NBA Offseason Movements: Eastern Conference, 2008
WHEW. It's been a busy and surprising offseason, considering both what has happened and what hasn't happened. Let's jump in and take a look team by team (teams that stayed relatively pat I'll just skip. Teams that lost a significant player to free agency--like Boston losing James Posey--will be covered in the team they joined):
New Jersey Nets
Changes: Traded Richard Jefferson to the Bucks for Yi Jianlian & Bobby Simmons; signed Keyon Dooling, Jarvis Hayes, & Eduardo Najera; drafted Brooks Lopez; lost Nenad Kristic & Bostjon Nachbar to Europe.
The Nets had a great offseason. Why, you ask? Because every player they acquired comes off the books in 2010. Jay-Z is going to be able to offer Lebron a boatload of money, along with a good nucleus of Devin Harris, Sean Williams, and whoever he can get for trading Vince Carter in a contract year. If Yi or Brooks Lopez develop into anything, that's just an added bonus. The Nets will be mediocre the next two years while they wait for the King to come.
Philadelphia 76ers
Changes: Signed Elton Brand; resigned Lou Williams and Andre Iguodala.
Great offseason for the Sixers. Do I think this makes them a championship team? Not necessarily. They're paying Sam Dalembert wayyyyyy too much money, it remains to be seen if/how they're going to pay Andre Miller, who's a huge part of what makes this team click, and AI2 now has to become a clutch star to justify his contract. However, with these moves, they are unquestionably a top 4 team in the East, with the chance to be even better for years down the road. Great offseason.
Toronto Raptors
Changes: Traded TJ Ford to the Pacers for Jermaine O'Neal; re-signed Jose Calderon.
For once, the pundits were right: the Ford/O'Neal trade was a great trade for both teams. Count me among those who think O'Neal needed a change of scenery and will have a good season for the Raptors. He and Chris Bosh--who's gaining an incredible amount of confidence/respect/experience by his great play in Beijing--will team together to form perhaps the best PF/C tandem in the NBA, while getting rid of any potential distractions over the Ford/Calderon embrolio. The East is no longer The Least.
Chicago Bulls
Changes: Drafted Derrick Rose; resigned Luol Deng; did not resign Ben Gordon to a long term deal.
My favorite move the Bulls made? Refusing to resign the reigning most overrated player in the league, Ben Gordon. I can't stand that guy. However, they wayyyyy overpaid Luol Deng, who I also think is overrated (though not nearly as much as Gordon). This is still just an above-average team that isn't a deep playoff threat, though this team is one of the few that still has moves to make (what to do with Gordon/Hinrich/Hughes).
Cleveland Cavaliers
Changes: Acquired Mo Williams from the Bucks while losing Damon Jones and Joe Smith.
Mo Williams was an excellent addition for the Cavs. While normally shoot first PGs like Williams are terrible for a team, he is a great compliment to Lebron: the Cavs can run the offense through Mo half the time and Lebron the other half, with the two feeding off each other well. Losing Joe Smith hurts--especially if Big Ben is as done as we all think he is--but this was still a solid deal.
Indiana Pacers
Changes: Traded Jermaine O'Neal for TJ Ford; drafted Roy Hibbert; traded 1st round pick Jarrod Bayless for Jarrett Jack & Brandon Rush; will lose Jamaal Tinsley somehow.
In the second part of the O'Neal/Ford trade, the Pacers also win in that they get to move an unhappy player and acquire a player at a position they need to also unload another unhappy player (Tinsley). I also liked the Bayless trade; I don't think Bayless is going to amount to much in the league (successful shoot first PGs like Gilbert are a rarity), and Jack adds insurance for the inevitable Ford injury, while Rush is an outstanding rookie who will help the Pacers now and down the road. For the first time since the Artest Melee, this franchise is moving in the right direciton.
Milwaukee Bucks
Changes: Drafted Joe Alexander; traded Yi Jianlian & Bobby Simmons for Richard Jefferson; traded Mo Williams & Desmond Mason for Luke Ridnoir; signed Francisco Elson
The Bucks went from having an amazing offseason--stealing Richard Jefferson from the Nets for two disappointments--to a good one, by trading Mo Williams & Desmond Mason for Luke Ridnoir.
I don't think Ridnoir is as bad as it seems most people do; I think he's a decent PG. And God knows this team has enough shoot first players that they could afford to lose Williams. But to get so little in return--and to lose a valuable bench player in Mason on top of that--is really puzzling. I do, however, like the Elson signing: I think he's a good backup Center/PF. This team definitely got better this offseason, it just ends up feeling like they could have gotten even better than they did.
Atlanta Hawks
Changes: Lost Josh Cildress to Europe; singed Maurice Evans; resigned Josh Smith
Ah, the Hawks. After an impressive playoff run, the Hawks are back to what they do best: screwing things up. First, they let one of the more underrated players and their glue guy, Josh Childress, leave for Europe for an easily matchable contract. Next, they lost the, "Who will be dumb enough to pay Josh Smith lots of money?" contest by being dumb enough to pay Josh Smith lots of money. Let's just say I'm predicting a down year for Smith this year.
While I do like the Mo Evans signing, this team still definitely took a step back this offseason.
Charlotte Bobcats
Changes: Added Larry Brown as head coach; drafted D.J. Augustin; resigned Emeka Okafur.
Another meh offseason for the Bobcats. They signed Emeka Okafur, which is good. The signed him for way too much money when they could have got him for less, which is bad. D.J. Augustin slid to them in the draft, which is good. I think he won't be a good NBA player, which is bad. The added Larry Brown, which is good. They added Larry Brown after he's completely screwed the pooch on the last two teams he's been on (04 Olympics and Knicks), which is bad.
In the end, I think adding Brown will be make them a better team. But not enough better to where it will matter all that much.
Miami Heat
Changes: Added Dwyane Wade from injury; drafted Michael Beasley; added Shawn Marion from tanking last season; signed James Jones.
Count me among those who think the Heat will be vastly improved this season. It makes sense; the Heat tanked last season to get the top pick in the draft, and then have a (hopefully) motivated Michael Beasley fall to them at the second spot. Shawn Marion never really played for the Heat after coming over from the Suns last year, and DWade has obviously proven he is back to from in the Olympics.
This team still has enough holes--specifically PG and C--to make it an elite team, but they will be one of those "can beat any team on any given night" teams that scare the Hell out of the 1 or 2 seed they end up playing in the first round of the playoffs.
Orlando Magic
Changes: Lost Kenyon Dooling; signed Mickael Pietrus; lost Mo Evans; drafted Courtney Lee.
I think the league isn't making nearly a big enough deal about the coup the Magic pulled off by signing Mickael Pietrus. He's just a 6'6" athletic SG/SF--their biggest hole--who can shoot the 3 and is an outstanding defender. Great pickup for the Magic. If Courtney Lee can step up and give them some minutes off the bench, then they have a great rotation in place. They still have a hole at PG (you could argue whether the hole is starting or backup), but this team has improved from an excellent season last season.
Washington Wizards
Changes: Resigned Gilbert Arenas and Antoine Jamison; lost Jarvis Hayes; Added Etan Thomas (out all last season with an irregular heartbeat)
I think that the loss to the Cavs in the playoffs marked the beginning of the end of the Wizards. Jamison isn't getting any younger or better; and I don't think we're ever going to see the same Gilbert Arenas after his knee injury. Do I still think he'll be an All Star? Yes, barely. But the old days of top 10-15 player in the league dominance are over with for him. This is a team that with these contracts have committed itself to a slow death in the future.
Western Conference moves tomorrow. Enjoy!
New Jersey Nets
Changes: Traded Richard Jefferson to the Bucks for Yi Jianlian & Bobby Simmons; signed Keyon Dooling, Jarvis Hayes, & Eduardo Najera; drafted Brooks Lopez; lost Nenad Kristic & Bostjon Nachbar to Europe.
The Nets had a great offseason. Why, you ask? Because every player they acquired comes off the books in 2010. Jay-Z is going to be able to offer Lebron a boatload of money, along with a good nucleus of Devin Harris, Sean Williams, and whoever he can get for trading Vince Carter in a contract year. If Yi or Brooks Lopez develop into anything, that's just an added bonus. The Nets will be mediocre the next two years while they wait for the King to come.
Philadelphia 76ers
Changes: Signed Elton Brand; resigned Lou Williams and Andre Iguodala.
Great offseason for the Sixers. Do I think this makes them a championship team? Not necessarily. They're paying Sam Dalembert wayyyyyy too much money, it remains to be seen if/how they're going to pay Andre Miller, who's a huge part of what makes this team click, and AI2 now has to become a clutch star to justify his contract. However, with these moves, they are unquestionably a top 4 team in the East, with the chance to be even better for years down the road. Great offseason.
Toronto Raptors
Changes: Traded TJ Ford to the Pacers for Jermaine O'Neal; re-signed Jose Calderon.
For once, the pundits were right: the Ford/O'Neal trade was a great trade for both teams. Count me among those who think O'Neal needed a change of scenery and will have a good season for the Raptors. He and Chris Bosh--who's gaining an incredible amount of confidence/respect/experience by his great play in Beijing--will team together to form perhaps the best PF/C tandem in the NBA, while getting rid of any potential distractions over the Ford/Calderon embrolio. The East is no longer The Least.
Chicago Bulls
Changes: Drafted Derrick Rose; resigned Luol Deng; did not resign Ben Gordon to a long term deal.
My favorite move the Bulls made? Refusing to resign the reigning most overrated player in the league, Ben Gordon. I can't stand that guy. However, they wayyyyy overpaid Luol Deng, who I also think is overrated (though not nearly as much as Gordon). This is still just an above-average team that isn't a deep playoff threat, though this team is one of the few that still has moves to make (what to do with Gordon/Hinrich/Hughes).
Cleveland Cavaliers
Changes: Acquired Mo Williams from the Bucks while losing Damon Jones and Joe Smith.
Mo Williams was an excellent addition for the Cavs. While normally shoot first PGs like Williams are terrible for a team, he is a great compliment to Lebron: the Cavs can run the offense through Mo half the time and Lebron the other half, with the two feeding off each other well. Losing Joe Smith hurts--especially if Big Ben is as done as we all think he is--but this was still a solid deal.
Indiana Pacers
Changes: Traded Jermaine O'Neal for TJ Ford; drafted Roy Hibbert; traded 1st round pick Jarrod Bayless for Jarrett Jack & Brandon Rush; will lose Jamaal Tinsley somehow.
In the second part of the O'Neal/Ford trade, the Pacers also win in that they get to move an unhappy player and acquire a player at a position they need to also unload another unhappy player (Tinsley). I also liked the Bayless trade; I don't think Bayless is going to amount to much in the league (successful shoot first PGs like Gilbert are a rarity), and Jack adds insurance for the inevitable Ford injury, while Rush is an outstanding rookie who will help the Pacers now and down the road. For the first time since the Artest Melee, this franchise is moving in the right direciton.
Milwaukee Bucks
Changes: Drafted Joe Alexander; traded Yi Jianlian & Bobby Simmons for Richard Jefferson; traded Mo Williams & Desmond Mason for Luke Ridnoir; signed Francisco Elson
The Bucks went from having an amazing offseason--stealing Richard Jefferson from the Nets for two disappointments--to a good one, by trading Mo Williams & Desmond Mason for Luke Ridnoir.
I don't think Ridnoir is as bad as it seems most people do; I think he's a decent PG. And God knows this team has enough shoot first players that they could afford to lose Williams. But to get so little in return--and to lose a valuable bench player in Mason on top of that--is really puzzling. I do, however, like the Elson signing: I think he's a good backup Center/PF. This team definitely got better this offseason, it just ends up feeling like they could have gotten even better than they did.
Atlanta Hawks
Changes: Lost Josh Cildress to Europe; singed Maurice Evans; resigned Josh Smith
Ah, the Hawks. After an impressive playoff run, the Hawks are back to what they do best: screwing things up. First, they let one of the more underrated players and their glue guy, Josh Childress, leave for Europe for an easily matchable contract. Next, they lost the, "Who will be dumb enough to pay Josh Smith lots of money?" contest by being dumb enough to pay Josh Smith lots of money. Let's just say I'm predicting a down year for Smith this year.
While I do like the Mo Evans signing, this team still definitely took a step back this offseason.
Charlotte Bobcats
Changes: Added Larry Brown as head coach; drafted D.J. Augustin; resigned Emeka Okafur.
Another meh offseason for the Bobcats. They signed Emeka Okafur, which is good. The signed him for way too much money when they could have got him for less, which is bad. D.J. Augustin slid to them in the draft, which is good. I think he won't be a good NBA player, which is bad. The added Larry Brown, which is good. They added Larry Brown after he's completely screwed the pooch on the last two teams he's been on (04 Olympics and Knicks), which is bad.
In the end, I think adding Brown will be make them a better team. But not enough better to where it will matter all that much.
Miami Heat
Changes: Added Dwyane Wade from injury; drafted Michael Beasley; added Shawn Marion from tanking last season; signed James Jones.
Count me among those who think the Heat will be vastly improved this season. It makes sense; the Heat tanked last season to get the top pick in the draft, and then have a (hopefully) motivated Michael Beasley fall to them at the second spot. Shawn Marion never really played for the Heat after coming over from the Suns last year, and DWade has obviously proven he is back to from in the Olympics.
This team still has enough holes--specifically PG and C--to make it an elite team, but they will be one of those "can beat any team on any given night" teams that scare the Hell out of the 1 or 2 seed they end up playing in the first round of the playoffs.
Orlando Magic
Changes: Lost Kenyon Dooling; signed Mickael Pietrus; lost Mo Evans; drafted Courtney Lee.
I think the league isn't making nearly a big enough deal about the coup the Magic pulled off by signing Mickael Pietrus. He's just a 6'6" athletic SG/SF--their biggest hole--who can shoot the 3 and is an outstanding defender. Great pickup for the Magic. If Courtney Lee can step up and give them some minutes off the bench, then they have a great rotation in place. They still have a hole at PG (you could argue whether the hole is starting or backup), but this team has improved from an excellent season last season.
Washington Wizards
Changes: Resigned Gilbert Arenas and Antoine Jamison; lost Jarvis Hayes; Added Etan Thomas (out all last season with an irregular heartbeat)
I think that the loss to the Cavs in the playoffs marked the beginning of the end of the Wizards. Jamison isn't getting any younger or better; and I don't think we're ever going to see the same Gilbert Arenas after his knee injury. Do I still think he'll be an All Star? Yes, barely. But the old days of top 10-15 player in the league dominance are over with for him. This is a team that with these contracts have committed itself to a slow death in the future.
Western Conference moves tomorrow. Enjoy!
Labels: NBA Offseason
posted by Michael Pondrom at 2:09 AM
1 Comments:
Johnny Anderson strikes again.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/080731
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