Last year, the Toronto Raptors were a very interesting team to watch. Before the season started, Sam Mitchell's job was in jeopardy. They gambled on an Italian with the #1 pick in the draft and made the cardinal sin of trading big (Charlie Villanueva) for small (TJ Ford), while signing a big name American from Europe (Anthony Parker). Plus, they had an emerging superstar in Chris Bosh, a highly regarded executive in Bryan Colangelo and the first European in NBa management in Maurizio Gherardini. Interesting.
This year's team of intrigue is the Memphis Grizzlies. They have a new coach in Marc Ivaroni who is known as a defensive coach, but who leaves the fast-paced, fan-friendly Phoenix Suns system. They have a borderline superstar in Pau Gasol and a guy who has produced very little as an NBA player, yet still has a popular blog named after him (Darko Milicic). They also, apparently, have Juan Carlos Navarro, which certainly crowds the back court with Mike Conley, Jr., Kyle Lowery and Damon Stoudamire. A projected starting line-up with Navarro, Miller, Rudy Gay, Milicic and Gasol is an interesting team, with youngsters Conley, Lowery, Hakim Warrick, and Stromile Swift as the principle reserves.
Danny Ainge has to be dialing Memphis trying to find a way to land Stoudamire or Lowery, though he has very little to offer. Unless you are sold on Terrance Kinsey or Casey Jacobson, a back-up wing appears to be a need. Luckily, James Posey, Matt Barnes, Ime Udoka and Mikel Pietrus remain unsigned.
How will Ivaroni use Conley, Lowery and Navarro, assuming Stoudamire is no longer in Memphis' long term plans? Is Navarro slotted to be a sixth man a la Leandro Barbosa, playing as a 1 and 2? Is Lowery the energy guy off the bench as a 1 and 2? Is Conley ready to start? Can Jacobson contribute some long range shooting when Miller goes to the bench? Can Gasol and Milicic play together and complement each other, or will they get in each other's way?
Memphis is the team of intrigue for this season. I just hope they have more televised games than did the Raptors last season.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Thursday, August 02, 2007
KG Deal
I received an email asking for my impressions on the KG deal, so I decided to oblige. Both teams did well. When Boston traded for Ray Allen, they went all in. Now, they definitely are all the way in. There is no real future post KG and PP, unless Danny Ainge is absolutely brilliant with his second round picks in the future. So, the time is now, which is probably best for Boston anyway. If they had stayed pat, they had some nice young talent, but nothing that screamed future title contender (well, at least after dealing Brandon Roy; Roy, Rondo, Green, Jefferson and Perkins would be a line-up I could get excited about).
So, now Boston is going for glory. After criticizing Phoenix for failing to seize the opportunity, I can't fault the effort.
As for Minnesota, they got a lot of value for KG, even if they really only got two players and two picks. It remains to be seen how valuable the picks will be. But, KG's salary was a giant albatross preventing Minnesota from going forward and they lacked the pieces to win with their current roster. So, rebuilding is a smart move. Jefferson is a great piece as a PF. Randy Foye and Gerald Green form a competent, young back court. Corey Brewer is a nice piece at the 3. Could they have gotten more? Maybe more talent (Shawn Marion), but not a better deal in terms of a young star about to blossom (Jefferson), cap flexibility and draft picks.
While Minnesota rebuilds, Boston still has a ways to go to contend. As powerful at the Green's threesome, I'm not sold on Boston as a play-off lock, let alone a championship contender. Along with the threesome of KG, Pierce and Allen, they likely start Rajon Rondo, a fast PG minus a jump shot, and Kendrick Perkins. Is that starting five significantly better than Washington's Arenas-Jamison-Butler trifecta plus Haywood and Stevenson? Maybe.
Boston's bench is the real issue. Behind Rondo is Gabe Pruitt. The back-up center is Glenn Davis and the back-up PF is Leon Powe. Tony Allen is really the only weapon off the bench, assuming he returns to health.
Boston needs a back-up wing, a back-up post and a back-up PG and they have very minimal funds to get it done as well as Brian Scalabrine as trade bait.
I would look at Matt Barnes or Ime Udoka to fill the back-up wing position. I like Barnes and he could provide minutes at the 2, 3 and 4. Not sure how much his contract will run, but I'd sign one of these two. Another alternative is Devin Brown, another veteran player who manages to bounce around the league, but is always productive.
As for a back-up PG, Chris Duhon is always mentioned in possible deals. If he is available, I'd give him consideration. Also, I am always looking for a place where Sarunas Jasekevicius can get some playing time. He knows how to win and would look good in green. Finally, I'm not sure what it would take, and today is the deadline, but what about Juan Carlos Navarro running the show?
Finally, in the post, what about Dale Davis? Or Corliss Williamson? Solid locker room guys who can give fifteen minutes of effort, rebounds, and fouls, while scoring a couple buckets.
If Ainge could swing a couple deals and signings to end up with Saras, Barnes/Udoka and Davis on the bench behind Rondo-Allen-Pierce-KG-Perkins, that would be a pretty tough 8-man rotation during the play-offs.
So, now Boston is going for glory. After criticizing Phoenix for failing to seize the opportunity, I can't fault the effort.
As for Minnesota, they got a lot of value for KG, even if they really only got two players and two picks. It remains to be seen how valuable the picks will be. But, KG's salary was a giant albatross preventing Minnesota from going forward and they lacked the pieces to win with their current roster. So, rebuilding is a smart move. Jefferson is a great piece as a PF. Randy Foye and Gerald Green form a competent, young back court. Corey Brewer is a nice piece at the 3. Could they have gotten more? Maybe more talent (Shawn Marion), but not a better deal in terms of a young star about to blossom (Jefferson), cap flexibility and draft picks.
While Minnesota rebuilds, Boston still has a ways to go to contend. As powerful at the Green's threesome, I'm not sold on Boston as a play-off lock, let alone a championship contender. Along with the threesome of KG, Pierce and Allen, they likely start Rajon Rondo, a fast PG minus a jump shot, and Kendrick Perkins. Is that starting five significantly better than Washington's Arenas-Jamison-Butler trifecta plus Haywood and Stevenson? Maybe.
Boston's bench is the real issue. Behind Rondo is Gabe Pruitt. The back-up center is Glenn Davis and the back-up PF is Leon Powe. Tony Allen is really the only weapon off the bench, assuming he returns to health.
Boston needs a back-up wing, a back-up post and a back-up PG and they have very minimal funds to get it done as well as Brian Scalabrine as trade bait.
I would look at Matt Barnes or Ime Udoka to fill the back-up wing position. I like Barnes and he could provide minutes at the 2, 3 and 4. Not sure how much his contract will run, but I'd sign one of these two. Another alternative is Devin Brown, another veteran player who manages to bounce around the league, but is always productive.
As for a back-up PG, Chris Duhon is always mentioned in possible deals. If he is available, I'd give him consideration. Also, I am always looking for a place where Sarunas Jasekevicius can get some playing time. He knows how to win and would look good in green. Finally, I'm not sure what it would take, and today is the deadline, but what about Juan Carlos Navarro running the show?
Finally, in the post, what about Dale Davis? Or Corliss Williamson? Solid locker room guys who can give fifteen minutes of effort, rebounds, and fouls, while scoring a couple buckets.
If Ainge could swing a couple deals and signings to end up with Saras, Barnes/Udoka and Davis on the bench behind Rondo-Allen-Pierce-KG-Perkins, that would be a pretty tough 8-man rotation during the play-offs.
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