The Hornets returned to the playoffs last year after enduring a disappointing campaign in 2014-15. They lost a lot over the summer, can they make it back to the top 8 in the East?
They let go of Jeremy Lin (Nets), Al Jefferson (Pacers), Courtney Lee (Knicks), Troy Daniels (traded to Grizzlies for undisclosed terms). I thought Lin was great for them in the playoffs, brought a tenacity off the bench that was unexpected and brilliant, you just knew he was opting out of his $2m deal with how he went at the Heat. Jefferson was the hero of their previous playoff appearance (one of my favorite players of 2013-14 season), and was still a reasonably productive player but was clearly not part of their plan going forward. Lee came over from the Grizzlies during the year and played well off the bench for the Hornets, another eye-opening performance against the Heat. Realistically these guys were bench players but they were the core of the bench for the Hornets, rebuilding the second string is cheaper but chemistry issues come to the fore. They'll need new reliable veterans to replace the old reliables that moved on.
To that end they added Roy Hibbert (1yr/$5m), Ramon Sessions (2yrs/$12,5m), Christian Wood (2yrs/min) and traded for Marco Belinelli (only 1 year left on his deal, cost them the #22 pick). Ehhhh....okay, I guess. There was a time--not that long ago--that Hibbert was one of the top rim protecting big men in the league, if the Hornets can get him back to that then his minimal paycheck will be one of the bargains of the summer. Sessions is a waterbug-type off the bench, not a bad player, should be a good fit on a team like the Hornets where he'll get regular minutes but won't ever have to do too much. I thought Christian Wood was one of the standouts of 2016 Summer League: moved well, good instincts with the ball, looked like a wicked shot blocker, definitely not a stiff out there; since the Hornets forsook this year's draft, Wood is basically their only youngster to work with. I think they chose wisely, should make a nice platoon mate with Hibbert. Belinelli is on those guys that brings real value for a good team, are the Hornets good enough for his contribution to matter? Not sure. He's not a dynamic scorer, just a long range 3-baller, he's not a replacement for Lee or even Lin so much as a new direction. If he gets hot he can score but I'm skeptical to his overall impact.
The Hornets were able to retain Nicolas Batum (5yrs/$150m), Brian Roberts (1yr/min) and Marvin Williams (4yrs/$55m). They opened up the checkbook for Batum and I say it had to be done: Batum might not be worth $30m/year but he would've been in demand by pretty much every team in the league, the Hornets had to pay him to keep him. (Personally Batum is one of my very favorite players, when he's healthy he does everything well and impacts the game all over the place, a great player) Williams had a nice year but I'm dubious of his overall worth; there is something to be said for continuity, I reckon. Roberts is another low price for continuity off the bench. Also, worth remembering that Michael Kidd-Gilchrist basically did not play at all last season, so they'll be adding him back into the mix.
Their starting five looks like: PG Walker, SG Kidd-Gilchrist, SF Batum, PF Williams, C Zeller with Roberts, Sessions, Belinelli, Lamb, Kaminsky, Hibbert off the bench. Not sure there's enough scoring there to make a dent in the East. Kemba is an unconscious shooter but MKG is not a scorer, Lamb is fragile and Belinelli needs a lot of service. Looks like the big guys (Williams, Zeller, Kaminsky) need to bring buckets and that seems a weird way to go. Last year they were in the logjam at 4th place but I don't see them competing that high next year.
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Monday, July 25, 2016
Miami Heat (so far)
The Heat added Wayne Ellington (2yrs/$12m), Derrick Williams (1yr/$5m), Willie Reed (2yrs/?), James Johnson (1yr/$4m), re-signed Udonis Haslem (1yr/$4m), Tyler Johnson (4yrs/$50m) and Hassan Whiteside (4yrs/$98m) and traded for Luke Babbitt (in exchange for a 2018 2nd rd draft pick and cash).
They lost Dwyane Wade (Bulls), Joe Johnson (Jazz), Gerald Green (Celtics) and Luol Deng (Lakers) and rumors are still swirling around the future health of Chris Bosh. Hmmmm, seems like they lost a lot more than they gained. When you look back at all the production they let go this summer, was it really that important to keep Hassan Whiteside? I like him as much as the next guy but he's hardly a big man that can carry a team by himself.
The starting five: C Whiteside, PF Bosh (?), SF Winslow, SG Richardson, PG Dragic with Reed, Haslem, McRoberts, Williams, Johnson, and Ellington off the bench. Ugh! If Bosh can't play, this team is a disaster--and an overpriced disaster at that! They can't be done making moves. Ty Lawson, Dion Waiters, Kevin Martin, Steve Blake, Donatas Motiejunas, Alan Anderson...not that any of those guys are a good fit for this team...are still out there. This is not a playoff team right now. A team that looked to be the natural opponent for the Cavs has completely melted away and now looks to be a lottery team.
EDIT: From my blog to Pat Riley's ears: the Heat signed Dion Waiters just a few hours after I posted this. Conflicting reports on whether it was 1 year or 2 but either way the Heat needed some kind of wing scoring.
They lost Dwyane Wade (Bulls), Joe Johnson (Jazz), Gerald Green (Celtics) and Luol Deng (Lakers) and rumors are still swirling around the future health of Chris Bosh. Hmmmm, seems like they lost a lot more than they gained. When you look back at all the production they let go this summer, was it really that important to keep Hassan Whiteside? I like him as much as the next guy but he's hardly a big man that can carry a team by himself.
The starting five: C Whiteside, PF Bosh (?), SF Winslow, SG Richardson, PG Dragic with Reed, Haslem, McRoberts, Williams, Johnson, and Ellington off the bench. Ugh! If Bosh can't play, this team is a disaster--and an overpriced disaster at that! They can't be done making moves. Ty Lawson, Dion Waiters, Kevin Martin, Steve Blake, Donatas Motiejunas, Alan Anderson...not that any of those guys are a good fit for this team...are still out there. This is not a playoff team right now. A team that looked to be the natural opponent for the Cavs has completely melted away and now looks to be a lottery team.
EDIT: From my blog to Pat Riley's ears: the Heat signed Dion Waiters just a few hours after I posted this. Conflicting reports on whether it was 1 year or 2 but either way the Heat needed some kind of wing scoring.
Toronto Raptors (so far)
The Raptors re-signed DeMar DeRozan (5yrs/$145m) and added Jared Sullinger (1yr/$5m) and pn draft night picked up Jakob Poetl (#9) and Pascal Siakam (#27). They lost Bismack Biyombo (Magic), James Johnson (Heat) and Luis Scola (Nets). Not a lot to talk about there.
Johnson is a savvy veteran who is really fun to watch but doesn't play a lot of minutes. Scola, too, only added minimal veteran minutes and disappeared completely in the playoffs. Sullinger doesn't exactly replace either of those guys but he should match their minutes. I figured DeRozan was off to sunnier shores (southern Cali shores to be precise) but he chose the snowy tundra instead; DeRozan is one of those in-between stars: he occasionally dominates and looks silky smooth out there but just as often disappears and contributes not much at all, one could easily see the Raptors as lucky to keep him and just as easily see them as cursed by his payday. We'll see.
The Raptors starting five for next year should be something like: C Valenciunas, PF Carroll, SF Ross, SG DeRozan, PG Lowry with Noquiera, Caboclo, Patterson, Poetl, Sullinger, Powell, Siakam and Joseph off the bench. That's still a nice squad, still won't beat Lebron, but should be in the top four in the East.
Johnson is a savvy veteran who is really fun to watch but doesn't play a lot of minutes. Scola, too, only added minimal veteran minutes and disappeared completely in the playoffs. Sullinger doesn't exactly replace either of those guys but he should match their minutes. I figured DeRozan was off to sunnier shores (southern Cali shores to be precise) but he chose the snowy tundra instead; DeRozan is one of those in-between stars: he occasionally dominates and looks silky smooth out there but just as often disappears and contributes not much at all, one could easily see the Raptors as lucky to keep him and just as easily see them as cursed by his payday. We'll see.
The Raptors starting five for next year should be something like: C Valenciunas, PF Carroll, SF Ross, SG DeRozan, PG Lowry with Noquiera, Caboclo, Patterson, Poetl, Sullinger, Powell, Siakam and Joseph off the bench. That's still a nice squad, still won't beat Lebron, but should be in the top four in the East.
Atlanta Hawks (so far)
The Hawks have undergone some changes this summer: they lost Al Horford (Celtics) and traded away Jeff Teague (Pacers), two of the cornerstones of their starting lineups for the last few years. But they added Dwight Howard (3yrs/$70m), Jarret Jack (1yr/min), re-signed Kent Bazemore (4yrs/$70m) and Kris Humphries (1yr/$4m) and drafted Taurean Prince (#12), DeAndre Bembry (#21) and Isaia Cordinier (#44)(who will be playing in Europe next year, if I'm not mistaken). (I swear I thought I read that they re-signed Mike Muscala but I've found no one to back me up on that, so I guess I made it up)
Two years ago the Hawks gelled and had a dominant stretch though the month of January which they rode to the #1 seed in the East. They got clowned by the Cavs in the conference finals and returned last year with the same team that was good but didn't sneak up on anyone (and who also got clowned by the Cavs in the playoffs). I guess they thought it was shake up time. Personally I like Jeff Teague, I think he can be a leader for a really good team (indeed, that is what I thought we all saw for the last two years) and I also like Al Horford, a dynamic center who has injury problems but it is a solid player and citizen most of the time. Flip side: I am not a fan of Dennis Schroder (over dribbles, doesn't attack consistently enough for my tastes considering he is such a poor 3 point shooter and so-so FT shooter) or Dwight Howard (still a solid rebounder and defender but after all these years in the league is still a project on offense and an annoyingly clueless celebrity presence). Throw in that they let Demarre Carroll walk last summer but decided to give Kent Bazemore a bunch of money this summer and I'm not seeing this team as improved.
The starting five: C Howard, PF Millsap, SF Bazemore, SG Korver, PG Shroder with Tavares, Splitter, Scott, Humphries, Sefelosha, Prince, Bembry, Holiday and Jack off the bench. I liked Bembry's performance in Summer League but its hard to imagine he'll contribute right away. This team should still be solid but I don't see them being better next year: Tavares, Shroder, Prince and Bembry are on a learning curve, Korver, Jack, Humphries and Sefelosha are getting older, Howard is a still a project, Scott is under legal scrutiny. That leaves a lot for Millsap to carry. I can't see them finishing higher than 5th in the East.
Two years ago the Hawks gelled and had a dominant stretch though the month of January which they rode to the #1 seed in the East. They got clowned by the Cavs in the conference finals and returned last year with the same team that was good but didn't sneak up on anyone (and who also got clowned by the Cavs in the playoffs). I guess they thought it was shake up time. Personally I like Jeff Teague, I think he can be a leader for a really good team (indeed, that is what I thought we all saw for the last two years) and I also like Al Horford, a dynamic center who has injury problems but it is a solid player and citizen most of the time. Flip side: I am not a fan of Dennis Schroder (over dribbles, doesn't attack consistently enough for my tastes considering he is such a poor 3 point shooter and so-so FT shooter) or Dwight Howard (still a solid rebounder and defender but after all these years in the league is still a project on offense and an annoyingly clueless celebrity presence). Throw in that they let Demarre Carroll walk last summer but decided to give Kent Bazemore a bunch of money this summer and I'm not seeing this team as improved.
The starting five: C Howard, PF Millsap, SF Bazemore, SG Korver, PG Shroder with Tavares, Splitter, Scott, Humphries, Sefelosha, Prince, Bembry, Holiday and Jack off the bench. I liked Bembry's performance in Summer League but its hard to imagine he'll contribute right away. This team should still be solid but I don't see them being better next year: Tavares, Shroder, Prince and Bembry are on a learning curve, Korver, Jack, Humphries and Sefelosha are getting older, Howard is a still a project, Scott is under legal scrutiny. That leaves a lot for Millsap to carry. I can't see them finishing higher than 5th in the East.
Cleveland Cavaliers (so far)
The Cavs have yet to sign their big free agent (Lebron James) but I have no doubt they will get that done when the time is right. Ditto with JR Smith, who is still out there un-signed but I expect he'll be in a Cavs uni next fall. They re-signed Mo Williams (1yr/$2.2m) and Richard Jefferson (2yrs/$5m), traded for Mike Dunleavy (and swapping rights for foreign draft picks), signed Chris Andersen (1yr/min) and picked up Kay Felder (#54) on draft night from the Hawks. They traded away Matthew Dellavedova (to Bucks) and lost Tomofey Mozgov (Lakers). As I said, I expect them to re-sign Lebron and I reckon they'll pick up Jordan McRae as well (unless there is some other move out there to make).
Losing Dellavedova and Mozgov don't seem like big losses but they did play minutes (and both provided a huge lift 2 years in the playoffs). Andersen and Dunleavy don't seem like replacements although they are fine veterans who will do their parts on the margin.
The Cavs seem ready to return with pretty much the same team next year. If Kyrie and Tristan Thompson make the slightest of improvements and Kevin Love insinuates himself a little deeper into the rotation, the Cavs should be just fine, maybe even better. A lot of Eastern Conference teams have improved but I expect the Cavs to go deep in the playoffs. (Beating the Warriors again will be a tougher challenge, though)
Losing Dellavedova and Mozgov don't seem like big losses but they did play minutes (and both provided a huge lift 2 years in the playoffs). Andersen and Dunleavy don't seem like replacements although they are fine veterans who will do their parts on the margin.
The Cavs seem ready to return with pretty much the same team next year. If Kyrie and Tristan Thompson make the slightest of improvements and Kevin Love insinuates himself a little deeper into the rotation, the Cavs should be just fine, maybe even better. A lot of Eastern Conference teams have improved but I expect the Cavs to go deep in the playoffs. (Beating the Warriors again will be a tougher challenge, though)
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
LA Lakers (so far)
The post-Kobe era has officially begun with the signings of Luol Deng (4yrs/$72m) and Timofey Mozgov (4yrs/$64m). They re-signed Jordan Clarkson (4yrs/$50m), Tarik Black (2yrs/$13m), Marcelo Huertas (2yrs/$?). They traded for Jose Calderon (and a coupla 2nd rd picks).And draft night netted them Brandom Ingram (#2) and Ivica Zubac (#32). I like all these moves.
They let go of Roy Hibbert (Hornets), Brandon Bass (still unsigned, could be back with the Lakers), Kobe Bryant (retired; I imagine him on the phone with Pat Riley saying, '2 years, $40 million? Yeah, I can do that'), Metta World Peace (retired; no peace for the world any more). I like all these moves. I'd get rid of Nick Young as fast as possible and I'd be shopping Lou Williams.
Not saying the Lakers are gonna be a contender over night but I think they're moving in the right direction. Re-signing Clarkson was top priority and I think its a good deal. Luol Deng is one of those guys that could've signed with any team in the league and though he's getting older and slower, the Lakers are lucky to have a solid reliable vet like Deng. People scoffed at the Mozgov deal but he's good rebounder and is dying to show the world he can still play ball, I think he's a vast improvement over Hibbert for the same money, not that bad a deal. Black is a nice youngster who has survived a coupla years of Laker madness, good to see him get a shot at continuing on. Huertas and Calderon are still good players, fewer minutes left in 'em but they're perfect for spelling Russell and Clarkson. I think Ingram will take a year or two but once he finds his stroke, I think he's gonna be a hell of a scorer. I have no idea about Zubac but apparently he wants to play right away, I love the enthusiasm, throw him in there.
The Lakers will be figuring out some things over the next year or two. They've got a raft of young talent there and by next summer, they'll be wooing big time free agents again (how about Serge and Westbrook getting back together in LA?). It'll be a long year but the fans will have something to cheer for and they'll have their moments. I don't see them in the playoffs but their top 3 protected 1st round draft pick will definitely be going to Philly.
They let go of Roy Hibbert (Hornets), Brandon Bass (still unsigned, could be back with the Lakers), Kobe Bryant (retired; I imagine him on the phone with Pat Riley saying, '2 years, $40 million? Yeah, I can do that'), Metta World Peace (retired; no peace for the world any more). I like all these moves. I'd get rid of Nick Young as fast as possible and I'd be shopping Lou Williams.
Not saying the Lakers are gonna be a contender over night but I think they're moving in the right direction. Re-signing Clarkson was top priority and I think its a good deal. Luol Deng is one of those guys that could've signed with any team in the league and though he's getting older and slower, the Lakers are lucky to have a solid reliable vet like Deng. People scoffed at the Mozgov deal but he's good rebounder and is dying to show the world he can still play ball, I think he's a vast improvement over Hibbert for the same money, not that bad a deal. Black is a nice youngster who has survived a coupla years of Laker madness, good to see him get a shot at continuing on. Huertas and Calderon are still good players, fewer minutes left in 'em but they're perfect for spelling Russell and Clarkson. I think Ingram will take a year or two but once he finds his stroke, I think he's gonna be a hell of a scorer. I have no idea about Zubac but apparently he wants to play right away, I love the enthusiasm, throw him in there.
The Lakers will be figuring out some things over the next year or two. They've got a raft of young talent there and by next summer, they'll be wooing big time free agents again (how about Serge and Westbrook getting back together in LA?). It'll be a long year but the fans will have something to cheer for and they'll have their moments. I don't see them in the playoffs but their top 3 protected 1st round draft pick will definitely be going to Philly.
New Orleans Pelicans (so far)
The Pelicans in an a addition-by-subtraction mode: they let go of Ryan Anderson (Rockets), Eric Gordon (Rockets), James Ennis (Grizzlies), Bryce Dejean-Jones passed away, traded Luke Babbit (Heat), I don't think they'll be retaining Norris Cole or Kendrick Perkins (I mean, he'll be with the Warriors, right?) and those all seem like positive steps for the Pelicans. Now if they could just get rid of Tyreke Evans, the summer would be complete. They wanted to surround Anthony Davis with veterans and they did that, now let's see if they try surrounding him with hungry youngsters instead.
They added E'Twaun Moore (4yrs/$34m), Langston Galloway (2yrs/$6m) and retained Tim Frazier (2yrs/$4.1m), while adding Buddy Hield (#6), Cheick Diallo (#33) on draft day. If the Pelicans were already a playoff team just looking to bolster their bench, these would all be great moves. The Pelicans need more than that but have had trouble matching the right veteran talent together, so the time has come to coach up these prospects and make it work. If everyone is reliably solid and Davis has a great year, the Pelicans might get back into the playoffs. They've got a ways to go but not impossible.
Starting five: PG Holiday, SG Hield, SF Evans, PF Davis, C Asik with Galloway, Moore, Frazier, Diallo, Pondexter, Ajinca off the bench (they're gonna regret waiving Jarnell Stokes).
I dunno, that's not a good looking lineup to me. The Pelicans are still paying for overreaching on vets to play with Davis, which has screwed their drafts over the last few years and forced them into bad deals (they still owe Asik $40m, I mean who is he? Timofey Mozgov?). I believe in Coach Gentry and I believe in Anthony Davis and I'm a big fan of Buddy Hield but even in a tank-fest West, I still don't see the Pelicans making the post-season. They need some surprise performances (think Hield for ROY and Galloway for Most Improved) and something in return for Tyreke in order to get near 8th in the West.
They added E'Twaun Moore (4yrs/$34m), Langston Galloway (2yrs/$6m) and retained Tim Frazier (2yrs/$4.1m), while adding Buddy Hield (#6), Cheick Diallo (#33) on draft day. If the Pelicans were already a playoff team just looking to bolster their bench, these would all be great moves. The Pelicans need more than that but have had trouble matching the right veteran talent together, so the time has come to coach up these prospects and make it work. If everyone is reliably solid and Davis has a great year, the Pelicans might get back into the playoffs. They've got a ways to go but not impossible.
Starting five: PG Holiday, SG Hield, SF Evans, PF Davis, C Asik with Galloway, Moore, Frazier, Diallo, Pondexter, Ajinca off the bench (they're gonna regret waiving Jarnell Stokes).
I dunno, that's not a good looking lineup to me. The Pelicans are still paying for overreaching on vets to play with Davis, which has screwed their drafts over the last few years and forced them into bad deals (they still owe Asik $40m, I mean who is he? Timofey Mozgov?). I believe in Coach Gentry and I believe in Anthony Davis and I'm a big fan of Buddy Hield but even in a tank-fest West, I still don't see the Pelicans making the post-season. They need some surprise performances (think Hield for ROY and Galloway for Most Improved) and something in return for Tyreke in order to get near 8th in the West.
Sacramento Kings (so far)
Added Aron Aflalo (2yrs/$25m), Matt Barnes (2ys/$12m), Anthony Tolliver (2yrs/$16m), Garret Temple (3yrs/$24m) and retained Caron Butler (1yr/$1.5m). Drafted Georgios Papagiannis (#13), Malachi Richardson (#22), Skal Labisserie (#28), Isaiah Cousins (#59). Aflalo gives them wing scoring and perimeter defense in an affordable veteran package (feel like Aflalo could've done better or at least gotten the same deal with a better team). Barnes is a useful wild card on a good team, but he's just waste of space on a bad team. Tolliver can hit corner 3's. Temple is...uh....who is he? Papagiannis is one of those prospects that only appeared on anyone's radar at the last minute making him a virtual unknown. Richardson had a nice tournament run for a freshman on a so-so Syracuce team. Skal was a disappointment at Kentucky (on his way to being a disappointment in the NBA).
From last year they've lost Rajon Rondo (to Bulls), traded Marco Belinelli (to Hornets), James Anderson (to a Turkish team, I believe), Seth Curry (to Mavs), Quincy Acy (currently unsigned, could be back in a Sac uni), Wayne Ellington (to Heat). Rondo was never a good fit for Sacramento (or anyone, really), so not a big loss. Belinelli was not a good fit. Anderson was not a good player. Seth Curry is gonna be everyone's favorite mascot for the next few years, an in demand roster filler for years to come. Acy and Ellington are pro basketball players...and no one can take that away from them.
Their Summer League team features some interesting prospects: Arturas Gudaitis, Luka Mitrovic, Jarrod Uthoof have all had some acclaim over the last coupla drafts, Sacramento is as good a place as any for them to debut. And the current rumor is they're shopping Rudy Gay. And some good news: Darren Collison plead not guilty in his domestic abuse case.
Starting five: PG Collison, SG McLemore, SF Gay, PF Cauley-Stein, C Cousins with Richardson (as backup PG?), Aflalo, Barnes, Tolliver, Temple, Butler, Gudaitis, Papagionnas, Labisserie off the bench. They're trying to suck, right? What else could be going on here? Man, I don't see how they win any games at all with that lineup. Cousins sinks further into ignominy until he can finally get to a real NBA city. Brutal.
From last year they've lost Rajon Rondo (to Bulls), traded Marco Belinelli (to Hornets), James Anderson (to a Turkish team, I believe), Seth Curry (to Mavs), Quincy Acy (currently unsigned, could be back in a Sac uni), Wayne Ellington (to Heat). Rondo was never a good fit for Sacramento (or anyone, really), so not a big loss. Belinelli was not a good fit. Anderson was not a good player. Seth Curry is gonna be everyone's favorite mascot for the next few years, an in demand roster filler for years to come. Acy and Ellington are pro basketball players...and no one can take that away from them.
Their Summer League team features some interesting prospects: Arturas Gudaitis, Luka Mitrovic, Jarrod Uthoof have all had some acclaim over the last coupla drafts, Sacramento is as good a place as any for them to debut. And the current rumor is they're shopping Rudy Gay. And some good news: Darren Collison plead not guilty in his domestic abuse case.
Starting five: PG Collison, SG McLemore, SF Gay, PF Cauley-Stein, C Cousins with Richardson (as backup PG?), Aflalo, Barnes, Tolliver, Temple, Butler, Gudaitis, Papagionnas, Labisserie off the bench. They're trying to suck, right? What else could be going on here? Man, I don't see how they win any games at all with that lineup. Cousins sinks further into ignominy until he can finally get to a real NBA city. Brutal.
Phoenix Suns (so far)
Mellow off-season so far for the Suns. They've only added a coupla veterans: Leandro Barbosa (2yrs/$8m) and Jared Dudley (3yrs/$30m). Draft night yielded Dragan Bender (#4), Marquisse Chriss (#8), Tyler Ulis (#34). Barbosa can't play big minutes but in his limited time, he's still an effective scorer and ball handler. Dudley's charms elude me: he's a funny guy, great talk show guest but on the court his contribution is minimal at best and they're paying him the exact same money that could've given to Teletovic; not a good move in my opinion. Bender is going to be interesting but I'm not sold on Chriss; Bender will take a year or two to get into the NBA game but he looks to have the skills to hang, while Chriss just has bust written all over him. I love picking up Ulis in the 2nd round, telling you, man, that guy can play and he's gonna be a great spark plug off the bench for the Suns this year.
So far they've only lost Mirza Teletovic (Bucks) and Jon Leuer (Pistons), but with their logjam of Kentucky guards, its hard to imagine they don't make one big trade by the end of summer. I don't mind letting go of Teletovic but replacing him with Dudley for the same money is a waste. I kinda like Leuer but with Bender in and Len still maturing, Leuer was an easy one to let go.
Right now their starting five looks something lie: PG Bledsoe, SG Booker, SF Tucker, PF Warren, C Chandler with Knight, Ulis, Goodwin, Barbosa, Dudley, Chriss, Bender, Len off the bench. I feel like Bledsoe is the one to go with maybe Warren or Tucker as a sweetener. What are they looking to get back for him? No telling with this team. It feels like they're finally settling down some but they still have one big deal to make and they hopefully they'll let the players play.
So far they've only lost Mirza Teletovic (Bucks) and Jon Leuer (Pistons), but with their logjam of Kentucky guards, its hard to imagine they don't make one big trade by the end of summer. I don't mind letting go of Teletovic but replacing him with Dudley for the same money is a waste. I kinda like Leuer but with Bender in and Len still maturing, Leuer was an easy one to let go.
Right now their starting five looks something lie: PG Bledsoe, SG Booker, SF Tucker, PF Warren, C Chandler with Knight, Ulis, Goodwin, Barbosa, Dudley, Chriss, Bender, Len off the bench. I feel like Bledsoe is the one to go with maybe Warren or Tucker as a sweetener. What are they looking to get back for him? No telling with this team. It feels like they're finally settling down some but they still have one big deal to make and they hopefully they'll let the players play.
Memphis Grizzlies (so far)
Re-signed Mike Conley (5yrs/$135m). Added Chandler Parsons (4yrs/$94m), James Ennis (2yrs/$6m), Aaron Harrison (3yrs/$?). Drafted Wade Baldwin (#17), Deyonta Davis (#31), Rade Zagorac (#35), Wang Shelin (#57). Conley was a big get, thought he was gone for sure with the deterioration of the organization in recent years but the PG market was not as dynamic this summer as I anticipated and the Grizzlies were able to hang on to one of their cornerstones. They also stole Parsons away from the Mavs, could be fool's gold (man, is he worth all that?) but they need wing scoring desperately and Parsons should deliver. Ennis is a nice vet off the bench. And now they have both of the Harrison twins: hey, I still believe in them! They're big, play tough D, hit big shots and handle the ball well, why they both fell in the draft last year is a mystery to me. Not saying they'll be all-stars but they can both play and putting them together is a shrewd move for the Grizzlies. They did well to nab Baldwin and Davis on draft day, both have been playing in Summer League. Zagorac and Shelin will perhaps appear in the future (perhaps for other teams).
So far they've only lost Matt Barnes (Kings) and Chris Andersen (Cavs), but I think they've renounced both Lance Stephenson and Xavier Munford and it seems unlikely they'll bring back Mario Chalmers, PJ Hairston or Jordan Farmar. Not a big loss on any those guys, they were just bandaids to hold back the bleeding the Grizzlies suffered last season.
In this past post-season, the Grizzlies were perhaps the worst playoff team I'd ever seen. They were starting Jordan Farmer against the Spurs...Jordan Farmar! The fact that the Grizzlies held on to a playoff spot is a testament to the grit and grind philosophy they've held for years now. They got blasted by the Spurs, let Coach Joerger go to the Kings and it felt like without Conley this team would be in the doldrums for the forseeable future.
But they retained Conley, added a legit star on the wing in Parsons, wooed Coach David Fizdale away from Miami and made a lot of good moves to bring in young talent. Suddenly it feels like the Grizzlies are back in contention in the West (well, sorta). What looked disaster has left them looking stronger. If they can get through the year without crippling injuries, they could be back in the top four in the West and looming as a dangerous playoff team.
In this past post-season, the Grizzlies were perhaps the worst playoff team I'd ever seen. They were starting Jordan Farmer against the Spurs...Jordan Farmar! The fact that the Grizzlies held on to a playoff spot is a testament to the grit and grind philosophy they've held for years now. They got blasted by the Spurs, let Coach Joerger go to the Kings and it felt like without Conley this team would be in the doldrums for the forseeable future.
But they retained Conley, added a legit star on the wing in Parsons, wooed Coach David Fizdale away from Miami and made a lot of good moves to bring in young talent. Suddenly it feels like the Grizzlies are back in contention in the West (well, sorta). What looked disaster has left them looking stronger. If they can get through the year without crippling injuries, they could be back in the top four in the West and looming as a dangerous playoff team.
MLB at Mid-Season
Right now in the American League your playoff teams are the Rangers, Indians, Orioles with the Red Sox and Blue Jays playing in. The only teams that can be comfortably written off for the year are the Twins, Rays, Angels and A's. That leaves the Astros, Tigers, Royals, White Sox, Mariners and Yankees fighting for the scraps.
I think the Rangers are for real and have less competition in the West, I'll take them to finish 1st overall. I like the Indians but the Royals and Tigers are both still solid teams; I'll take the Royals to win the Central and the Indians to take one of the wild card spots. In the East, I feel like the Blue Jays still have their best baseball ahead of them whereas the Orioles have probably already peaked this year. The Red Sox will make moves and hang around but I don't think they're really any better than the Indians.
Right now playoff projections: Indians over Red Sox in the play-in; Rangers over Indians, Blue Jays over Royals. Blue Jays over Rangers.
I've watched less National League but my sense is that the Cubs are not the greatest teams of all time, just one of the greatest teams of this year. And the Nats have finally put something together (player manager is making all the difference, I'm thinking) after years of frustrating close-ness. Right now your playoff teams are Giants, Cubs, Nats with Dodgers-Mets in the play-in. There are a number of teams we can rule out: Braves, Reds, D-Backs, Padres, Brewers (fire sale on its way), Rockies, Phillies. The Pirates have disappointed so far but I think they've already played the toughest part of their schedule, I like them to make a 2nd half push. Also I think the Cardinals and Dodgers flounder.
I'll take Pirates over Mets in the play-in; Cubs over Pirates, Nats over Giants. Cubs over Nats.
I forgot to do a pre-season MLB projection but I'm pretty sure I would've taken the Cubs over Blue Jays in the World Series, so I'll go ahead and stick with that. The Cubs are young but they've got as much talent as any team I can think of for the least few years, the pitching is solid, the coach is a badass, the depth is amazing at every position, the Cubs are the best team. In baseball that doesn't always translate to winning but I think once the Cubs really get rolling, there will be an unstoppable groundswell to propel them forward. And the Blue Jays are ripe to play the villain, should make for a great Series!
Euro Soccer
Ain't gonna lie: I was rooting against Portugal the entire tournament but they managed to squeak through again and again all the way to the Championship. They had only 1 win in 90 minutes in the entire tournament (1 W, 3 Draws, 2 OT Wins, 1 PK Win)...and still won it all. Kooky, man. Eder is the man, what a goal--did not see that coming!
I don't want to say Portugal was a better team without Christian Ronaldo but his absence befuddled France without diminishing the Portugal attack. Remember a coupla years back when the Clippers had a 3-2 lead on the Rockets and a ridiculously huge lead in Game Six, ready to wrap it up: then the Rockets benched James Harden, went on a run to steal the game and stunned the Clippers. Its not that the Rockets were better without Harden, its that the Clippers were so focused on Harden that they paid no attention to the rest of the team. I think that's what happened to France: once Ronaldo left the game with an injury (and come on, folks, he was hurt, he wasn't jaking it out there, if he could've played I guarantee he would have) France didn't make any adjustments. They could've realigned themselves to move the ball forward, instead they kept walking right into Portugal's sludge-y midfield and getting bogged down.
Also, I thought subbing Payet and Giroud near the end was kinda weird considering how dangerous they looked throughout the tournament (and especially considering overtime and PK's were in the offing). And, yes, I know Pogba is a defender but, man, don't you want him closer to the goal? His touch is amazing and he has a great offensive sense, just seems like putting him at defensive mid is kind of a waste.
Kind of a shame, I thought France was the best team (Germany 2nd, Italy 3rd, with some ordering of Wales, Poland, Iceland, Portugal next I guess) but you gotta win the big game to get the big trophy. (Hmmmm.....when Jurgen Klinnsman leaves Team USA for England, will Didier Deschamps be interested in the USA job?)
I don't want to say Portugal was a better team without Christian Ronaldo but his absence befuddled France without diminishing the Portugal attack. Remember a coupla years back when the Clippers had a 3-2 lead on the Rockets and a ridiculously huge lead in Game Six, ready to wrap it up: then the Rockets benched James Harden, went on a run to steal the game and stunned the Clippers. Its not that the Rockets were better without Harden, its that the Clippers were so focused on Harden that they paid no attention to the rest of the team. I think that's what happened to France: once Ronaldo left the game with an injury (and come on, folks, he was hurt, he wasn't jaking it out there, if he could've played I guarantee he would have) France didn't make any adjustments. They could've realigned themselves to move the ball forward, instead they kept walking right into Portugal's sludge-y midfield and getting bogged down.
Also, I thought subbing Payet and Giroud near the end was kinda weird considering how dangerous they looked throughout the tournament (and especially considering overtime and PK's were in the offing). And, yes, I know Pogba is a defender but, man, don't you want him closer to the goal? His touch is amazing and he has a great offensive sense, just seems like putting him at defensive mid is kind of a waste.
Kind of a shame, I thought France was the best team (Germany 2nd, Italy 3rd, with some ordering of Wales, Poland, Iceland, Portugal next I guess) but you gotta win the big game to get the big trophy. (Hmmmm.....when Jurgen Klinnsman leaves Team USA for England, will Didier Deschamps be interested in the USA job?)
Wimbledon
Murray over Raonic
Gotta hand it to Raonic: he battled. He has perhaps the best serve in the game right now, unfortunately for him Murray is perhaps the best returner in the game right now. Federer gets to every ball by good defensive play, Nadal gets to every ball by hustling like a maniac, Djokovic gets to every ball because he has a Gretzky-like sense of just knowing where every ball is gonna go but Murray gets to every ball because he is a giant crazy octopus-man who is never far away from anything on the court. He had the home court advantage (no love for the plucky underdog Roanic when up against a Brit at Wimbledon, sorry dude) and came into the Final rolling. Man, once Djokovic went out it was up for grabs but I thought only Federer could beat Murray. Murray is your Wimbeldon champion and a well deserved Slam for him.
Murray over Berdych
Berdych is good but he has that malady that top ten tennis players often suffer from: he's better than 99% of the planet at tennis but not that last 1%. (I think Ferrer, Tsonga and Gasquet are in that camp, as well, which is where Andy Roddick spent the bulk of his career) Berdych is a good athlete, good serve, good return, moves well around the court but tennis is a game of big plays and I just never felt like against Murray Berdych was gonna get any of those big plays. Murray had him stifled early and that was that.
Raonic over Federer
Raonic won the 1st set, Federer won the 2nd and then the 3rd. Then an interesting thing happened in the 4th set: Federer had his break chances but just couldn't take advantage and both players seemed resigned for a tie-break, when all of the sudden, Raonic stepped up and surprised Federer on his last serve and stole the 4th set from him. You could tell Federer never quite got over that moment and he floundered badly in the 5th. Raonic broke him early in the 5th and even though it felt like Federer would have a moment or two to put it on Raonic, he never really challenged him. Federer has this thing where he is such a super genius of tennis that he can see 4 or 5 steps ahead in the future and every once in a while he looks ahead and realizes he's lost. Federer's not the fighter he once was and if he can't win by playing the cleanest, neatest tennis on the planet (the Edberg-i-est tennis), then he just doesn't even wanna win. Federer is still a step ahead of Berdych and Gasquet, et al., but he doesn't have that fire any more and falters at the oddest times. This was (perhaps) his last best chance to win another Slam.
Serena over Kerber
This was a very even match coming down to a handful of points (as is often the case in high level tennis). Serena made the plays and Kerber did not. Kind of a mirrors of Kerber's defeat of Venus in the semis: Kerber made the plays that Venus couldn't make. Serena is still the best but there's a lot more competition out there for her these days than there was in the past. Kerber is a comer and was lucky enough to be born long enough after the Williams sisters that she seems on her way to having the great tennis career that Serena has mostly kept everyone else from having.
Gotta hand it to Raonic: he battled. He has perhaps the best serve in the game right now, unfortunately for him Murray is perhaps the best returner in the game right now. Federer gets to every ball by good defensive play, Nadal gets to every ball by hustling like a maniac, Djokovic gets to every ball because he has a Gretzky-like sense of just knowing where every ball is gonna go but Murray gets to every ball because he is a giant crazy octopus-man who is never far away from anything on the court. He had the home court advantage (no love for the plucky underdog Roanic when up against a Brit at Wimbledon, sorry dude) and came into the Final rolling. Man, once Djokovic went out it was up for grabs but I thought only Federer could beat Murray. Murray is your Wimbeldon champion and a well deserved Slam for him.
Murray over Berdych
Berdych is good but he has that malady that top ten tennis players often suffer from: he's better than 99% of the planet at tennis but not that last 1%. (I think Ferrer, Tsonga and Gasquet are in that camp, as well, which is where Andy Roddick spent the bulk of his career) Berdych is a good athlete, good serve, good return, moves well around the court but tennis is a game of big plays and I just never felt like against Murray Berdych was gonna get any of those big plays. Murray had him stifled early and that was that.
Raonic over Federer
Raonic won the 1st set, Federer won the 2nd and then the 3rd. Then an interesting thing happened in the 4th set: Federer had his break chances but just couldn't take advantage and both players seemed resigned for a tie-break, when all of the sudden, Raonic stepped up and surprised Federer on his last serve and stole the 4th set from him. You could tell Federer never quite got over that moment and he floundered badly in the 5th. Raonic broke him early in the 5th and even though it felt like Federer would have a moment or two to put it on Raonic, he never really challenged him. Federer has this thing where he is such a super genius of tennis that he can see 4 or 5 steps ahead in the future and every once in a while he looks ahead and realizes he's lost. Federer's not the fighter he once was and if he can't win by playing the cleanest, neatest tennis on the planet (the Edberg-i-est tennis), then he just doesn't even wanna win. Federer is still a step ahead of Berdych and Gasquet, et al., but he doesn't have that fire any more and falters at the oddest times. This was (perhaps) his last best chance to win another Slam.
Serena over Kerber
This was a very even match coming down to a handful of points (as is often the case in high level tennis). Serena made the plays and Kerber did not. Kind of a mirrors of Kerber's defeat of Venus in the semis: Kerber made the plays that Venus couldn't make. Serena is still the best but there's a lot more competition out there for her these days than there was in the past. Kerber is a comer and was lucky enough to be born long enough after the Williams sisters that she seems on her way to having the great tennis career that Serena has mostly kept everyone else from having.
Friday, July 8, 2016
Minnesota Wolves (so far)
Minimal moves for the Wolves. After hiring Coach Tom Thibodeau, they've since added only two free agents: Brandon Rush (1yr/$3.5m) and Cole Aldrich (3yrs/$22m), not exactly high profile guys. They declined the option on Damjan Rudez and draft Kris Dunn (#5). Not a busy summer but I think they didn't need to make a lot of moves, so good for them.
When watching the Clippers in the playoffs last year, I thought Cole Aldrich was the 2nd best player they had (guess, Coach Thibs saw what I saw). And I love nabbing hungry veterans for badass teams, so Brandon Rush should bring some professionalism and fire to a young Wolves team. Kris Dunn looks like a young Chris Paul, though I thought they could've used Buddy Hield, can't complain about picking Dunn.
Starting five: PG Rubio, SG Mohammad, SF LaVine, PF Wiggins, C Towns with Dunn, Jones, Rush, Bjelica, Garnett, Aldrich, Payne, Pekovic and Dieng off the bench. (Dunn, LaVine, Wiggins, Towns, Dieng is the dream starting five, though, right?)
From the beginning I thought Coach Thibs' mission was clear: turn LaVine and Payne into defensive standouts. If the Wolves can do that, they'll have home playoff games next year. Next step: figure out what to do with Peckovic: if he can play, fine; if not, get rid of that contract. Now the mission is figure out Rubio's role (or trade him), then figure out Mohammad's role (or trade him), then figure out Bjelica's role (or trade him), then figure out Payne's role (or trade him). If these guys can play, play them! If not, ship them out. Dunn, LaVine, Wiggins, Towns and Dieng are the core they're building around, figuring out the best way to help them is the mission for the next few years.
I love this team. I think they're a playoff team no matter what they end up doing. I think their ceiling is 3rd in the West, I think they're floor is probably still 6th or 7th in the West. Can't wait to see what Thibs gets out these kids.
When watching the Clippers in the playoffs last year, I thought Cole Aldrich was the 2nd best player they had (guess, Coach Thibs saw what I saw). And I love nabbing hungry veterans for badass teams, so Brandon Rush should bring some professionalism and fire to a young Wolves team. Kris Dunn looks like a young Chris Paul, though I thought they could've used Buddy Hield, can't complain about picking Dunn.
Starting five: PG Rubio, SG Mohammad, SF LaVine, PF Wiggins, C Towns with Dunn, Jones, Rush, Bjelica, Garnett, Aldrich, Payne, Pekovic and Dieng off the bench. (Dunn, LaVine, Wiggins, Towns, Dieng is the dream starting five, though, right?)
From the beginning I thought Coach Thibs' mission was clear: turn LaVine and Payne into defensive standouts. If the Wolves can do that, they'll have home playoff games next year. Next step: figure out what to do with Peckovic: if he can play, fine; if not, get rid of that contract. Now the mission is figure out Rubio's role (or trade him), then figure out Mohammad's role (or trade him), then figure out Bjelica's role (or trade him), then figure out Payne's role (or trade him). If these guys can play, play them! If not, ship them out. Dunn, LaVine, Wiggins, Towns and Dieng are the core they're building around, figuring out the best way to help them is the mission for the next few years.
I love this team. I think they're a playoff team no matter what they end up doing. I think their ceiling is 3rd in the West, I think they're floor is probably still 6th or 7th in the West. Can't wait to see what Thibs gets out these kids.
Denver Nuggets (so far)
The Nuggets did their damage on draft day, bringing in a raft of interesting young talent: SG Jamal Murray, SG/SF Juan Hernangomez, G Malik Beasley, SF Petr Cornelie, all rangy scorers, all should be pretty good right away, Coach Malone has a ton of scoring options to work with. In free agency the Nuggets have added no new players, lost only DJ Augustine (oh yeah, he played for Denver), and retained only Darrel Arthur (3yrs/$23m), though I assume they'll be picking up the options of Gary Harris and Jursuf Nurkic.
Like the Jazz, the Nuggets' upcoming season is built on maturation of the young talent. If Mudiay, Jokic, Harris and Nurkic are just a little better next year, then the Nuggets will be vastly improved (though that may not appear in the Win column). The team is probably happy to have another lottery pick next summer, the chances of beating the Warriors are so remote, its not really even much of a dream. Play the kids, let 'em grow, don't worry about winning. That said, if they all improve and gel and if Murray has a Devin Booker-ish rookie year, if Will Barton really is for-real, the Nuggets might could sneak a playoff spot in the West. But I don't see it.
I think the talent will be fun to watch, they'll catch teams off-balance and Denver has always been a great home court advantage, so making the playoffs is not so impossible. But they've got a long way to go to catch the Blazers, much less the Warriors. They've got time to churn some talent, get some reps and learn how to play NBA ball. I reckon the Nuggets will be making another big push in next year's draft.
Like the Jazz, the Nuggets' upcoming season is built on maturation of the young talent. If Mudiay, Jokic, Harris and Nurkic are just a little better next year, then the Nuggets will be vastly improved (though that may not appear in the Win column). The team is probably happy to have another lottery pick next summer, the chances of beating the Warriors are so remote, its not really even much of a dream. Play the kids, let 'em grow, don't worry about winning. That said, if they all improve and gel and if Murray has a Devin Booker-ish rookie year, if Will Barton really is for-real, the Nuggets might could sneak a playoff spot in the West. But I don't see it.
I think the talent will be fun to watch, they'll catch teams off-balance and Denver has always been a great home court advantage, so making the playoffs is not so impossible. But they've got a long way to go to catch the Blazers, much less the Warriors. They've got time to churn some talent, get some reps and learn how to play NBA ball. I reckon the Nuggets will be making another big push in next year's draft.
Tour de France
If you had asked me what 'classifications after stage seven' meant, I would've said its how Japanese kids get into college. Nope. It's what they call the leader board at the Tour de France.
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Utah Jazz (so far)
They've added only one free agent: Joe Johnson (2yrs/$22m). Through trades they picked up George Hill (for the #12 pick in the draft) and Boris Diaw (for a 2nd rd pick). On draft day they added three 2nd rounders (Isiah Whitehead, Joel Bolomboy, Tyrone Wallace) that drew some interest as prospects, though they seem like D League filler for now (keep an eye on Whitehead, that dude can play). They've only lost free agent Trevor Booker (more valuable to Brooklyn than Utah) and they traded Trey Burke for a 2nd rd pick (so, they more or less swapped him for Diaw, a very good trade).
The moves have been minimal and that's the norm for the Jazz. The core is in place, they only need to get naturally better. And to that end, I'm not a huge fan of the Joe Johnson deal: I thought he was not good for the Heat in the playoffs last year and even though the Jazz are getting him at a discount rate, I think he complicates their rotation more than giving them depth. I like adding Hill and Diaw, those guys will make worthwhile veteran contributions, whereas Johnson will slow everything down playing his deliberate ball-stopping style. Oh well, maybe he's trade bait.
So the rotation should look something like: PG Hill, SG Burks, SF Hayward, PF Favors, C Gobert with Exum, Mack, Hood, Johnson, Ingles, Lyles, Diaw, Pleiss off the bench. That's frisky, man, and on the right nights it'll be something that the Warriors have never seen before. These kids are too young to be intimidated for long. The beauty of a youth movement is that if you're able to grow something, it is automatically unique and therefore capable of any outcome in a head to head match. If this squad gels and avoids injuries and general slump-i-ness, they could be something really really good, something the Warriors might not think twice about til it all the sudden blows up in their face. But that'll take two more years.
I think the Jazz are a firm playoff team right now but once the season starts they could either way: get a great jump early and pile up some needed w's (high end: 4th in West) or they lollygag along trying to figure out how to win games (low end: 8th); either way I think they make the playoffs. Even if they're not as good as they ought to be, I still think the Jazz make the playoffs. It is time for them, I'm ready to see them move up a notch.
The moves have been minimal and that's the norm for the Jazz. The core is in place, they only need to get naturally better. And to that end, I'm not a huge fan of the Joe Johnson deal: I thought he was not good for the Heat in the playoffs last year and even though the Jazz are getting him at a discount rate, I think he complicates their rotation more than giving them depth. I like adding Hill and Diaw, those guys will make worthwhile veteran contributions, whereas Johnson will slow everything down playing his deliberate ball-stopping style. Oh well, maybe he's trade bait.
So the rotation should look something like: PG Hill, SG Burks, SF Hayward, PF Favors, C Gobert with Exum, Mack, Hood, Johnson, Ingles, Lyles, Diaw, Pleiss off the bench. That's frisky, man, and on the right nights it'll be something that the Warriors have never seen before. These kids are too young to be intimidated for long. The beauty of a youth movement is that if you're able to grow something, it is automatically unique and therefore capable of any outcome in a head to head match. If this squad gels and avoids injuries and general slump-i-ness, they could be something really really good, something the Warriors might not think twice about til it all the sudden blows up in their face. But that'll take two more years.
I think the Jazz are a firm playoff team right now but once the season starts they could either way: get a great jump early and pile up some needed w's (high end: 4th in West) or they lollygag along trying to figure out how to win games (low end: 8th); either way I think they make the playoffs. Even if they're not as good as they ought to be, I still think the Jazz make the playoffs. It is time for them, I'm ready to see them move up a notch.
Houston Rockets (so far)
The Rockets have added Eric Gordon (4yrs/$53m), Ryan Anderson (4yrs/$80m), Nene Hilario (1yr/$2.9m) and I assume they'll pick up the very affordable team option on Michael Beasley. On draft night they picked up the intriguing Zhou Qi and Chinanu Onuaku (isn't he playing for someone else in Summer League?). And they brought in the great Mike D'antoni to coach. They've let Dwight Howard skitter away to the Hawks and it feels like Terrence Jones, Donatas Motiejunas, Josh Smith and Jason Terry are not coming back. Are the Rockets better? Hard to tell because their last coupla seasons have been so erratic, no one's actually sure how good the Rockets ever were.
Right now the Rockets are something like: PG Beverley, SG Gordon, SF Harden, PF Anderson, C Capela with Ariza, Brewer, McDaniels, Zhou, Dekker, Harrell and Nene off the bench. Surrounding Harden with scorers is an interesting move (one I'm surprised they haven't tried yet) and gives them a legit shot to outscore opponents. The Rockets should've been better last year (but they shouldn't have been as good as they were the year before), so saying they should be better next year seems like a no-brainer. If Harden has the ultra-efficient scoring season that he is capable of, the Rockets will easily be a playoff team. But I'm not sure they're any better than the Mavs at the moment.
They've still got money to spend and roster spots to fill but the core of the team is clearly already in place. Wouldn't be surprised to see them add a veteran forward like JJ Hickson or Chris Kaman.
Right now the Rockets are something like: PG Beverley, SG Gordon, SF Harden, PF Anderson, C Capela with Ariza, Brewer, McDaniels, Zhou, Dekker, Harrell and Nene off the bench. Surrounding Harden with scorers is an interesting move (one I'm surprised they haven't tried yet) and gives them a legit shot to outscore opponents. The Rockets should've been better last year (but they shouldn't have been as good as they were the year before), so saying they should be better next year seems like a no-brainer. If Harden has the ultra-efficient scoring season that he is capable of, the Rockets will easily be a playoff team. But I'm not sure they're any better than the Mavs at the moment.
They've still got money to spend and roster spots to fill but the core of the team is clearly already in place. Wouldn't be surprised to see them add a veteran forward like JJ Hickson or Chris Kaman.
Dallas Mavericks (so far)
(Man, the Mavs finished 6th last year? How?)
So far the Mavs added Harrison Barnes (4ys/$95m), Seth Curry (2yrs/$6m), re-signed Dwight Powell (4yrs/$37m), Dirk (2yrs/$40m), Deron Williams (1yr/$10m) and acquired Andrew Bogut in a trade (for a 2nd rd pick, I think). They also signed 2nd rd pick AJ Hammons to a multi-year deal. They missed out on Whiteside, lost Parsons to the Grizzlies and Pachulia to the dread pirate Warriors, and I doubt they'll bring back Felton, Villanueva or David Lee. But they've got more moves to make, they'll be better than you think just like always.
So they look something like: PG Williams, SG Matthews, SF Barnes, PF Dirk, C Bogut with Harris, Barrea, Anderson, Curry, Evans, Powell, Hammons, McGee off the bench. I dunno, man, that does not look like a playoff team to me. They've still got moves to make (Dion Waiters, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin--come on down! Maybe Gerald Green as this year's reclamation project?) and perhaps enough West teams will tank next year for the Mavs to hang around. The Mavs are always competitive and they'll have money to spend, so they'll be trying to win games while everyone else is tanking.
So far the Mavs added Harrison Barnes (4ys/$95m), Seth Curry (2yrs/$6m), re-signed Dwight Powell (4yrs/$37m), Dirk (2yrs/$40m), Deron Williams (1yr/$10m) and acquired Andrew Bogut in a trade (for a 2nd rd pick, I think). They also signed 2nd rd pick AJ Hammons to a multi-year deal. They missed out on Whiteside, lost Parsons to the Grizzlies and Pachulia to the dread pirate Warriors, and I doubt they'll bring back Felton, Villanueva or David Lee. But they've got more moves to make, they'll be better than you think just like always.
So they look something like: PG Williams, SG Matthews, SF Barnes, PF Dirk, C Bogut with Harris, Barrea, Anderson, Curry, Evans, Powell, Hammons, McGee off the bench. I dunno, man, that does not look like a playoff team to me. They've still got moves to make (Dion Waiters, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin--come on down! Maybe Gerald Green as this year's reclamation project?) and perhaps enough West teams will tank next year for the Mavs to hang around. The Mavs are always competitive and they'll have money to spend, so they'll be trying to win games while everyone else is tanking.
Portland Trail Blazers (so far)
Their only free agent move so far is Evan Turner (4ys/$70m), a good move if he continues the game he displayed in Boston. And they seem intent on keeping Meyers Leonard and Mo Harkless (after losing Alan Crabbe to the Nets) and I believe they already signed 2nd rd pick Jake Layman (a pretty good player for #47 money).
I don't expect they'll bring back Chris Kaman but Marreese Speights might be an affordable scoring forward for them. Also Donatas Moteijunas and Terrence Jones are still out there, still moves for the Blazers to make to add depth.
The Blazers are a sneaky good team, that's what they've got in their favor. Losing Crabbe actually kinda hurts, thought he was their #1 priority this summer (but when Brooklyn starts throwing around that kinda money, you just pat the kid on the back and say good luck). But Turner's a good fit, a confident ball handler who can score and make plays for teammates, I think he's gonna be really with this squad. They got a good coach/PG combo, plenty of game young talent, and they won't be afraid of the big bad Warriors. If Lillard busts out, the Blazers could steal up the standings, could be Clipper good but at the very least I expect them to be Grizzlie tough-out tenacious, that's dangerous enough.
In a summer where a lot of teams have already given up on next season, the Blazers seem to be in full steam ahead mode. The next year will be rocky for them but they're moving in the right direction, maybe next summer they can steal Durant for themselves (why not? Portland's a lovely town).
I don't expect they'll bring back Chris Kaman but Marreese Speights might be an affordable scoring forward for them. Also Donatas Moteijunas and Terrence Jones are still out there, still moves for the Blazers to make to add depth.
The Blazers are a sneaky good team, that's what they've got in their favor. Losing Crabbe actually kinda hurts, thought he was their #1 priority this summer (but when Brooklyn starts throwing around that kinda money, you just pat the kid on the back and say good luck). But Turner's a good fit, a confident ball handler who can score and make plays for teammates, I think he's gonna be really with this squad. They got a good coach/PG combo, plenty of game young talent, and they won't be afraid of the big bad Warriors. If Lillard busts out, the Blazers could steal up the standings, could be Clipper good but at the very least I expect them to be Grizzlie tough-out tenacious, that's dangerous enough.
In a summer where a lot of teams have already given up on next season, the Blazers seem to be in full steam ahead mode. The next year will be rocky for them but they're moving in the right direction, maybe next summer they can steal Durant for themselves (why not? Portland's a lovely town).
LA Clippers (so far)
Nothing. They've done nothing. Re-signed Wesley Johnson (2 yrs/ ), Jamal Crawford (3yrs/$42m), Luc Mbah a Moute (2yrs/$4.5m), Austin Rivers (?yrs/$?m). They let Jeff Green (Magic), Cole Aldrich (Wolves) walk and its hard to imagine Paul Pierce comes back. On draft day they picked up Brice Johnson and Cheick Diallo, two interesting prospects that seem like great bargains to the Clippers, we'll see if they get any run. Other than that, not much to report, looks like they'll be rolling into next season with pretty much the same team. It's a strategy, it could work, I guess. (Man, Doc Rivers' boys get paid, don't they? He is a generous and kind friend)
The Clippers will still be a top quality team in a league where a lot of teams will be throwing in the towel on fighting the Warriors (oh, prepare to hear a lot about how great the next draft is gonna be: there's ten Ben Simmons's and at least 5 or 6 Brandon Ingrams and the Buddy Hields are so thick you can just pluck 'em off the branch!). The Clippers should still be 3rd-5th in the West and might even give the Warriors a scare in the playoffs (jk, I don't see that happening). And then come back next summer for Doc's next round of raises. Standing pat in a league where the best got better and everyone else will be tanking might make the Clippers the tallest midget in town. (Already thinking about how disappointing next summer will be...)
The Clippers will still be a top quality team in a league where a lot of teams will be throwing in the towel on fighting the Warriors (oh, prepare to hear a lot about how great the next draft is gonna be: there's ten Ben Simmons's and at least 5 or 6 Brandon Ingrams and the Buddy Hields are so thick you can just pluck 'em off the branch!). The Clippers should still be 3rd-5th in the West and might even give the Warriors a scare in the playoffs (jk, I don't see that happening). And then come back next summer for Doc's next round of raises. Standing pat in a league where the best got better and everyone else will be tanking might make the Clippers the tallest midget in town. (Already thinking about how disappointing next summer will be...)
OKC Thunder (so far)
Devastation. Even more devastation to come. Ibaka out, Durant out, Westbrook probably out, you were planning on the momentous occasion of inking the best stars your team has ever known to long term deals but instead you're rebuilding around Enes Kanter and Victor Oladipo. You're now the Utah Jazz.
With no more moves the team looks like: PG Westbrook, SG Oladipo, SF Roberson, PF Ilyasova, C Adams with Payne, McGary, Kanter, Sabonis off the bench. That's not a bad team, with Westbrook that's a playoff team in the West. But is it the team Westbrook wants to run with? If not, he's gotta go and that is no longer a playoff team.
I think Westbrook to the Celtics is the most logical trading spot for this summer (Nets 2017 1st rd pick, Clippers 2017 1st rd pick, Avery Bradley, then either Rozier, Hunter or Young). I'd rather have Westbrook, he's still one of the best players in the league, a true cornerstone player/performer, the Thunder are begging him to sign an extension, but if he doesn't he's gotta go before the beginning of the year. And an Eastern conference team with money to burn is the logical spot. (I don't see Westbrook extending w/Celtics next summer (maybe) but it might be worth it for the Celtics either way. I think OKC still has a pretty good team w/Westbrook but without him it becomes a teardown, replenishing big contracts for young talent and picks (yeah, Utah Jazz, I already said that)).
OKC is not done this summer. Either players come in to feed Westbrook's desires or either Westbrook is shipped out for a platter of test tube babies. Tough summer so far for OKC but it isn't over.
With no more moves the team looks like: PG Westbrook, SG Oladipo, SF Roberson, PF Ilyasova, C Adams with Payne, McGary, Kanter, Sabonis off the bench. That's not a bad team, with Westbrook that's a playoff team in the West. But is it the team Westbrook wants to run with? If not, he's gotta go and that is no longer a playoff team.
I think Westbrook to the Celtics is the most logical trading spot for this summer (Nets 2017 1st rd pick, Clippers 2017 1st rd pick, Avery Bradley, then either Rozier, Hunter or Young). I'd rather have Westbrook, he's still one of the best players in the league, a true cornerstone player/performer, the Thunder are begging him to sign an extension, but if he doesn't he's gotta go before the beginning of the year. And an Eastern conference team with money to burn is the logical spot. (I don't see Westbrook extending w/Celtics next summer (maybe) but it might be worth it for the Celtics either way. I think OKC still has a pretty good team w/Westbrook but without him it becomes a teardown, replenishing big contracts for young talent and picks (yeah, Utah Jazz, I already said that)).
OKC is not done this summer. Either players come in to feed Westbrook's desires or either Westbrook is shipped out for a platter of test tube babies. Tough summer so far for OKC but it isn't over.
San Antonio Spurs (so far)
Now that Kevin Durant has gone to the Warriors, word is Tim Duncan is mulling retirement. I've thought for the last 4-5 years, at the end of each season, Duncan looks at the Spurs roster and thinks, can I win a championship with these guys? If the answer is yes, Duncan'll just keep coming back. And I think at the end of this past season he looked at the team and thought yes, I'll give this squad one more year and then move on. But now that GSW has upgraded, Duncan might just say fuck it, I'm out. Drink margaritas for a coupla years, then get a bland job w/ ESPN. I thought he had one more year in him (and only one) but maybe not.
I thought the problem for the Spurs last year (and I hate to say this): David West. With the addition of Aldridge, the Spurs radically altered the offensive philosophy of swinging the ball around as fast as possible to find the most efficient shot. Aldridge slows that down a lot, opening Kawhi on the other side to be a ball dominant forward. Duncan is nudged into a strictly low post rebounding role, Tony Parker into a free floating scorer in service of Lamarcus and Kawhi. That's still a pretty good team but that's also a lot of change to absorb after a decade or more of steady operation. Rather than aiding that transition, David West actually dislodged Duncan even further, dislodging Parker even further, dislodging Diaw and Manu too, creating cracks that got exposed against a faster, tenacious OKC team. In the regular season the 15-16 Spurs were like the 14-15 Hawks: good enough talent, got their game down, you run into them on a Tuesday night or after a back to back or something and these guys are gonna have your lunch money and be back on the road before you know it. But over a 7 game series, that doesn't hold up. The Spurs got one solid punch in the face of OKC (Game One) before OKC blew up Akira-style on 'em.
The Spurs brought in Pau Gasol (2yrs/$30m) and said goodbye to David West (hopefully he monkeys with the working of Golden State the way he did in San Anton). Manu will be back, Duncan (should) be back, even Boban Marjanovic should be back. Add in exciting rookie PG Dejauntas Murray and the Spurs will still have a solid core, decent bench and years of success on their side.
I still have faith in the Spurs and the Popovich and even Pau Gasol (though if they have to lose Diaw to get him, he's just a replacement rather than an upgrade). I do not expect them to beat the Warriors, but they should still be better than Rockets, Clippers, Mavs, Jazz, Pelicans, Grizzlies, Wolves, etc., and OKC's definitely back in range. I expect the new style Spurs to still be really good next year, certainly close enough to the top to stay prepared for a trip to the conference finals. The Spurs have a good shot at finishing 2nd in the West again and being a tough out in the playoffs for whoever they face. (Last year's pre-season prediction was Spurs over Warriors, this year I'll reverse it but stick with the same two teams)
I thought the problem for the Spurs last year (and I hate to say this): David West. With the addition of Aldridge, the Spurs radically altered the offensive philosophy of swinging the ball around as fast as possible to find the most efficient shot. Aldridge slows that down a lot, opening Kawhi on the other side to be a ball dominant forward. Duncan is nudged into a strictly low post rebounding role, Tony Parker into a free floating scorer in service of Lamarcus and Kawhi. That's still a pretty good team but that's also a lot of change to absorb after a decade or more of steady operation. Rather than aiding that transition, David West actually dislodged Duncan even further, dislodging Parker even further, dislodging Diaw and Manu too, creating cracks that got exposed against a faster, tenacious OKC team. In the regular season the 15-16 Spurs were like the 14-15 Hawks: good enough talent, got their game down, you run into them on a Tuesday night or after a back to back or something and these guys are gonna have your lunch money and be back on the road before you know it. But over a 7 game series, that doesn't hold up. The Spurs got one solid punch in the face of OKC (Game One) before OKC blew up Akira-style on 'em.
The Spurs brought in Pau Gasol (2yrs/$30m) and said goodbye to David West (hopefully he monkeys with the working of Golden State the way he did in San Anton). Manu will be back, Duncan (should) be back, even Boban Marjanovic should be back. Add in exciting rookie PG Dejauntas Murray and the Spurs will still have a solid core, decent bench and years of success on their side.
I still have faith in the Spurs and the Popovich and even Pau Gasol (though if they have to lose Diaw to get him, he's just a replacement rather than an upgrade). I do not expect them to beat the Warriors, but they should still be better than Rockets, Clippers, Mavs, Jazz, Pelicans, Grizzlies, Wolves, etc., and OKC's definitely back in range. I expect the new style Spurs to still be really good next year, certainly close enough to the top to stay prepared for a trip to the conference finals. The Spurs have a good shot at finishing 2nd in the West again and being a tough out in the playoffs for whoever they face. (Last year's pre-season prediction was Spurs over Warriors, this year I'll reverse it but stick with the same two teams)
Golden State Warriors (so far)
Okay, well, the 2-time Western Champs added (arguably) the best free agent signing of all time (Kevin Durant). This made the greatest single season team of all time much much much better and made their prime rival (OKC) much much much worse with one stroke of the pen (mightier then m'fuck'n sword, ain't it?). And their core of star players remains perfectly intact...and they're still under the salary cap...and the guys they did get rid of were not much of a sacrifice: their oldest player (Bogut to Mavs), their most unreliable player (Barnes to the Mavs), their most expendable contract (Ezeli to...?). If I were a Warrior fan I'd be bummed about losing McAdoo and Rush (hungry youngsters used to winning and serving the MVPs, those guys are great to have around) but otherwise the roster parings are positive rather than negative. And then they get David West (1yr/$free) and Pachulia (1yr/$2.9m), they're playing footsy with Ray Allen, probably others (you know Kendrick Perkins is gonna show up on day one and just pretend like he's on the team and everyone just goes along with it, I dunno, that's how I imagine it anyway).
Jeez, it ain't fair the team they're putting together. There are no off-nights against the Warriors this year. Their B- game should still pretty well smoosh most any team on any given Tuesday night. Coach Kerr is gonna have so much to work with, 'he's got more spice than the Frugal Gourmet', he might be able to phone it in for Coach of the Year (again). And they've still got money to spend (how about a super cheap year of Josh Smith as a makeover project for the veterans?).
The Warriors have the most elusive quality in all of sports: it is every bit as much fun to watch them lose as it to watch them win, and vice versa. Only a handful of competitors can say that: Brazil soccer, Tiger in his prime, Serena, the Shaq-Kobe Lakers, (probably lots of Olympic-type athletes), a few others (some might include Duke basketball or the Jeter/Rivera Yankees but I would not).
The downside of this move for the Warriors: I don't know how to quantify it but I suspect there is a maximum of star power that can exist in one locker room, the Yankees blew the wattage many times over the years, Real Madrid had a habit of signing strictly for expensive star power which only watered down everyone's game and made them all slightly worth less. It could get ugly if they don't mesh on/off the court but I don't anticipate that will be a problem because they'll be winning so often that bad feelings won't have time to intrude.
For the next year--oh, we'll be going through all this weird shit against next summer, maybe '18 as well--I expect the Warriors to crush everyone they see. I don't think this team gets to 73 wins but I think they could if they wanted to. I'll put them at 68, with a thought they could go over, depending on how many wins the #1 seed needs. In the playoffs, they'll be a damn near impossible matchup with anybody for 48 minutes, with tons and tons of scoring options, all the popular stars, and home court advantage. I expect them to be better than each and every team in the league in a 7 game series, The best just got bester.
The disappointing part of this for me is I wanted to see OKC challenge the Warriors for at least one more year. Now that's gone. I do not begrudge KD going where he wants or the Warriors luring in the biggest bestest stars, not at all, I'm not a fan of superteams but I can live with it for a year or two (seems like a natural by-product of the cap gap era). But the Thunder-Warriors match is one I was already looking forward to seeing next year...now that's gone. Long gone, not coming back. Too bad.
Jeez, it ain't fair the team they're putting together. There are no off-nights against the Warriors this year. Their B- game should still pretty well smoosh most any team on any given Tuesday night. Coach Kerr is gonna have so much to work with, 'he's got more spice than the Frugal Gourmet', he might be able to phone it in for Coach of the Year (again). And they've still got money to spend (how about a super cheap year of Josh Smith as a makeover project for the veterans?).
The Warriors have the most elusive quality in all of sports: it is every bit as much fun to watch them lose as it to watch them win, and vice versa. Only a handful of competitors can say that: Brazil soccer, Tiger in his prime, Serena, the Shaq-Kobe Lakers, (probably lots of Olympic-type athletes), a few others (some might include Duke basketball or the Jeter/Rivera Yankees but I would not).
The downside of this move for the Warriors: I don't know how to quantify it but I suspect there is a maximum of star power that can exist in one locker room, the Yankees blew the wattage many times over the years, Real Madrid had a habit of signing strictly for expensive star power which only watered down everyone's game and made them all slightly worth less. It could get ugly if they don't mesh on/off the court but I don't anticipate that will be a problem because they'll be winning so often that bad feelings won't have time to intrude.
For the next year--oh, we'll be going through all this weird shit against next summer, maybe '18 as well--I expect the Warriors to crush everyone they see. I don't think this team gets to 73 wins but I think they could if they wanted to. I'll put them at 68, with a thought they could go over, depending on how many wins the #1 seed needs. In the playoffs, they'll be a damn near impossible matchup with anybody for 48 minutes, with tons and tons of scoring options, all the popular stars, and home court advantage. I expect them to be better than each and every team in the league in a 7 game series, The best just got bester.
The disappointing part of this for me is I wanted to see OKC challenge the Warriors for at least one more year. Now that's gone. I do not begrudge KD going where he wants or the Warriors luring in the biggest bestest stars, not at all, I'm not a fan of superteams but I can live with it for a year or two (seems like a natural by-product of the cap gap era). But the Thunder-Warriors match is one I was already looking forward to seeing next year...now that's gone. Long gone, not coming back. Too bad.
Monday, July 4, 2016
Euro Semifinals
Portugal (PKs) 1-1 Poland
Man, Portugal are so boring. Why? Seems like they'd be an exciting veteran side but instead they slow everything to a glacial pace. Can't deny I'm rooting against them for this reason alone. Thought Poland played well but outside of an early goal, they never looked decisive in the box.
Wales 3-1 Belgium
For all the talent Beligum possesses, they never look dangerous to me. I thought Lukaku had good chances in front of the goal, I expected Belgium to keep feeding him but it never happened. Wales controlled the ball well and played exciting soccer, made the most of their opportunities.
Germany (PKs) 1-1 Italy
A strangely dull game. Neither team wanted to push forward, both seemed happy to play for PKs, which is odd considering how badly both teams competed in the shoot out. I thought going in that the winner of this match would take the tourney but now I'm not so sure.
France 5-2 Iceland
Great game! Kinda felt bad for Iceland, they played so well despite the scoreline. France's 1st and 4th goals were well played balls over the top that left a forward alone with the goalies; France's 2nd and 5th goals were overpowering players on set plays; the 3rd goal really should've been saved (I think he just didn't see the initial shot, left him a step behind the play). Iceland played physical (thought the ref favored them for the most part) and seemed dangerous all through the match (way more than Portugal, Belgium, Germany or Italy, for example). (Looking back I wish Iceland had matched up against Portugal)
Semfinals
Wales-Portugal
Ain't gonna lie: Portugal is boring and I don't want them in the Final. Wales is exciting, frisky on the wings, relentless up the middle, fun to watch. Go Wales!
France-Germany
Germany seems young and tentative, surviving on pure athleticism rather than their usual guile and grace. France is playing really well right now, I think they're the team to beat.
Man, Portugal are so boring. Why? Seems like they'd be an exciting veteran side but instead they slow everything to a glacial pace. Can't deny I'm rooting against them for this reason alone. Thought Poland played well but outside of an early goal, they never looked decisive in the box.
Wales 3-1 Belgium
For all the talent Beligum possesses, they never look dangerous to me. I thought Lukaku had good chances in front of the goal, I expected Belgium to keep feeding him but it never happened. Wales controlled the ball well and played exciting soccer, made the most of their opportunities.
Germany (PKs) 1-1 Italy
A strangely dull game. Neither team wanted to push forward, both seemed happy to play for PKs, which is odd considering how badly both teams competed in the shoot out. I thought going in that the winner of this match would take the tourney but now I'm not so sure.
France 5-2 Iceland
Great game! Kinda felt bad for Iceland, they played so well despite the scoreline. France's 1st and 4th goals were well played balls over the top that left a forward alone with the goalies; France's 2nd and 5th goals were overpowering players on set plays; the 3rd goal really should've been saved (I think he just didn't see the initial shot, left him a step behind the play). Iceland played physical (thought the ref favored them for the most part) and seemed dangerous all through the match (way more than Portugal, Belgium, Germany or Italy, for example). (Looking back I wish Iceland had matched up against Portugal)
Semfinals
Wales-Portugal
Ain't gonna lie: Portugal is boring and I don't want them in the Final. Wales is exciting, frisky on the wings, relentless up the middle, fun to watch. Go Wales!
France-Germany
Germany seems young and tentative, surviving on pure athleticism rather than their usual guile and grace. France is playing really well right now, I think they're the team to beat.
The Big Domino
Durant to the Warriors! I honestly did not see that coming, I really thought KD would hold everyone hostage and then return back home where Russell Westbrook is ready to explode. Okay, the Warriors will undoubtedly let go of Harrison Barnes (he's been replaced), Festus Ezeli (easy come, easy go) and probably Mareese Speights (a fungible commodity) after already letting James McAdoo and Ian Clark move on. The Warriors will be filling out their roster with Summer Leaguers and old timey vets looking for a ring (Paul Pierce, come on down!). The Thunder were my pre-pre-pre-season pick to win it all next year, thought they should've won it this year but now they've taken a huge step back while their main foe has taken a huge step forward.
As for OKC, the door has opened for chasing Pau Gasol or David West. They have money to spend (especially since I suspect they'll let Dion Waiters and Anthony Morrow walk, too) and I'd suggest going after Domantis Motiejunas, KJ McDaniels, and Seth Curry. They should also take a run at Mo Harkless.
Westbrook is gonna have an MVP season, Kanter and Adams keeping it locked down low, Ilyasova, Roberson, Collison and Singler eating up minutes, Oladipo off the bench, McGary, Sabonis and Payne as the hungry youngsters. Add in West, Moteijunas, McDaniels and Curry and you've got a decent squad built around Westbrook. Hard to imagine that team beating the Warriors but Westbrook will be on another level next year so maybe if the ball bounces right, the Thunder are still in the mix.
Or do they trade Westbrook to the Celtics for the Nets #1 pick, Avery Bradley and some array of RJ Hunter/James Young/2017 Clippers 1st rounder? Could happen.
As for OKC, the door has opened for chasing Pau Gasol or David West. They have money to spend (especially since I suspect they'll let Dion Waiters and Anthony Morrow walk, too) and I'd suggest going after Domantis Motiejunas, KJ McDaniels, and Seth Curry. They should also take a run at Mo Harkless.
Westbrook is gonna have an MVP season, Kanter and Adams keeping it locked down low, Ilyasova, Roberson, Collison and Singler eating up minutes, Oladipo off the bench, McGary, Sabonis and Payne as the hungry youngsters. Add in West, Moteijunas, McDaniels and Curry and you've got a decent squad built around Westbrook. Hard to imagine that team beating the Warriors but Westbrook will be on another level next year so maybe if the ball bounces right, the Thunder are still in the mix.
Or do they trade Westbrook to the Celtics for the Nets #1 pick, Avery Bradley and some array of RJ Hunter/James Young/2017 Clippers 1st rounder? Could happen.
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