people will say the Warriors have the best fans (with the Thunder a close second). They don’t deserve having owners that constantly make bad decisions for their team. This boiled over at a ceremony for Chris Mullin (a legendary Warrior), where the owner was booed to hell http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLCuJzI_jEc. If you don't understand why the Warriors fans are so mean here, read the Simmon's article. However, the team they have built now could be very good in a few years, and maybe ownership can get its fans back.

The team on paper is built well, but its success will depend on whether Mark Jackson is actually an NBA coach, the health of Curry and Bogut, and the development of young players Thompson and Barnes.

So let’s start with Curry. He is a really good shooter (going all the way back to his days at Davidson, but he showed his rookie season that he had good vision and passing skills, and could rebound too. Many people thought that the presence of Monta Ellis on this team was holding Curry back. Ellis is another electric scorer who needs the ball in his hand. Part of the reason Ellis was traded was to allow Curry to run this team. Unfortunately, after his rookie year, Curry has had 2 seasons with major injuries. He must stay healthy as well as improve his defense for this team to move forward into competing for a playoff spot. If Curry gets injured, Jack is a very capable backup. He is a solid shooter and passer, and along with Landry and Jefferson will bring stability and veteran leadership to a youthful bench.

At SG, the Warriors have Klay Thompson. After the Ellis trade, Thompson got increased playing time, and really showed how good he can be at scoring. He can create his own shot, and should only get better in his second year in the league. His defense must improve. The Ellis/Curry guard combo was really bad defensively, and the Warriors cant afford to have Thompson be equally as bad. Mark Jackson is supposedly a defensive coach, so maybe both Curry and Thompson can raise their level. Brandon Rush is one of the best spot up shooters in the NBA. The good thing about Rush is that he knows who he is, and doesn’t try to do much other than shoot 3’s. Every team needs to have a Rush (see Mike Miller or Daequan Cook on the Heat and Thunder respectively).

Harrison Barnes is a very interesting prospect. Out of high school, people said that he would be a sure-fire #1 draft pick the following year. However, at UNC, he was never really dominant. This is someone that could create his own shot, pass at a high level, and rebound. I don’t remember many games that Barnes took over. He stayed another year, and he was improved but not to a top draft pick level. This led to him falling to #8 in the draft. It will be interesting to see if Barnes can become the NBA player everyone thought he would be. Richard Jefferson fell off the face of the Earth while with the Spurs. He just never got accustomed to being a role player, and his stint with the Warriors suggest that he will never return to the player he used to be. Green is a very interesting prospect. While not amazing at any skill, he is good at every facet of the game, and is a winner (see Michigan States success the last 4 years). He could eventually surpass Barnes if Barnes disappoints because Green is so solid across the board.

David Lee is a really solid player. He is not flashy, doesn’t have a great jump shot, and his defense is below average, but he is one of the best rebounders in the league, and always seems to score close to 20 points a game on put backs, post moves, and 12 foot jumpers. He has shown with the Knicks and Warriors that he will not carry a team, nor can he be counted on score at will, but he will have an influence on a game, and I would like to see him on a winning team for once. Carl Landry, as the backup is equally as solid. One of the most underrated player in the league, I was shocked that he didn’t receive a bigger contract as a free agent this season. He is one of the most efficient post scorers in the league, and while undersized, has proven to be a quality defender. The duo of Lee and Landry is probably one of the best in the league at PF.

While the Warriors success depends on Curry’s health, the team can survive without him for a period. That is not the case with Andrew Bogut. As the #1 pick back in 2005, it took him a few years to figure out what kind of player he was. He is not great offensively, but he is one of the best defensive centers in the league. He is strong, can block shots, and patrols the paint well. He can also give 10-15 points a game, and is a solid passer for a big man. Unfortunately, like Curry, he cannot stay healthy over the course of the season. The Warriors traded Ellis to get Bogut because they desperately needed a center (they were rumored at times to trade Dwight Howard for Ellis and others). If Bogut is out for any period of time, this team will struggle mightily. Already not a great defensive team, it will lose its only defensive player. And at backup, Andris Biedrins is very bad. How he is still on this team is beyond me (he gets paid 9 mil), and if he isn’t playing, the Warriors will probably be winning.

In summary, the Warriors team should see massive improvement this year. I think they will be in competition for a playoff spot in the West, although I don’t think they will make it. The team does not play good enough defensive, will have growing pains, and it’s two most important players are injury-prone. Somewhere around 40 wins makes sense to me.

Up next, the Toronto Raptors

Brooklyn Nets Preview

Hello Again,

The second half of the back-to-back previews, the first team that I have previewed that is expected to make the playoffs. We will get more into how good they actually will be.

NEW JERSEY NETS

Key Additions:  Joe Johnson (trade), Reggie Evans (FA), Mirza Teletovic (FA), C.J. Watson (FA), Andray Blatche (FA)

Key Losses: Jordon Farmar, Anthony Morrow, Johan Petro, a few Williams’ and other really bad players.

Projected Starting Lineup:

PG: Deron Williams

SG: Johnson

SF: Gerald Wallace

PF: Kris Humphries

C: Brook Lopez

Role Players: Watson, MarShon Brooks, Teletovic, Evans, not Jerry Stackhouse…or Keith Bogans.

Comments: Avery Johnson will have to deal with some pretty large expectations this year. Moving to Brooklyn where the fans will surely be harder than those in New Jersey, and an owner who has gone to great lengths to make sure that he is better owner than Vladmir Putin (oh wait).

A brief aside about New Jersey: I was recently visiting the fine state, and I determined that the state needs to either declare its allegiance to Philadelphia or New York sports, or just split into two states. The uncertainty in the sports world causes other problems, and I think the people would be happier with it settled.

Anyways, Deron Williams is arguably the league’s best point guard. He is strong, is an excellent shooter and passer, and can defend. He has had to suffer a year and a half with the losers on the Nets, but as long as everyone is healty, he should have the pieces to raise his game back up to the level it was with the Jazz. He had a pretty solid Olympics, and it is safe to say that it won’t be his fault if the team disappoints. C.J. Watson is an OK backup PG. He doesn’t really pass, which you would want, but his scoring and defense are good. Part of a very weak Nets bench.

Joe Johnson is the big piece that the Nets added. While he is no Dwight Howard, he is someone that can be counted on to make any type of shot at any time. He can take over in the 4^th quarter, as can Williams, so this team should have no problems closing out close games. Johnson has also really improved his defense over the last few years. He is definitely not worth 20 mil a year (one of the highest paid players), but he is a perennial all-star, and the Nets will be considerably better just because of his arrival. Brooks was a surprise rookie last year, but I have a feeling that was due to the fact that he was allowed to be a major part of the offense. We will see how he does in a supporting role. Definitely a capable scorer, he will have to take on the responsibility as the leader of the bench.

The Nets traded a top-10 draft pick last year for Gerald Wallace.  Wallace is getting a little old for a player that relies basically on his athleticism, but he is a quality defender, and if not counted on to score, which he certainly will not be with this team, will be a valuable contributor to the starting group. I always wished he was a better shooter or just more assertive on offense, but as long as he plays solid defense and scores 10-15, he has done his job. This team actually has no backup SF, unless you count Jerry Stackhouse. Maybe Mirza Teletovic, but I don’t know much about him except that the Nets thought he was worth 4 mil, which doesn’t mean much with their owner. He is Bosnian, so he can probably shoot well and not play defense or rebound, like his fellow European players.

Kris Humphries has risen to popularity for the wrong reasons (see Kardashian, Kim), but he has actually been in the league for a while and only recently has become a really good rebounder, offensive and defensive. Reggie Evans is a very similar player, just 5 years older. Whenever I think of Reggie Evans, I think of this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv1cBN8M-9I Both of these guys will stick to their role as rebounders and defenders, getting put back baskets, and overall contributing nicely to the team.

The success of the team does not rest on Deron Williams or Joe Johnson, but the center Brook Lopez. Lopez has really good touch around the basket, and when healthy has shown the ability to score inside. But, he is injury prone, and when he is healthy, is not a good defender and a very poor rebounder. I know, he was on my fantasy team and average 5 rebounds a game. Unacceptable for someone 7 feet tall. He needs to get stronger inside on the defensive end, or he will get tooled on by the big men in the east, Andrew Bynum, KG, Amare, and even Chris Bosh. This team also doesn’t have anyone else over 6’9, so they will have to acquire a backup big man at some point this year.

The New Jersey Nets will find out what the Knicks and Clippers have recently discovered. Putting two quality offensive players does not translate into immediate success. Williams and Johnson are good enough to lead this team to a mid-range spot in the playoffs (as high as 4, Heat, Celtics, and Bulls [given Rose for half a season] are all still better).  However, I think they will be a bit lower. The lack of quality big men and a very weak bench will make it hard for this team to overcome any adversity that it will surely face.

Next up, Golden State Warriors

Sacramento Kings Preview

Hello Readers,

I am currently on an airplane, and since I haven’t sent out a preview in a few days, everyone gets a treat- a second preview.  First, as promised, the Sacramento Kings.

SACRAMENTO KINGS

Key Additions: Thomas Robinson (rookie), Aaron Brooks (FA), James Johnson (FA)

Key Losses: Ummm, basically no one.

Projected Lineup: This team has so many player of basically the same talent level, that the starting lineup will probably change a lot throughout the year. 

PG: Tyreke Evans

SG: Marcus Thornton

SF: John Salmons

PF: Demarcus Cousins

C: Jason Thompson

Role Players: Brooks, Robinson, Isaiah Thomas, Jimmer Fredette, Chuck Hayes, Francisco Garcia, Johnson.

Comments: I think it is important to start with the uncertainty of the owners and location of the team. The Maloof Brothers have made it clear that if the city Sacramento does not build a new stadium, they will move the team to somewhere that wants it. And with the growing popularity of the NBA, and the profatibility of having a franchise, numerous cities have expressed interest. The list includes Anaheim, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Virginia Beach, and Seattle. If this team does in fact move, I would expect them to go to Seattle due to their history of having a franchise, the heartbreak of losing the Sonics, and the fact that they recently got money to build a new stadium. The team needs this to be resolved before they can make a move towards competing for a playoff spot.

Anyways, the PG situation for the Kings is kind of ridiculous. First they have Tyreke Evans. After having a tremendous rookie season, he has kind of reached a ceiling. His playmaking ability is very solid, but he still hasn’t solidified himself as either a PG or a SG. He can score and is tall like a SG, and can pass and penetrate like a PG, but he isnt amazing at either. Still he is the Kings best player, and could be an all-star at some point. Isaiah Thomas and Aaron Brooks are basically the exact same player, and either could end up as the teams starting PG if Evans moves to SG. These guys are both really short, fast, and can make it rain from 3. Thomas was the best rookie out of the second round last year, but at 5'9, it will be difficult or him to become more than just an electric scorer off the bench. Brooks spent the last year in China, so it will be interesting to see if he's still got the talent that he had when he was Houston's best PG. And then there is Jimmer. This guy is just not meant to be in the NBA. Similar to Adam Morrison, he was excellent at the college level, but he just doesnt have the athleticism or strength to be a quality player. Sure, you may see him have a hot shooting night every now and again, but at the end of the year, he will be at the end of the bench. Still, he is the Kings best player, and still has a chance to be an all-star.  Isaiah Thomas and Aaron Brooks are basically the exact same player, and either could end up as this teams starting PG. Isaiah Thomas and Aaron Brooks are basically the exact same player, and either could end up as the starting point guard if Evans moves to SG. These guys are both really short, really fast, and can make it rain from 3. Thomas was the best rookie last year from the second round, but at 5’9, it will be difficult for him to ever become more than an electric scorer off the bench. Brooks spent the last year in China, so it will be interesting to see if he has gotten any better. And then there is Jimmer. This guy is just not meant for the NBA (a la Adam Morrison). While excellent at the college level, his skills don’t transfer. Sure, you may see him get hot and have some good scoring nights, but as the year goes on, he will find himself at the end of the bench with very little playing time.

I am a big fan of Marcus Thornton. He is incredibly underrated. He has developed into a really good scorer, and should average north of 20 points this season. His defense and rebounding need improvement, and like a lot of Kings players, he is on the brink of becoming all-star caliber player. This applies to Evans, Thornton, and Cousins. The team doesn't play with any sort of consistency, and these 3 don't play much defense at all. I didn't realize how old Francisco Garcia is. He, like many other Kings, is a streaky shooter and doesnt play hard on defense. If I had to be on a player to be traded this year, it would be this guy. He could be an OK player for a team that lacks wing depth, such as the Pacers or Nets. 

Projecting Salmons as the SF, I am respecting his experience, rather than his skill. As the year moves on, they should move Thornton here, play small with Evans and Brooks/Thomas at guard. When Salmons was on my fantasy team, he shot the ball a lot at a really low percentage. He is kind of clutch, can make plays for others, and should provide some veteran leadership. Oh, he will probably be traded too. Johnson is the backup SF, he is athletic, but like Al-Farouq Aminu, is neither good at offense nor defense. 

I am a big fan of Marcus Thornton. He is incredibly underrated. He has developed into a really good scorer, and he should average around 20 points. His defense needs improvement, and like a lot of the players on the Kings, they are on the brink of becoming all-star caliber players if they could just be more consistent, but not quite there yet. That goes for Evans, Thornton, and Cousins. The team just doesn’t win enough, and the defense of all 3 can be seriously questioned. I didn’t realize how old Francisco Garcia is. He, like all the Kings, is a streaky shooter and terrible defender. If I had to bet on a player to be traded this year, I would take this guy. He could be an OK role player for a team like the Pacers or 76ers that could use wing players off the bench.

Putting Salmons at SF, I am basically only respecting his experience, rather than his skill. As the year moves on, they will have thornton here, with evans and brooks/Thomas at guard. Salmons, I remember from when he was on my fantasy team, shoots the ball a lot with not so much success. He is kind of clutch, and should provide some veteran leadership. Oh, he will probably be traded too. Johnson at backup is athletic, but as we discussed with Al-Farouq Aminu, isn’t particularly good at offense or defense.

DeMarcus Cousins could be on the verge of a breakout season. Last year, it looked like he might have to be traded, but he turned on some switch and played more maturely the rest of the season. He is really good on the boards, and has developed some nice post moves to become a potential 20-10 guy. Again, his defense is just piss poor, and he doesn’t have the consistency. Hmm, seems like I’m a broken record. Thomas Robinson is an interesting prospect. He is definitely raw in terms of his skills, and people thought he might stay at Kansas to develop them. After all, he was a bench player just 2 years ago. However, he has energy and athleticism to earn the playing time to develop those skills, similar to Kenneth Faried last year. I think that many people expect Robinson to show offensive skills, but he will disappoint if this is the case.

At the end of last year, Jason Thompson showed signs that he could also become a productive big man. He is tall and strong, has a bit of a jump shot, and is amazing in NBA Jam. Chuck Hayes is the exact opposite in a center, he is short with no skills whatsoever. He gets around by shoving people inside, never giving up on a play, and otherwise being crafty.

This team is loaded with young players, especially guards, and like the Hornets, this will be a year to see exactly what they have in these guys. There will be uncertainty with the future location of this team, and that won’t help a young team trying to avoid distractions. Expect the Kings to be close to the bottom of a very difficult Western Conference.

Next up, Brooklyn Nets

New Orleans Hornets Preview

Hello, 

I hope you guys are not getting sick of me talking about bad teams, cause it will continue for a few more previews. With nothing else to say, here are the Hornets. 

New Orleans Hornets:

Basically a completely new team, a complete overhaul from the Chris Paul era.

Key Additions: Anthony "the Brow" Davis (rookie), Ryan Anderson (trade), Robin Lopez (trade), Austin Rivers (rookie), Hakim Warrick (FA), Darius Miller (rookie)

Key Losses: Jarret Jack, Emeka Okafor, Trevor Ariza, Marco Belinelli, Carl Landry, Chris "bald spot" Kaman (this is basically their entire starting roster besides Eric Gordon)

Projected Starting Lineup: Of any team so far, I am very unsure of this, could do lots of different things here, this is my best guess if they go with a traditional lineup.

PG: Greivis Vasquez

SG: Eric Gordon

SF: Al-Farouq Aminu

PF: Anderson

C: Davis

Role Players: Lopez, Jason Smith, Rivers, Warrick, Xavier Henry, Miller

Comments: 

Monty Williams has proven that no matter how bad his team looks on paper, they will always play hard on defense for him, and they have shown the ability to sneak attack on teams that assume they will win and take the night off. They did this exact thing to the nuggets last year. Williams just got a well-deserved contract extension, but he has a completely different team to build, and there will be many growing pains for sure. 

This team is very weak at point guard. Vasquez has shown flashes of being a decent point guard, but nothing very consistent. He is tall for a point guard (6'6), and he therefore is susceptible to being tooled on by quick point guards. His offense is developing, but his passing is solid. Vasquez, though, is holding Austin Rivers spot for now. Rivers, at the draft, projected more as a shooting guard than a point guard. At Duke, Coach K would allow Rivers to basically take the ball and create offense for himself and others. Rivers was generally pretty good at creating his own shot, whether it be by stone-cold shooting, or magnificent drives. His passing skills are still pretty miseable. When the Hornets traded Jack, they made it pretty clear they consider Rivers a point guard, who they need to get on the court. It will be interesting to see if Rivers is capable of sharing the ball more than looking for his own shot. If he can't do it, the Hornets will surely look for a point guard in next years draft, which I believe will happen. For me, Rivers will become a scoring threat off the bench, a la Jason Terry or JR Smith. 

At SG lies the Hornets best player by far. Eric Gordon is a proven NBA scorer capable of averaging 25 points a game. However, he can not seem to stay healthy... ever. He made statements this offseason that Phoenix was the right place for him to play, but New Orleans was never going to let him go. As the centerpiece of the Chris Paul trade a year ago, Gordon was always going to be a Hornet, and he along with Davis are the cornerstones of the franchise if he can stay healthy. Xavier Henry finally got playing time last year after coming from the Grizzlies where he was trapped on the bench behind all of the Grizzlies wing players. He showed some flashes of being a quality bench player, but this year will really be telling of his ability. 

Aminu was part of the Nigerian team this summer that got trampled by everyone (except Tunisia). He is very athletic, but has not shown either the offensive or defensive ability to really come into his own as a player. He needs to rebound and pass at a better rate, and he should focus on trying to become a defensive stopper such as World Peace or the man he was a backup to last year Trevor Ariza. I always liked Darius Miller at Kentucky. He can shoot the ball at a high rate, played excellent defense, and brought the energy off the bench that the Wildcats needed in their championship run. He has the chance to be one of those second-rounders who has a productive NBA career. He certainly should get the opporunity with a weak Hornets bench on the wing. 

This is where the hornets lineup gets interesting. I have Anderson listed as the PF, but Davis is also more of a traditional PF. The Hornets could go big, play Anderson at SF, Davis at PF, and Lopez at C. With Anderson's ability to shoot, that type of lineup could work. Anyway, lets consider as if Anderson is the PF. He was a breakout star last year, showing that he was not only a deadly 3-point shooter, but also shoot midrange, drive a little, and rebound. The downside is that Anderson, who came from the Magic, was able to score at a  higher rate when Dwight Howard was able to draw defenders, allowing Anderson to get open shots. This is not to say that Anderson is incapable of scoring (his 3 point percentages are actually almost identical with and without Howard ~40%), but it becomes much harder for him. His defense is weak because he is weak, but if he does get time at SF, he should do OK. Warrick has basically been a complete bust since his days with Carmelo at 'Cuse, so this is his last chance to prove he can be a helpful role player. Smith, a Colorado State man, was thrust into a bigger role due to injuries last year, and showed he can play a little, and crush Blake Griffin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRvqWmtR7-I&feature=related). He is also the only one still on the team in this clip.

At center is the Unibrow. Picture. 

We can sum up Davis' ability with the box score of the NCAA championship game. 16 boards, 5 assists, 3 steals, 6 blocks, and 6 points, and an MVP. The old saying, you don't need to score to have an impact. The thing is, he can also score, he just had a bad shooting night (1-10). He comes into the league already as a top-25 defender, has a jump shot, and will develop a post game as he builds more size. He is truly the best big-man prospect since Dwight Howard (and no Blake Griffin doesn't count, cause he plays like a SG, who can just jump higher, more on that later). Davis will have an immediate impact. Lopez, like Warrick has been a complete bust. He was never really trusted in Phoenix, but should get plenty of time at C here, when Davis is playing PF. 

This year is not about winning for the Hornets. They want to see what they have in their young players, which is basically their entire team. Hopefully they have some bright spots. I cheer for teams that have their superstar ripped away from them because that person likes big cities and wants to play with his buddies. No one hates on Chris Paul for what he did, but it was just as bad as James, Melo, and Howard. 

p.s. I went the entire post without talking about the travesty that was the time when the NBA owned the Hornets. Since that is not the case anymore, I won't talk about it. I'll save it for when I write professionally. 

Next up, Sacramento (soon to be Seattle or Vancouver or Virginia Beach or Las Veags or Anaheim or my vote Anchorage) Kings

Cleveland Cavaliers Preview

Hello,

Let's get straight to it with the most depressing sports town, and its most depressing team (actually you can make an argument for the Browns....and the Indians....oh Cleveland).

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS:

Key Additions: Dion Waiters (rookie), Tyler Zeller (rookie), CJ Miles (FA), Jon Leuer (FA)

Key Losses: Antawn "chosen over Amare to play with Lebron" Jamison (FA), Anthony Parker (retired), Alonzo Gee (FA), other crappy players that I dont feel like looking up

Projected Starting Lineup:

PG: Kyrie Irving

SG: Dion Waiters

SF: Miles/ Omri Casspi (really tough call)

PF: Tristan Thompson

C: Anderson Varejao

Role Players: Daniel Gibson, Zeller, Leuer, Samardo Samuels, Donald Sloan

Comments: It still cracks me up sometimes to think that Byron Scott was basically tricked into taking this job. He is a good coach, but when hired he was under the impression that he would have Bron Bron to shoulder the load. Now he is stuck in a rebuilding project, again, like he was in New Orleans. He also is stuck with a psychopath owner (Dan Gilbert), a person I am surprised hasnt hired an assasin to take out Lebron. I guess he has too much pride to quit.

Luckily for Scott, he got Kyrie Irving. In what was seemingly one of the weakest drafts in history (mainly due to the impending lockout that scared top picks away), Irving turned out to be a legitimate top overall pick last year. He is absolutely fearless when going to the hoop, and has the clutch gene. In a game against my Nuggets last year, he basically scored a layup on every possession for the last 3 min including the eventual game winner. Maybe it was just bad Nuggets D, but Irving definitely proved he is a future All-Star. His assists will go up as he gets better teammates, and his turnovers will go down with experience. He also showed, unbeknowest to anyone, that he could shoot the ball proficiently. Sloan is the backup, but as we will see, this team has 0 depth, and the second unit will be torched. 

In this years draft, everyone expected the Cavaliers to try and move up to get Bradley Beal (see Wizards note). They needed a scorer on the wing. The Wizards coveted Beal too much at #2 to move up, so they got the next best scorer in their mind- Dion Waiters. I would have thought that player to be Harrison Barnes, who we will talk about whenever I get to the Warriors, so the pick was a bit surprising. Waiters refused to workout for any team prior to the draft, so everyone was making an assessment based off of his collegiate work. In addition, there was a rumor that a team guaranteed to draft him if he fell to them (supposedly the Suns, but maybe it was the Cavs all along). The whole thing seems fishy to me, and it will be interesting to see what Waiters gives the Cavs. At Syracuse, he was their best scorer, and he can finish in a multitude of ways. He isnt much of 3-point shooter, which you would tend to look for in a SG, but his defense and rebounding should be solid, as well as his playmaking ability. Daniel "Boobie" Gibson is probably the streakiest shooter in the NBA. He is really tiny, a complete liability on defense, another bad bench player for the Cavs. 

I love Casspi, mainly because he is the first Israeli to play in the NBA, but he hasnt really made the impact he would like. His offense has been too inconsistent, his defense non-existent, and his rebounding poor. I suspectthat this will be Casspi's last year to really solidify himself as an NBA player worthy of quality minutes. CJ Miles is an interesting player, because he basically never got the chance to prove himself as a player. While he could always shoot and play defense, that was all he was ever asked to do on the Utah Jazz, as he was caught between the Deron Williams era and the youth movement they are in now. I think there is a lot more to his game, and that he could handle scoring duties for a few games. He could be a sleeper for fantasy players if given the starting job. 

Tristan Thompson proved at the end of last year that he could be a double-double big man, and his athleticism was very apparent. If he takes the next step, building his strength and touch around the rim, he could jump quickly to being one of the better big men in the league. He was buried on the bench at the beginning of the year, but soon made his way into the rotation and starting lineup at about the same time Irving got injured. A full season of the two together could result in a lethal pick and roll combo. I'm kind of sick of writing about the Cavs bench players, they are all just terrible (See Samuels, Samardo and Leuer, Jon)

The highest paid, and longest tenured Cav is Anderson Vareajo from Brazil (pronounce the J). As one of the best floppers in the league, he has shown to be an excellent interior defender, passer, and rebounder. One of the ultimate hussle players in the year. While he is very likely to be traded from this team at some point this year as the Cavs continue their youth movement, he should provide valuable leadership and intangibles that every team needs. Oh, and did I mention flopping. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Hs06oyMT_E. Tyler Zeller is really skinny for a center, but has a lot of good offensive moves. I think it will take a few years to build an NBA body, but he could provide solid role player minutes for the time being. 

I don't expect to see much improvement from the Cavs in terms of their record. Most likely between 20-30 wins. One can hope that they start to put the pieces together to learn how to win basketball games. They do have a quality foundation to build on with Irving and Thompson. Then again, we are talking about Cleveland.

Next up, our first Western Conference team...New Orleans Hornets and the Unibrow

Washington Wizards Preview

Hello Again, 

Based off the positive response of the Bobcats preview, I have decided to reward my readers with another preview. I probably won't end up doing one a day, but we will see. Also, if you would like to be notified of these notes, like it, and you will be added to the list. I initially just put down people who I have had conversations about basketball with. On to the Wizards

WASHINGTON WIZARDS:

If they are still the second worst team after this year, they have some serious issues. 

Key Additions: Trevor Ariza (trade), Bradley Beal (Rookie), Emeka Okafor (trade), Martell "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiCmmA97Jrc" Webster (FA)

Key Losses: Rashard "Second highest paid player" Lewis, Maurice Evans, Andray Blatche

Projected Starting Lineup:

PG: John Wall

SG: Beal

SF: Ariza

PF: Nene

C: Okafor

Role Players: Webster, Jordan Crawford, Kevin Seraphin, Trevor Booker, Jan Vesely, Chris Singleton

Comments: Lets start with the coach. I honestly don't understand why Randy Wittman is still allowed to coach in the NBA. His record over 6 seasons is abysmal (118-238). He took over in the middle of last year after Flip Saunders proved why he shouldnt be allowed to coach either. Wittman, however, won't have to deal with the immaturity of this team that Javale Mcgee, Blatche, Nick Young, and honestly Wall, provided. This brings me to Wall. 

Whenever I read about the Wizards, they all say that John Wall needs to play with winners, and that the selfishness of his teammates was holding him back from being the talent that he was expected to be as the #1 pick a few years back. The problem I have with this theory is that a true star in the NBA has the ability to carry their team despite of his teammates. Take Chris Paul, he played with knuckleheads such as Tyson Chandler, Desmond Mason, and Rasual Butler, but he still lead his team to a massive improvement and won rookie of the year. If Wall was as good as hyped up to be, he would lead by example, and show the necessary maturity. His assist/turnover ratio is too big (2:1), and a 23% 3-point percentage needs to improve. Anyways, Wall is clearly a talented distributor, but with "mature" teammates and quality offensive players such as Nene, Beal, and Crawford, he must take his game to the next level and make the move up toward the elite point guard level. 

SG: I did not watch much of Beal at Florida, but what I saw leading up to the draft, and summer league, is someone that can score the basketball in a lot of ways. He is a little short for a SG (6'3), but will have the quickness to become someone like a Ray Allen or James Harden. He will most likely be the guy they turn to for those times when someone needs to create their own shot. Crawford is another great scorer, and as a hybrid PG/SG, he will get plenty of playing time at both to showcase his offensive talents. Crawford can't play defense, and Beal has yet to prove that as well, so similar to the Bobcats, they will be tormented by the great guards of the east (wade, johnson, ellis, jr. smith, etc..). 

SF: Trevor Ariza is a fine role player, but can't be relied on to do much offensively, as seen with the Hornets. His 10-15 points a game, and above average defense can be counted on. Martell Webster, besides having an amazing mohawk, is really selfish and immature, and its interesting that the Wizards signed him based on their recent history. They must have figured they didnt have enough pop off the bench, which is mostly true. 

PF: Ah, Nene. What I hear is that the Nuggets were fed up with Nene sitting out with minor injuries, and didnt feel like paying him 12 mil a year. If you watched the olympics, you would know that Nene seems to have lost a step, and is past his prime (which wasn't nearly as good as what people hoped). He was good offensively because he was quicker than the centers who would often cover him, and could finish well at the rim. While he prefers playing PF, this advantage is lost at that position, and he doesn't have the jump shot to make up for it. Also, his matador defense is quite frustrating. Oh, and he basically only tries hard in the first quarter. Side Note: You will notice a trend of me saying all the negative things about the former Denver Nuggets, its personal. I think he will do fairly well on this team, since it is well balanced and he is basically the second offensive option. Trevor Booker is solid, but not flashy whatsoever, the typical role player on a bad team, who would have a reserved seat on the bench if he was on a playoff team. 

C: People forget that Okafor was the second pick in 2004. The Bobcats at the time loved his defense and rebounding and thought his offense would eventually develop. Basically they wanted him to be the next Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, or any of the great centers of old. In typical Bobcat fashion, they believed they needed better offensive production, got rid of him, but Okafor is the prototype NBA center of the 21st century. He is strong, can rebound on the defense and offensive end, and can tap the ball back out for the other players to score. It scares me that the Heat will eventually realize that a player like Okafor is exactly what they need to be completely dominant. Seraphin had a great olympics, and I hope Wittman gives him the playing time he deserves. Very crafty at the rim, and also a good defender and rebounder. 

This team is well built, solid at every position, but definitely will need to find an identity that Wittman will not provide. I really hope they improve, but I think they will end up 10th or 11th in the East, missing the playoffs by 4-5 games. At best they get the 8th seed and get romped by the Heat. I truly believe this will be the season that defines John Wall's career. Hope he's up for it. 

Again, like this note if you don't want to miss these previews. Also, I will really appreciate it and think highly of you. Next up, Cleveland Cavaliers

Charlotte Bobcats Preview

Hello All,

I don't know if I was inspired by the great Shane Morris of Grantland, or maybe I am just bored, but I decided to write a NBA preview, team by team, hopefully way too much detail, and some predictions along the way. Hopefully you will all enjoy some pearls of wisdom. 

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS:

There is no better place to start than with the worst team in NBA history from a year ago. 

Key Additions: Ben Gordon (Trade), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Rookie), Ramon Sessions (FA), Brendan Haywood

Key Losses: Corey "Im only good at drawing fouls Maggette, and a pair of DJ's (Augustin, White)

Projected Starting Five (My opinion on what would be there best lineup):

PG: Kemba Walker

SG: Gerald Henderson

SF: MKG

PF: Byron Mullens

C: Bismack Biyombo

Role Players: Gordon, Haywood, Sessions, Tyrus Thomas, Reggie Williams. 

Comments: This team is going to suck... again. Mike Dunlap, former coach of the great Metro State in Colorado, will probably be a really good coach for this team in helping all of their young players progress. At PG it will be interesting how much they let Walker play. He only started late last year, and wasn't all that impressive. At 6-1 (which probably is generous), he has to play like Allen Iverson, quick crossovers, fearless to the basket, and not relying on the speed to get jump shots but to blow by people. Sessions is actually pretty similar, but with less passing skills. I really don't think he is much of a point guard, so with Walker and Sessions, they will have a tough time moving the ball around. 

At SG, they are kind of stacked, but without any real talent. Henderson is solid, but he would come off the bench for 10-15 min if he was on a good team. With an OK shooting touch, and some explosiveness, the Bobcats will have to rely on him for much of the scoring in their first unit. Gordon and Williams are lights out shooters, but they will have trouble getting open looks witht the lack of a stong point guard. They probably should have gotten a distributor in Free agency to get these guys looks. Oh, and none of these guys plays any defense. 

At SF lies the future of the team. Kidd-Gilchrist will be very solid from the get go. He is not flashy in any sense, but will be an above-average defender, he can pass the ball, attack the basket, and rebound well for his position. However, I don't think he will ever become the focal point of a team, which sadly, he might have to be for a few years in Charlotte. He has a hard time creating his own shot with consistency, which will only get harder in the NBA. In drafting him, their plan is to suck another year and hopefully get the next star in the 2013 draft, who will compliment MKG. 

At PF they have Mullens who thinks he is Dirk Nowitzki, but sucks, and Tyrus Thomas who thinks he is Kevin Garnett, but also sucks. This team has no inside scoring whatsoever, and will be a huge problem for them all year. Thomas and Biyombo are very good shot blockers, but neither have the strength to deal with big men. Luckily for them, their division has only one quality big man-Al Horford. 

At C they have Biyombo and Haywood, both good defenders, but neither can play any offense. Overall, this team will play OK defense, but will never have the offense to beat anyone. 

I project somewhere between 15-20 wins, at the bottom of the East, and competing for the #1 pick once again. Maybe they won't be robbed by David Stern (a.k.a the draft lottery). Next time I will preview the Washington Wizards