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- Posted: Sun, 16 Aug 2009 03:12:04 +0000
iJonnayCakez
Kurokashi-san
Bill Ingram Grades the Southwest
San Antonio Spurs
Added/Retained: Richard Jefferson, DeJuan Blair, Antonio McDyess, Theo Ratliff, Marcus Haislip
Lost: Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto, Kurt Thomas
Review: The San Antonio Spurs
appeared to be a team on the verge of rebuilding at the end of the 2008-09 season. The ongoing injury issues with Manu Ginobili all but sabotaged the season, as the Spurs weren't able to consistently replace his offense or his overall impact on the team. They were still tough and competitive without him, but they weren't able to win even a first round playoff series in which they had home court advantage. With the national media obsessed with talk of how "old" the Spurs were, pundits across the league said the Spurs' era of dominance was over.
The Spurs themselves have other ideas.
One of the most lopsided trades in recent history saw the Spurs acquire Richard Jefferson from the Milwaukee Bucks for what basically amounted to scraps, and with Jefferson in place the Spurs can expect to be right back at the top of the NBA's Western Conference regardless of how effective Manu Ginobili might be. Jefferson is a lethal scoring option (.397% from NBA three last season), and gives the Spurs an entire new dimension to explore on the offensive end. The subsequent additions of Antonio McDyess and Theo Ratliff added toughness to their front line, and in drafting DeJaun Blair they landed an instant double-double threat.
Don't jump the gun and start talking about the Spurs having the best record in the Western Conference, no matter how likely that may seem in August. Head coach Gregg Popovich is always more concerned about making sure his older players are rested than he is about winning the conference or even the division. Add to that the fact that the Spurs play in one of the toughest divisions, and the Lakers
are still likely to have the best record in the West. Once the playoffs start, however, all bets are off.
Grade: A
New Orleans Hornets
Added/Retained: Emeka Okafor, Darren Collison, Marcus Thornton, Ike Diogu,
Lost: Tyson Chandler, Rasual Butler
Review: The New Orleans Hornets haven't had a flashy summer, but they have been quietly efficient. The Emeka Okafor/Tyson Chandler trade may not have been sexy, but it gave the Hornets a more consistent presence in the paint (he hasn't missed a single game over the last two seasons). It will also be interesting to see how good he might be under the influence of Chris Paul. Tyson Chandler was ready to wash out of the NBA before he landed in New Orleans, where Chris Paul made him one of the better second-tier centers in the league. Will CP3 make Okafor an All-Star? If he does, the Hornets could find themselves right back in contention for the West's best record in 2009-10. It will also be interesting to see if Ike Diogu can finally find his NBA game playing alongside Paul.
The draft was very good to the Hornets, who got Darren Collison in the first round and then acquired Marcus Thornton from the second round. Collison and Thornton were easily the best back court in summer league play, and while that doesn't necessarily translate directly into regular season play, the Hornets are very high on their young backcourt tandem.
Two seasons ago the Hornets were among the West's elite, but their journey towards postseason glory was derailed last season due to ongoing significant injuries. If they can get healthy, the additions and tweaks they've made this summer should get them back in that discussion.
Grade: B-
Dallas Mavericks
Added/Retained: Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Tim Thomas, Kris Humphries, Nathan Jawai, Quinton Ross, Rodrigue Beaubois, Greg Buckner
Lost: Jerry Stackhouse, Antoine Wright, Devean George
Review: Major changes don't often equate to better on-court performance, and once again the Dallas Mavericks will test that theory. The addition of Shawn Marion could be a significant one, though as of this writing the Mavericks have two starting small forwards and no starting shooting guard. Still, they got Marion for next to nothing. Stackhouse has probably played his last game, Devean George was never effective for the Mavs, and Antoine Wright is a contributor, but not a star by any stretch of the imagination.
Re-signing Jason Kidd was inevitable, and it means the clock is now officially ticking on the Dirk Nowitzki era of Mavericks basketball. The future is no longer the focus, and winning as many games as can possibly be won today is the theme. Kidd still has plenty of basketball left in his tank (or better, at his price), and the onus is now on the Mavs' front office to make sure they have the right team around him.
The rest of the summer has been less than impressive for the Mavs, with names like Tim Thomas, Kris Humphries and Quinton Ross now in the mix. Rodrigue Beaubois had his moments in summer league, but he's likely a year or two away from cracking the lineup consistently. There's no urgency there, as Jason Terry and JJ Barea will get all of the point guard minutes off the bench as well as some of the two guard minutes.
The big question now is whether or not the Mavs can compete with the likes of the Spurs, Blazers, Lakers, Hornets and Nuggets for Western Conference supremacy. They're certainly a playoff team, but is a second round exit good enough for this team? As things stand today, it's unlikely Dallas finds themselves in the conference finals. There's still some work to be done. . .and don't believe for a moment that Mark Cuban doesn't know that. Dallas isn't finished dealing.
Grade: C+
Houston Rockets
Added/Retained: Jermaine Taylor, Chase Budinger, Trevor Ariza, David Andersen
Lost: Ron Artest, Von [Yao Ming (injury)
Review: The Houston Rockets are, in many ways, between a rock and a hard place. On paper their roster is championship-caliber, but injuries will almost certainly force them to fall well short of that goal. Yao Ming's foot injury will force him to miss the entire season and Tracy McGrady's various injuries make his status ambiguous at best. It's more than likely that the Rockets will play most of the 2009-10 season without either of their superstars.
The good news for Houston fans is that the Rockets' second unit is good enough to hold their own most nights. Luis Scola, Shane Battier, Aaron Brooks, Trevor Ariza, and Carl Landry are as good as or better than any team's supporting cast. David Andersen is still a big question mark, but he was considered by many to be one of the best big men playing overseas. Think of him as a poor man's Mehmet Okur.
The Rockets didn't own a first round pick, but they managed to make some noise in the draft, nonetheless, via trades. They acquired Chase Budinger and Jermaine Taylor, both of whom are expected to have an impact on the team this season. Budinger was fabulous in summer league play, and while Taylor was hampered by a hamstring injury, the Rockets are confident he'll find his groove and make an impact in training camp and preseason. That could translate into a role in the rotation when the season starts.
At the end of the day, this is a year of opportunity for members of the Houston Rockets. Trevor Ariza didn't blossom until he had Kobe Bryant to play off of, but if he wants to emerge as a force in the NBA, he will get a chance to do that this season. Luis Scola is no stranger to being "The Man," as he often has to play that role for Argentina's national team. He's someone who can handle a lot more responsibility than he's been asked to do with the Rockets to date. Carl Landry will also have a chance to emerge as the player the Rockets believe he can become, potentially playing big minutes as the Rockets look to fill Yao Ming's void. Finally, David Andersen can quickly endear himself to fans in Houston if he can contribute in a meaningful way.
It's hard to really grade the Rockets' offseason. There's nothing they could have done to overcome Yao's injury, and given the scraps they were offered for McGrady's ending deal, it didn't make sense to move him, either. At the very least the Rockets should be in the thick of the playoff chase this season, and when McGrady's contract comes off the books they can use that cap space to sign their next big star. As for this summer, Rockets GM Daryl Morey keeps hinting at another trade or signing, so it appears their roster is not yet finalized.
If Houston had signed Marcin Gortat it would have put them in the A-B range. If they had retained Ron Artest, who proved he can lead the team in the absence of McGrady and Yao, we're still in the A-B range. However, to this point of the summer, the Rockets haven't really been able to accomplish much.
Grade: C
Memphis Grizzlies
Added/Retained: Zach Randolph, Hasheem Thabeet, Sam Young, Steven Hunter, DeMarre Carroll
Lost: Darius Miles, Quinton Ross, Hakim Warrick, Greg Buckner
Review: The Memphis suffered through a miserable 2008-09, but the saving grace after such a season is that you land a high draft pick. With the number two pick in the Draft, the Grizzlies went looking for help in the front court, particularly on the defensive end of the floor. Their solution was to take UCONN's Hasheem Thabeet, hoping that he would be a game-changer for them on the defensive end of the floor. It was already clear he wouldn't have much of an impact on the offensive end.
The early returns aren't good. Thabeet was less than impressive in summer league play, averaging 8.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game. He missed a number of wide open dunks en route to that 8.2 ppg average and shot just 46% from the field. He also averaged five fouls per contest in just 25 minutes per game. If this is the Grizzlies' solution to the defensive end, they better have a Plan B.
Sam Young and DeMarre Carroll, on the other hand, look like solid additions. Young averaged 13.6 points per game while shooting 52% from the field in summer league play. Carroll, meanwhile, brings a very Shane Battier-like presence to the team, with his intangibles at least as important as his stats. He averaged 12.2 points (58% FG) and 4.8 rebounds in summer league and impressed Grizzlies brass with his heart and his hustle.
The Zach Randolph trade may sound flashy, and while Z-Bo will average 20 and 10, he's never helped a team win basketball games. He gets his offense at the expense of the gameplan and he plays absolutely no defense. There's a reason he gets traded every other season.
The Grizzlies play in one of the toughest divisions in the NBA, they used the second overall pick in the NBA Draft on a project (at best), and their big trade of the summer was to acquire a guy who won't help them win. Are they better than the team that won 24 games last season? Perhaps. Are they anywhere closer to the playoffs? Not by a long shot.
Grade: D
The Southwest Division may have a weak spot, but what was already one of the toughest divisions in the NBA has gotten even tougher. The San Antonio Spurs, if healthy, should dominate the division and even challenge the Lakers for the Western Conference title. The Mavericks and Hornets have improved, and the Rockets will be tough despite their injuries. The Grizzlies remain a lost cause, but life in the Southwest Division is going to be as tough as its ever been.
I don't agree with Ingram at all WTH NO had a better off season then Dallas? Just another example of the media bashing the Mavericks.
San Antonio Spurs
Added/Retained: Richard Jefferson, DeJuan Blair, Antonio McDyess, Theo Ratliff, Marcus Haislip
Lost: Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto, Kurt Thomas
Review: The San Antonio Spurs
appeared to be a team on the verge of rebuilding at the end of the 2008-09 season. The ongoing injury issues with Manu Ginobili all but sabotaged the season, as the Spurs weren't able to consistently replace his offense or his overall impact on the team. They were still tough and competitive without him, but they weren't able to win even a first round playoff series in which they had home court advantage. With the national media obsessed with talk of how "old" the Spurs were, pundits across the league said the Spurs' era of dominance was over.
The Spurs themselves have other ideas.
One of the most lopsided trades in recent history saw the Spurs acquire Richard Jefferson from the Milwaukee Bucks for what basically amounted to scraps, and with Jefferson in place the Spurs can expect to be right back at the top of the NBA's Western Conference regardless of how effective Manu Ginobili might be. Jefferson is a lethal scoring option (.397% from NBA three last season), and gives the Spurs an entire new dimension to explore on the offensive end. The subsequent additions of Antonio McDyess and Theo Ratliff added toughness to their front line, and in drafting DeJaun Blair they landed an instant double-double threat.
Don't jump the gun and start talking about the Spurs having the best record in the Western Conference, no matter how likely that may seem in August. Head coach Gregg Popovich is always more concerned about making sure his older players are rested than he is about winning the conference or even the division. Add to that the fact that the Spurs play in one of the toughest divisions, and the Lakers
are still likely to have the best record in the West. Once the playoffs start, however, all bets are off.
Grade: A
New Orleans Hornets
Added/Retained: Emeka Okafor, Darren Collison, Marcus Thornton, Ike Diogu,
Lost: Tyson Chandler, Rasual Butler
Review: The New Orleans Hornets haven't had a flashy summer, but they have been quietly efficient. The Emeka Okafor/Tyson Chandler trade may not have been sexy, but it gave the Hornets a more consistent presence in the paint (he hasn't missed a single game over the last two seasons). It will also be interesting to see how good he might be under the influence of Chris Paul. Tyson Chandler was ready to wash out of the NBA before he landed in New Orleans, where Chris Paul made him one of the better second-tier centers in the league. Will CP3 make Okafor an All-Star? If he does, the Hornets could find themselves right back in contention for the West's best record in 2009-10. It will also be interesting to see if Ike Diogu can finally find his NBA game playing alongside Paul.
The draft was very good to the Hornets, who got Darren Collison in the first round and then acquired Marcus Thornton from the second round. Collison and Thornton were easily the best back court in summer league play, and while that doesn't necessarily translate directly into regular season play, the Hornets are very high on their young backcourt tandem.
Two seasons ago the Hornets were among the West's elite, but their journey towards postseason glory was derailed last season due to ongoing significant injuries. If they can get healthy, the additions and tweaks they've made this summer should get them back in that discussion.
Grade: B-
Dallas Mavericks
Added/Retained: Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Tim Thomas, Kris Humphries, Nathan Jawai, Quinton Ross, Rodrigue Beaubois, Greg Buckner
Lost: Jerry Stackhouse, Antoine Wright, Devean George
Review: Major changes don't often equate to better on-court performance, and once again the Dallas Mavericks will test that theory. The addition of Shawn Marion could be a significant one, though as of this writing the Mavericks have two starting small forwards and no starting shooting guard. Still, they got Marion for next to nothing. Stackhouse has probably played his last game, Devean George was never effective for the Mavs, and Antoine Wright is a contributor, but not a star by any stretch of the imagination.
Re-signing Jason Kidd was inevitable, and it means the clock is now officially ticking on the Dirk Nowitzki era of Mavericks basketball. The future is no longer the focus, and winning as many games as can possibly be won today is the theme. Kidd still has plenty of basketball left in his tank (or better, at his price), and the onus is now on the Mavs' front office to make sure they have the right team around him.
The rest of the summer has been less than impressive for the Mavs, with names like Tim Thomas, Kris Humphries and Quinton Ross now in the mix. Rodrigue Beaubois had his moments in summer league, but he's likely a year or two away from cracking the lineup consistently. There's no urgency there, as Jason Terry and JJ Barea will get all of the point guard minutes off the bench as well as some of the two guard minutes.
The big question now is whether or not the Mavs can compete with the likes of the Spurs, Blazers, Lakers, Hornets and Nuggets for Western Conference supremacy. They're certainly a playoff team, but is a second round exit good enough for this team? As things stand today, it's unlikely Dallas finds themselves in the conference finals. There's still some work to be done. . .and don't believe for a moment that Mark Cuban doesn't know that. Dallas isn't finished dealing.
Grade: C+
Houston Rockets
Added/Retained: Jermaine Taylor, Chase Budinger, Trevor Ariza, David Andersen
Lost: Ron Artest, Von [Yao Ming (injury)
Review: The Houston Rockets are, in many ways, between a rock and a hard place. On paper their roster is championship-caliber, but injuries will almost certainly force them to fall well short of that goal. Yao Ming's foot injury will force him to miss the entire season and Tracy McGrady's various injuries make his status ambiguous at best. It's more than likely that the Rockets will play most of the 2009-10 season without either of their superstars.
The good news for Houston fans is that the Rockets' second unit is good enough to hold their own most nights. Luis Scola, Shane Battier, Aaron Brooks, Trevor Ariza, and Carl Landry are as good as or better than any team's supporting cast. David Andersen is still a big question mark, but he was considered by many to be one of the best big men playing overseas. Think of him as a poor man's Mehmet Okur.
The Rockets didn't own a first round pick, but they managed to make some noise in the draft, nonetheless, via trades. They acquired Chase Budinger and Jermaine Taylor, both of whom are expected to have an impact on the team this season. Budinger was fabulous in summer league play, and while Taylor was hampered by a hamstring injury, the Rockets are confident he'll find his groove and make an impact in training camp and preseason. That could translate into a role in the rotation when the season starts.
At the end of the day, this is a year of opportunity for members of the Houston Rockets. Trevor Ariza didn't blossom until he had Kobe Bryant to play off of, but if he wants to emerge as a force in the NBA, he will get a chance to do that this season. Luis Scola is no stranger to being "The Man," as he often has to play that role for Argentina's national team. He's someone who can handle a lot more responsibility than he's been asked to do with the Rockets to date. Carl Landry will also have a chance to emerge as the player the Rockets believe he can become, potentially playing big minutes as the Rockets look to fill Yao Ming's void. Finally, David Andersen can quickly endear himself to fans in Houston if he can contribute in a meaningful way.
It's hard to really grade the Rockets' offseason. There's nothing they could have done to overcome Yao's injury, and given the scraps they were offered for McGrady's ending deal, it didn't make sense to move him, either. At the very least the Rockets should be in the thick of the playoff chase this season, and when McGrady's contract comes off the books they can use that cap space to sign their next big star. As for this summer, Rockets GM Daryl Morey keeps hinting at another trade or signing, so it appears their roster is not yet finalized.
If Houston had signed Marcin Gortat it would have put them in the A-B range. If they had retained Ron Artest, who proved he can lead the team in the absence of McGrady and Yao, we're still in the A-B range. However, to this point of the summer, the Rockets haven't really been able to accomplish much.
Grade: C
Memphis Grizzlies
Added/Retained: Zach Randolph, Hasheem Thabeet, Sam Young, Steven Hunter, DeMarre Carroll
Lost: Darius Miles, Quinton Ross, Hakim Warrick, Greg Buckner
Review: The Memphis suffered through a miserable 2008-09, but the saving grace after such a season is that you land a high draft pick. With the number two pick in the Draft, the Grizzlies went looking for help in the front court, particularly on the defensive end of the floor. Their solution was to take UCONN's Hasheem Thabeet, hoping that he would be a game-changer for them on the defensive end of the floor. It was already clear he wouldn't have much of an impact on the offensive end.
The early returns aren't good. Thabeet was less than impressive in summer league play, averaging 8.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game. He missed a number of wide open dunks en route to that 8.2 ppg average and shot just 46% from the field. He also averaged five fouls per contest in just 25 minutes per game. If this is the Grizzlies' solution to the defensive end, they better have a Plan B.
Sam Young and DeMarre Carroll, on the other hand, look like solid additions. Young averaged 13.6 points per game while shooting 52% from the field in summer league play. Carroll, meanwhile, brings a very Shane Battier-like presence to the team, with his intangibles at least as important as his stats. He averaged 12.2 points (58% FG) and 4.8 rebounds in summer league and impressed Grizzlies brass with his heart and his hustle.
The Zach Randolph trade may sound flashy, and while Z-Bo will average 20 and 10, he's never helped a team win basketball games. He gets his offense at the expense of the gameplan and he plays absolutely no defense. There's a reason he gets traded every other season.
The Grizzlies play in one of the toughest divisions in the NBA, they used the second overall pick in the NBA Draft on a project (at best), and their big trade of the summer was to acquire a guy who won't help them win. Are they better than the team that won 24 games last season? Perhaps. Are they anywhere closer to the playoffs? Not by a long shot.
Grade: D
The Southwest Division may have a weak spot, but what was already one of the toughest divisions in the NBA has gotten even tougher. The San Antonio Spurs, if healthy, should dominate the division and even challenge the Lakers for the Western Conference title. The Mavericks and Hornets have improved, and the Rockets will be tough despite their injuries. The Grizzlies remain a lost cause, but life in the Southwest Division is going to be as tough as its ever been.
I don't agree with Ingram at all WTH NO had a better off season then Dallas? Just another example of the media bashing the Mavericks.
I think he was pretty fair with that actually. I mean the Hornets now have a guy who is just as good a low post defender as Chandler and has better scoring ability. Plus Ike who has been hoping for a chance to shine he is underrated player to me just needs a good situation.
Plus C+ and B- there isn't much separation between.
